George, 7th Lord Seton

‘Sunt comites, ducesque alii, sunt denique reges; Setoni dominium, sit satis esse mihi.’ Queen Mary Stuart. Which have been thus rendered: ‘Earl, Duke, or King to those that list to be; Seton, thy lordship is enough for me.’

Lord Seton, declined the offer of an Earldom from Queen Mary, being unwilling to forego what he considered a greater distinction in being the Premier Baron of Scotland. For which Mary wrote, or caused to be written, the above lines.

Provost of Edinburgh and Elgin and Master of the Royal Household, he was famed for his support of Queen Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. 

He is all too often erroneously referred to as the 5th Lord Seton, who was his grandfather and who died at Flodden in 1513. The confusion started as a result of a mention that he was, "5th of that name", which referred to the fact that he was the 5th Seton Lord in succession to be named George, though in fact he was the 7th Lord Seton overall.  William Seton, son of the heiress Margaret Seton and Alan de Winton  was 1st Lord, followed by his son John, 2nd Lord Seton.

The Seton's are most noted for their unswerving support of the Monarchy in Scotland.  Whether it was that of Kings David I, Robert I (the Bruce), or James I through V.  They were also noted for becoming extraordinarily involved in the lives of Queen Mary Stuart, Kings James VI, Charles I and II.  And although there were various branches established in Scotland, the family acted singularly in their purposes, particularly where honour, loyalty, tradition and the defense of the crown were in question.  This they maintained through successive generations, and were similarly noted for their refined tastes and hereditary love of learning.  Every branch within the house was noted for being tall and proud, for the manner in which they carried themselves, for their unswerving loyalty and sense of duty, honour, and with the ability to speak various languages and for building of astounding places of residence.  It has been said that of the Seton's, they were the ultimate definition of Knights and Knighthood, and of Nobility, that has existed through the ages.