(Irish) Grandson of Carra (spear).

Two brothers, of Anglo-Norman descent, who bore this name, are said to have settled in Scotland during the 13th century. No one knows which was the elder of the two, for “neither house would yield the superiority to the other, So savage did this quarrel become, that William Ker of Ancrum was actually assassinated by Robert Ker of Cessford, “when the disputes about the seniority of the families of Fernihirst and Cessford ran high” in 1590. forming two distinct races of war-like Border chieftains.” The Kers of Fernihirst are represented by the Marquesses of Lothian, the Kers of Cessford by the Dukes of Roxburghe; but the first only of these families now continues in the male line. The Kers of Cessford descend from “Johanni Ker de foresta de Selkirk,” mentioned in 1307. The barony of “Auld Roxburghe” was in their possession as early as 1451: and Andrew Ker “of Cessford” was one of the conservators of a truce with the English in 1457. In the latter end of that century, Sir Robert Ker, “a favourite with James IV., and his chief cup-bearer,” was Warden of the Middle Marches, and ruled with such exasperating severity, that he was set upon and slain (about 1500) by three Englishmen, Lilburn, Starked, and “the bastard Heron.” Andrew, the son, retaliated by sending two of his retainers to bring him Starked’s head, which was triumphantly “exposed in one of the most public places in Edinburgh.” Another Sir Robert, tenth in descent from the founder of the family, also a march-warden, and “a brave active young man, though somewhat haughty and resolute,” was created a baron about 1600 (the exact date is not known), and Earl of Roxburghe in 1616. Both his sons died before him, leaving no heirs-male; and the Earldom was inherited by Sir William Drummond, the fourth son of his eldest daughter, Jean, Countess of Perth; the liberal terms of his charter of creation having empowered him to select whatever heir he chose to “call to the succession.” Four of Sir William’s descendants bore the title: and Robert, fifth Earl, one of the Secretaries of State in 1704, “having heartily promoted the Union and the Protestant succession,’ was created Duke of Roxburghe in 1707, with remainder to “other heirs destined to succeed to the title and dignity of Earl of Roxburghe.” When the third Duke died s. p. in 1804, the Dukedom consequently devolved on a remote kinsman, William, sixth Lord Bellenden, then a childless old man of seventy-six, who only survived till the following year. He was descended from John Lord Bellenden the fourth son of the second Earl (Sir W. Drummond,) and with him, the whole male line of the latter failed, and a long litigation ensued. After a “tedious investigation” that lasted seven years, the House of Lords decreed the titles to Sir James Innes, as the representative of Margaret Ker, third daughter of Harry, Lord Ker, and granddaughter of the first Earl. He, too, had reached the age of seventy-six, but lived to be eighty-seven, and in his eighty-first year his second wife brought him a son, who succeeded as sixth Duke in 1823.

One of this family, named Mark, the second son of Sir Andrew Ker of Cessford, had been elected Abbot of Newbottle in 1546: but, at the Reformation “renounced the profession of popery,” took to himself a wife, and obtained a charter as “commendator” of Newbottle: thus, by a strange metamorphosis, ruling as a lay lord where he had ruled as a monk. His eldest son Mark had the lands erected into a barony, with the title of a baron, in 1587; and was created Earl of Lothian in 1609. The second Earl left only two daughters, of whom the elder, Lady Anne, in her own right Countess of Lothian, married William, eldest son of Robert, first Earl of Ancrum, “and thus carried the title into the house of Fernihirst, of whom we have now to treat”.

The first of this house was Ralph Ker, who settled in Teviotdale about 1330, and “got possession of the lands lying betwixt the water of Jed and the lands of Straseburgh” (thence called Kersheugh), which he held of the Douglases. Towards the end of the following century, Thomas Ker “built a house in Jedburgh Forest, to which he gave the name of Femihirst,” and erected his lands into a barony, under the charter of his feudal superior, the Earl of Angus. The next in succession, Sir Andrew, who “made a great figure in the reigns of James IV. and V.,” received, on the forfeiture of the House of Angus in 1528, a charter of Fernihirst from the Crown. He had two sons: 1. Sir John, ancestor of the Lords Jedburgh: 2. Robert, ancestor of the Earls of Ancrum.

