A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Margaret, (Queen of Scotland)
She was sister to Edgar Atheling, the grandson of Edmond Ironside. From the court of Solomon, king of Hungary, their grandfather, they came over to England; but on the accession of Harold, fled with their mother Agatha, and a younger sister, and were cast ashore on the coast of Scotland, where they were hosptably received by the king Malcolm, who, by the assistance of Edward the Confessor, had recovered the throne of Scotland from the usurper Macbeth. Malcolm, in 1066, married Margaret. Wonderful things are related of her piety, liberality, and humility. Through her influence the ferocious spirit of her husband received an happy tincture of humanity, and so high was his opinion of her wisdom, that he made her partaker of his power. She was thus enabled to reform the kingdom of Scotland, in a great degree; she rendered the people happier by a diminution of taxes, succoured the unfortunate, and introduced a more serious regard to the duties of the sabbath than had been known before in that country. She had, by Malcolm, six sons and three daughters. Three of the former reigned successively, and were esteemed excellent monarchs. Her daughter, the wife of Henry I, of England, was lovely, patient, and benevolent. She obtained the name of Matilda the Good. Margaret had taken uncommon care of her children's education, and the fruits of her labours appeared in their lives. Theodoric, her confessor, observes, that she was remarkably attentive in public prayer, "And," says he, "she would discourse with me concerning the sweetness of everlasting life, in such a manner as to draw tears from my eyes." This same Theodoric, a monk of Durham, wrote her life. She was afflicted with sickness at the very time in which her husband Malcolm was slain at Alnwick, in Northumberland, in the reign of William Rufus, in 1093. The bitter news was brought to her ears, and her reflection upon it was truly christian; "I thank thee, O Lord, that in sending me so great an affliction, thou wouldest purify me from my sins. O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death hast given life to the world, deliver me from evil." She survived this event only a few days.
The domestics of this excellent woman were remarkable for their steadiness and good conduct. She was anxious to know and amend her faults, and would often gently reprove her confessor, that he seemed not careful enough of her salvation, in pointing them out to her. "O how happy," said she, "are the poor, to whom truth is told!" By reason of the long wars which had desolated the kingdom, quarrels, murder, rapine, and licentiousness, raged among the nobles and people; indifference and irreligion among the clergy. Margaret, whose conjugal tenderness, unaffected wisdom, benevolence and humility, had softened the heart, and won the entire confidence of her husband, who held her in such reverence, that he would often kiss the book in which she said her prayers, pointed out to him these evils, and induced him to set about a reform of all abuses; to expedite the tediousness of law, to punish the corruptions of the courts of justice, to protect the poor, and repress the insolence of the soldiers. The restoration of regularity in the church was also one of her great cares, which she happily accomplished. She built and repaired many churches, and established the custom of anointing the kings in Scotland, which was not heretofore practised. She made laws also to enforce temperance. She reasoned with those who did not receive the holy communion. "We are all unworthy," said she, "but we are all equally enjoined to partake of it." She served the poor in sickness, however loathsome or offensive, with assiduity and kindness, and appears to have been that best and wisest of ail human characters, a true christian.