Dorothea Stewart of Avondale

DOROTHEA STEWART

Dorothea Stewart (1568) Dorothea Stewart (1570) Dorothea Stewart 1571) Dorothea Stewart (1575) Dorothea Stewart (1580) Dame Dorothy Stewart (1582) Domine Dorathie Stewart (1583) Dorathea Stewart comitissa de Gowry (1590) Dame Dorothy Stewart, Countess of Gowrie (1591) Dame Dorathie Stewart, Countess of Gowrie (1592) Dorothy Stewart, countess of Gowrie (1599) Lady Dorothy Stuart, Countess of Gowrie (1597) Domine Dorathie Stewart comitisse de Gowrie (1604)

Dorothea Stewart is the bastard daughter of Henry, Lord Methven, and his second wife Janet Stewart, The Scots Peerage IV: 263 who were married before 5 June 1545. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A. D. 1513-1546, charter number 3118 on pp. 732-3 Dorothea, who was born before her father amd mother were married, was legitimized in 1551. The Scots Peerage IV: 263

Marriage

Dorothea Stewart married William, Earl of Gowrie. The Scots Peerage IV: 263

Children

1. Lilias Ruthven
2. Dorothea Ruthven
3. Katheryn Ruthven
4. James Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie
5. John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie
6. Alexander Ruthven
7. William Ruthven
8. Patrick Ruthven, "Lord Ruthven"
9. Mary Ruthven, Dowager Countess of Atholl
10. Margaret Ruthven, Countess of Montrose
11. Sophia Ruthven
12. Jean Ruthven
13. Isabel Ruthven
14. Beatrix Ruthven
15. Barbara Ruthven

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

9 April 1562: Charter by which the Queen of Scots confirms that she has given the lands of Haliland in the barony of Ruthven to William, Master of Ruthven, and his wife Dorathie Stewart. This land was previously resigned by William's father, Patrick, Earl of Gowrie. It was to be held William and Dorathie in conjuct fee and liferent, and it was destined to be held by their legitimate male heirs, whom failing by William's heirs. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1546-1580, charter number 1413 on p, 320

                   2

27 January 1568: Baptismal record for Lelyas Ruthven, daughter of William, Lord Ruthven, afterwards Earl of Gowrie, and Dorothea Stewart. [National Records of Scotland, Perth Baptisms, 1560-81, reference OPR.387/1]

                   3

30 April 1570: Baptismal record for Dorathe Ruthven, daughter of William, Lord Ruthven, afterwards, Earl of Gowrie, and Dorothea Stewart. [National Records of Scotland, Perth Baptisms, 1560-81, reference OPR.387/1]

                   4

28 February 1571: Baptismal record for Katheryn Ruthven, daughter of William, Lord Ruthven, afterwards Earl of Gowrie, and Dorothea Stewart. [National Records of Scotland, Perth Baptisms, 1560-81, reference OPR.387/1]

                   5

25 September 1575: Baptismal record for James Ruthven, Lord Ruthven, afterwards Earl of Gowrie, son of William, Earl of Gowrie, and Dorothea Stewart. [National Records of Scotland, Perth Baptisms, 1560-81, reference OPR.387/1]

                    6

22 January 1580: Baptismal Record for Alexander Ruthven, son of William, Lord Ruthven, afterwards Earl of Gowrie, and Dorothea Stewart. [National Records of Scotland, Perth Baptisms, 1560-81, reference OPR.387/1]

                   7

1 November - 17 December 1582: Charter containing precept of sasine by William, earl of Gowrie, with consent of Dame Dorothy Stewart, his spouse, to James Carmichael son of John Carmichaell, yr, of that ilk of the lands of Hiefeild and Arnotflat. [Seals of Earl and Countess of Gowrie, in fair condition]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Brooke Family of Biel, reference GD6/152

                   8

17 August 1583: Charter issued by William, Earl of Gowrie, Lord Ruthven, with the consent of his wife Domine Dorathie Stewart. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1580-1593, charter number 650 on pp. 199-200

                   9

20 - 24 May 1587: Precept of clare constat by James, earl of Gowrie, with consent of Dame Dorothy Stewart, his mother and tutrix, in favour of Margaret, Jean and Mary, as heirs to John Forrest of Monkmylne, their father, in subjects in Dirltoun (as in No 125). [Granters' seals, in poor condition]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Brooke Family of Biel, reference GD6/181

                  10

11 May 1590: Charter by which James VI, King of Scots, confirms that he has given an annualrent of two hundred and ten pounds from the lands of Cousland, in the Sheriffdom of Edinburgh, to James Richardson of Smeatoun and his second son Robert. The annualrent had been granted to James Richardson by William, Earl of Gowrie, who had borrowed money from him and used Cousland as security. His obligation passed first to his eldest son James, Earl of Gowrie, and then to second son John, Earl of Gowrie. Earl John must have been a minor child when his father's obligation passed to him on 12 November 1589, for his mother was still acting as his tutrix testamentary on this date: "dicto Jo, et Dorathea Stewart comitissa de Gowry ejus matre et tutrice testamentaria". Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1580-1593, charter number 1730 on p. 593

