Margaret Crawford

MARGARET CRAWFORD

The Lady of Newark

Margaret Crawford is the daughter of David Crawford of Kers. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1593-1608, charter number 179 on pp. 61-62 According to Clan MacFarlane genealogy, her mother is Joanna Fleming. Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy: Margaret Crawford This view is supported by Peter Barns-Graham. Stirnet: Maxwell 04

Marriage

Margaret Crawford married Patrick Maxwell of Newark. The date of the marriage is not known but on 16 June 1636 she claimed that she had been married for forty-four years, in a complaint about her husband's misconduct which was presented to the Scottish Privy Council, and this suggests that she was probably married sometime before 16 June 1592. Register of The Privy Council of Scotland, 1633-1637 (Second Series), vi, pp. 264-66 This cannot be regarded as being certain but the date suggested fits quite well with the evidence provided by the charter by which her husband transferred ownership of the barony of Fynlastoun-Maxwell and the Castle of Newark to his eldest son George Maxwell. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1593-1608, charter number 179 on pp. 61-62

Proposed Second Marriage

Clan MacFarlane genealogy has suggested that Margaret Crawford may have married twice, and that her other husband was John Macdowal (died 2 July 1619), but this seems unlikely. Certainly, it is difficult or impossible to reconcile this suggestion with the evidence reproduced here, Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy: Margaret Crawford

Children

On 16 June 1636 Margaret Crawford claimed that she and Patrick Maxwell of Newark had produced sixteen children.

1. Alexander Maxwell of Overmains

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

12 June 1594: Charter by which Patrick Maxwell of Newark confirms that he has given the barony of Fynlastoun-Maxwell, together with the Castle of Newark, and certain other lands, to his son George Maxwell. Patrick reserved his own liferent and that of his wife Margaret Crawfurde. Margaret Crawford is identified as the daughter of David Crawford of Cars. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1593-1608, charter number 179 on pp. 61-62

                   2

23 June 1615: Charter by which the administrator of Charles, Duke of Rothesa, Earl of Carrick, confirms possession of the five merk land of Hagtounhill in the barony of Renfrew, to John Maxwell of Nether Pollock and his wife Grissillidi Blair. Sir John had purchased these lands from Patrick Maxwell of Newark and his eldest son George Maxwell. Patrick sold them with the consent of his wife Margaret Craufurd. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1609-1620, charter number 1263 on p. 463

                  3

16 June 1636: Complaint by Margaret Craufurde, Lady Newuarke, as follows: - Patrick Maxuell, her unnaturall and unkynde husband, having shaken off all these dewties quhilks aucht to be cherished and enterteained betuix man and wyffe, and they having lived togidder be the space of fourtie foure yeeres, and all mutuall dewties of love and friendship being enterteained betuix thame, and the compleaner having in this space borne to him sextene children, and having brought them up in these exercises fitting for persons of thair birth and qualitie, and having all this time had the charge of his hous quhairin he fand the comfortable effects of her vertew and industrie; and the compleaner, lookeing for a constant continowance of his affection towards her, yit thir foure yeeres bygane she hes to her heavy hurt and greiff fund the contrare, and humblie represents to his Majesties Counsell some few particulars of his unnaturall and undewtifull carriage towards her: As namelie, in the moneth of ………. 1632, the compleaner , being sitting with him at supper in the place of Neuwarke accompanied with a minister and other strangers, he, without anie cause of offence done be her to him in worde or deid, most despytefullie strake [her] with his faldit neiffes upon the face, to the effusion of her blood and hazard of her lyffe, quhairthrow she was caried to her chamber and bed and wes keeped without comeing in public for the space of halfe ane yeere. And in the moneth of November 1633, the compleaner, being at supper at Neuwarke, quhen some gentlemen of good qualitie were present, her said unkynd husband fell out agains her in most disgracefull speeches, and then he priest to have putt violent hands in her person, and verie hardlie could be stayed be the gentlemen present, who ryseing frome the table gripped and held him till his wyffe fled and eschewed his furie. And she pressing still to satisfie his discontented humor by her good behaviour, come again to the table, bot how muche more the gentlewoman strove to give him content, he grew so muche more insolent agains her. And about the Candlemes thairafter, the compleaner being in the hall of Neuwarke attending her lawfull affaires, he without anie caus of offence offerit to him, upbraidit her with contumelious speeches and then come running to have struckin her, but she, pereaveing his furie, fled so fast as her age and abilitie would serve her, and he with a suord followed her with all his speid, resolved to have killed her, if by God’s providence the persons forsaids had not haldin him, and the tyme he wes haldin he cryed out thir words saying ‘I sie the divell in thy face and ane evill turne in my hand to the;’ and all the tyme first and last that the gentlewoman kept her chamber he would allow her nothing bot halfe ane oat loaffe and some small drinke in the day; commanding his servants to minister no better to her. And, notwithstanding of this hard carriage and keeping her as a prisoner, she patientlie packit up all his wrongs and stayed in the place till the ………. day of ………. Last that he, perceiving that his former misbehaviour could not move his spous to leive him, and knowing that she had no earthlie comfort bot Allexander Maxwell, her onelie sone now alyve, and Annas Howstoun, his spous, for keeping companie with her, he resolved to depryve her of their companie and to make her wearie of her lyffe and abode there. And for this effect, upon the 15 of Januar last, he thrusted his sones wyffe and himselfe out of the hous; and the night befoir thair away putting he said to his chamber boy privilie these words: - ‘Will I never be quyt of that theife, my wyffe? I vow to God I sall fell her myselffe or fie some fellow to do it.’ Quhilks speeches coming to the gentlewoman’s eares, who, perceaving her husband’s malice to have a dailir grouth, she for just feare of her lyffe retired herself toward Dumbartan, quhair she now remains comforles and moyenles, haveing nothing to enterteaine her, and she darre not for feare of her lyffe come home.” Charge having been given up to the said Patrick Maxwell to compear and see some aliment allowed to his wife out of his estate, and the pursuer compearing personally with Mr. William Douglas and John Dunlop, her procurators, and the defender compearing by Mr. John Gilmour and Mr. William Maxwell, his procurators, who produced a written certificate under the hands of the Earl of Glencairne and some of the parishioners of Kilmacolme “testifying the said Patrick his great age , his debilitie, weaknes and infirmitie of his bodie and inhabilitie to travel on horse or foote,” the Lords after hearing parties and advising “finding it more meit and expedient for the weele of both parties that this mater sall be examined at home be some few nomber of Counsell, who are weele affected to both parties, nor to be brought to a public heiring, they have for this effect nominat and appointed Patrick, Archbishop of Glasgow, Archibald, Lord Lorne, Lord Allexander, or any tua of thame, to try and informe thameselves trulie and sufficientlie of the estate of this business and what hes beene the behaviour and carriage of each partie toward others,” and for this effect to cite the parties and their witnesses before them, take their depositions in writing, and report the same closed, signed and sealed for their Lordships upon the first Counsell day of November next, upon which they will proceed to administer justice as the case may require. And if the commissioners find that a present modification is necessary for the relief of the pursuer, the Lords empower them to grant such a stand in force till Martinmas next, reserving to the defender all his lawful defences against any modification after the commissioners report, but without prejudice to this temporary aliment. The Register of The Privy Council of Scotland, 1633-1637 (Second Series), vi, pp. 264-66

Genealogical Accounts

1. Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy: Margaret Crawford
2. Darryl Lundy's Peerage: Margaret Crawford
3. Stirnet: Maxwell 04