Robert Beaton of Creich
Robert Beaton of Creich (d. 1567) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.
Robert Beaton was a son of John Beaton of Creich, keeper of Falkland Palace and Janet Hay. He went to France with Mary, Queen of Scots in 1548.
His homes in Scotland included Creich Castle and the Place of Dunbog. He was extremely well-connected through his sisters and aunts.
Robert's older sister, Janet Beaton married James Crichton of Cranston Riddel, and secondly Simon Preston of Craigmillar Castle. In 1543 she divorced him to marry Walter Scott of Buccleuch. He was killed in a feud on Edinburgh's High Street in 1552, and she was later associated with the Earl of Bothwell.
Another sister, Margaret Beaton, married Arthur Forbes of Reres (d. 1586), and was known as "Lady Reres". She was also a companion of the queen. Rires Castle was in Kilconquhar, Fife.
Another sister, Grisel Beaton, married William Scott, younger of Buccleuch, and secondly in 1552 Andrew Murray of Blackbarony,[1] and was the mother of Gideon Murray.
His aunt, Janet Beaton, was the second wife of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran. Another aunt, Elizabeth Beaton was a mistress of James V of Scotland. They had a daughter, Jean Stewart, who married Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll. Elizabeth later married John Stewart, Lord Innermeath, and was the mother of James Stewart, 5th Lord Innermeath and the poet John Stewart of Baldynneis.
Marriage and family
In 1539 Robert Beaton married Jeanne de la Rainville (d. 1576), a French lady-in-waiting to Mary of Guise. Her name at that time was also recorded as "Jehanne Gresmor" or "Gresoner", and it seems that both mother and daughter were in the household of Mary of Guise.[2] James V gave her a dowry and bought for her marriage a red velvet gown and a white velvet kirtle or skirt lined with yellow taffeta.[3] She died at the Place of Dunbog in 1576.[4] Their children included:
- David Beaton of Creich, who married Beatrix Leslie, daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes of Ballinbreich Castle.
- James Beaton of Creich, Parson of Old Roxburghe.[5] who married Helen Leslie of Kinnaird, Fife, widow of the Edinburgh merchant James Baron and James Kirkcaldy (d. 1573) brother of William Kirkcaldy of Grange,[6] and secondly married Margaret Wemyss daughter of David Wemyss of Wemyss Castle.
- Mary Beaton, companion of Mary, Queen of Scots, who married Alexander Ogilvy of Boyne.
- Lucrece Beaton, who married David Beaton of Melgund.
- Elizabeth Beaton, who married James Sandilands of St Monans.
- Christian Beaton.
- Anna Beaton.
References
- Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1913), p. 1115.
- Andrea Thomas, Princelie Majestie (Edinburgh, 2005), pp. 46, 240: Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 7 (Edinburgh, 1907), p. xxxix.
- Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 7 (Edinburgh, 1907), pp. 166-7.
- See Jeanne's will: National Records of Scotland CC8/8/5 pp. 48-51, "Delaramyeill, Jane".
- Register of the Privy Seal: 1556-1567, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1957), no. 3224.
- David Laing, Works of John Knox, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1848), p. 322 fn.