William Ruthven, Master of Ruthven

WILLIAM, MASTER OF RUTHVEN

William, Master of Ruthven, is the eldest son and heir of Sir William Ruthven of that Ilk, afterwards first Lord Ruthven, and his first wife Isabel Levington. He and his brother John were born before their mother and father married but they received a legitimation giving them the right to mutual succession on 2nd July 1480. William had a grant of the lands of Ruthven on12th July 1480, resigned by his father. In 1507 he is styled son and heir apparent of, William, Lord Ruthven. He married first, Catherine of Buttergask; secondly, Jean Hepburn of the Ricarton family, and had issue, William, heir to his grandfather; Isobel, who married James Murray of Tibbermore. The Scots Peerage IV: 258

William, Master of Ruthven, is the older brother of William Ruthven of Ballindean who was his father's only son by Christian Forbes his second wife.

Death

William, Master of Ruthven, is said to have been killed in action on 9 September 1513, at the Battle of Flodden, near Branxton in Northumberland, England. The Scots Peerage, iv, page 258

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

24 October 1493: Extract protest made before the Lords of Council by Andrew Charteris of Cuthilgurdy and Robert Marser, procurators for the provost, bailies, council and community of the town of Perth, relative to action raised against the town by William, Lord Ruthven, and William Ruthven, his son and apparent heir, which should not be heard in judgment due to the pursuers' non-compearance to pursue it and until such time as they paid expenses and summoned anew. National Records of Scotland, Records of Perth Burgh, reference B59/26/1/5

Genealogy

1. Sir James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms, The Scots Peerage (David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1907), iv, 597 pp. For Ruthven, Earl of Forth, see pp. 101-06. For Ruthven, Earl of Gowrie, see pp. 254-68
2. Samuel Cowan, JP. (editor), The Ruthven Family Papers (London, 1912), 206 pp. plus index