John Lauder – författare

John Lauder, 2nd Lord Fountainhall (1646-1722) was a Scottish judge who opposed the Union of England and Scotland, and a perceptive observer of political affairs. His large collection of legal opinions and papers, particularly relating to the Privy Council of Scotland, is still consulted today. Chronological Notes of Scottish Affairs, from 1680 till 1701 was edited in 1822 by Sir Walter Scott, and deals with the short reign of James II and accession of William and Mary. Insertions by an earlier owner of the manuscript give the text a more aggressively Jacobite flavour than Lauder in fact felt, as his loyalty to the House of Stuart was tempered by his Presbyterianism and concerns about James' pro-Catholic policies. Lauder's career flourished under William and Mary despite his preserving his independence of party dictates, and his writings give an insight into educated Scottish Presbyterian attitudes to the 'Glorious Revolution'.