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- Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys, 2nd Baronet (1653-63).
" When I heard," the laird of Brodie in his Diary says, " that the lord of Leyis Burnet, being a sober, grave man, had a successor so profane, dissolute, and naughty, my hart said, ' What doe I travel for under the sun. How is it true of Solomon, men know not what shall come after them, whether a wyse man or a fool.' " As the young laird of Leys who succeeded his grandfather in 1653, and was in possession but ten years, was then but a second year's student at King's College, let us charitably hope that Brodie's language was stronger than the occasion warranted.
Sir Alexander Burnett was served heir loth March, 1654. He had not succeeded, as his grandfather did, to an unembarrassed estate. Sir Thomas' debts and obligations both to strangers and to his own family were considerable, and to discharge them it was found necessary to wadset parts of the property. One of these wadsets, given when Sir Alexander was under age, with advice and consent of his curators, tells us who the curators whom he had chosen were, namely, his maternal uncle. Lord Arbuthnot, Sir Robert Douglas of Tillewhilly, William Coutts of Cluny, and Mr. Alexander Burnett of Craigmyle. They are, with one exception, not those whom his grandfather had directed him to choose ; but the absence of his uncle, Thomas Burnett of Sauchen (who had been named failing his uncle, Robert Burnett, a sine quo non\\ is accounted for by the circumstance that he is the wadsetter, and that the lands are those of which he had a tack in security of his portion of 10,000 marks. Mis- management, however, or extravagance is suggested when the debt to Alexander Burnett of Countessvveils, stated in Sir Thomas' will at 8000 marks, has risen to 20,000, for which sum, in 1658, Sir Alexander, newly of age, has to give him a wadset over Leys. In 1662, the year before his death. Sir Alexander gives a redeemable conveyance of Muchalls to Master Robert Burnett of Cowtoun (fourth son of James Burnett of Craigmyle, the 1st Baronet's brother), of which the latter had actual possession for the next sixteen years, and was generally styled Robert Burnett of Muchalls. " Heard," writes Brodie on 8th May, 1663, " that Leys Burnet was dead. Youth, strength, and vigour could not preserve from death." Dying at the early age of 26, he left six children by his wife, Elizabeth Coutts, of the family of Coutts of Auchtercoull,* who afterwards married David Ramsay of Balmain. The exordium of his testament, dated 30th January, 1663, recommends his "soul to God to be presented in Jesus Christ in readiness to the great God His grace, by whose mercies I hope to be saved," and ordains his body to be " honourably buried in the quire of the Kirk of Banchory." Mr. Robert Burnett, advocate, his uncle, and Mr. Robert Burnett of Muchalls, are appointed executors, and also tutors to his children. He leaves to Robert, his second son, 8000 marks; to William, his third son, 6000 marks; to his daughters, Elizabeth, 6000, Jean, 4000, and Margaret, 4000 marks. The amount of his executry as given up is ;£'iio8 13s. 4d
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