Margaret Masterton

Margaret Masterton or Maistertoun was employed in 1594 at Stirling Castle as the nurse of Prince Henry, the son of James VI and I and Anne of Denmark.^[1]

She was a daughter of Janet Couston and Alexander Masterton of Bad in Perthshire and Masterton near Dunfermline, and Parkmill in Clackmannanshire.^[2][3] She married a lawyer, James Primrose of Barhill, Culross.^[4] He kept a record of his legal work, known as a "Protocol Book", which is preserved by the National Records of Scotland.^[5]

Margaret may have obtained her place in Prince Henry's household through the influence of a relation. A Gilbert Maistertoune worked for the Earl of Mar, and was paid £500 sterling in September 1595 from the English subsidy for the Prince's expenses.^[6]

In early modern Scotland married women did not usually adopt their husband's surnames.^[7][8] However, Margaret Masterton was sometimes known as "Mistress Primrose" and received annuity payments from Prince Henry under that name.^[9] Their son George Primrose was a clergyman at Hereford Cathedral and preacher at the Eignbrook Chapel in 1662.^[10]

Margaret Masterton may have been the wet-nurse to the Prince described by George Nicholson who became ill and was replaced in January 1595 by the wife of Henry Murray, a Stirling burgess.^[11] The baby would not feed unless his first nurse was present.^[12] Roger Aston also mentioned the change of nurse in a letter of May 1595.^[13] The Prince's laundress was Elizabeth Moncreif. She was provided with soap and "stiffing" (starch) for his clothes.^[14]