Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Galbraith, Robert
GALBRAITH, ROBERT (d. 1543), judge, was a priest and treasurer of the Chapel Royal at Stirling, in which capacity he received a charter of the lands of Mydwyn Schelis, near Berwick, dated 5 July 1528. He was advocate to Queen Margaret Tudor, wife of James IV of Scotland, and as such made his protest on 1 Sept. 1528 in parliament against any prejudice to her claim for debt against the Earl of Angus being occasioned by his forfeiture. He was one of the advocates appointed when first the College of Senators was instituted, and was admitted an ordinary lord on 7 Nov. 1537. In 1543 he was murdered by John Carkettle, a burgess of Edinburgh, and others, on account of favour which he was alleged to have shown to Sir William Sinclair of Hermanston in a suit before him. The murderers were cited before parliament, but nothing is known of their fate. He left some reports of cases, which are cited as the ‘Book of Galbraith’ by the compiler of Balfour's ‘Practicks.’
[Acts Scots Parl.; Acts of Sederunt, 1811, p. 5; Act Dom. Con. et Sess.; Diplomata Regia, pp. 5, 467; Tytler's Craig, p. 114; Arnot's Criminal Trials, p. 174; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the Royal College of Justice.]