William Moncreiffe (1500 - 1579)

Born 1500 in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Murray) Moncreiffe — married 1526 in Arngask, Fife, Scotland

Descendants

Died 15 Dec 1579 at about age 79 in Berwickshire, Scotland

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Biography

William Moncreiffe is a member of Clan Moncreiffe.

Sir William Moncreiffe was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

William Moncreiffe, 10th of that Ilk is the son of Sir John Moncrieffe, 9th of that Ilk and Beatrix Forman.

He fought in the Battle of Solway between March 1541/42 and September 1542, where he was captured by the English

In 1537, William refused to attend the revenge driven witchcraft trial held for Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis.^[1]

An assize on 5 May 1539 regarding William Moncreiff of that Ilk and part of the lands of Gorthy was headed by Thomas Blair of Balthayock and included John Moncur of Ballunie and John Blair of Melginch.

Moncreiffe supported the cause of Scottish King James V who had refused urging from his uncle, Henry VIII to leave the Catholic Church. In September 1542^[2]Moncreiffe fought and was captured in the Battle of Solway. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London. After his release, Moncreiffe embraced Protestantism. He was one of the barrons who subscribed to the Articles in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ^[3]

Following the killing of Henry Dempster, a chaplain, John Charteris, Alexander Charteris, John Gray, John Pullow and two others, Thomas Blair of Balthayock, his son Thomas, John Moncur of Balmyle and nine others were indicted for the slaughter of these men and were ordered to find surety. ^[4] On 14 May 1549, the Laird of Moncreiff whose lands lay on the south bank of the Tay opposite Balthayock, provided the surety. ^[5] That there may have been some religious overtones is supported in that Robert Osler, a vicar was named among the Blair party. Nevertheless, the indications are that the Blair party were retaliating in a blood feud on behalf of the Moncur of Balluny and the Moncreiffs, for Thomas Charteris of Kinfauns was summoned to appear on the same day for the murder of James Ross of Craigton, Gilbert Moncreiffe and Margaret Douglas, Lady Balluny. This involvement probably has its origins in a Bond of Maintenance entered into by John Ross of Craigie, William Moncreiffe of that Ilk and Thomas Blair of Balthayock made at Perth on 22 April 1544 binding themselves to take part with each other in all their just and lawful acts.

On 7 Jun 1555, John Blackcadder, servant to the Earl of Bothwell was denounced Rebel and put to the horn, and William Moncreiffe of that Ilk, his cautioner, was charged 500 merks, for John's non-appearance to underly the law for art and part in the murderr of James Lowis, Messenger at Arms. ^[6]

On 26 Oct 1565, William's son Alexander was found guilty of treason against Mary Queen of Scots and was sentenced to be beheaded and quartered. It is probable that William had influence as the execution was delayed at the King and Queen's grace.^[7]

A family dispute between the Oliphants on one hand and the Murrays and Moncreiffe on the other arose over the teind sheaves of Dunbarney towards the end of this laird's life. William Moncreiffe had obstructed the factors of John Oliphant from managing the estate in the parishes of Dunbarney, Kirk Pottie and Moncreiffe. The Lords of Council ordained that the teinds of these parishes for 1578 be collected in a neutral place by Alexander Blair of Balthayock and Archibald Dundas of Fingask. ^[8]

Sir William was buried on 16 Dec 1579. ^[9]

Marriage

• William Moncrieffe 10th of that Ilk married Margaret Murray, daughter of Sir William Murray of Castleton ^[10]

Children

1. William of that Ilk b. c 1526, d. 1570 . He married Jean Oliphant ^[10]
2. James of Barnhill who married Margaret Balneaves. He died in 1596,^[10]
3. John. He was killed in 1579 by John, Master of Oliphant ^[11]
4. Alexander, 1st Portioner of Kintullo who married Euphemia Crichton ^[11]
5. Isobel married George Rollock (Sir George Rollo of Duncurb) in 1549 ^[11]
6. Elizabeth/Agnes married Sir Alexander Ruthven, 1st of Freeland ^{[11] [12]}
7. Euphemia. She married John Leslie of Parkhill ^[11]
8. Alexander Moncreiffe d. 8 Dec 1610
9. Margaret mar. as 2nd wife to Henry Lovell of Ballumbie

Research Notes

A discrepancy regarding whether Agnes or Elizabeth married Sir Alexander Ruthen. I left it as Elizabeth

Footnotes

• William succeeded his father Sir John Moncrieff who had been knighted by James IV. Sir John died at the battle of Flodden in September 1513. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia - Clan Moncreiffe
2. ↑ The Peerage
3. ↑ Wikipedia Clan Moncreiffe
4. ↑ Pitcairn, Criminal Trials Vol.i Pt.i p343 see [1]
5. ↑ Moncreiff,F; The Moncreiffs and the Moncreiffes. p.78, Edinburgh 1929
6. ↑ Pitcairn, Criminal Trials Vol.i Pt.i p379 see [2]
7. ↑ Pitcairn, Criminal Trials Vol.i Pt.i p466 see [3]
8. ↑ Register of the Privy Council of Scotland Vol.ii.
9. ↑ Advocates Library: Manuscript on notices of Burials in neighbourhood of Perth
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Scotland, Red Books of Scotland, 1600-1939 Published 2022 Volume 7 page 19
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4} Scotland, Red Books of Scotland, 1600-1939 Published 2022 Volume 7 page 20
12. ↑ Scotland, Red Books of Scotland, 1600-1939 Published 2022 Volume 8 page 729
13. ↑ Scotland, Red Books of Scotland, 1600-1939 Published 2022 Volume 7 page 18

• "William Moncrieffe, 10th of that Ilk." The Peerage. Ed. Darryl Lundy. Darryl Lundy, 1 Nov. 2009. Web. 2 Jan. 2017. <http://www.thepeerage.com/p20496.htm#i204957>

• Wikipedia Contributors. "Clan Moncreiffe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 3 Jul. 2016. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Moncreiffe#Clan_Profile>

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS], "Pedigree Resource File," database, Roots Magic Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3S1C-KMP : accessed 2015), Mathew Moncriegge/Moncrieffe; submitted by Brown-Ebel.

• http://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/mm4fz/murray04.php