or purchased, the fame of Flying Dutchman, and the match with Lord Zetland's Voltigeur at York Spring Meeting in 1851 being still a landmark in turf annals. An attempt, sadly marred by the weather, was made by his Lordship in August, 1839, to recall even the by-gone splendour of the Tournament by a display within Eglinton grounds which kept society in talk for months, and drew countless visitors from all parts of the kingdom, and many from the Continent. The hospitality at the castle far surpassed anything ever seen in the best days of Earl Hugh, but at a cost which touched heavily on the well-gathered savings made in by-gone years for the young Earl. Served heir to the attainted title of Winton in 1840, the Earl of Eglinton twice filled, with an acceptance amounting to enthusiasm, the office of Irish Viceroy in the Ministry of Lord Derby-1852-58. As early as 1842 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire, and in 1852 Earl Archibald William was elected Lord Rector of Glasgow University, the Order of the Thistle being conferred upon his Lordship the following year. High-born, Lord Eglinton was also high-minded, and, with a handsome figure, allied to fascinating manners, all Scotland may be said to have felt proud of her son, whether he was discharging public duties at home, improving the holdings of his tenantry and promoting education among them, or smoothing down the asperities of Irish life by his winning courtesy at Dublin Castle-a courtesy, it is but right to say, manifested equally to all, of whatever creed or political profession. His death occurred with startling suddenness in the house of his friend, Mr. Whyte Melville, St. Andrews, 4th October, 1861. By his first marriage with Theresa Newcomen, widow of Commander R. H. Cockerell, R.N., Earl Archibald left two sons, the eldest being Archibald William, present Earl, born 3rd December, 1841, and married Lady Sophia, only daughter of second Earl of Yarborough, with issue four daughters. At present, therefore, the heir-presumptive to this ancient house is his Lordship's brother, Hugh Seton-Montolieu, late lieutenant in Scots Fusilier Guards, born 1846, and married 1870, with issue one daughter, deceased.

THE EARLDOM OF CARRICK.

LESS in size than many of the northern earldoms, none of them—not even Angus, Fife, or Huntly, not Strathearn itself, the patrimony of the mighty Malise-can be made to render up a more romantic or interesting story than is connected with that Carrick division of south Ayrshire, lying between the Doon and the northern boundary of those princely feudatories in Galloway who more than once held the Crown in check. The Carrick district makes up only about a third part in the area of one county, and that only seventh in size among the counties in Scotland. From Bridge of Ness, Loch Doon, following the river course north-west to the sea or Ayr Bay, the distance is about sixteen miles; from the mouth of Doon, mostly southward, but tending a little west, to Galloway Burn, Glenapp, the distance is not much, if anything, over forty-five miles. Carrick district first comes under the notice of historians about the middle of the twelfth century, when it was held by a succession of Uchtreds and Gilberts as part of the lordship of Galloway. Towards the close of the same century Carrick was erected into an independent Earldom, and granted by William the Lion to Duncan, held to have founded the Abbey of Crossraguel about 1240. Following Duncan came a son, Nigel, or Neil, second Earl of Carrick, one of the Regents and Guardians of Alexander III., who died in 1256, leaving by his wife Margaret, daughter of Walter, High Stewart of Scotland, an only child, a daughter, named also Margaret, or Marjory, who became Countess of Carrick in her own right. Legend and tradition now get mixed up with anything that ever was historical in the early history of the Earldom. The Norman, or rather the Yorkshire, Bruces had acquired the Lordship of Annandale from David I. as early, it is thought, as 1140, the honours of the family being held when Marjory succeeded to Carrick by Robert de Bruce, fifth Lord, who came to be known in after years as the Competitor, in virtue of being heir nearest the Crown in degree through his grandmother, Isabella, second daughter of the Earl of Huntingdon, younger brother of

William the Lion. John Baliol claimed as great grandson of the eldest daughter Margaret. The Competitor's eldest son, also Robert, accompanied Edward I. of England (then Prince Edward) in his crusade to Palestine (1270-72), where he is presumed to have fought along side of an Adam de Kilkonath, husband of Marjory of Carrick, but slain on the field when charging the infidel hosts of the Sultan. Returning to Scotland with the shattered remnant of Prince Edward's expedition, young Bruce is reported to have been riding on one occasion near the Carrick fortress of Turnberry, when the widowed Countess was out hunting with a retinue of squires and fair dames. Struck, so the story goes by the nobility of his appearance, Countess Marjory invited the young knight to join her in the chase and be her guest for a time in that family stronghold, the ruins of which still overlook the sea from Turnberry Point. Aware of the peril incurred by paying undue attention to a King's ward, as the Countess then was, Bruce courteously evaded the invitation, but the gallant lady's wish was not to be so easily put aside, and on a signal, given, it has been recorded, by herself, the retinue closed in around him, while the Countess seized his bridal reins, and led him off with gentle violence to her castle. Within a fortnight they were married, and King Alexander soon afterwards was induced to overlook the youthful indiscretion on payment of a heavy fine. The second Robert Bruce thus became Earl of Carrick in right of his wife, and she became mother of that still more famous third Robert Bruce, the hero of Bannockburn and restorer of Scottish independence, born 11th July, 1274.

