_Supporters._--Two savage men, wreathed about the head and waist with laurel, each holding, with the exterior hand, a club resting upon the shoulder, all ppr.
[ONOSANDER. _Strategicus._ Lut. Parisiorum, 1599.]
John Ker (born 23rd April 1740, died 19th March 1804) was the elder son of Robert Ker, second Duke of Roxburghe. He succeeded his father in the title in 1755. The Duke brought together a splendid library, among which was the special collection of ballads which are now known by his name. The ballads were at first collected by Robert Harley, and they were largely added to by a Mr. West and by Major T. Pearson, and after the entire collection had been purchased by the Duke of Roxburghe he continued adding to it himself.
In 1812 the Duke's library was sold and the books widely scattered; the ballads, however, in 1845 were acquired for the British Museum at the sale of the books of Mr. B. H. Bright. The Duke of Roxburghe was a Knight of the Garter, and also a Knight of the Thistle. He was a Lord of the Bedchamber and a Privy Councillor.
The Roxburghe Club of Edinburgh was founded in honour of the Duke in 1812.
_Arms._--Gu., on a chevron arg., 3 mullets of the field. _Kerr._
_Supporters._--Two bucks, each gorged with a collar arg., charged with 3 mullets gu.
[BACON. _Of the advancement and proficience of Learning._ Oxford, 1640.]
William Kerr (born c. 1605, died October 1675) was the son of Robert Kerr, first Earl of Ancrum, and in 1631 he was created Earl of Lothian. In that year he had married Anne, Countess of Lothian in her own right, and there was some litigation about the title. The Earl was at the Battle of Newbury in 1643; he was Governor of Newcastle, and a man of much political importance. He was a Commissioner of the Treasury in Scotland, and Lieutenant-General of the Scottish army in Ireland. In 1642 he went to France for the purpose of considering the position of the Scottish Guard at the French Court.
Lord Lothian was one of the commissioners sent by the Scottish Parliament to protest against the proceedings against Charles I., and he also served on several of the commissions which were appointed about that time concerning the Restoration of Charles II.
1st and 4th; sa., on a bend or, 3 martlets vert., a bordure of the second. _Kinnear._