18 h 33 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 18 h 33 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
At the court of James V, a king’s favour can vanish—and love and loyalty face dangerous tests.
In James Grant’s Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate, a young woman of the Scottish gentry stands at the heart of a troubled court. Jane’s love and loyalty are tested in a world where noble families watch one another, and royal favour offers no certain safety.
Scotland under James V is a country shaped by rival houses and uneasy ties between king and nobles. The title also points to the King's Advocate, the law officer who acts for the crown. Grant brings these tensions into a historical romance, with a narrator who pauses to explain the past as the story unfolds.
What you’ll discover
- Love under pressure Follow Jane Seton as love and loyalty meet the dangers of the royal court.
- A watchful royal court Enter a world where noble families watch each other and a king’s favour can disappear.
- Rival houses, uneasy loyalties Explore a Scotland where powerful families struggle for influence over the king and country.
- The crown and justice Discover the office of the King's Advocate and its place in the exercise of royal justice.
- History woven into adventure Let Grant’s history-minded narrator guide you through a romance rooted in Scotland’s past.
Who will love it
For readers who love Scottish history, castles and sword fights, courtly love that tests loyalty, and villains with a tormented heart.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Edinburgh welcomes its king and French queen
- A secret visit shows love under royal displeasure
- Jealousy turns a judge into a plotter
- A masque at Holyrood brings every rival together
- Redhall strikes through cardinal, warrant and ambush
- A siege in Douglasdale hides a poisoned cup
- Captives, a stolen knife and a night visit
- The outlawed earl meets a king in a cave
- A witch trial turns the law into theater
- What the novel says about law, love and fear
Who’s who
- Jane SetonThe gentle, brave daughter of the Countess of Ashkirk, she loves Roland Vipont and wants her family safe from the king's anger.
- Roland VipontThe king's master of the ordnance, a poor but gallant soldier, loyal to James yet devoted to Jane and the Setons.
- Sir Adam Otterburn of RedhallThe learned King's Advocate, who loves Jane obsessively and uses his legal power to destroy whoever stands between them.
- Archibald, Earl of AshkirkJane's brother, a proud outlaw and Douglas ally who sneaks back to Edinburgh to see his family.
- Margaret, Countess of AshkirkJane's mother, a fiery Douglas widow who clings to old glories and distrusts a king who has banished her kin.
- Nichol BirrelRedhall's loyal henchman and the court's witch-pricker, who takes on any dirty task for his master.
- King James VThe young king, beloved of the people, who loves adventure and has sworn never to forgive a Douglas.
- SabrinoThe mute Black page of the countess, devoted to his mistress and shunned by those who fear him.
Formats and delivery
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- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
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- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate
by James Grant · 1853
A hunted earl walks Edinburgh in disguise while the city cheers its king and a jealous advocate plots.
Challenging10–20 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
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In short
Imagine a city so full of flowers and wine that a hunted man can walk its streets unnoticed in a farmer's coat. On 19 May 1537, Edinburgh rings its bells for King James V and his young French queen.
Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate at a glance
- Reading time
- About 10 h 40 min8 h 25 min fast, 12 h 40 min slow
- Length
- 152,200 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- 1853by James Grant
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Edinburgh welcomes its king and French queen
The story opens on 19 May 1537, when Edinburgh welcomes King James V home from France with his bride, Magdalene of Valois. Bells ring, fountains run with wine, and armed craftsmen line the High Street.
Grant uses the procession as a map of Scotland's powers. The royal guards ride first, then the nobles, then Cardinal David Beaton in scarlet. The queen follows, lovely but already pale with illness.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1853
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 12 h 5 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Grant, James. Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/jane-seton-or-the-kings-advocate.
Grant, J. (2026). Jane Seton; or, the King's advocate. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jane-seton-or-the-kings-advocate (Original work published 1853)
Grant, James. Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jane-seton-or-the-kings-advocate.
@book{grant2026jane,
author = {Grant, James},
title = {Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/jane-seton-or-the-kings-advocate},
note = {First published 1853}
}
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What is Jane Seton; Or, the King's Advocate about?
It follows Jane Seton and her betrothed, the soldier Roland Vipont, as the powerful King's Advocate, Sir Adam Otterburn, tries to ruin them. The tale is set at the court of James V and mixes love, duels, sieges and trials.
Is Jane Seton a true story?
It is a work of fiction set against real history. James V, Cardinal Beaton, the Douglases and Sir Adam Otterburn were real, while the preface notes that some adventures come from old Fife legends and that the story's central passion was suggested by early records.
Who is the King's Advocate in the book?
He is Sir Adam Otterburn of Redhall, a learned and handsome official of the new College of Justice. He can arrest and question anyone in Scotland, and his love for Jane Seton drives him to misuse that power.
The author
James Grant
1822–1887 · Scottish historical novelist
James Grant was a Scottish novelist born in Edinburgh in 1822. He wrote historical novels and books about military history. His first novel, The Romance of War, appeared in 1845. His other novels included Jane Seton and Under the Red Dragon. He died in London in 1887.
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