He had several confidential embassies entrusted to him by King James 111, who had intimated his intention of making John Earl of Forth. Unfortunately the King was killed at Sauchieburn before this took place.

In 1491, John Dundas received the grant of the island of Inchgarvie in the Firth of Forth and a Royal licence was granted to John Dundas of that ilk to build castle on his rock of Inchegarde in firth of Forth, between passages of the Quenys Ferreya, with "le drawbriggis, tumlairs, porticulicis, barteling, machcoling, kernalis and skowlaris "

1513, Oct 29: Retour in favour of James Dundas, as heir to William Dundas of that ilk, his father, in 2 east quarters of lands of Blarmukis, barony of Harthill, sheriffdom of Lanark.

George Dundas sat in the Parliament of 1560, which abolished the papal power in Scotland and ratified the reformed constitution.

GD75/74. 25 Feb 1593/1594: Contract between George Dundas of that ilk and Walter Dundas, his eldest son and apparent heir, whereby it is agreed that (i), as was appointed in contract of marriage between said Walter and Annas Menteith, his present spouse, said Annas should be infeft in liferent in towns and lands of Overnewlistoun and others in sheriffdom of Lynlithgow, in annualrent as in GD75/7, and in 200 merks yearly paid by said George to said Walter, and (ii), said Walter will live in place of Blairmuckis, by 8th March next, after repair by said George.

30 Mar 1560 GD75/448 Scottish Record Office: Discharge by James, lord St. John, preceptor of Torphechen, kt., to George Dundas of that ilk and Margaret Boswell, his spouse, and James Dundas, their son and apparent heir, of 40s. grassum and 6s. 8d. augmentation, contained in tack by granter to said George and Margaret in liferent, and to said James, their son, in heritage, of lands of Ouirnewlistoune, occupied by Margaret Sandelandis, relict of James Dundas of that ilk, in barony of Auldlistoune, sheriffdom of Linlithqw, said sums being added to 10 merks old maill

12 Jul 1576 GD75/40. Scottish Record Office: Charter by George Dundas of that ilk, with consent of dame Katherine Oliphant, his spouse, in favour of George Dundas, son of said George, and Margaret Boswell, his deceased spouse, of 16 acres of land of Plewlandfeild, in lordship of Dundas, barony of Westnudry, alias Winchburgh, sheriffdom of Linlithqw, in blenche ferme, under reversion, reserving liferent of same to granter and spouse, narrating that said George and Katherine had been infeft in said lands in satisfaction of part of sum of 2000 merks uplifted by said George in name of his said son from James, lord of Torphichine, and for redemption of annualrent from three quarters of lands of Halbernis, in barony of Listoun, sheriffdom of Edinburgh, sold by said James to said George.

18 Aug 1599 GD75/42: Contract between George Dundas, brother of Sir Walter Dundas of that ilk, kt., and Robert Dundas, their brother, whereby said Robert assigns to said George his bairn's part, left to him on decease of George Dundas of that ilk, their father, in return for 4 of 7 acres called Overskaithmuire, in Plewlandfeild, in barony of Winchburght, sheriffdom of Linlythqw, and 5 crofts of land between Dundas and Queens Ferry, in regality of Dumfarling, and said sheriffdom.

18 Aug 1599 GD75/43: Contract between George and Robert Dundas, brothers of Sir Walter Dundas of that ilk, whereby said George dispones 16 acres of lands of Plewlandfeild, in lordship of Dundas, barony of Westniddrie, alias Wincheburth, sheriffdom of Linlythqw, to said Robert which lands were disponed to said George by deceased George Dundas of that ilk, his father, in return for 1200 merks scots.

26 Feb 1564/1565 GD75/402A: Charter by Thomas Young, prior of Carmelite friars to George Dundas of that ilk and Margaret Boswell his spouse, in liferent, and to Robert Dundas, their fourth son and his heirs in fee of piece of ground, part of patrimony of Carmelite place in town of the Ferry, (bounds specified) in barony of Wynce-burch [Winchburgh], Sheriffdom of Linlithgow.

