Margaret (Balfour) Melville (1538 - 1590)

Born 1538 in Burleigh, Kinross-Shire, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1590 at about age 52 in Scotland

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Biography

Margaret Balfour, born the only child to Michael Balfour and his wife Christian Beatoun, inherited the estates of Burleigh at the death of her father in 1577.

She married Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich, son of Sir Michael Balfour of Montquhanny. He is noted for changing sides often in a turbulent time and getting getting it wrong. He was declared forfeit in his lands in 1571, when he escaped to France. Although obtaining remittance in 1572, he was again declared a traitor and forfeit in 1579. His lands of Moncastell and others in Menteith were, on 24 November 1579, granted to Sir James Stewart of Doune, the priory of Pittenweem to Sir James Haliburton, and the lands of Burleigh, Balgarvy, Star, Kinloch, and others to John Ruthven, son of Lord Ruthven.^[1]

He returned from France in 1579 as a result of a plea-bargain in order to convict Lord Morton. He pleaded for restoration but was refused. He may have died shortly after for Margaret Balfour, as Dame of Burleigh, pleaded for restoration, in 1584, on behalf of her children to which she was granted.

Lady Burleigh is also noted as having received, from the Crown, in 1587, the monopoly, for seven years, of making refined salt, or 'salt upon salt' as it was called, at Pittenweem, Fife.^[2]

She died in 1590. Balfour Paul notes that it is stated in the Peerage Case that she had married as her second husband Sir Robert Melville of Murdocairnie, the King's Secretary of State, but it is almost impossible that this can have been the case, as Melville's first wife, Katherine Adamson, was alive at all events as late as December 1586.^[3] It has however been noted on wikitree.

Lady Margaret and James Balfour had a number of children:

Michael Balfour, who would inherit the titles and later be raised as 1st Lord Balfour of Burleigh.

James Balfour.

William Balfour.

Henry Balfour.

David Balfour.

John Balfour.

Marie Balfour; who would marry Walter Arnot of that Ilk.

Helen Balfour; said by Douglas to have been married to Barclay of Collairnie.

Agnes Balfour; married to John Henderson of Fordell.

Sources

1. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; James; Vol 1, page 534
2. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 1, page 535
3. ↑ #S-1 Balfour Paul; Vol 1, page 535

• Wikidata: Item Q75329678, en:Wikipedia

• Source S-1Sir James Balfour Paul, Editor. The Scots peerage, founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom. Vol. I. Edinburgh: D Douglas, 1904. archive.org