Mary Maitland


Mary Maitland was a Scottish writer believed to be the transcriber of the Quarto Volume of the Maitland Manuscripts, an important source for the Scots literature of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. She recorded and preserved her father's extensive writings as his sight became increasingly poor, eventually resulting in his blindness.
in Cambridge.
She was the daughter of Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington and Thirlstane and Mariotta , who was the daughter of Sir Thomas Cranstoun of Corsbie, Berwickshire, Scotland.
Mary had three brothers and three sisters
The Maitland folio and quarto manuscripts are written in Italic and Secretary hands. John Pinkerton was the first to assert that Mary or Marie Maitland was the copyist. Her name appears twice on the titlepage of the quarti, securely linking her with the manuscript.

Marriage and children

In August 1586 Mary married Sir Alexander Lauder of Haltoun, or "Hatton",, Sheriff Principal of Edinburgh. George Lauder, their younger son, gained a considerable reputation as a poet.
Their children included: