Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Maitland, John (1650?-1710)
MAITLAND, JOHN, Lord Ravelrig, and fifth Earl of Lauderdale (1650?–1710), born about 1650, was second son of Charles, third earl of Lauderdale [q. v.], and younger brother of Richard, fourth earl [q. v.] He passed advocate at the Scottish bar, 30 July 1680. He afterwards received the honour of knighthood, and on 12 March 1685 was elected a commissioner to the estates for Midlothian. Unlike his relatives, he concurred in the revolution. He was sworn a member of the privy council, and on 28 Oct. 1689 was appointed one of the lords of session with the title of Lord Ravelrig. About the same time he was made colonel of the Edinburghshire militia. He succeeded to the earldom of Lauderdale on the death of his elder brother Richard in 1695, and on 8 March 1696 took the oaths and his seat in parliament. He was a supporter of the union. He died 30 Aug. 1710. Macky describes him as ‘a well-bred man, handsome in his person,’ and as also ‘meaning well to his country,’ but coming ‘far short of his predecessors, who for three or four generations were chancellors and secretaries of state for that kingdom’ (Memoirs, pp. 230–1). By his wife Margaret Cunningham, only child of Alexander, tenth earl of Glencairn, he had three sons and a daughter. Of the sons, Charles, sixth earl of Lauderdale (d. 1744), served under the Duke of Argyll at Sheriffmuir, was master of the mint in Scotland, representative peer of Scotland and lord-lieutenant of co. Edinburgh, and married Elizabeth, daughter of James Ogilvy, fourth earl of Findlater and first earl of Seafield; his sixth son, Frederick Lewis, is noticed under Maitland, Sir Frederick Lewis.
[Macky's Memoirs; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 73.]