It was within the walls of Turnberry that the most powerful Scottish and English barons met on the death of King Alexander III., 1286, to subscribe that bond declaring that they would henceforth adhere to and take part with one another, on all occasions, and against all persons, "saving their allegiance to the King of England, and also their allegiance to him who should gain the kingdom of Scotland by right of descent." The Countess Marjory died some time before 1292, as in November of that year Bruce, then in full possession, to avoid homage to Baliol, resigned the Earldom of Carrick into the hands of his son Robert, then seventeen, and afterwards retired to his English estates. Besides Robert, King of Scots,

the Countess bore her husband five sons and seven daughters-among them. being Edward, sixth Earl and King of Ulster; Thomas and Alexander, captured in Galloway when bringing supplies to their eldest brother, and executed at Carlisle by order of Edward I.; and Neil, a young man of exceptional comeliness, taken at Kildrummie in 1306 and also executed. Of the daughters, Lady Christian married Bruce's attached friend, Sir Christopher Seton, also put to death at Dumfries by the English in 1306.

As the career of the great King Robert belongs more to the history of Scotland generally than to Carrick in particular, two circumstances only fall to be specially mentioned. It was to Turnberry Bruce fled with his wife and children after wasting the lands of William, Lord Douglas, Knight of Liddesdale; and it was from the towers of his own paternal inheritance that a fire, accidentally kindled, became a signal for him to cross the firth from Arran for the purpose of attempting the delivery of his country. One of the earliest feats to carry out the resolve was a successful attack on Percy's English troops in Turnberry before Bruce withdrew for safety to the mountain fastnesses of Carrick, but not before he had put almost the entire garrison to the sword.

After King Robert the Earldom of Carrick was held by Edward Bruce, and in succession by three of his illegitimate sons-Robert, slain at Dupplin, 1332; Alexander, who fell at Halidon Hill, 1333; and Thomas, on whose death in 1334, without issue, the honours reverted to the Crown in the person of David II. Held for a very short time by Sir William Cunninghame, the King made a new grant to John Stewart, Lord of Kyle, great grandson of King Robert I., and son of Robert Stewart of Scotland, Earl of Strathearn. Succeeding to the throne as Robert III., the title fell to his eldest son, the unfortunate Duke of Rothesay, who became twelfth Earl of Carrick. In 1404 the King last mentioned granted in free regality to his second son, James Stewart of Scotland, afterwards James I., the whole lands of the Stewartry of Scotland, including the Earldom of Carrick. The title thus came to be hereditary in the Royal Family as Princes and Stewarts of Scotland; and since the union of the Crowns has been borne, as at present, by the Sovereign's

eldest son. The Welsh dignity is conferred from life to life by patent, but it is in virtue of the Scottish Act of Settlement of 1469 that Albert-Edward, present Prince of Wales, is by hereditary descent also Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, and Lord of the Isles. An attempt was made in the early part of the seventeenth century to get the Carrick honours revived in the person of John Stewart, second son of Robert, Earl of Orkney, a natural son of James V.; and, although King Charles did not seem disinclined to favour the suit, especially as Stewart had got possession of certain lands in the Earldom, yet, when the patent came up for discussion, Sir Thomas Hope, Lord-Advocate, had courage to remind the Council that the title of Earl of Carrick belonged to the King's eldest son, the Prince of Scotland, and was not communicable to any subject. He therefore recommended the Council to advise with His Majesty on the subject before anything "forder wer proceedit herein." The difficulty was partly got over by the elevation of Stewart to a similar title, but alleged to be taken from lands in Orkney. His Lordship died in 1652, without male issue.

In mentioning the boundaries of the Earldom it has been judged best to treat it as making up the district known as Carrick in modern times, for purposes civil, ecclesiastical, and legal. But there is some reason for thinking that long after its separation from Galloway the Earls, had jurisdiction far north of the Doon into Kyle, and probably into Cunningham. The Kyle men especially were ever valiant and faithful to the Bruce cause, and are often noticed by historians as mustering with alacrity to defend the patriot king, either when he was concealing himself among them or raised his standard elsewhere. Speaking topographically, the Carrick locality of Ayrshire, as understood in modern times, is made up of nine parishes-Ballantrae, Barr, and Colmonell; Daily, Girvan, and Kirkmichael; Kirkoswald, Maybole, and Straiton. Each of these parishes has a history interesting in itself, apart from any connection with the old Earldom, and, if not already noticed, will come up for future illustration. Maybole and Kirkoswald are especially rich in associations with the past-the first mainly ecclesiastical as relating to its once richly endowed and beautiful Abbey, now in ruins; the other as