IX. MONTROSE TO JAMES DUNCAN, FACTOR OF MUGDOCK, 26th December 1627. JAMES DUNCAN-Ye sall answer and delyver to our domestic servitor James Grame the soume of three hundret merks money to be debursit be him in our affairs quhilk salbe allowed to you in compt of our fermes of Mugdok anno 1626 and maills therof 1627 be thir presents subscryvit be us at Edinburgh the 26th of December 1627 yeirs. MONTROIS.' X. MONTROSE TO JAMES DUNCAN, FACTOR OF MUGDOCK, 27th December 1627. JAMES DUNCAN-Ye sall not faill to delyver to Stephane Boyde2 mairchant burges of Edinburge the soume of four hundret twentie aucht punds fourtein shillings money quhilk is awing to him and will mak him compleitlie payett of all merchant wares sauld and furnissit be him to the Erle of Montros of noble memorie my father preceiding his Lordships departure this lyfe, quhilk sall be allowit to you in compt of our rent of Mugdok and fermes therof of the crope 1626 and maills 1627 upon sicht of his discherge and thir presents subscryvit at Edinburgh the twentie sevine day of Desember 1627. MONTROIS. MARGARET GRAHAME.1 XI. ACCOUNT of Montrose's EXPENSES IN DRUMFAD, 28th October 1628. My Lord of Montrofs his Lordship's dyat and ordinar expenssis in Drumfad, cummand fra Bracho to Drumfad' on Tysday at evin the 28th of October 1628 yeirs accumpaneit with the laird and lady Luss and the rest of his Lordship's sisters. To the number of fourtein personnis thair ordinar expenssis at supper, at x sh. the ordinar, is Sex boyis at ij sh. the ordinar, is Item on Wedinsday at dennir the saids personnis, with my Lord of Wigton, and Malcolme his Lordship's brother, and the laird of Bischoptoun,3 to the number of auchten personnis, extendis to The said sex boyis, Item twelf horfs, ilk horfs at evin and morne, 1 peck with uther fodder, is sex sh., extendis to vij lb. xij sh. ix lib. iij lb. xij sh. Summa the first dyat is xx lb. xvj sh. 1 Lord Napier was at this time attending the Court in England, and Lady Napier appears to have signed the precept as curator for her brother in absence of her husband. The signature Margaret Grahame is certainly the autograph of Lady Napier. 2 Drumfad seems to have been a farm of Montrose's in the barony of Kincardine, in Strathearn. Brisbane of Bishoptoun, ancestor of General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, of Brisbane and Makerstown, Bart. Mair on Fryday the last of October. The foirsaids personnes accompaneit with Gleneglis' and his servands, being sextene in number, cumand fra Kincardin to Drumfad, thair ordi Item thair exspensis on Settirday at denner, with sum gentlewomen that resortit to my Lady Luss, extendis to Item ane pynt sek, The said sex boyis at denner and supper, Item the said twelf horss cums to viij lb. xxx sh. iij lb. xij sh. Summa the secund day extendis to xxiij lb. xvj sh. Nota to remember that this compt is by and attour the lardis of Morphie and Claverhouse quho payit for thair men, and horss, etc.2 1 Haldane of Gleneagles, a Perthshire family of great antiquity. 2 Sir Robert Graham of Morphie, and Sir William Graham of Claverhouse, both branches of Montrose, and two of those whom the young Earl selected as his curators. It was the great-grandson of this Claverhouse whose fame in arms and loyalty became second only to that of Montrose himself: The Gordon has ask'd of him whither he goesWherever shall lead me the soul of Montrose.' It was not hitherto known that the great Dundee was first moved to attach himself to the service of the royal family by his own chief, the young Marquis of Montrose, grandson of our hero; and this at the instance of the Duke of York himself, who appears from the first to have appreciated the military genius of Claverhouse. The following interesting letter, the original of which is in the possession of Miss Douglas. of Brigton, has not been printed before. The untimely death of the writer of it, the XII. SIR JOHN COLQUHOUN OF LUSS TO MR JAMES GILLESPIE, MINISTER AT KILLEARN, 1st July 1629. RYCHT ASSURED GUID FREIND-As be your letter you willed I should wrytt to James Doncan for paying to you your hundreth marks restand to you of the stipend, so heir receave the same from the bearer, upon the delyverie wherof to James I hoip he sall satisfie you according to reasoun. Having not further I rest your guid freind Roisdo, 1st July 1629. To his richt assured guid freind Mr James Gillespie Minister of Killearne, These.' third Marquis of Montrose, a nobleman of high promise, who died in 1684, appears to have been much lamented. It is addressed to the laird of Monorgan, who was Graham of Fintry. London, Feb. 19, 1677. 'SIR-I hope now to be able within a week or ten days to give you an account by word of mouth of my resolutions, and the reasons I have for accepting a troupe in the Duke of York's regiment of horse, so I shall forbear troubling you with a long letter, only I must tell you that I have all along met with a great deal of favour from his Royal Highness, and that he has assured me that this shall be but a step to a more considerable employment. He has a very good opinion of Claverhouse, and he bid me endeavour by all means to get him for my lieutenant; wherefor I must earnestly beg that you would be pleased to represent J. COLQUHOUN of Luss. to him the advantages he may have by being near the Duke, and by making himself better known to him; and withall assure him from me that if he will embrace this offer he shall also share with me in my advancement and better fortune. I need not use many words to shew you the disparity that is betwixt serving under me and any body else, though of greater quality, he being of my house and descended of my family. You may say more to this purpose than is fitt for me to do. I shall say no more but that by this you will infinitely oblige, Sir, your most affectionate cousin and servant, 'MONTROSE. " For the Laird of Monorgan.' 1 This letter relating to Montrose's affairs is written at the very time when the laird is concocting his diabolical schemes against Lady Katherine. XIII. MONTROSE TO HIS CHAMBERLAIN ROBERT GRAHAM, 1629. ROBERT GREME-Ye sall not feall to delyver to Thomas Moncaur off Shilhill fourtie pounds wiche I have contributt to the releif off those gentillmen who are damaged by the flowing off their mosse in Stirling shyre. [Endorsed] MONTROIS. My Lords warrand for fourtie pounds to Thomas Moncur contributed to the releiff of the gentilmen that was distressit be the flowing of the moss. I Thomas Moncur of Fardill grants me to have resaved from Robert Graim chamerlan to the Erll of Montros the sum of fourtie pund and that in name of my Lord for his contribution to the overflowed moss, the quhilk resait heirof I subscryve with my hand at Shilhill the 17th day of August the yeir of God 1629. [Endorsed] THOMAS MOncur. Dischairge granted be Thomas Moncur of fourtie pounds money quhilk my Lord gaiff to the help of thois that wes distressit with the overflowing moss in anno 1628. XIV. CONTRIBUTION BY MONTROSE TO GLASGOW COLLEGE and To be given be me James Erle of Montrose for the help of the building and Librarie of the Colledge of Glasgow the sowme of |