Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Arran

She married Hugh Fraser, 5th Lord Lovat (d. 1577) in 1564.

She married secondly Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of March .

She divorced Robert Stewart on 19 May 1581 to marry thirdly James Stewart, Earl of Arran.

Arran's power over the young king James VI of Scotland, which he shared with Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, made him and wife unpopular in Scotland.

James VI gave Esmé Stewart gifts of jewels that remained from the collection of Mary, Queen of Scots, including in October 1581 a gold cross with diamonds and rubies, the "Great Harry" or "Great H of Scotland", and other pieces. The gift was witnessed by Countess of Arran, the Master of Ogilvy and officials of the wardrobe.[1] After Esmé Stewart's death, some of the same jewels were obtained by the countess, and by another favourite Colonel William Stewart

In February 1583 she was in Edinburgh, to beg for her husband's liberty from the Ruthven Raiders.[2]

Arran had obtained a quantity of jewels royal belonging to James VI, or to his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. On 28 May 1583 Elizabeth Stewart returned sets of pearl, ruby, and diamond buttons to the Master of Gray, who was master of the king's wardrobe. Later, in 1585, they returned more royal jewels, including the "Great H of Scotland".[3]

She wrote to Janet Scott, Lady Ferniehirst in October 1583 asking her to solicit the support of Mary Queen of Scots and the Hamiltons for her and her husband.[4]

In September 1584 the king gave Arran and the Countess property incomes taken from Dorothy Stewart, Countess of Gowrie.[5] In November 1584 Henry I, Duke of Guise wrote thanking her for the reception she had given to his envoy Seigneur Paul in Scotland, and gifts she had sent on Paul's return, hoping she will continue her good services for the king and queen of Scotland.[6] Paul, who brought horses for the young king, was unpopular in Protestant Scotland and said to have had a role in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572.[7]

It was said that Elizabeth Stewart was made "lady comptroller", and held courts and had people hanged who could not pay their compositions or fines, saying "What had they been doing all their days that had not so much as five pounds to buy them from the gallows?"[8] In 1584 she extracted £3000 from the Laird of Haggs and restored the living of Robert Crichton, Bishop of Dunkeld a professed Catholic, held by the Earl of Argyll.[9]

In June 1585 she sent a message to Edward Wotton an English ambassador who had met the king, that he ought to speak to Arran first. Wotton told the Master of Gray, who told the king, and he criticised Arran for sending such messages to an ambassador.[10]

An English border warden John Selby reported that on 23 June 1585 that she had built a barrier in front of Edinburgh Castle but the townspeople had promptly demolished it. She and her husband were then sent to Dirleton Castle. Selby sent a retraction to Francis Walsingham, saying this news was doubtful, but he had several reports that the fall of Arran was imminent.[11]

In September 1585 the countess and her husband received a royal grant of properties in Ayr and Ayrshire, including the baronies of Colvill, Barnweill, and Symontoun, some of which had belonged to William Cunningham of Caprinton.[12]

After Arran fell from power in 1585, she was again called "Lady Lovat". In November Stewart made his way from house arrest at Kinneil House, with jewels that his wife obtained from Edinburgh Castle, trying to get a ship at Ayr (where he had a house), but she was said to be imprisoned. In April 1586 she was staying in various houses near Edinburgh and in Leith[13]

John Wallace of Craigie complained about "James Stewart, late Chancellor, and Dame Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Lovat" to the Privy Council in October 1587. They had previously obtained from James VI letters exempting them from "horning", a legal process where debtors lost their credit. The Council declared the letters null and void.[14]

The date of her death is unknown. A letter of April 1590 gave a report of her death.[15]

The children of Elizabeth Stewart and Hugh Fraser, 5th Lord Lovat included:

• Simon Fraser (1570–1633), who married Jean Stewart (d. 1622), daughter of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune, a lady in waiting to Anne of Denmark in 1596.[16]
• Margaret Fraser, who married James Cumming of Altyre.
• Anne Fraser, who married Hector Munro of Foulis.

Her son with Arran, James Stewart, was baptised 14 March 1583 with the king and the Duke of Lennox as godparents.[17] He bought the title Lord Ochiltree from Andrew Stewart, Lord Ochiltree.