Of the elder line was Sir Thomas Ker, “a stout and able warrior, and a steady friend and most loyal servant to Queen Mary,” who sheltered and protected her adherent, the Earl of Westmorland, in his castle of Fernihirst after the Rising of the North. He was ill repaid, for the gallant Earl disturbed the peace of the household by amusing himself with “the Laird’s new wanton lady.” Fernihirst was destroyed by the English in the following year, to revenge a foray made only a few months before, when he, and Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch, entered England with fire and sword. In 1671 he suffered forfeiture as one of “the Queen’s party,” and wandered about France, Spain, and Holland, till the accession of James VI. enabled him to return home and recover his estates. His third son was the notorious Robert Ker, who attended King James to England as one of his pages, and soon shone forth like “a comet” among the crowd of competitors, as the first favourite at court On the death of Dunbar, he was named Lord Treasurer of Scotland; then, in 1611, he became Viscount Rochester and a Knight of the Garter: in 1613 Lord Carr of Brancepeth, with a grant of the Castles and honours of Raby, Brancepeth, and Barnard, forfeited by the Nevills, in the Bishopric of Durham, Earl of Somerset, and Lord Chamberlain of the Household. But, unhappily for himself, he fell in love with the most profligate woman of her time, Lady Frances Howard, Countess of Essex, who divorced her husband in order to marry him. He had “received into his intimate familiarity a Knight of excellent parts, called Sir Thomas Overburie,” who very sensibly “disswaded him from her company:” but, “finding that, notwithstanding what had been said, he had a purpose to marry her, he so far presumed upon the friendly freedom which he had otherwise given him, to press him more earnestly to forbear her. And one night, dealing more plainly with him, said, 'My Lorde, I perceive you are proceeding in this Match, from which I have often disswaded you, as your true servant, and friend; I now again, advise you not to marry that woman: for if you do, you shall ruine your Honor: and yourself.’ Adding, ‘that if he went on in that business, he should do well to looke to his standing.’ “Which free Speech of his, this Earl, taking impatiently, because he had touch’t the Lady in her Honor; replyed in Passion: ‘That his Legs were strong enough to bear him up: and that he should make him repent those Speeches.’ But Overburie, interpreting this to be only a sudden passion, thought not that their long continu’d Friendship would break off by this occasion; and therefore continued his wonted attendance; neither did this Earl wholly abandon him. Howbeit, having discovered his words to the Lady, she never ceased; but by all means sought his overthrow. It hapning therefore about this time, that Overburie being design’d for Embassador into Russia, this Earl (whose Counsel he askt) advised him to refuse the service, but to make some fair excuse. Which advice he followed, supposing that it did proceed of kindness; but, for his refusal, was committed to the Tower.

“The Lady thus having him where she wished; and resolving to dispatch him by Poyson, wrought so with Sir Gervase Elways, then Lieutenant of the Tower, as that he admitted one Richard Weston, upon her recommendation, to be his Keeper; by whom (the very evening after he was so committed) a yellow Poyson was ministered to him in a Broth at Supper.” - Dugdale. This first dose was a failure: and six different poisons - whatever was reputed most deadly, “to be sure to hit his complexion” - were tried upon him. One Mistress Turner, well skilled in their use, prepared them, with the help of a man named Franklin. Everything he tasted was poisoned; arsenic was mixed with his salt, cantharides used instead of pepper, and diamond powder sprinkled as a seasoning: yet, in spite of this fiendish perseverance, they were a long time in killing him. When he was at last dead, they hurried him into his grave, pretending that he had died of “the French Pox” to explain the state of his body. Yet rumours of foul play presently got abroad; and though the known “greatness of the promoters” sealed men’s lips for awhile, the truth was not very long in leaking out, and the whole detestable story was brought to light The poisoners confessed their guilt: the conscience-stricken Lieutenant of the Tower admitted that he had “winked at their doings;” and all four suffered on the gallows at Tyburn. Mistress Turner, who was a milliner and clear-starcher, was “order’d to be hanged in her yellow Tiffiny Ruff and Cuff, being she was the first inventor and wearer of that horrid garb. Never since which,” it is added, “was ever any seen to wear the like.” Yet the foul instigators of the crime escaped with their lives. After great efforts to avoid being brought to justice, the Earl and his wicked Countess were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. “With the Lady,” says Dugdale, “there was not much ado; she, with many teares, confessing the fact; but the Earl made some show of defence,” and the King chose to reprieve them both. Somerset was confined for a few years in the Tower, and then received a full pardon. He died in 1645, leaving one daughter, Anne, married to the first Duke of Bedford, The Earl, his father, who had sat upon their trial, was “horrified when his son proposed to marry the child of so ominous a pair. But Lady Anne was not touched by the crimes of her parents. Her loveliness shone perhaps the more attractively against so dark a background. Her character must have been singularly innocent, for she grew up in entire ignorance that her mother had been tried for murder.” It was not till after the execution of her son that, “in the midst of her wretchedness she found accidentally in a room at Woburn a pamphlet with an account of the Overbury murder. For the first time she learned the dreadful story. She was found senseless, with her hand upon the open page, and she never rallied from the blow.”—Froude. One more anecdote of this fair Lady Anne. The old Earl had said to his son, "Marry whom ye will, so that it be not Lady Anne Carr:” and when it was found that Lady Anne Carr was the only woman in the world whom the young man cared to marry, there was a long and direful struggle before he would give his consent. But Lady Anne, though ignorant of the real cause of his opposition, bore no malice. When he sickened of the small-pox, and every one around him shrank away from the dreaded contagion, his daughter-in-law, alone of all his family, remained faithfully by his side to nurse him. She took the infection; and though she recovered from the cruel malady, paid the penalty of her devotion by the entire loss of her beauty. How radiant that beauty was, is avouched by the golden-haired portrait by Van Dyck that remains of her at Petworth. and the mother of the celebrated Lord Russell.

