Alexander Burnet, 4th Baron & 9th Laird of Leys

He and his wife Janet began the construction of Crathes Castle in 1553.

In 1553, Alexander Burnet of Leys, the ninth lord of Leys began construction on Crathes Castle, which was finished by his great-grandson, another Alexander, the twelfth lord, in 1596.[23] 

Crathes remained in the ownership of the Burnett family descendants for over 350 years, until 1952 when it was given to the National Trust for Scotland as part of Scotland's heritage

In 1563 he fought for Mary, Queen of Scots, at the Battle of Corrichie.

The earliest arms for Burnett of Leys was found on a carved panel dated to some thirteen years later showing the impaled arms of Burnett and Hamilton commemorating the marriage between Alexander Burnett (1529 [very possibly born in 1500] –1574) and Janet Hamilton.[26] The arms of Burnett of Leys in 1553 used a shield, charged with three holly leaves and a hunting horn, blazoned: Argent, three holly leaves in chief vert and a hunting horn in base sable stringed Gules. The crest, a hand holding a knife shown pruning a vine had the motto: Alterius non sit qui potest esse suus (same meaning as above) or a variant: Alterius non sit qui suis esse potest (who can be his would not be another's).[27]