ron, he had a son, who died young, and a daughter Catherine, married in 1752 to Stewart Carmichael, merchant in Edinburgh. Keith's most important and valuable work is ‘The History of the Affairs of the Church and State of Scotland from the beginning of the Reformation in the Reign of King James V to the Retreat of Queen Mary into England Anno 1568,’ Edinburgh, 1734. The ‘History,’ with biographical sketch of Keith, additional notes, and an index, was published by the Spottiswoode Society in 1844–5, vols. i. and ii. being edited by John Parker Lawson, and vol. iii. by the Rev. J. C. Lyon. The ‘History’ is the result of laborious original research, and is indeed the earliest history relating to Scotland of which this can properly be said. It is illustrated by a large number of original documents, and these have been considerably augmented in the Spottiswoode Society's edition. Keith's private copy of the ‘History,’ with his own annotations, corrections, and additions, was acquired by Sir Walter Scott, and is in the library at Abbotsford. Keith's other historical work, the ‘Catalogue of Scottish Bishops,’ is a much less satisfactory performance, and in many details is far from being either complete or accurate. The first edition appeared at Edinburgh in 1755, under the title ‘Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland down to the year 1688; together with other things necessary to the better knowledge of the Ecclesiastical State of the Kingdom in former times. Also an Account of the first Planting of Christianity in Scotland, and the State of the Church in the earlier Ages.’ The volume was dedicated to his kinsman, Marshal Keith. The account of the Culdees was written by Walter Goodall [q. v.], apologist of Mary Queen of Scots. An edition was published, under the title ‘Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops down to the year 1688. By Robert Keith. Also an Account of all the Religious Houses that were in Scotland at the time of the Reformation. By John Spottiswoode, Esq. Corrected and continued to the present time, with a Life of the Author. By Rev. M. Russell, LL.D.,’ Edinburgh, 1824. The work is also included in J. F. S. Gordon's ‘Ecclesiastical Chronicle of Scotland,’ Glasgow, 1867. The bishop was also the author of ‘Vindication of Mr. Robert Keith and of his young Grand-nephew Alexander Keith to the honour of a lineal Descent from the noble house of the Earls Marischal; in Answer to the unfriendly Representation of Mr. Alexander Keith, jun., of Ravelston,’ printed for private circulation in 1750, and reprinted in the Spottiswoode edition of his ‘History,’ vol. i. pp. lxxii–lxxxix. He is also stated to have published in 1743 some ‘Select Pieces of Thomas à Kempis,’ translated into English. Among his unpublished manuscripts were a ‘Treatise on Mystical Divinity,’ in the form of letters to a lady, and a scheme of religion directly founded on the letter of scripture, and intended, it was supposed, for the use of his family. He devoted a considerable amount of attention to archæology and the study of ancient Scottish coins. He presented to the Advocates' Library a ‘Register of Assignations, 1514.’
[Memoirs prefixed to the new (1824) edition of Keith's Hist. Cat. of Scottish Bishops, and to the Spottiswoode edition of Keith's Hist. of Scotland; Stephen's Hist. of the Church of Scotland, vol. iv.; Skinner's Ecclesiastical Hist. of Scotland, Letters lviii–lix.; Lockhart Papers.]
KEITH, ROBERT (d. 1774), ambassador, was only son of Colonel Keith of Craig, Kincardineshire, by Agnes, daughter of Robert Murray of Murrayshall, Stirlingshire. His father was seventh in descent from John Keith, fourth son of William, second earl Marischal. Robert was for some time secretary to the forces under the Earl of Stair. About August 1746 he was made secretary to John Montagu, fourth earl of Sandwich [q. v.], went with him to the Hague, and accompanied him to the congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. In August 1748 he was appointed British minister at Vienna (Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 32814, ff. 59, 93), in succession to Sir Thomas Robinson [q. v.], and conducted with credit, though without much success, the negotiations regarding the imperial election of 1752, and the alliances which preceded the seven years' war. He was throughout a firm friend to Newcastle. At the end of 1753 he was raised to the rank of minister plenipotentiary (ib. 15874, f. 237). In 1758 he was transferred to St. Petersburg, where he remained through the revolution of 1762. An intrigue among certain members of the diplomatic service failed in its object of fastening upon him a charge of improper conduct with the Czarina Catherine; but when Catherine II ascended the throne the Russian government requested that a nobleman should take his place, and he returned to England in July 1762. He was apparently granted a pension of 1,000l. a year, and obtained supporters to his arms 17 March 1769 (Cal. Home Office Papers, 1766–9, Nos. 1121, 1424). For the first ten years of his retirement he lived at the Hermitage, near Edinburgh, devoting himself to gardening. His large circle of friends included Hume and Robertson, with whom, as ‘Ambassador Keith,’ he was very popular. Shortly before his death he removed to
