Helen Leslie, Lady Newbattle (1520-1594) was a Scottish aristocrat and supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. She was a daughter of

George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes (2 Aug 1484 – 24 November 1558) was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat. George was the eldest son and heir of William Leslie, 3rd Earl of Rothes and Lord Leslie, who fell at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Geor ...

and Agnes Somerville, a daughter of John Somerville of

Cambusnethan Cambusnethan is a large village and suburb on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire in Scotland. It is approximately long, straddling both sides of the A722 on a hill overlooking Wishaw. Etymology The name "''Cambusnethan"'' was his ...

(d. 1513) and widow of

John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming (c. 1465 – 1 November 1524) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Malcolm Fleming, 1st Lord Fleming, and Euphame Livingstone, a daughter of James Livingston, 1st Lord Livingston. He was assassinated by John Tw ...

. The surname is sometimes spelled "Lesley". She first married Gilbert Seton of Parbroath, and secondly, Mark Ker of Newbattle. In

early modern Scotland Scotland in the early modern period refers, for the purposes of this article, to Scotland between the death of James IV in 1513 and the end of the Jacobite risings in the mid-eighteenth century. It roughly corresponds to the early modern perio ...

married

women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...

did not change their surnames. During the "Lang Siege" of

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

, in January 1572 she loaned money to

William Kirkcaldy of Grange Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange (c. 1520 –3 August 1573) was a Scottish politician and soldier who fought for the Scottish Reformation but ended his career holding Edinburgh castle on behalf of Mary, Queen of Scots and was hanged at the c ...

to pay the wages of soldiers fighting for the cause of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

. She took a packet of gold buttons from the

jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots The jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587), are mainly known through the evidence of inventories held by the National Records of Scotland. She was bought jewels during her childhood in France, adding to those she inherited. She gave gifts o ...

as a pledge from James Mosman. After the castle fell in June 1573, she brought the queen's buttons to the English commander

William Drury Sir William Drury (2 October 152713 October 1579) was an English statesman and soldier. Family William Drury, born at Hawstead in Suffolk on 2 October 1527, was the third son of Sir Robert Drury (c. 1503–1577) of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshi ...

at his lodging in

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

. He took the buttons and paid her back. Prestongrange ceiling in Merchiston Tower (detail)

From 1577 Helen Leslie and her husband rented a house on the

High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

of Edinburgh from James Marjoribanks. She was involved in the management of her husband's estates, and went to law to try to terminate the lease of the coal mines at Prestongrange held by the Laird of Cockpen. Esmé Stewart, the favourite of

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, gave Helen Leslie and her husband Mark Kerr a "buffet" or cupboard for their hall at

Prestongrange House Prestongrange House is a historic house at Prestongrange near Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is situated near to two other historic houses, Hamilton House and Northfield House. Prestongrange House is now the site of Royal Musselb ...

. The ceiling of the hall was painted in 1581 with vivid

emblem An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often use ...

s, ornament copied from the prints of

Cornelis Bos Cornelis Bos or Bossche (c. 1506/10 – before 7 May 1555) was a Flemish engraver, printseller and book publisher, known for his accurate engravings of Italian works. His work is often signed with the monogram C-B. Biography He was born at 's ...

, and comic figures copied from a French illustrated book Richard Breton's ''Songes drôlatiques de Pantagruel''. The ceiling was removed and installed in

Merchiston Tower Merchiston Tower, also known as Merchiston Castle, was probably built by Alexander Napier, the 2nd Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier. It was the home of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston and the inven ...

for

Napier Technical College , mottoeng = Without knowledge, everything is in vain , established = 1992 – granted University status 1964 – Napier Technical College , type = Public , academic_staff = 802 , administrative_staff = 562 , chancellor = Will Whitehorn , ...

in 1964. Helen Leslie kept up a correspondence with John Lesley, Bishop of Ross, who had been secretary to

. In June 1590 he replied to her from Rouen, hoping her son George Leslie could forward the relief of his debts and his credit and rehabilitation in Scotland. She died on 26 October 1594. She made her will at Prestongrange in September 1594 in the presence of "hir gude friend" Alexander Seton, Lord Urquhart.

Marriages and children

Her first husband was Gilbert Seton of Parbroath. Their children included: *

David Seton of Parbroath David Seton of Parbroath (died 1601) was a Scottish courtier and administrator. He was the son of Gilbert Seton of Parbroath and Helen Leslie, a daughter of the Earl of Rothes. Gilbert Seton was killed during the battle of Pinkie in 1547, making ...

(died 1601) * Janet Seton, who married the Laird of

Samuelston Samuelston ( Scots: ''Sammelstoun'') is a small town just outside of Haddington, East Lothian. It has a population of 957. George Ker, laird of Samuelston, supervised building work at the church of Ladykirk for James IV. His daughter Nichola Ke ...

. She married secondly, Mark Kerr (died 1584),

Commendator In canon law, commendam (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical ...

Newbattle Newbattle (from Neubotle, i.e. new dwelling) is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, in the ancient Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Andrews, about seven miles from Edinburgh. There was an abbey there founded about 1140, being the second of th ...

. Their children included: *

Mark Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian Mark Kerr (or Ker), 1st Earl of Lothian (15538 April 1609) was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He became the first Earl of Lothian in 1606. Family He was a member of the "famous border family" of Ker of Cessford. He was the son of Mark Ke ...

(died 1594) * Andrew Kerr of Fenton * George Kerr, who was involved in the "

Spanish blanks The Spanish blanks plot was an alleged pro-Spanish Catholic conspiracy in Scotland, discovered in late 1592. A number of letters to Spain were discovered, which included blank sheets signed by prominent nobles. Background The Spanish Armada had f ...

" controversy.Margaret Sanderson, ''Mary Stewart's People'' (Mercat Press: Edinburgh, 1987), p. 176. * William Kerr * Catherine Kerr, who married William Maxwell, Lord Herries.

External links

Portrait called Helen Leslie, National Galleries of Scotland

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leslie, Helen People from Fife 16th-century Scottish women 1520 births 1594 deaths People of the Scottish Marian Civil War Daughters of Scottish earls