[5] On 21 September 1568 George Lauder, parson of Auchindoir, was given the gift of the escheat of the goods of his father Robert Lauder of Bass, who had failed to appear 'at the horn' and for not finding surety to compear before the Justice or his deputies in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh to underlie the law for taking part with Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, Claude Hamilton and others at the battle of Langside in support of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Other possessions are described in a decree of taxation, at instance of George Lauder of Bass, against James, Commendator of Melrose Abbey, for the feu lands of Grangemuir, Preistlaw, Preistheillis, Kingis Syd, Freir Dykis and Winter Scheildykis, dated 25 July 1584.
In 1581 King James VI of Scotland visited the Bass Rock and was so enamoured of it that he offered to buy the island, a proposition which did not commend itself to George Lauder.
On 13 January 1587 George Lauder of the Bass, with John Maitland of Thirlestane and eight other "Barons of Lothian", subscribed to a voluntary grant of a subsidy to "defray the expenses to be incurred in aid of Queen Mary in her present peril" (at Fotheringay Castle).
George Lauder of Bass was commissioned by the Privy Council of Scotland on 20 July 1588, to collect a 20 shillings tax from every small baron or freeholder in Haddingtonshire, within 15 days, for the repair of Edinburgh Castle.
In July he was present at every sitting and was one of the seven Privy Counsellors who denounced James Scott of Balwearie, Martine of Cardone, and Lumsden of Airdrie as rebels, to be arrested for their involvement in "the late treasonable act committed by Earl of Bothwell at Falkland Palace".
A charter under the Great Seal of Scotland of 7 February 1588/9, granted George the lands and lordship of Poppil and Wester Spott (then tenanted by Andrew Brown and Thomas Watson).
[10] An anonymous letter to the Lord Treasurer of England and Sir Francis Walsingham dated 7 February 1589/90 mentions the Laird of Bass's well attended marriage in Fife.