James Maidment

Who was James Maidment?

James Maidment was a British antiquary and collector. He passed through Edinburgh University to the Scottish bar, and was chief authority on genealogical cases.

Maidment's hobby was the collection of literary rarities. He edited and published editions of ancient literary remains including A Book of Scottish Pasquils, 1568-1715, a selection from the papers of the family of Boyd of Kilmarnock from the 16th and 17th centuries, state papers and miscellaneous correspondence of Thomas, Baron Melros, letters and state papers during the reign of King James the Sixth, chiefly from the manuscript collections of Sir James Balfour of Denmylne, constitutions, charters etc. of the nunnery of Sciennes, 1512–88, and Scottish Ballads and Songs: Historical and Traditionary.

Maidment was also a poet and a friend of Sir Walter Scott. A collection of his poems is held at the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas.