Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Seton, John (d.1594)
SETON, Sir JOHN, Lord Barns (d. 1594), Scottish judge, was the third son of George, fifth lord Seton [q. v.], by his wife Isabel, daughter of Sir William Hamilton of Sanquhar. While still a young man he went to Spain to the court of Philip II, by whom he was made knight of the royal order of St. Jago and master of the household. He was appointed master of the stable to James VI of Scotland some time before 1581, when he had an encounter with James, earl of Arran (Calderwood, History, iii. 592). The same year he was sent as ambassador to complain to Elizabeth regarding her conduct in interfering in behalf of the Earl of Morton, but was not permitted to enter England. On 27 Jan. 1586–7 he was admitted a member of the privy council (Reg. P. C. Scotl. iv. 139), and on 17 Feb. 1587–8 he was appointed, with the title Lord Barns, an extraordinary lord of session, in room of his brother, Alexander Seton, afterwards Earl of Dunfermline [q. v.] He died on 25 May 1594. By his wife Anne, daughter of William, seventh lord Forbes, he had, with other children, a son John who succeeded him.
[Calderwood's Hist. of the Kirk of Scotland; Reg. P. C. Scotl. vols. iii.–iv.; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice.]