Catherine Murray, Lady Abercairny


Catherine Murray was a Scottish aristocrat and courtier.

Life

She was a daughter of William Murray of Tullibardine and Katherine Campbell. She married Robert Murray of Abercairny in 1560. His father, John Murray, had been killed at the battle of Pinkie, and his older brother William Murray, who had married Margaret Oliphant, died in 1558.
In 1577 the Laird of Abercairny became involved in the trial of Violet Mar, who was accused of witchcraft and plotting the downfall of Regent Morton. They took advice from Lady Abercairny's sister Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar. On 10 October 1577 a royal messenger, Robert Binning, was sent from Edinburgh to summon Margaret Murray, Lady Clackmannan, the Laird of Abercairny and his wife Catherine Murray, and others, to come before the Privy Council on 18 October. Binning also brought the summons for the assize of Violet Mar for witchcraft, to be held on 24 October.
James VI wrote to them for "venison, wild fowls, fed capons" to serve at the wedding of Henrietta Stewart and George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly in July 1588. Robert Murray enjoyed the confidence of Anne of Denmark, and in March 1592 she wrote to him, asking for help in administrative changes and to protect her husband from the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane, who she regarded as an enemy.
Lady Abercairny joined the household of Prince Henry at Stirling Castle in 1594 as a "dame of honour". The other ladies were her sisters Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar and Margaret Murray, Lady Clackmannan, with Lady Morton, Lady Dudhope, Lady Cambuskenneth, and the late Justice Clerk's wife.
In 1603 her sister, Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar, bequeathed to her a gown of chamlet of silk with broad velvet passementerie, breasts lined with plush, with a doublet and skirt of plain black velvet.

Family

Her children included: