AL CAREER.--HIS PARLIAMENTARY OCCUPATIONS.--HIS VISIT TO
MALTA AND ITS ISSUES.--THE ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE STOCK
EXCHANGE TRIAL.

[1775-1814.]

Thomas, Loud Cochrane, tenth Earl of Dundonald, was born at Annsfield,
in Lanark, on the 14th of December, 1775, and died in London on the
31st of October, 1860. Shortly before his death he wrote two volumes,
styled "The Autobiography of a Seaman," which set forth his history
down to 1814, the fortieth year of his age. To those volumes the
present work, recounting his career during the ensuing six-and-forty
years, is intended to serve as a sequel. Before entering upon the
later narrative, however, it will be necessary briefly to recapitulate
the incidents that have been already detailed.

The Earl of Dundonald was descended from a long line of knights and
barons, chiefly resident in Renfrew and Ayr, many of whom were men
of mark in Scottish history during the thirteenth and following
centuries. Robert Cochran was the especial favourite and foremost
counsellor of James III., who made him Earl of Mar; but the favours
heaped upon him, and perhaps a certain arrogance in the use of those
favours, led to so much opposition from his peers and rivals that he
was assassinated by them in 1480.[A]

[Footnote A: Pinkerton, the historian, gives some curious details,
illustrating not only Robert Cochran's character, but also the
condition of government and society in Scotland four centuries ago.
"The Scottish army," he says, "amounting to about fifty thousand, had
crowded to the royal banner at Burrough Muir, near Edinburgh, whence
they marched to Soutray and to Lauder, at which place they encamped
between the church and the village. Cochran, Earl of Mar, conducted
the artillery. On the morning after their arrival at Lauder, the peers
assembled in a secret council, in the church, and deliberated upon
their designs of revenge.... Cochran, ignorant of their designs, left
the royal presence to proceed to the council. The earl was attended by
three hundred men, armed with light battle-axes, and distinguished
by his livery of white with black fillets. He was clothed in a riding
cloak of black velvet, and wore a large chain of gold around his
neck; his horn of the chase, or of battle, was adorned with gold
and precious stones, and his helmet, overlaid with the same valuable
metal, was borne before him. Approaching the door of the church,
he commanded an attendant to knock with