Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Scott, William (d.1656)
SCOTT, Sir WILLIAM (d. 1656), of Clerkington, was the eldest son of Laurence Scott of Harprig, advocate, clerk to the privy council, and one of the clerks of the court of session. In November 1641 he was knighted by Charles I. Like his father, he was one of the clerks of session, and after the enactment of the act of classes rendering it impossible for those who took part in the engagement on behalf of Charles I to hold office, he was in June 1649 appointed an ordinary lord of session with the title of Lord Clerkington. In 1645 he had been chosen to represent the county of Haddington in parliament, and in 1650 was chosen a commissioner for the county of Edinburgh. He was also one of the committee of estates, and took a prominent part in affairs at the period of Charles II's recall to Scotland in June 1650. He died on 23 Dec. 1656. By his first wife, a daughter of Morrison of Prestongrange, he had one son, Laurence; and by his second wife, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Dalmahoy of Dalmahoy, bart., he had three sons and three daughters. The sons were: John, who succeeded his brother Laurence, obtained from his father in patrimony the lands and barony of Malleny, and was the ancestor of the Scotts of Malleny; James of Scotsloch; and Robert, dean of Hamilton.
[Sir James Balfour's Annals; Bishop Guthry's Memoirs; Anderson's Scottish Nation; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice.]