ARCHIBALD, MARGARET [SSNE 7749]
Text source
Margaret Archibald was a Scottish woman who ran away from her husband to denmark in 1524. In 1560 he was finally granted a divorce. We thank Bess Rhodes for passing on this interesting reference. Source: D. Hay Fleming, Register of The Minister Elders and Deacons of the Congregation of St Andrews (Edinburgh, 1889), vol. 1, pp. 47-50. In March 1560 Dauid Gudelawde complained to the St Andrews Kirk Session that his wife Margaret Archbald ‘in the yeir of God 1524…departed over see to the realme of Denmark, and ther juned and gaif hir body to Hanis Boukle, alias Buckijlis’. Gudelawde therefore requested a divorce. The St Andrews Kirk Session ordered both parties to appear before them, apparently writing to the minister of Lund in order to communicate with Margaret. In August 1560 Dauid Gudelawde appeared before the Kirk Session and produced ‘ane wryting fra the minister of Lund, in Denmark, interpret furth of Danis language in our vulgare toung be Williame Christesone, minister of Dundee, makand mentioun that the said minister haid ressavit the said citatioun to be intimate to Margaret Johne Buklys’. The Kirk Session records the ‘Responsum ministri de Lund in Datia’ as follows: ‘Johne Olufson, called Spaidmaker, minister of Lund in Skonesyde, confessis that he hes ressavit ane litter of summondis, writtin in Sanct Androis the 17 of Marche, 1559, frome ane called Williame Raa, burges in Elsinger, concerning ane woman called Margaret Johne Bucklijs, the quhilk he promissis to praesent in judgement before capitulo Lundensis juridice, the Monday efter Joannis Baptiste, and swa to send the same litter off summondis hither with ane sure ansuer to the same, &c. Interprete owt of Denis languaige be Williame Cristesone, minister of Dundee.’ Margaret failed to return to Scotland to appear before the Kirk Session. As a result in September 1560 the Kirk Session granted Gudelawde a divorce on the basis that Margaret ‘departing over sea to ane fare countrey…and ther continualie remaining hes, under pretens of matrimony, ad[j]oyned hirself and gevin hir body to Boukle, conceved and borne to him thre bayrnes’. Female
Service record
- DENMARK-NORWAY, LUND
- Arrived 1524-01-01, as 1560-12-31
- Purpose Misc