DANIEL MYLREA

PRESENTMENT - 1757 (Malew)

1757

Margery Costean having been presented last Court for fornication and not filiating her illegitimate child has this 17th February 1757 deposed on the Holy Evangelist that the worshipful Daniel Mylrea, Receiver General of this Isle, is father of her illegitimate child, Captain John Taubman having appeared on his behalf. This woman is censured to 7 dies in carcer and to give bonds of £3 ad asum dui to perform 3 dies in eccia and non sterum fornication.

Robert Radcliffe Matthew Curghey

NOTES

  1. Deemster/Archdeacon/MHK/Attorney General line; Dollough estate
  2. This particular Daniel Mylrea was Attorney General 1755, Receiver General & Water Bailiff 1758, Steward to the Dukes of Atholl 1766, Deemster 1768. He was 41 years of age at the time of this Presentment
  3. The illegitimate child was named Isabel Costean and her record of baptism in April 1756 named her father as Dan Mylrea
  4. The followingyear, Daniel was roundly castigated by Mark Hildersley, the Bishop, for "our late unhappy deviation from the rules of Christian Morality" (AP x69-7) to which Daniel's reply essentially said ""mind your own business" (APPP x69-8). Whether the correspondence continued much longer is unknown but Daniel did not appear to have been disadvantaged by his transgression, regardless of Hildersley's approbation
  5. Daniel's father died a few months after his son's Presentment, apparently without leaving a will but, for some reason, Daniel's siblings signed a Deed of Surrender to ensure that their oldest brother (ie. Daniel) received his inheritance which was substantial. Perhaps his father, the Deemster took exception to Daniel fathering an illegitimate child
  6. When Daniel died almost 20 years later, he had never married and nominated his oldest nephew (also named Daniel Mylrea) as the executor and residuary legatee of his estate, leaving bequests to his nieces and nephews but making no mention of his illegitimate daughter

Associated Documents

Last updated: Mar 2022