Richard Lawson of High Riggs

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Richard Lawson of High Riggs (c. 1450–1507) was 15th century Scottish landowner and lawyer who served as Provost of Edinburgh in 1492 and 1493 and 1504/5.^[1]

He was trained as a lawyer and largely served the country in the role of ambassador in treaties with England and as King's Council. He served as Town Clerk in Edinburgh in 1482. He was Justice-Clerk from 1489^[2] and was still in post described as "Justice-Clerk-General to the King" in January 1504/5.^[3]

He was one of the counsellors appointed for managing the affairs of King James IV. Along with Alexander Home of that Ilk, Chamberlain of Scotland, and others, he was one of the Commissioners appointed to ratify the treaty concluded at Coldstream on 5 October 1488 for a three years' truce with England. On 30 May 1490 he was one of the Commissioners of the King who, with 300 horsemen, had a Safe-Conduct for two months to enter England, remain and return. On the 25th June 1492 he was one of the King's Commissioners who concluded a new 7 year treaty with England, and on 28 July the next year was again a Commissioner in a party of ambassadors to England for 6 months; and yet again on 22 May 1495 he was one of the Ambassadors, with 100 horsemen, who had a Safe Conduct to England for 6 months. He was one of the ambassadors of Scotland, who concluded a new 7 year treaty with England, at Ayton, Berwickshire, on 30 September 1497, ratified by King James on 10 February 1497/8 in the presence of Don Pedro de Ayala, Prothonotary of the King & Queen of Spain and their ambassador to Scotland, as a neutral person.^[4]

Heiriggs were the lands where Heriot's Hospital, Edinburgh, now stands and previously related to a wide area of high fields, south-west of the city, "Rigg" being old Scots for a field, normally of linear form.^[5] There is a narrow street, a little to the west, which is still called Lady Lawson's Lane. High Riggs also still exists as a street name in Edinburgh.

Family[]

He also owned a country estate known as Cairnmuir House in the Pentland Hills^[6] which he gave to his son, Richard jnr., in October 1504.^[7]

His son Robert Lawson was one of the many killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.^[8] His son James Lawson was an MP in the Scottish Parliament in 1528, 1531 and 1532.^[9]

His grandson James Lawson, Lord Lawson was both a Senator of the College of Justice from 1532 and Provost of Edinburgh in 1532.^[10]

In 1568, a descendant, John Lawson of High Riggs, made complaint to the Town Council that the Flodden Wall had been built in such a way as to cause the flooding of his property. In 1573

the Council declared parts of his building at High Riggs as unsafe and a public danger. This house, known as the Over Bow, was demolished in 1877.^[11]

References[]