Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hope, John (1605?-1654)
HOPE, Sir JOHN, Lord Craighall, (1605?–1654), Scottish judge, born about 1605, was eldest son of Sir Thomas Hope of Craighall, first baronet [q. v.], by Elizabeth, daughter of John Bennet of Wallyford, Haddingtonshire; Sir James Hope (1614–1661) [q. v.] was his younger brother. He was educated for the law, and having been admitted advocate rapidly acquired practice, and in 1632 was knighted and appointed an ordinary lord of session, assuming the title of Lord Craighall, and taking his seat on 27 July. In September 1638 he refused to subscribe the king's covenant until it had been approved by the general assembly. In 1640 he was placed on the committee of estates appointed to provide for the defence of the kingdom against Charles I; was reappointed ordinary lord of session ‘ad vitam aut culpam’ in the following year; and in 1644 was made one of the commissioners for the visitation of St. Andrews, the plantation of kirks, the administration of the exchequer and the excise. In 1651 his brother, Sir Alexander Hope, underwent examination by the committee of estates for advising the king to surrender Scotland and Ireland to Cromwell, and quoted Lord Craighall to the effect that it would be wise in his majesty to ‘treat with Cromwell for one-half of his coat before he lost the whole.’ In May 1652 Craighall was appointed one of Cromwell's committee, consisting of five English and three Scotch judges, for the administration of justice. His brother, Sir James Hope (1614–1661) [q. v.], not himself, was a representative for Scotland in the English parliament in 1653. He died at Edinburgh on 28 April 1654, having married Margaret, daughter of Sir Archibald Murray of Blackbarony, bart., by whom he had two sons and six daughters. The elder son, Thomas, born on 11 Feb. 1633, was grandfather of Sir John Hope Bruce [q. v.], seventh baronet, with whom his line became extinct. The second son, Archibald Hope (1639–1706), was lord of session in 1689, and lord of justiciary in 1690. He took the title of Lord Rankeillor, and was M.P. for Fifeshire from 25 April 1706 till his death on 10 Oct. following. John Hope (1725–1786) [q. v.] was his grandson.
[Wood's Cramond, p. 140; Balfour's Annals of Scotland, ii. 294, iv. 238; Acts of Parl. (Scotland), v. 282, 389, 704, vi. 198, 212, 235, 244; Nicoll's Diary (Bannatyne Club), p. 93; Willis's Not. Parl. iii. 25; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice, p. 289; Foster's Members of Parliament, Scotland; Foster's Baronetage.]