Robert Seton fl.1719

Captain Robert SETON of Menie, fl.1719

Biographical Note

Captain Robert Seton of Menie, Lieutenant Governor of Blackness Castle, was an officer in the 3rd Regiment of Scots Guards. He was the son of Robert Seton of Kinloch and Elizabeth Cockburn of Cedar. He is recorded as taking out a law suit against another branch of his family in 1719 defending his title as head of the family of Seton of Meldrum. He was married to Mary Long (Laing).

Books

Seton's library was sold at auction by Mr. Freebairn in Edinburgh in 1732. The collection contained many 16th and 17th century books and covered a variety of subjects including religion, law, church history and governance, travel, classics, and dictionaries. The auction consisted of 1786 lots of printed books and pamphlets (407 folios, 311 quartos, and 1068 octavos) and 67 manuscripts. One incunabula was identified (Folio 133: Juvenalis cum notis variorum antiquorum (1494)) and several notable publishers were listed in the catalogue, including Sebastian Gryphius, Johann Froben, Andreas Wechelus, and Simon de Colines.

Selections: Valerius Maximus, 1545 (lot: 8vo 38)

Eikon Basilike (lot: 8vo 769)

Examples: Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh S.10.4 (lot: Folio 223); Glasgow University Library Bi10-c.9 (lot: Folio 29)

Characteristic Markings

Used an engraved bookplate:

Franks 26487: Atchievemt. of Capt. Robt. Seton, Lineal Representer of ye Family of Seton of Meldrum. Arms. Seton quartering Meldrum. (A. Burden S.) Early Armorial

Sources

• George Seton, History of the family of Seton during eight centuries, Edinburgh, 1896
• The Seton Family
• A catalogue of books, to be sold by auction in Mr. Freebairn's shop, below the Trone‑Church, on Wednesday the 22d of November, 1732, being the whole library of the late curious and learned gentleman Captain Robert Seton, Judge‑Advocate for Scotland, to which is subjoin'd the catalogue of his most valuable and rare manuscripts, which are likewise to be sold,Edinburgh, 1732.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the British Museum, London, 1903.