Margaret Burnet

Margaret Burnet ( – May, 1685) was a British Bishop's wife and an advisor on religious and political affairs.

Life

Margaret Kennedy was the second and last daughter of John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis and his first wife, Jean. She was well regarded as a political advisor. Charles II of England spoke of her favourably and John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale referred to her in correspondence as "wife". Their letters were discovered and published in 1828.^[1]

She was the first wife of Gilbert Burnet, the Bishop of Salisbury. They married in 1672 or 1673 in secret as there was a large difference in both their ages and their wealth. He was concerned that observers might speculate that he had married Margaret primarily for her wealth. For this reason he arranged for a Prenuptial agreement where he renounced all claims to her money. It has been speculated that she married on the rebound after she discovered that Lauderdale's wife had died and he had remarried another.^[2]

After the knowledge of her marriage became well known she moved to London and lived with Burnet. In the 1680s she lost her memory and she lost all recall of facts and people. Burnet died at the end of May in 1695.^[2]

Burnet's husband went on to marry Mary Burnet with whom he had seven children. He then married Elizabeth Burnet.^[3]

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