| As the eldest son of William Bruce, and heir-apparent of Airth, he succeeded his grandfather Sir Alexander in Airth 1600. He is served heir to his great-great-great-grandfather "Tritavus", Alexander Bruce of Stenhouse,
18 June 1601, and on same date to his great-great-grandfather. Sir Robert Bruce "Abavus", and again to the same' on 29 August 1598, and to his grandfather Sir Alexander "Avus" 18 June 1601. Sir Alexander Bruce, before the death of his eldest son William, appears to have been anxious to arrange for the marriage of his grandson and heir, and a contract of marriage was entered into with the Lord Elphinstone and his son the Master of Elphinstone, as follows: ''It is contracted and agreed between Robert, lord Elphinstone, Alexander, master of Elphinstone, and Margaret, third lawful daughter of Alexander, on the one side, and Sir Alexander Brus of Airth, Dame Janet Livingstone, lady Airth, his spouse, and John Brus their oy [grandson], eldest son of umquhile William Brus, younger of Airth, on the other part, whereby the said John sall marrie, God willing, and take to his lawful spouse the said Margaret Elphinstoun, and sail solempnizat and compleit the band of matrimony with her iu face of hohe kirk witli all solempnities requisit betwixt the date heirof and sixteen dale of March 1601, With the substitution of the brother and sister of each respectively in the event of either predeceasing. Dated at the places of Airth and Elphinstoun, 22 March 1597." This family arrangement was made a year after the death of William Bruce, John's father, who, as will be seen from his will, was agreeable to and anxious that the proposed marriage should take place, which it accordingly did in 1601, Margaret's father being then the Master of Elphinstone, but he became Lord Elphinstone the year after. Sir John appears to have been an extravagant man, and to have completed the ruin of the family, as he sold the estate to the Earl of Linlithgow before 1620, but apparently with some condition of redemption, as his son Alexander, having married a wealthy lady in Holland, was enabled to redeem the estate. Sir John Bruce will be found mentioned in many transactions.17 |