Some share in the sunshine of Royal favour fell to the lot of Lord Somerset’s elder brother, Sir Andrew Ker, who was created Lord Jedburgh in 1622. His nephew, the third Lord, having no children of his own, in 1670 made an entail of his estate and honours in favour of his nearest heir-male, William, Lord Newbottle, son of Robert, then Earl, and afterwards Marquess of Lothian.

Lord Newbottle descended from a younger son of their joint ancestor Sir Andrew (see p. 164), Robert Ker of Ancrum, whose grandson had been created Earl of Ancrum by Charles I., and sacrificed his whole fortune in the Royal cause. He died during the Commonwealth, in exile and deep poverty, embittered by the knowledge that his favourite son, Lord Lothian, had been serving in the enemy’s camp. This son was the husband of Anne, Countess of Lothian (see p. 165), and obtained a fresh charter of her Earldom in 1634, though he is always styled the third Earl of that name. After the death of his father and younger brother, he was also Earl of Ancrum. From the first a zealous adherent of the Covenant, he was in the Scottish army that invaded England in 1640; imprisoned in Bristol as a traitor in 1643, and the following year again in arms against Montrose. But he was also one of the Scottish Commissioners who protested against the execution of the King, and so out-spoken in his honest indignation, that he was put under arrest, and sent back to Scotland with a guard. It would, in fact, appear to have wrought a complete change in his sentiments, for he afterwards went to Breda on an embassy to invite Charles II. to Scotland. His son Robert, fourth Earl, created Marquess of Lothian in 1700, was the father of Lord Newbottle, to whom Lord Jedburgh left his title and property, and is now represented by the ninth Marquess.

The lineage of the founders of the family, the two brothers of Anglo-Norman blood, has never been traced; but the author of the ‘Norman People’ believes them to have belonged to the house of Espec. “Walter Espec, in the time of Henry I., possessed estates in York and Northumberland, and on the death of his son he founded Kirkham Abbey, to which he gave the church of Carr-on-Tweed (Burton, Mon. Ebor.). The lordship, however, appears to have been to another Walter Espec, brother of William, whose sons Robert and William de Carrum held it t. Henry II.; for the former in 1165 returned his barony as one fee held by him and his brother t Henry I. (Lib. Nig.). Walter de Carum, his son, was deceased before 1207 (Hardy, Obl. et Fin.). Thomas de Carro, his son, was father of William, whose son Richard Fitz William, with Michael Ker and John Ker (his kinsman) paid scutage together in Northumberland. This Richard Fitz William Carr or Ker was seated in Scotland before 1249, as appears by the Chartulary of Melrose (i. 232). His son was father of 1. Ralph, living 1330: 2. John Ker of Selkirk Forest, living 1357,” the progenitors of the two rival races. But if we admit the original form of the name to be Cairune or Cairum, it is at least equally probable that the Kers descend from the “Guillaume de Cairon” on the Dives Roll. This family was certainly established in the North, for it appears, as Charron, in the earlier records of the Bishopric of Durham.