JAMES GRANGER and
spouse Christian Fletcher, saviours of the Scottish Regalia.

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae,
H Scott (1915) rev 1917, 1920
vol 5 p 473 Kinneff, 1640

JAMES GRANGER,M.A. (StAndrews
1626); became a preacher in Montrose in 1635 ; the Assembly passed an Act
under which the Presb. were to take him on trials and to ordain him 6th
Oct. 1640. In 1651 the “Honours” or Regalia of Scotland were committed for
safe custody by the Earl Marischal to his own castle of Dunnottar, and
George Ogilvie of Barras was placed in command. The castle was besieged by
the English Parliamentary troops. When it ultimately surrendered in May
1652, the English general found that the Regalia were no longer there.They
had been conveyed out of he castle in March by the minister’s wife, and
buried by her husband under the floor of Kinneff Church close to the
pulpit. In 166Q they were dug up and restored to the King. According to
all the evidence it was the Grangers who played the most prominent part in
this patriotic act. On 11th Jan. 1661,an Act of Parliament granted to Mrs
Granger a sum of 2000 merks Scots,” because she was most active in
conveying the royall honnours . . . out of the castle . . . and that by
her care the same was hid and preserved.” It would appear, however, that
she never received more than a fraction of the amount voted to her. G.died
between 14th Jan. and 20th May 1663, aged about 57. His gravestone has the
following commendatory lines :
—
“Scotia Grangericui Insignia Regia debet
Servata hic cineres reliquiacq ‘jacent.
Abstulit obsesso paene haec captiva Dunotro,
Condidit et Sacra qua tuniulator humo.
Promia dant superi ; patrii servator honoris
Sceptra rotat superos inter athleta chor . . .”
 

He marr. Christian Fletcher
(who survived him and marr. (2)James Sandilands, first Lord Abercrombie),
and had issue John.