                  11

24 July 1591: Transumpt of charter, dated at the monastery of Scone, 26 August 1559, by Patrick, bishop of Moray and commendator of Scone, and the convent thereof, to John Baxter, of the lands of Haltoune of Crwquhy; in action at the instance of the said John Baxter and Alexander, his eldest son, against Dame Dorothy Stewart, Countess of Gowrie, John, Earl of Gowrie, now commendator of Scone and others, for the production of the register of the said abbey for transumpt to be made; the original having been in the hands of David Bruce in Bandirrane and stolen from his house. [Charter not printed in the Liber de Scon]. [1569.173] National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Airlie, reference GD16/24/143

                  12

3 September 1591: Charter of confirmation by John, earl of Gowrie, with consent of Dame Dorothy Stewart, countess of Gowrie, his mother, and of his curators, confirming charters (nos 147 & 174). [Granters' seal, imperfect]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Brooke Family of Biel, reference GD6/207

                  13

27 August 1592: Assignation by Mr. William Ruthven to John Earl of Gowrie of the gift of the Earl's ward and marriage and any tacks of teinds hitherto held by the Lords of Ruthven, which had all become escheat on the forfeiture of Dame Dorathie Stewart, Countess of Gowrie, and had been donated to the granter. National Records of Scotland, Yule Collection, reference GD90/2/35

                  14

7 December 1597: Charter by John, Master of Montrose in favour of Mrs Margaret Ruthven his spouse, lawful daughter to William, Earl of Gowrie of the lands of Coul and Clune lying in the barony of Kincardine, parish of Auchterarder and sheriffdom of Perth in liferent, in return for payment of a sum of money by Lady Dorothy Stuart, Countess of Gowrie, mother to the said Margaret, reserving to John, Earl of Montrose his liferent of the said lands; at Holyroodhouse. National Records of Scotland, Title deeds and other writs of James, Duke of Montrose and his predecessors, reference GD220/1/A/5/3/10

                  15

1 June 1599: Assignation by William Ruthven, brother of deceased James, earl of Gowrie, with consent of Dorothy Stewart, countess of Gowrie, his mother, to Adam Hepburne, eldest son of Adam Hepburne of Bonhard, of escheat of said Adam Hepburne of Bonhard. National Records of Scotland, Hepburne Papers, reference RH15/29/20

                  16

28 December 1601: Precept of clare constat by Dame Dorothy Stewart, countess of Gowrie, in favour of Sir Hugh Carmichell of that ilk, as heir to his brother, James Carmichell, son of deceased John Carmichell, yr, of that ilk, in an annualrent of 200 scots furth of the lands and Mains of Dirltoun. [Granter's seal, defaced]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Brooke Family of Biel, reference GD6/228

                  17

26 March 1602: Precept of clare constat by Dame Dorothy Stewart, countess of Gowrie, in favour of Walter Angus, as heir to Robert Angus in Dirltoun, his father, in a tenement and yard on the north side of the Towne Grene of Dirltoun, between the lands of the abbacy of Dryburgh on the west and the lands of Laurence Schageslie on the east, and an acre on the north side thereof, between the lands of Robert Haistie on the east, the lands of Laurence Schageslie on the west and the common of Dirltoun on the north. [Granter's seal, in fair condition]. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Brooke Family of Biel, reference GD6/230

                  18

1 October 1604: Charter issued by John Weymis de Pittincrieff, with the consent of his wife Dorathie Ruthven, which mentions Domine Dorathie Stewart comitisse de Gowrie. https://archive.org/details/registrummagnisi06scot/page/610/mode/1up Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1593-1608, charter number 1684 on p. 610]

                  19

31 October 1607: Precept of sasine by Lady Dorothy Stewart, Countess of Gowrie, in favour of John, Lord Lyndsay of Byris, in respect of four husbandlands in Elbottill and the half lands of Bernis, following on no 410. [Seal]. (With instrument of sasine, dated 3 November 1605 and registered SRS Edinburgh, 28 November 1607). National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Earls of Glasgow (Crawford Priory), reference GD20/1/411

COPIED FROM DARRYL LUNDY'S PEERAGE

Dorothea Stewart married William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, son of Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven and Janet Douglas, on 17 August 1561. She was the daughter of Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven and Lady Janet Stewart. From 17 August 1561, her married name became Ruthven. Children of Dorothea Stewart and William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie *1. Lady Sophia Ruthven d. b Jun 1590 *2. Lady Jean Ruthven+ d. 6 Jan 1611/12 *3. Lady Margaret Ruthven *4. Lady Mary Ruthven *5. William Ruthven * 6. Patrick Ruthven d. May 1652 * 7. Lady Isabel Ruthven *8. Lady Beatrice Ruthven *9. James Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie b. 25 Sep 1575, d. 1588 *10. John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie b. 1577, d. 5 Aug 1600 *11. Alexander Ruthven, Master of Gowrie b. a 1577, d. 5 Aug 1600

Citations

• 1. [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 314. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
• 2. [S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 690. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• 3. [S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 2, page 1949.