Margaret Winstar

In 1592, John Wemyss of Logie helped Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell who was a rebel against the king.[3] He was a son of Andrew Wemyss of Myrecairnie and Logie and a cousin of David Wemyss, laird of West Wemyss whose sister Euphemia was a lady-in-waiting to the queen.[4] Logie was probably the valet who attended the king at the wedding of Lilias Murray, the Laird of Tullibardine's daughter, and John Grant of Freuchie on 21 June 1591.[5] Another of Bothwell's supporters, Josias Stewart, was the son of Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree, a senior lady in waiting whose three daughters were maidens of honour in the queen's household. Possibly Logie and Josias Stewart were friends, and Margaret Winstar came to know Logie through this connection.

Winstar was still at court, betrothed or handfasted to Logie in 1592. She was in high favour with the queen, and on 13 June 1592 Anna of Denmark ordered matching orange gowns with green sleeves for her, herself, the Scottish maiden of honour Marie Stewart and a page boy William Belo.[6]

In August the Duke of Lennox arrested Logie and Michael Balfour of Burleigh. Logie confessed to planning four different attempts to capture the king. One of these schemes involved Margaret Winstar, identified as his mistress or fiancée. She would steal the keys to the back gate of Dalkeith Palace and let in Bothwell's men. When James interrogated him, Logie was immediately cooperative and withheld nothing. This full and unexpected confession was tantamount to his own death sentence. Logie said that many other royal servants were allies of Bothwell, in part because they had not been paid. He said that Bothwell received money from Spain but Burleigh explained this as a deliberate rumour to encourage Bothwell's supporters. The English diplomat Robert Bowes thought that James VI meant to have Logie executed, but guessed that the queen and Margaret Winstar, who was from a well-connected family and thought to be related to the queen, would intercede to save his life.[7]

Logie was imprisoned in Dalkeith Palace. He escaped with the help of Margaret Winstar who slept in the queen's bedchamber. Winster asked the guards to bring the prisoner to the queen, and then led him through the queen's bedchamber to a window where she had left a rope (or a pair of sheets). An accomplice was waiting below with a horse.[8] The escape echoed the scheme of one of Logie's confessions. The story is the basis of the ballad, "The Laird of Logie" and its variant "The Laird of Ochiltree".

The escape was highlighted in a contemporary narrative, The Historie and Life of King James the Sext. The anonymous author calls Margaret "Twynstoun". He draws attention to her role in the rescue as an act of charity and a good example for posterity, concluding that by "hir gude cheritable help he happilie escapit be the subteltie of loove".[9] His narrative of the escape is quoted here with spellings modernised;

"And because the event of this matter had such a success, it shall also be praised by my pen, as a worthy turn, proceeding from honest, chaste love and charity, which should in no way be obscured from posterity for a good example. And therefore I have thought good to insert the same for a perpetual memorial. Queen Anne, our noble Princess, was served with diverse gentlewomen of her own country, and namely, by one called Mistress Margaret Twynstoun, to whom this gentleman, Weymss of Logie, bore great honest affection, tending to the godly band of marriage; the which was honestly requited by the said gentlewoman, yea even in his greatest misfortune. For how soon she understood the said gentleman to be in distress, and apparently be his confession, to be punished to the death, and she having privilege to lie in the Queen's chamber, that same very night of his accusation, where the King was also reposing that same night, she came forth of the door privily, both the princes (the king and queen) being then at quiet rest, and passed to the chamber where the said gentleman was put in custody, to certain of the guard, and commanded them that immediately he should be brought to the King and Queen. To which they giving sure credence, obeyed. But how soon she was come back to the chamber door, she desired the watchmen to stay till he should come forth again, and so she closed the door, and conveyed the gentleman to a window, where she passed a long cord to him to convey himself down upon, and so by her good charitable help he happily escaped by the subtlety of love.[10]

Margaret Winstar out of favour at court, was welcomed at Wemyss Castle

Logie made his getaway on a horse brought by his friend Archibald Wauchope of Niddrie.[11] James VI asked the queen to send Winstar back to Denmark but she refused. A newsletter sent to England reported that the queen said she would rather go back to Denmark than part with Mistress Margaret or any other domestic servants.[12] Instead Winstar stayed at Wemyss Castle for a while. On 9 November 1592 Anne of Denmark wrote to the Laird of Wemyss to thank him for looking after her.[13]

Margaret Winstar was back in favour at court. On the evening of 5 August 1593 the queen sent her with letters to the departing Danish ambassadors, Niels Krag and Steen Bille.[14]

Logie was pardoned by James VI and he was married to Margaret in October or November 1593. A charter of December 1594 names his wife as "Margaret Weiksterne". A chronicle states that Sir Peter Young, the king's almoner and ambassador to Denmark, had paid her dowry.[15] The exact date of their wedding is unknown, the marriage contract was dated November 1593 and March 1594, for Logie to inherit the lands of Myrecairnie, Wester Cruivie, Brighouse, and Logie. James VI also planned to make the lands of Logie a barony.[16] Anna gave her clothes, including blue velvet night-gear, and a present of an elaborate bed with rich curtain fabrics.[17] Mary, Queen of Scots had given her lady-in-waiting Mary Livingston a bed on her marriage in 1565.[18]

Margaret, now called "Lady Logie" went to Denmark (or Holstein) in June 1594 to see her family and returned to Scotland after a year in July 1595. It has been suggested that she had a child at this time, perhaps a daughter. Roger Aston heard she had been to see the queen's mother Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and brought back a message that the queen ought to obey the king in all things.[19]

Logie continued to be suspected, and in August 1594 was again implicated in Bothwell's rebellion. He was arrested on his way to Stirling Castle for the banquet for the baptism of Prince Henry. He was imprisoned at Blackness Castle then in Edinburgh Castle, and threatened with execution.[20] Again the queen intervened for his life and he was released and went abroad. His sister, Eufame Wemyss, was banished from the household and the queen's presence.[21]

Logie wrote on 3 October 1595 to an associate of Sir Robert Cecil describing his journey from England and a meeting with an Italian at Kiel in Holstein, which may suggest that Margaret's family was in Holstein.[22] He was arrested at Veere and questioned about his movements, his connections to Jesuits, and to the Earl of Essex. Logie answered that he had been travelling to see his wife in Holstein but had missed seeing her.[23] He was accused of planning to capture for Spain the Gunpowder tower, the "Kruittoren", that overlooked the harbour at Veere. He confessed immediately when he was shown the rack. He blamed a Scottish Jesuit Dr Hamilton and two Spanish men who had approached him while he was in prison in Brussels for devising the plan.[24] Robert Sidney requested a stay of execution on 5 December. John Wemyss of Logie was beheaded at Middelburg on 8 January 1597 (NS).[25]

Logie's confession was a political embarrassment for James. However, Margaret Winster seems to have remained in Anna of Denmark's household for a time, but then returned to her family.

The exact dates of Margaret Winstar's birth and death are unknown.

• Anna of Denmark's letter to the Laird of West Wemyss thanking him for showing hospitality to Margaret Winstar, 9 November 1592.
• John Slezer's seventeenth-century view of Dalkeith Palace, image from the National Library of Scotland.