James Erskine, Lord Grange

[1] In 1724 he, and David Erskine, Lord Dun purchased the forfeited Earldom of Mar from the government, which they promptly reorganised,[2] and sold off.

His wife, Rachel Chiesley, suspected her husband of infidelity, and after some years of unhappiness Grange arranged a plan for her abduction.

[5] This last quality would have been instrumental in any decision not to have his wife assassinated,[6] and he did not marry his long-term mistress Fanny Lindsay until after he had heard of the first Lady Grange's death.

[7] Meanwhile, in 1734 Grange resigned his offices in the Court of Session and Justiciary, and became a Member of Parliament where he was a bitter opponent of Sir Robert Walpole.

Erskine not only fervently believed in the existence of witchcraft, but, it has been argued, also held beliefs that were deeply rooted in "Scottish political and religious considerations" and which caused him to reject the Act.

His objection to the Act "marked him out as an eccentric verging on the insane" among Members of Parliament, and in turn his political opponents would use it against him; one of his staunchest critics, Robert Walpole, who was then the de facto Prime Minister of the country, allegedly stating that he no longer considered Erskine to be a serious political threat as a result of his embarrassing opposition to the Act.