William

William 13th Lord and 4th Earl, b. 1705.

In his youth he gave himself up to dancing, music and pleasure and "was more happy in acquitting those which are called genteel accomplishments".

In 1742 he was appointed the Grand Master of Scottish Freemasonry - a title he held for one year as was customary. (Early Grand Masters of FreeMasonry)

In October 1745 he joined Prince Charles Edward at Edinburgh and was received by His Royal Highness with great marks of distinction and esteem. He was made a Privy Councillor and a General. He took a leading part in the Battle of Falkirk, for which Lady Kilmarnock made Hawley, the Hanoverian General late by detaining him over luncheon at her house.

O'Sulllivan in his narrative addressed to King James VIII in 1747 wrote of Lord Kilmarnock: "I must say one thing for this gent, there was not a man in the Army showed more repect for HRH's nor more zeele and activity for the cause." He was taken prisoner at Culloden and was tried before the House of Lords.

Notwithstanding an eloquent speech, he was condemned to death and his title and estates forfeited. His body was buried in St. Peter's ad Vincula in the Tower of London, the coffin being inscribed "Culielmus, Comes de Kilmarnock decollat. 18 August 1746 actat sui 42"

The following was written in a letter to his son, James, Lord Boyd, afterwards Earl of Erroll, on the 17th August, 1746, the eve of his execution:

" I beg to say two or three things to you as my last advice. Seek God in your youth and when you are old he will not depart you. Be at pains to acquire good habits now, that they may grow up and be strong in you. Love mankind and do justice to all men. Be good to as many as you can, and neither shut your eyes or your ears to the cry of distress when it is in your power to relieve. Believe me, one beneficial action will afford you more pleasure, and in your cool moments you will be more happy in reflection that you have made one person so, who but for your assistance would have been miserable, than in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of the senses and of all the pomp and gaiety of the the world. Live within your circumstances by which means you will have in your power to do good and to create an independence in yourself."

Lady Kilmarnock who had taken such a spirited part at Falkirk, died of grief at Kilmarnock the following year. She was Ann, heiress to the Earldom of Erroll and daughter of James, fifth Earl of Linlithgow.

The following is from an excerpt in:

'The Temple & the Lodge'
by Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh
Published by Arrow, ISBN 0-09-925704-1

A group calling themselves 'Stella Templum maintained for 200 years an archive of Jacobite Templar material.

In it was a letter dated 30 July 1846 - the signature on the letter was of one 'H. Whyte' beneath it was a wax seal in the form of a Templar cross.

The addressee is simply called 'William' The contents said:

'Observe that the blade and other articles are now in your charge. The Earl was not able to take them. Mr. Grills and I think your care the best. Poor old Kilmarnock - God bless him - received the blade from Alexander Seaton/The Knight of the Red Feather.

I know not what will happen now, God willing you and Gardner will continue 100 years.

Remember K. next month on the 18th"

Next month on the 18th marked the 100th anniversary of the death of the Lord of Kilmarnock.

This sword is still in the collection of the same group and it is said to have been used by the Lord of Kilmarnock to initiate Baron Von Hund into the Jacobite Order of the Temple in 1743.

They had children:

1. William, Lord Boyd - B. 1725 d. 1728
2. James - Lord Boyd b. 1726.
   In 1751 he was appointed the Grand Master of Scottish Freemasonry as his father had been nine years previously
   Fighting with his regiment on the (Ha?)Noverian side at Culloden, he saw his father, hatless and dishevelled, taken prisoner, and rushing forward he placed his own bonnet on his head, at which filial piety, it is said, the nearby soldiers wept. He succeeded as fifteenth Earl of Erroll and changed his surname from Boyd to Hay.
3. Charles - b. 1728. On the 12th October 1745, with a body of gentlemen he joined Prince Charles at Edinburgh. He escaped from Culloden and "lurked" in the Isle of Arran where he studied medicine. He thence made his way to France. Prince Charles wrote of him to James VIII in April 1747: "I have got accounts that E. arrived safe after a very narrow escape, for he fell late into ye sea getting out ye ship into a littler boat, being pursued by a man of war." He married in France and later returned to Scotland. Boswell mentions him as being present at Slain's Castle when Johnson stayed there. He had a son Charles who married Elizabeth Halybuton, and had a son, also Charles.
4. William, twin brother to Charles. He held commissions in various regiments of foot and died in 1780. With these two the name Boyd ceased to be born by the main branch of this family which had played a turbulent and dramatic part in Scottish history for six hundred years.