Catherine Murray, Lady Abercairny
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Catherine Murray was a Scottish aristocrat and courtier.


Life

She was a daughter of William Murray of Tullibardine (died 1562) and Katherine Campbell. She married Robert Murray of Abercairny (died 1594) in 1560. His father, John Murray, had been killed at the
battle of Pinkie The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh (), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Crowns, ...
, and his older brother William Murray, who had married Margaret Oliphant, died in 1558. In 1577 the Laird of Abercairny became involved in the trial of Violet Mar, who was accused of witchcraft and plotting the downfall of
Regent Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581) was a Scottish nobleman. He played a leading role in the murders of Queen Mary's confidant, David Rizzio, and king consort Henry Darnley. He was the last of the four regents of Scot ...
. They took advice from Lady Abercairny's sister
Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar (1536–1603), was a Scottish landowner, courtier and royal servant, the keeper of the infant James VI and his son Prince Henry at Stirling Castle. Annabell Murray was a daughter of Sir William Murray (died 1562), ...
. On 10 October 1577 a royal messenger, Robert Binning, was sent from Edinburgh to summon Margaret Murray, Lady Clackmannan (another sister of Catherine Murray, Lady Abercairney and the Countess of Mar), the Laird of Abercairny and his wife Catherine Murray, and others, to come before the Privy Council on 18 October. Binning also brought the summons for the assize of Violet Mar for witchcraft, to be held on 24 October. James VI wrote to them for "venison, wild fowls, fed capons" to serve at the wedding of Henrietta Stewart and
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly (156213 June 1636) was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century, and around the time of the Union of the Crowns. Biography The son ...
in July 1588. Robert Murray enjoyed the confidence of
Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...
, and in March 1592 she wrote to him, asking for help in administrative changes and to protect her husband from the
Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
, 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 Wat ...
, who she regarded as an enemy. Lady Abercairny joined the household of Prince Henry at
Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...
in 1594 as a "dame of honour". The other ladies were her sisters Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar and Margaret Murray, Lady Clackmannan, with Lady Morton, Lady Dudhope, Lady Cambuskenneth, and the late Justice Clerk's wife. In 1603 her sister, Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar, bequeathed to her a gown of chamlet of silk with broad velvet
passementerie Passementerie (, ) or passementarie is the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings (in French, ) of applied braid, gold or silver cord, embroidery, colored silk, or beads for clothing or furnishings. Styles of passementerie include the tass ...
, breasts lined with plush, with a doublet and skirt of plain black velvet.


Family

Her children included: * William Murray of Abercairny (died 1640), who was educated with James VI at Stirling Castle. He became Master of Horse to
Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...
. He married Christian Mercer. In June 1603 he argued with Thomas Somerset about the role of Master of Horse at York as the queen was travelling to London, and Somerset was given the job. William Murray continued in the queen's service in connection with her stable and transport and in November 1603, while at
Wilton House Wilton House is an English country house at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, which has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years. It was built on the site of the medieval Wilton Abbey. Following the dissolution ...
during a progress to the west of England on account of the plague, she asked him to have her litter (her coach) publicly burnt in the market place at
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
. * David Murray of Gorthy, administrator in the household of Prince Henry and poet who supervised the embroidery of Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown in 1613. * Mungo Murray of Craigie, father of
Robert Moray Sir Robert Moray (alternative spellings: Murrey, Murray) FRS (1608 or 1609 – 4 July 1673) was a Scottish soldier, statesman, diplomat, judge, spy, and natural philosopher. He was well known to Charles I and Charles II, and to the French ...
* John Murray (died 1632), Minister of Dunfermline and Leith * Andrew Murray * Quintigern Murray.John Maitland Tomson, ''Register of the Great Seal, 1580-1593'', p. 717 no. 2102. * James Murray * Nicola(s) Murray, who married Robert Douglas of Spott, Viscount Belhaven, who was Prince Henry's stable master * Anne Murray, who married William Moncrieff of Moncrieff.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abercairney, Catherine Murray, Lady Nobility from Perth and Kinross Scottish noblewomen 16th-century Scottish nobility Court of James VI and I 16th-century Scottish women 16th-century Scottish people Scottish ladies-in-waiting Daughters of barons
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...