The Kincardine papers

Sir Robert Moray (1608-1673), first President of the Royal Society, before the Charter, is better known as a states- man and soldier than as a man of science. His life is recorded in the Dictionary of National Biography,¹ and more fully in the posthumous work of Robertson (1922).² Moray was an interesting man, but I need say no more about him here. The present note deals only with the documentary evidence on which our knowledge of his life is founded. On page 203 of Robertson's book it is stated that ‘Moray’s career as a man of science and his personal characteristics are illustrated chiefly by (A) the archives of the Royal Society at Burlington House, and (B) the Kincardine MSS. (transcripts), which were in the possession of the late Mr. David Douglas, Edinburgh.’ The ‘Kincardine MSS. (transcripts)’ came into my hands—almost by accident—a few years ago, and it is about them that I now write. The original MSS., from which the transcripts were made, formerly belonged to Cosmo Innes (1798-1874), professor of constitutional law and history at Edinburgh University. How he came to possess them is now unknown; but it is recorded that he was Sheriff of Moray (1840-1852)—where his family once resided—and that he ‘ was an acute and learned student of ancient Scottish records ’ (D.N.B.), so he probably acquired them legitimately in the course of his antiquarian researches.