10/12/1585 - Extract act of parliament, held at Linlithgow, within great hall of palace, confirming great seal charter to Walter Dundas, son and apparent heir of George Dundas of that ilk, of place once possessed by Carmelite friars on south side of Quenis Ferry, together with their kirk and burying ground of the house of Dundas

Ratification to Walter Dundas. Parliamentary Register 10 December 1585.

Concerning the supplication presented to our sovereign lord and three estates of this present parliament by Walter Dundas, son and apparent heir to George Dundas of that Ilk, making mention that where his highness and lords of secret council, understanding that the predecessors of the house of Dundas, whereunto the said Walter is apparent, were principal founders of the place sometime possessed by the Carmelite friars upon the south side of Queensferry, and endowed the said place and most part of the rents pertaining thereto out of their own proper lands, and specially where the place, kirk and yards thereof are situated with certain acres appointed for the burial of the house of Dundas, in consideration hereof, his majesty, by advice of the lords of secret council, gave, granted and conveyed to the said Walter heritably, his heirs and assignees, by charter and precept under his highness's great seal, all and whole the rents, ferms of feu ferm and other duties whatsoever which pertained of old to the said Carmelite friars and to their place wherever the same lies within this realm, together with the whole kirk and bounds of the said place, with the steeple and houses thereupon, with pertinents whatsoever which pertained to the said friars and place thereof; and for the more corroboration of the said infeftments, requisite it is the same be confirmed in parliament, therefore our said sovereign lord and three estates of this present parliament, in consideration of the premises, ratify, approve and perpetually confirm the aforesaid charter, precept and instrument of sasine granted by his highness, with advice aforesaid, of the forenamed place, kirk, rents pertaining thereto and others above-specified, in all the points, clauses, articles and conditions thereof specified and contained therein.

Ratification to [Sir Walter Dundas], laird of Dundas of the patronage of the Kirk of Livingston. Parliamentary Register 23 October 1612.

Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament, having seen and considered the infeftment made by his majesty under his highness's great seal, of the date 1 June 1609, to his trusty and well-beloved subject Sir Walter Dundas of that Ilk, knight, his male heirs and of tailzie mentioned therein heritably, of all and whole that portion of of land called the Friars Croft of Queensferry, proceeding upon the resignation of Robert Dundas, son to the late George Dundas of that Ilk, and also of the dissolution and suppressing of the parish kirk of Livingston and parish thereof lying within the sheriffdom of Linlithgow, which pertained of before to the abbacy of Holyroodhouse, from the said abbacy, and erecting of the same in a rectory or parsonage and annexation of the same to the foresaid croft, with the gift and disposition contained in the foresaid infeftment of the advocation, donation and right of patronage of the foresaid rectory or parsonage to the said Sir Walter and his male heirs foresaid heritable; and being ripely advised therewith, his highness and estates foresaid have ratified and approved and, by this ratification, ratify and approve the foresaid infeftment, with the precept and sasine following thereupon, in the whole heads, clauses, articles, circumstances and conditions contained therein and whole contents thereof; and will and declare this ratification to be as effectual in all respects as if the same were at length and word for word inserted herein, decreeing and ordaining the same to be good, valid and sufficient rights and titles to the said Sir Walter, his male heirs and of tailzie therein specified, for holding, enjoying and possessing of the foresaid lands, and of the said advocation, donation and right of patronage of the foresaid parish kirk of Livingston, rectory and parsonage thereof, in all time coming after the form and tenor of the foresaid infeftment and sasine in all points, notwithstanding of whatsoever act, law or statute made or to be made in the contrary.

GD75/33: Precept of sasine by Sir Walter Dundas of that ilk, kt., in favour of William and Mr. Walter Dundas, his sons, of annualrent of 200 merks scots as in GD75/30 to which they have right as heirs of deceased Alexander Dundas, their brother, 29th January 1634.

Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the estates of parliament convened by his majesty's special authority, ratifies, approves and confirms to and in favour of George Dundas, elder of that ilk, in liferent during all the days of his lifetime, and after his decease to Ralph Dundas, eldest lawful son of the late Walter Dundas, elder of that ilk, in liferent and to Walter Dundas, second lawful son to the said late Walter Dundas, in fee, and to the male heirs of his body, which failing to George Dundas, second lawful son to the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, and to the male heirs of his body, which failing to James Dundas, third lawful son to the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, and to the male heirs of his body, which also failing to Mr William Dundas of Kincavil, advocate, and to the male heirs of his body, which also failing to George Dundas, brother german to the said Mr William Dundas and to the heirs male of his body, which also failing to the said Walter Dundas, younger, his male heirs whatsoever, which also failing to his heirs and assignees whatsoever, the charter and infeftment granted to them, under his majesty's great seal, of the date 7 April 1669, of all and whole the lands and others underwritten, namely, all and whole the two east quarters of the lands of Blairmucks, with houses, biggings, manor place, yards, orchards, mills, mill lands, multures, sequels and whole pertinents of the same, of old united, created and incorporated in a whole and free barony called the barony of Harthill, lying within the sheriffdom of Lanark; and all and whole the lands of Echline, as well property as tenantry of the same, with houses, biggings, yards, tofts, crofts, outsets and whole pertinents of the same, lying within the sheriffdom of Linlithgow; as also, all and whole the lands of Porterside, with houses, biggings, yards, parts, pendicles and whole pertinents of the same, lying within the sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid; as also, all and sundry yearly duties, feu ferms, annualrents and other duties which of old pertained to the Carmelite friars of the Queensferry, and to the place and manse of the same, and also, that piece of land commonly called the Friars croft, which of old pertained to the said Carmelite friars of the Queensferry, lying within the town of Queensferry, with the yards and greens of the same, near the kirk of St Mary, with the whole biggings and pertinents thereof, between the strand that runs near the cross of the Queensferry, on the east, the way or strand extending toward Echline, upon the south, a certain rivulet or strand that runs from the side of the town of Echline to the sea, upon the west, lying within the said sheriffdom of Linlithgow; as also, these eight acres of land underwritten or thereby of the eighth part of the town and lands of Murehall, alias South Queensferry, commonly called Wachopslands, with houses, biggings, yards, tofts, crofts and whole pertinents of the same whatsoever, lying within the regality of Dunfermline and sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid, bounded, meithed and marched as is particularly contained in the rights and infeftments of the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, together with the equal half of the thirty-second part of the water passage commonly called the Watergang upon the water of Forth, with all liberties, profits, commodities, casualties, privileges and whole pertinents of the same; and all and whole an eighth part of the town and lands of Murehall, commonly called Logieslands, with houses, biggings, yards, tofts, crofts and whole pertinents thereof, together with a sixteenth part of the water passage commonly called the Watergang upon the water of Forth, with all liberties, profits, commodities, casualties, privileges and whole pertinents belonging thereto, lying within the regality of Dunfermline and sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid; and also, all and whole the lands of Scotstoun, with houses, biggings, yards, parts, pendicles and whole pertinents of the same whatsoever, lying within the barony of Dalmeny, regality of Dunfermline and sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid; as also, all and whole the lands of Over-Newliston, with the pertinents, lying within the ancient bounds and marches of the same, of old occupied by the late William Wast and John Thomson, lying within the barony of Liston and sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid, together with that pendicle thereof commonly called Sergeant lands with the pertinents; and likewise, all and sundry the parsonage and vicarage teinds of all and sundry the lands pertaining to the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, in property, lying within the said parish of Dalmeny and sheriffdom of Linlithgow foresaid, namely, of all and whole the lands of the mains and town of Dundas; the lands of Milton and Milntonhill, Echline, Newbigging, Scotstoun, Plewlands and the croft of the same commonly called the Friars croft; and of all and whole the two oxgates of land in the town of Dalmeny; the twenty-four acres of land in Murehall, and fourteen burghal acres besides the Queensferry, with all and sundry their parts, pendicles, outlets and pertinents of the same whatsoever, lying within the parish of Dalmeny and sheriffdom of Linlithgow, with and under the express provisions, conditions, limitations, restrictions, reservations, reversion and others specified and contained in the said charter, proceeding upon a bond of tailzie made and granted by the said Sir George Dundas, elder of that ilk, with advice and consent of the late Walter Dundas, his eldest lawful son, and the said late Walter, for himself his own right and interest, of the date 20 February 1669, containing therein a procuratory of resignation, whereby the same was resigned in the hands of the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury and exchequer, as in his majesty's own hands, together with the new gift, disposition and confirmation contained in the said charter, of the lands and