Sir Richard Maitland of

Lethington Lennoxlove House is a historic house set in woodlands half a mile south of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. The house comprises a 15th-century tower, originally known as Lethington Castle, and has been extended several times, principally i ...

and Thirlstane (1496 – 1 August 1586) was a Senator of the

College of Justice The College of Justice includes the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies. The constituent bodies of the national supreme courts are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, the Office of the Accountant of Court, an ...

, an Ordinary Lord of Session from 1561 until 1584, and notable Scottish poet. He was served heir to his father, Sir William Maitland of Lethington, East Lothian, and Thirlestane,

Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of t ...

, on 15 October 1515, his father being one of the casualties at the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

. He held the political office of

Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland The Great Seal of Scotland ( gd, Seala Mòr na h-Alba) is a principal national symbol of Scotland that allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix ...

and was also the

Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal. The office has re ...

, from 1563 to 1567, and was succeeded in this post by his son Sir

John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1537 – 3 October 1595), of Lethington, Knight (1581), was Lord Chancellor of Scotland. Life He was the second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddingt ...

. He married Mariotta (or Margaret) (d. March 1586), daughter of Sir Thomas Cranstoun of Corsbie, in Berwickshire. They had three sons and four daughters, including *

William Maitland of Lethington William Maitland of Lethington (15259 June 1573) was a Scottish politician and reformer, and the eldest son of poet Richard Maitland. Life He was educated at the University of St Andrews. William was the renowned "Secretary Lethington" to ...

, Secretary of State to

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 ...

, and * Sir John Maitland of

Thirlestane Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley of the Leader Wate ...

Lord Chancellor of Scotland The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally the Lord High Chancellor, was a Great Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland. Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower s ...

; * Thomas Maitland; * Isabella Maitland, who married Sir James Heriot of Traboun *

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

(d. January 1596), who married Alexander Lauder of Haltoun (d. 1627). * Elizabeth, who married

William Douglas of Whittinghame William Douglas of Whittingehame (c. 1540 – 17 December 1595) was a Senator of the College of Justice at Edinburgh, and a Royal conspirator. Family William Douglas was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas of Whittingehame (died bef. 24 ...

. * Helen Maitland, who married John Cockburn of Clerkington, and was the mother of Richard Cockburn of Clerkington

The Maitland Manuscripts

Two of Maitland's manuscript works survive; both are compilations of the Scots literature of his era. They preserve many of the works of the great makars and a large number of anonymous pieces. The manuscripts also record many of Maitland's own compositions. Maitland's daughter

transcribed his poems as well as her brother John Maitland's and others. The

Maitland Manuscripts The Maitland Manuscripts are an important source for the Scots language, Scots literature of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. They contain texts of the work of the makars of the period and much material which is not attributed to any author ...

are held by the Pepys Library.

References

Other sources

* ''Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica'', edited by Joseph Jackson Howard, LL.D.,F.S.A., vol. 2, London, 1876, p. 206, where his date of death is given as 1 August 1586. * ''The Genealogy of the House and Surname of Setoun'', by Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington, Knight, March 1561, with the ''Chronicle of the House of Setoun'' compiled in metre (prose) by John Kamington alias Peter Manye, printed at Edinburgh, October 1830. * ''The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland'', Second Series, edited by P.Hume Brown, M.A., LLD., Edinburgh, 1900, vol.2, 1627–1628, p. 117. * Maitland, Richard
''The History of the House of Seytoun to 1559 by Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington continued by Alexnder Viscount Kingston'', Maitland Club (1829)
* "A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen: Hamilton, William-M'Gavin" By Robert Chambers, Thomas Thomson {{DEFAULTSORT:Maitland, Sir Richard 1496 births 1586 deaths Court of Mary, Queen of Scots People from East Lothian Scottish knights Scottish lawyers Scots Makars Scottish male poets Keepers of the Great Seal of Scotland 16th-century Scottish historians 16th-century Scottish poets Scottish Renaissance writers Extraordinary Lords of Session