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As Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, I thought it might be nice to share a few Anti-Valentine’s Day stories about 17th Scottish women who ran away from their husbands, refused to marry their fiancés, and divorced their cheating partners.
In January 1582, Jonet Crystesone abandoned her husband and illegally married another man in a neighbouring parish.
In May 1583, Jonet Wricht, the daughter of Henry Wricht, refused to complete the bond of matrimony with Nicoll Fargus, despite the fact they had already agreed and signed a marriage contract. Her father supported her decision and paid a fine for her insolence.
In 1670, Isobel Gow told the presbytery of Inverness that she refused to live with her husband John McCurchie as ‘shee could not obtaine of herselfe to love him or live with him.’
In 1665, Helen Fraser refused to marry her fiancé John Munro for reasons unknown.
In 1678, John McConell informed the presbytery of Dingwall that his wife Marie Crookshank had ‘run away fugitive with another man called Donald mcean vick ryrie’ and refused to return to their marital home.
In 1687, Marie Dhonchie Roy is granted permission from the presbytery of Dingwall to seek a divorce from her cheating husband, Kenneth McCurchie, before Edinburgh commissary court.