others above-written, granted by his majesty, with consent of the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury and remaining lords of his majesty's exchequer, to the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, in liferent during all the days of his lifetime, and after his decease to Ralph Dundas, eldest lawful son to the said late Walter Dundas of that ilk, in liferent and to Walter Dundas, second lawful son to the said late Walter, in fee and to the male heirs of his body, which failing to the said George Dundas, second lawful son to the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, and to the male heirs of his body, which also failing to the said James Dundas and to the male heirs of his body, which also failing to the said Mr William Dundas, and the male heirs of his body, which also failing to the said George Dundas, brother german to the said Mr William Dundas, and to the male heirs of his body, which also failing to the said Walter Dundas, his male heirs whatsoever, which also failing to his heirs and assignees whatsoever, with all right, title and interest, petitor and possessor, which his majesty, his predecessors or successors had, has or in any way may have, claim or pretend to the said lands with the pertinents, and to the mails, ferms and duties thereof, of any years or terms bygone or to come by reason of ward, relief, escheat, non-entry, forfeiture, recognition, alienation, reduction, purpresture, disclamation, bastardy, last heir or by any other manner of way, right or title, together also with the erection and union contained in the said charter whereby the whole forenamed lands, with the pertinents and teinds respectively above-specified, are united, erected and incorporated in a whole and free barony, to be called now and in all time coming, the barony of Echline, appointing and ordaining that a sasine, to be taken at the manor place of Echline, shall stand and be a good and sufficient sasine for the whole forenamed lands with pertinents and teinds above-specified, without any other particular sasine to be taken thereupon; to be held of our sovereign lord and his highness's successors in fee heritage and free barony for ever, for payment to his majesty and his highness's successors of the feu and blench duties and others specified and contained in the said charter, and also for payment of the taxed ward duties underwritten for the said lands of Echline, as well property as tenantry of the same, and of the said lands of Porterside, with the pertinents, that is to say, the sum of £80 Scots money at two terms in the year Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas [11 November], by equal portions, during the whole time of the ward, non-entry or either of them when it shall happen, the like sum for the relief thereof, together with the sum of 1,000 merks money foresaid for the marriage of each heir, whose marriages shall happen to fall only, to the which sums his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, for him and his successors, has taxed the said ward, non-entry, relief and marriage in all time coming, and now, as if it were already fallen, and then as now, has assigned and conveyed the same to the said Ralph and Walter Dundas respectively, their male heirs and of tailzie foresaid, with the ferms, profits and duties of all and sundry the foresaid lands, holding in ward, as said is, and that of all years and terms that it shall happen the same to fall, and become in his majesty's hands or his successors by reason of ward and non-entry, or either of them, for payment of the tax duties above-written for ever, and has ordained and declared that it shall be rightful to the said male heirs and provision of the said Ralph and Walter Dundas, their heirs and successor heritors of the said lands, in all time coming, at whatsoever time of their age, to enter, serve and obtain themselves infeft in the said lands by brieves directed furth of his majesty's chancellery, notwithstanding of the said ward holding and minority of the said heirs, dispensing with the said services and with the judges and persons of inquest that shall happen to be thereupon; together with the precept of sasine relative to the said charter and with the instruments of sasine following thereupon in favour of the said George Dundas, elder of that ilk, and the said Ralph Dundas, eldest lawful son to the said Walter Dundas, in liferent, and to the said Walter Dundas, in fee respectively, as is above-written, in all and sundry the heads, points, articles, circumstances, clauses, conditions, provisions, reservations, restrictions, limitations, reversion and others specified and contained in the said charter, precept and sasine, after the forms and tenors thereof in all points. And our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, will and grant and, for his highness and his successors, decree and ordain this present ratification thereof shall be as good, valid and sufficient and of as great force and effect to the said George and Ralph Dundas, during all the days of their lifetimes, and thereafter to the said Walter Dundas and his male heirs, tailzie and provision foresaid, and their foresaids, for bruiking and enjoying of the whole forenamed lands, with the parts, pendicles and whole pertinents of the same whatsoever, with teinds respectively above-written, together with the privilege of free barony, for payment of the taxed ward duties above-written therein contained when the same shall happen to fall only, and to enjoy the remaining privileges, freedoms and liberties above-mentioned, contained in the said charter, precept of sasine and infeftment following thereupon, as if the same were at length specially engrossed and inserted word for word in this present ratification, notwithstanding that the same is not so done; with the which and with all other defects and imperfections of the said charter and infeftment, or which may be proposed, objected or alleged against the validity thereof, or this present ratification of the same, our sovereign lord and estates of parliament has dispensed and, by this act, dispense for ever.

Colonel Walter Dundas was the Governor of Edinburgh Castle and responsible for defending the castle and Edinburgh against Cromwell. Suggestions have been made that Walter Dundas did not use all the means in his power to hold the stronghold.

Ralph Dundas suffered persecution at the hands of the Privy Council of Scotland, in the reign of Charles 11. Some people were alleged to have been at a conventicle and to have passed through the lands of the Laird of Dundas. For this he was held responsible and heavily fined. It was of no avail that he pleaded his ignorance of any such meeting. To be a Presbyterian was sufficient to deprive him of any claim for justice.

X  Elizabeth Shairp, 3/2/1675

In 1704, a process of declarator of illegitimacy, was brought by George Dundas of Dundas, against William Dundas, merchant in Edinburgh, pretending to be son to Ralph Dundas, eldest son to Walter Dundas of Dundas and his wife Elizabeth Shairp, and claiming to be heir-male of the family of Dundas, complainer alleging said Ralph Dundas was impotent.

There appears to be a further mystery concerning William Dundas in that he went to Rotterdam as a merchant and fathered three children with his wife, Jean Stewart, William Dundas, who was born in 1710 in Edinburgh, Thomas Dundas, born 1710 in Edinburgh and Alexander Dundas.

 It is however stated in family records that he died without issue.

The Edinburgh Advertiser, 23/8/1793

CAPTAIN DUNDAS, of the Winterton, East Indiaman, who was lost, as mentioned in last Advertiser, was proprietor of the Estate of DUNDAS, in \Vest Lothian. It appears on the account that we published, that he gallantly sacrificed his life to preserve the passengers and the greatest part of the officers and crew, whom he placed upon the poop, which was cut away before the ship separated. '

On 8th June 1859 he was appointed Governor of Province of Prince Edward Island. In 1875 he was appointed governor of the Island of St. Vincent and the Antilles. In 1879 he was created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.) and he died at St. Vincent and the Antilles on 18th March 1880.

Married, Mary Clark.

Duncan James Walpole Dundas, born 3/1/898

Frederick James Dundas  born 1923, married 1947, Gladys Gertrude Barker

Charles Stirling Dundas, born 1925, died 1926