George Seton, 4th Earl of Winton
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George Seton, 4th Earl of Winton (c. 1641 – 6 March 1704) was a
He was the son of George Seton, Master of Winton, and Lady Henrietta Gordon, a daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Huntly.
He was in Europe for his studies, a boy of under ten years of age, when he succeeded his grandfather in the family estates in 1650. Notwithstanding his youth, a heavy fine of £2000 was imposed on him by Cromwell's Act of Grace and Pardon in 1654.[1]
His tutor and uncle was
Lord Winton was accomplished in the knowledge of arms, and gave proof of his skill and gallantry serving with the French army at the siege of
In 1682 he was appointed
Also in 1685 Winton was again in action with his regiment, against the Earl of Argyll.
As a learned individual, Professor Sinclair presented him with a curious and rare work entitles Satan's Invisible world discovered – or A choice collection of relations anent devils, spirits, witches, and apparitions in 1685. The lengthy 'Epistle Dedicatory' is in a vein of exaggerated praise, somewhat relieved by a description of the Earl's coal-mining operations, in which Sinclair introduces the name of
In 1691-93 he was in Holland, at
This Earl did much to improve his property and to benefit the public. He built a new harbor at
Alexander Nisbet says of this nobleman that "he imitated the extraordinary loyalty of his ancestors; none of them having ever been guilty of treason or rebellion, nor addicted or avarice, nor found with lands of the Church in their possession".
A special Royal Charter dated 31 July 1688, was granted to him of the Earldom of Wintoun, to him and the heirs male of his body, which failing, to whichever person he might nominate and the heirs male of their bodies, with remainder to his heirs male, and failing these to his nearest heirs and assignees whatsoever, the eldest daughter or her female succeeding without division, and marrying a gentleman of the surname of Seton, or who would assume that surname and carry the Wintoun Arms.[1]
Family
George, 4th Earl of Winton, married Christian (d. 1703), daughter and heiress of John Hepburn of Adinstoun in East Lothian. They had two sons:
- George Seton, 5th Earl of Winton
- Christopher Seton, (d. 5 January 1705)