Mary Maitland

Mary Maitland (born about 1550, died 1596) was a Scottish writer believed to be the transcriber of the Quarto Volume of the Maitland Manuscripts, an important source for the Scots literature of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. She recorded and preserved her father's extensive writings as his sight became increasingly poor, eventually resulting in his blindness. 
She was the daughter of Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington and Thirlstane (1496 – 1 August 1586) and Mariotta (or Margaret) (d. March 1586), who was the daughter of Sir Thomas Cranstoun of Corsbie, Berwickshire, Scotland.
Mary had three brothers and three sisters. Her eldest brother, William Maitland of Lethington (1525x30-1573), was the Scottish Secretary of State from 1558 until 1571. Her second eldest brother was John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1543-1595), Lord Chancellor of Scotland. 
The Maitland folio and quarto manuscripts are written in Italic and Secretary hands. John Pinkerton was the first to assert that Mary or Marie Maitland was the scribe. Her name appears twice on the titlepage of the quarti, securely linking her with the manuscript. There are poems within the Maitland quarto which name, or are dedicated, to her. Scholarship by Sarah Dunnigan and Evelyn Newlyn has helped to bring critical attention to Mary, particularly in relation to these poems.
Marriage and children.
On the 9th of August, 1586 Mary married (as his first wife) Sir Alexander Lauder of Haltoun, or "Hatton", (buried in Holyrood Abbey 14 November 1627), Sheriff Principal of Edinburgh. George Lauder, their younger son, gained a considerable reputation as a poet.
Their children included: