Lilias Ruthven Drummond fl.1543-1579
Lilias RUTHVEN DRUMMOND fl.1543-1579
Biographical Note
The daughter of William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven and Janet Halyburton. In around 1646 she married David Drummond (d.1571), and with him had five daughters and two sons, Patrick Drummond, 3rd Lord Drummond, d.(1600?) and James Drummond, Lord Madderty d.(1620). Lilias was a pious woman, and dedicated to the protestant cause. She is remembered as being “Very beautiful, possessed of excellent parts, and distinguished for her virtuous education and elegant accomplishments” (Malcolm, p.93).
Books
The National Library of Wales holds her copy of Nicole Gilles Annales et chroniques de France... (Paris, 1553), which was later owned by her son Patrick (PRINTLC b53 P3 (1F)).
She also owned a manuscript volume of medical and spiritual treatises, some of which used horoscopes and the alignment of the planets to prescribe treatments for the sick. This volume was afterwards in the possession of her son James, who gave it to John Fairbairn, Minister of Madderty, who in turn bequeathed it in 1648 to Anne Gordon, Lady Drummond. Its last known location was in the library of the Literary and Antiquarian Society of Perth at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Other volumes owned by Lilias survive at the library of Innerpeffray in Perthshire, which was founded by her great grandson, David Drummond, 3rd Lord Madderty.
Characteristic Markings
Books identified as hers are inscribed with “Lilias Ruthuen Lady Drummond”
Sources
- CERL Earl Bookowners in Britain
- Cowan, Samuel. The Ruthven family papers…London, 1912
- Malcolm, David. A Genealogical Memoir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Drummond, Edinburgh, 1808