LESLIE, John 10th of Balquhain ^{1 2 5 6 7}

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  General Notes:

"John Leslie of Balquhain lived in splendid magnificence, and by his expensive habits he much encumbered his estates. He never rode out without an escort of at least twenty vassals orfollowers, who attended him on horseback."

"It is said that all the three wives of John Leslie of Balquhain were alive at the same time, and that on one occasion they were all in the same kirk of Chapel of Garioch."

"It would appear that John Leslie had another son, probably a natural one, who had two sons, one a lawyer in Edinburgh in 1 652, named Alexander, and the other, William, who was a bailie in Edinburgh. These two, in letters written by William, thirteenth Baron of Balquhain, and his successor, Alexander, fourteenth baron, are called the nephews of the said barons.



from Family of Leslie




"The house of Balquhain has produced many men of worth, ability and power. In 1571, however, John Leslie succeeded his father as tenth laird or baron of Balquhain. His forcefulness showed itself in ways, which were profitable neither to himself nor to the Blackhalls, and as he had an important influence on their fortunes, it is necessary to consider shortly what manner of man he was. The keynote of his character, as delineated by the late Colonel Leslie, his representative, and the historian of his family, was a pride and self-assertiveness which led to ruinous extravagance, and a shifty unreliability which made him a bad partner both in public and in private life. He had a somewhat varied connubial record also, having divorced one wife, been divorced by another, and questionably married to a third. One of his sons, Walter, by his third wife, also a forceful character, became a Count of the Holy Roman Empire, owing to the part he played in the assassination of Wallenstein, the only palliation of which crime was the suspected treason of that great soldier. He became wealthy in foreign parts, and helped to redeem mortgages or wadsets on his old home, which were the consequences of his father's and his eldest brother's improvidence."

from Blackhalls of That Ilk

John married Elizabeth GRANT, daughter of John GRANT 4th of Freuchie,'the Gentle' and Margaret STEWART, 15 February 1564(1565)(contract).^{1 2 3 4} The marriage ended in divorced 30 july 1576. (Elizabeth GRANT was born about 1548.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Isobel or Elizabeth, contracted to William Fraser of Strowie on 29th November 1561, married in 1564 to John Leslie, younger of Balquhain. Divorced from him she afterwards, in 1580, married William Cumming of Inverallochy."

from Chiefs of Grant




According to The Rulers of Strathspey, John Leslie and Isobel Grant were divorced about 1577.




"Elizabeth, Elspet, or Isabel, by first marriage. On 19 January 1560-61, and again in November 1561, she was contracted to William Fraser of Strowie, but there is no evidence that the marriage was completed. She was ultimately married (contract 15 February 1564-65), as his first wife, to John Leslie, younger of Balquhain, with issue."

from Scots Peerage (vol 7 page 463)

"p. 463, 1. 2 from foot, after 'issue,' insert 'She obtained decreet of divorce against him for adultery 30 July 1576 (Hist. Records Fam. of Leslie, iii. 73), and was married, secondly, to William Cumming of Inverallochy (Aberdeen Hornings, 7 May 1584)."

from Scots Peerage (vol 9 Addenda et Corrigenda)




"John Leslie, tenth Baron of Balquhain, married, first, in 1564, Elizabeth Grant, daughter of the Baron of Grant. The marriage-contract is dated 15th February 1564, and by it William Leslie, ninth Baron of Balquhain, obliged himself to infeft his eldest son and apparent heir, John Leslie, and his future spouse, Elizabeth Grant, in the lands of Kirkhill.J By Elizabeth Grant John Leslie had issue

I. John, who succeeded as eleventh Baron of Balquhain.

II. William, who succeeded his nephew John as thirteenth Baron of Balquhain. John Leslie is said to have divorced his first wife, Elizabeth Grant."

from Family of Leslie ^{1 2 4 8 9}

John next married Isabel HAY, daughter of George HAY 7th Earl of Erroll and Helen BRYSON co-heiress of Pitcullen, in 1582.^{4 5} The marriage ended in divorced 9 march 1597(1598). (Isabel HAY was born about 1562.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Isabel (sometimes called Elizabeth, but never Jean), was contracted when very young to Patrick Cheyne, younger of Esslemont, son of her mother's second husband, which marriage did not take place. She was married, first, in 1582, to John Leslie of Balquhain, whom she divorced for adultery, 9 March 1597-98...."

from Scots Peerage (vol 3)




"John Leslie married, secondly, Lady Elizabeth Hay, daughter of George, sixth Earl of Errol, by his second wife, Helen, co-heiress of Walter Bruce of Pitcullen. John Leslie of Balquhain granted a charter, 20th February 1595, to George, Earl Marischal, of the lands of Pitbee and Inveramsay, during the lifetime of Lady Elizabeth Hay, spouse to the said John Leslie.

By Lady Elizabeth Hay John Leslie had issue a daughter Isabella, married to Alexander Hay of Dalgety.

Lady Elizabeth Hay obtained a decreet of divorcement against her husband, John Leslie of Balquhain, before the Commissaries of Edinburgh, 9th March 1597 ; and John Leslie, reader at the kirk of Fetternear, granted a certificate that he had read the said decreet of divorcement in the kirk of Fetternear, and proclaimed the said John Leslie his banns to marry when, where, and whom he pleased, 23d April 1598. John Leslie, fiar of Balquhain, confirmed the provision made by John Leslie of Balquhain in favour of Lady Elizabeth Hay, 23d September 1597 ; and Lady Elizabeth Hay, Lady Pitcullen, renounced all right which she had in the barony of Balquhain, in favour of John Leslie of Balquhain, her former husband, 7th April 1609."

from Family of Leslie ^{4 5}

John next married Jean ERSKINE, daughter of Sir Alexander ERSKINE Baron of Gogar and Margaret HOME, before 6 July 1598.^{4 6} (Jean ERSKINE was born about 1571.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Jean, married .... secondly, as third wife, before 6 July 1598, when a certificate was granted by Mr. John Lindsay, minister of Lethnot, that he had celebrated the marriage, to John Leslie of Balquhan. She obtained a decreet of adherence before the Commissaries of Edinburgh the same year. The Presbytery of Brechin accused Leslie of adultery and unlawful marriage with her, but they both defended the action successfully. He had, however, varied matrimonial experiences, and it is said that on one occasion his three wives were in the kirk of Chapel of Garioch at the same time.

from Scots Peerage (vol 5)




"John Leslie married, thirdly, in 1598, Jean Erskine, daughter of Sir Alexander Erskine, Baron of Gogar, and sister of Thomas, first Earl of Kellie. The marriage-contract is blank in the date, and is without witnesses. Mr. John Lindsay, minister of Lethnal, granted a certificate that he had celebrated the marriage of John Leslie of Balquhain and Jean Erskine, 6th July 1598; and David Wilson, notary-public, executed an instrument of the solemnisation of the said marriage on the same day. Jean Erskine obtained a decreet of adherence, before the Commissaries of Edinburgh, in the same year. The presbytery of Brechin accused John Leslie of Balquhain of adultery and unlawful marriage with Jean Erskine ; and John Leslie and Jean Erskine defended themselves successfully against the accusation."

from Family of Leslie ^{4 6}