Martha Masterton (c1595-1641)
Wife of John Anderson, jnr
Martha Masterton appears a number of times in the 17th Century Court Records of Dunfermline. She was the sister of Bessie Masterton, who was later burned as a suspected witch, and had a history of actions in the Dunfermline Courts. Martha, too, appears to have been no stranger to disputatious behaviour.
Genealogy
Martha Masterton was married in 1618 to John Anderson junior, the son of John Anderson, senior. She was the daughter of John Masterton of Easter Grange and his wife Marjorie Alexander. After John Masterton senior died, Marjorie married John Anderson senior. The Dunfermline Regality record of 3rd February 1628 indicates that Marjorie Alexander was her mother, so, for a marriage to be possible, one can deduce that John Anderson junior must have been the child of an earlier marriage of John Anderson senior. More details on Martha's extended family can be found at the following link.
.Margaret Kinsman gave in a complaint against Martha Masterton for putting violent hands on her by taking her up off the Hie Gait,
being going in her mother's service down the close at the said Martha's own stair foot and there shot her violently to the ground in a gutter and for
striking and dinging her with her hands and feet, this day in the Collier Row. MM admitted all, except that she denied kicking MK.
Fined for troublance and is to asyth said MK by asking her forgiveness in the place where the offence was committed.
John Anderson, husband of said Martha, became caution that she would not molest MK.
John Anderson jnr (master to said MK ? deleted in ms) for MK.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
Troublance
1st July, 1626
Grizel Workman to pay Martha Masterton £6 for a pair of sewitt plaids bought from said MM.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
2nd November, 1626
Martha Masterton widow of John Anderson jnr litster bD, registers a revocation of a discharge which she was compelled by her late husband to sign. Discharge to John Anderson snr 11 June 1616 of the clauses in her favour in the marriage contract made between said John Anderson jnr and the late Marjorie Alexander widow of John Masterton of Easter Grange and the said John Anderson snr then her husband. She also revokes the discharge of a disposition of 7 May 1618 made by the said Marjorie Alexander her mother with consent of said John Anderson snr her husband, to said late John Anderson and herself of all the moveable goods which might belong to her at her death..
Dunfermline Regality Register of Decreets 1609-1636
3rd February, 1628
Martha Masterton to pay John Bennet 48s for 1f flour, 32d for baking thereof and 20s for wheat bread.
Also 10 merks to Janet Micklejohn for house rent.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
4th December, 1628
Martha Masterton to pay John Baverage 20 merks house rent to last Whit.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
9th July, 1629
Margaret Johnston fined 20s for slandering Martha Masterton by evil language. If she will not pay the fine she is to sit at the Tron during the magistrates' will and ask MM's forgiveness where the speeches were uttered.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
14th August, 1629
Robert Bull to pay Martha Masterton 33/8d account.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
22nd April, 1630
Charles Baid to pay Martha Masterton £3 rest of price of 1&1/2b malt, and a cradle or £3 for it.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
13th May, 1630
John Wilson weaver to pay Martha Masterton 10 merks 6/8d for 5&1/2 spindles of fine harden yarn.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
19th May, 1630
Andrew Micklejohn and Thomas Davidson and Grizel Lindsay to remove from the tenement of Martha Masterton.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
29th May, 1630
Martha Masterton to deliver to Robert Bull a pair of little shears (shers) borrowed by her 2 years since.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
7th June, 1630
Robert Davidson and Thomas Davidson his brother to remove from the tenement and yard of late John Anderson snr in Collier Row (Bruce St), having been lawfully warned 40 days before last Whit at instance of Martha Masterton (widow of JA jnr), liferenter thereof..
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
2nd June, 1631
Thomas Davidson to pay Martha Masterton 43s for ale.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
14th July, 1631
Assise by deposition of witnesses finds that Jean Shorthouse most filthily and inhumanly misused Martha Masterton 'in uttering such blasphemous,
slanderous speeches against her as is unworthy to be rehearsed'. Fine 40s and is to stand an hour at the Tron this day and thereafter ask MM's
forgiveness on her knees.
Also finds said JS, John Andro and Margaret Wardlaw to have not only uttered such filthy and blasphemous speeches but also to have put violent hands
on each other. Each fined.
Because the neighbours of this town have been continually misused by said JS in word and deed, if she offends again she will be banished.
Dunfermline Court Records 1619-32
Slander
13th September, 1631
Robert Henderson, at the earnest desire of David Maxwell dyer, became his cautioner not to molest Martha Masterton.
John Hamilton at the earnest desire of Martha Masterton became caution that she would not molest David Maxwell dyer.
Dunfermline Court Records 1633-48
12th July, 1641
David Maxwell (dyer) to remove from a workshop or dyehouse, press house and cellar belonging to Martha Masterton (widow of John Anderson dyer), conjunctfeear and liferentrix thereof. He was lawfully warned 40 days before last Whit.
Dunfermline Court Records 1633-48
15th July, 1641
With thanks to Sue Mowat who provided these extracts from Dunfermline's Records.