"Roslin, their father was a very civil and discreet man. He dealt with us that were children of the first marriage, begotten by Mr. George Hay, very kindly, notwithstanding that he scattered us far off after his marriage, sending the one to France, another to England, and a third to sea. He was much taken up with building, and addicted to the Priests; those two inclinations spoiled his fortune. He died in a good age, and with the reputation of an honest man; yet I have perceived in examining his papers after his death, that he was too easy, and that his correspondents at Rouen, Mr. Alexander at Paris, Lady Magdalene Creichton, one of the heirs of Francis Irvine, and the Scots Mission of Seminary Priests, have imposed on him, which goodness of his brought, after his death, some trouble to my mother. He acquired a brae at Gorton, with a design to imparke the wood; he built a well about the College and the garden towards the Lynne; he built also the fore part of the Castle on the left hand entering the drawbridge, upon which his arms and name are seen conjunctly with my mother's engraven on a stone. He built likewise the legions of the bridge on the Water of Esk, under the Castle, with a gate to stop the passengers, with several other parcels of walls about the parks and other buildings. He was made Burgess of Edinburgh by Provost Currie, notwithstanding that he was Roman Catholic. It was by his means that one Bruse, who had married a Flemender, was employed to bring in water to the sever all fountains of Edinburgh. The same brought in water in lead pipes to the inner court of the Castle of Roslin, and to the lower vaults. My mother, after his death, sent James and Alexander, her children, to Paris, under the government of Mr. Davidsone. They stayed sometime in a French Pension near to the College of Lysieux; thereafter they were confined to the Scots College by the Missionaries advice. Whilst they were there the Duchess of York was willing to accept of both of them for her pages. Mr. Innes, then principal, as I think, being unwilling to let them both return home at once, hindered their fortune. He detained Alexander, next Laird of Roslin, with him at Paris, and allowed the other to return to Scotland. He was made page at his coming to the country, and his brother remaining abroad, the other place designed for him was filled up by another
When my goodfather was buried, his corps seemed to be entire at the opening of the cave, but when they came to touch his body it fell into dust; he was laying in his armour, with a red velvet cap all his head on a flat stone; nothing was spoiled except a piece of the white furring that went round the cap, and answered to the hinder part of the head. All his predecessors were buried after the same manner in their armour. Late Roslin, my goodfather, was the first that was buried in a coffin, against the sentiments of King James the Seventh, who was then in Scotland, and several other persons well versed in antiquity, to whom my mother would not hearken, thinking it beggarly to be buried after that manner. The great expenses she was at in burying her husband occasioned the sumptuary acts which were made in the following Parliaments".
Lady Roslin petitioned James the Seventh and his Queen for some compensation for the great losses sustained by the Rosslyns during their loyal adhesion to the royal cause, such as would enable her to make needful reparations to the Chapell and Castle of Roslin. The petitions made recital of the injury done to Roslin Castle when defending it against the artillery of General Monk, and that by adhering to King James the Fifth's dowager and his daughter. Mary Queen of Scots, the then Roslin had been obliged to sell the lands of Herbertshire, Pentland, Morton, and Mortonhall, These petitions were of little use, and all she succeeded in getting was a commission for her son as Cornet of the Guards. Her second son succeeded to Roslin: