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- Sir Alexander Napier, second of of that name of Merchistoun, administrator and diplomat; was the eldest son of Alexander Napier, 1st of Merchistoun, Provost of Edinburgh in 1438.
The Crown confirmed a feu charter at Edinburgh on 15th May 1459 to James Douglas, Earl of Mortoun, Lord Dalkeith, and Jonete his spouse, of the lands of Easter Balbartanis and Wester Balbartanis, with the mill etc., at Kinghorn in Fife, which Alexander Napier of Merchistoun personally resigned.
In 1439 Napier was wounded when he tried to help Joan Beaufort (d.1445), widow of King James I, when she was imprisoned by Alexander Livingston of Callendar, Guardian of James II. As a reward, on 7 March 1449/50, after the fall of the Livingstons, James II rewarded Napier with the lands of Philde, Perthshire, forfeited by Livingston's son and on 24 September 1449 he was appointed Comptroller of the Royal Household. He was one of the Ambassadors sent to England in 1451 when he took the opportunity of going on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas รก Becket at Canterbury. He held the office of Provost of Edinburgh between 1453-5 and 1457. He was knighted in 1460/1, possibly at James III's coronation. In a safe-conduct for him as one of the Ambassadors to the court of England dated 24th September 1461 he is designated a Vice-Admiral of Scotland. He had another Safe-Conduct in 1464. On 1468 he was sent to Denmark, with the Lord Chancellor, to negotiate the marriage between King James III and the Danish King's daughter, Princess Margaret. He was employed on several other public occasions, and in his later years held the off ice of Master of the Household to King James III.
In 1470 he is again recorded as Provost of Edinburgh.
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1390 - 1474 (84 years)