Mary Stewart

LADY MARY STEWART (aka MARIE STEWART)

Lady Mary Stewart is the daughter of Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney (formerly Robert Stewart, feuar of the crown lands of Orkney and Shetland) and his wife Lady Janet Kennedy (aka Dame Johanna Kennedy). NRS: RH6/2129

A date and place of birth has not been identified for Lady Mary Stewart. It seems unlikely that she was born in Orkney, for there is no record of her mother ever having set foot on the the islands. [Peter D. Andersen, Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, Lord of Shetland,, 1533-1593 (John Donald, Edinburgh, 1982), p. 131]

Marriage

Lady Mary Stewart married Patrick, Master of Gray (later Lord Gray) on 20 July 1583. [Peter D. Andersen, Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, Lord of Shetland,, 1533-1593 (John Donald, Edinburgh, 1982), pp. 131-32]

Evidence published by the National Records of Scotland

                   1

18 September 1568: Charter of Sale by John Bellenden of Auchinnoull, Kt, Justice Clerk and feuar of the lands undermentioned, whereby, in implement of a contract dated at Edinburgh 17 Sep 1568, he sold to Dame Johanna Kennedy, spouse of Lord Robert Stewart, feuar of Orkney and Zetland, in liferent, and to Mary Stewart, daughter of said Robert and Johanna in fee, the lands of the south side of Birsay extending to 80 pennylands, with all quylandis and owtbrekis and other lands not having fixed names in the rental of the bishopric of Orkney and lying within the parish of Birsay, with the mill built there Also the lands of the north side of Birsay extending to 55 pennylands, with all other lands, 'quyland' and 'owtbrekland' not having fixed names in said rental lying in the north part of Birsay, also the lands of Birsay-abone-the-hill extending to 18 pennylands, also the lands of Skelden, Phea and Hundland in said parish, half barrel of butter for the scat of Twat, the lands of Salsister extending to 3 pennylands, a fardin-land in Isbister, a halfpennyland in Sabister, the lands of Marwik extending to 55 pennylands, with lochs and fishings, and the teind sheaves of all said lands always united to them, with mill lands, multures and suckin thereof, lying within the regality of said bishop and sheriffdom of Orkney, all incorporated by Adam, bishop of Orknay and Zetland and the chapter of Orknay into one tenandry; and that in excambion for the lands called Abbattisgrange, the lands of Newbigging and Ponderlandis, Bowhous, Luderis-aikeris, and Cowperland alias Coilheuchburn, with the mansion thereof, with the teinds sheaves of said lands included and united, lying in the barony of Kers, regality of Holyrood and sheriffdom of Striviling, now disponed by the grantees to granter in liferent and to Lewis Bellenden, his son and apparent heir in fee. To be held by said Johanna in liferent, said Mary and the heirs male of her body, whom failing, Henry Stewart, son of said Lord Robert, and Thomas, Henry brother german, and the heirs male of their bodies respectively and successively, whom failing, the heirs male of said Lord Robert's body, whom failing, Robert and James Stewart, his natural sons, and the heirs male of their bodies respectively and successively, whom failing, James, Earl of Murray lord Abernethie, Regent of Scotland, and the heirs male of his body, whom failing, Lord Francis Stewart, son and heir of umquhile John lord Dernling, and the heirs male of his body, whom failing, Robert Stewart, natural brother of said Lord Robert and the heirs male of his body, whom all failing, said Mary's heirs or assignees whomsoever 'a me' of said bishop in feu. Rendering therefor yearly for each last of 20 lasts 4 mele 4 settines flesh 36s, in all £36 7s, and for each last of 12 lasts 1 mele 4 settines 16 marks victual called cost and one last twyis scheillit meill £6, in all £78 8s 11d, and for each of 25 score and 13 kain fowls 2d, in all £4 5s 6d, and for each of 18 faddomes peats 6s, in all £5 8s, also 47s 8d skatt-silver, and for each barrel of 17 1/2 barrels butter £3, in all £52 10s, as the old mail due before the infeftment herein of Gilbert Balfour and Margaret Boithwele, his spouse, the granter's predecessors, in all £179 7s 1d, and 52s 11d in augmentation of rental, in all £182 Scots, also 3 suits at said bishop's 3 head courts to be held at his palace of Kirkwall or elsewhere; and defending the bishop, his place, kirk and clergy according to their power; and doubling the feu duty the first year of each heir's entry; and in the event of 4 terms' duty remaining together unpaid, the lands shall revert to the superior. With Precept of Sasine directed to Walter Bruce. Provided that said Lord Robert, his heirs male or assignees, might redeem the fee of the above on payment of 100 gold crowns of the sun within the kirk of [-]. At Edinburgh Witnesses: John Towris, son and heir apparent of George Towris of Inverleith, John Grahame, parson of Sanday, James Menteith of Eister Saltcoittis, James Myllar and James Logane, notaries public, cum diversis aliis National Records of Scotland, Register House Charters, reference RH6/2129

                   2

October 1586: Charter by which Patrick, Master of Gry, confirms that he has given a liferent of the lands of Balgillo, together with the mill thereof in the sheriffdom of Forfar, to his wife, Lady Marie Stewart, lawful daughter of Robert, Earl of Orkney. His charter was confirmed under the Great Seal of Scotland on 28 February 1606. Registrum Magnii Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1593-1608, charter number 1717 on page 622

                   3

20 November 1596: Charter by which Patrick, Master of Gray confirms that he has given a liferent of the lands , manor and castle of Huntlie. in the lordship of Huntlie and sheriffdom of Perth, to his wife, Lady Marie Stewart. His charter was confirmed under the Great Seal of Scotland on 28 February 1606. Registrum Magnii Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1593-1608, charter number 1717 on page 622

Published Genealogy

1. The Scots Peerage VI: 574
2. Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy: Mary Stewart