KEITH, George 4th Earl Marischal ^{2 3}

   Another name for George was George Earl Marischall.⁵

   User ID: Z220.

  General Notes:

On 2 April 1593 George Keith founded Marischal College in Aberdeen. He endowed it with the former possessions of the Black and White Friars of Aberdeen, and with the lands which had belonged to the chaplainries of Bervie and Cowie. The foundation was ratified by an Act of Parliament 21 July 1593. ⁶

George married Margaret HOME, daughter of Alexander HOME 5th Lord Home and Margaret KER, About 1580(1581)(contract).¹ (Margaret HOME was born before 5 December 1565 ¹ and died before 4 December 1600 ⁵.)

George next married Margaret OGILVY, daughter of James OGILVY 5th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie and Jean FORBES. (Margaret OGILVY was born about 1585.)

  Marriage Notes:

"He (George Keith) married, secondly, Lady Margaret, daughter of James, Lord Ogilvy of Airlie; and their family consisted of two sons: James, who got the lands of Benholm, and John. The earl's later days were sadly embittered by the unfeeling conduct of his wife, who, not content with neglecting him and carrying on a scandalous intrigue with Sir Alexander Strachan of Thornton (she married him within the time then prescribed for mourning for the death of her husband), robbed Benholm, belonging to the earl, of jewels, silver plate, household stuff, gold, silver, and title deeds. Pitcairn, in enumerating the articles, mentions:

'Portugal ducats and other species of foreign gold to the avail of 2600 pounds or thereby; thirty-six dozen gold buttons; the Queen of Denmark's picture set in gold, set about with rich diamonds, estimated at 5000 merks; a chain of "equall
perle," wherein were four hundred pearls, great and small; two chains of gold, worth 3000 merks; a great pair of bracelets, all set with diamonds, price thereof 600 crowns, etc., etc., etc.; also 16,000 merks of silver and gold ready coined, etc.'

Dunnottar was also stripped of

'the whole tapestry, silver work, bedding, goods, gear, and plenishing ; and what was a distinct aggravation of the crime was that it took place a little before the earl's death, which occurred at Dunnottar in 1623, in his 70th year.' "

from Epitaphs and Inscriptions ⁷