The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-05 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE EARL .01 EGLINTON.

It is with deep regret that we announce the
death of the Earl of Eglinton. A telegram was
received yesterday (Friday) afternoon from Scot-
land announcing the melancholy fact of the noble
earl's death. He died yesterday morning at Mr.
White Melville's seat, St. Andrew%
Fife-
shire. It appears, from information received
by our informant from an authentic source, that
the Earl of Eglinton was engaged during the after-
noon of Tuesday last in playing at golf, apparently
in robust health. He dined with Mr. Melville and
company in the evening at St. Andrew's, and exhi-
bited his usual cheerfulness.. Before the party sepa-
rated. the earl was seized with a fit of apoplexy,
which at once rendered him unconscious. In that
lamentable state he continued until his demise.
On the telegraphic message reaching London on
Wednesday morning Lord Montgomerie and Vis-
count Ingestre, M.P., at once left for Scotland, and
subsequently, on Thursday morning, Lord Rendels-
ham, the earl's son-in-law, and the Hon. Captain
North also departed for the north.
The late Right Hon. Archibald William Mont-
gomerie, Earl of Eglinton and Lord Montgomerie
in the peerage of Scotland, and Baron Ardrossan in
the United Kingdom, was the only son of Archi-
bald, Lord Montgomerie, eldest son of Hugh, 12th
Earl of Eglinton, by Lady Mary, daughter and
heir of Archibald, 11th Earl of March. He was born
Sept. 29, 1812, so that he had only recently com-
pleted, his 49th year.
The lamented earl was served as heir male gene-
ral of George, 4th Earl of Winton, in ,Dec., 1840,
George; the 6th Earl, who was attainted in 1716,
having left no issue. His lordship's mother after-
wards married, in Jan., 1815, the late Sir Charles
Montolieu Lamb, and Knight Marshal. On the
death of his grandfather Hugh, the 12th earl, Dec.
14, 1819, he succeeded to the honours of the family
and extensive ancestral domains in Scotland, being,
as may be gathered from the above, on his acces-
sion to the title, only in his Bth year. For a long
series of years the Earl of Eglinton was an honour-
able supporter of the turf, and had at one period one
of the largest and best racing studs in the country.
His success on the turf was considerable. In 1842
he won the St. Leger with Blue Bonnet, in 1847
with Van Tromp, and again in 1849 with the Flying
Dutchman. The Derby of 1849 was won by the
same horse ; and Van Tromp won the Goodwood Cup
in 1848. Shortly after the Earl of Eglinton won
the celebrated match for 1,000 guineas at the York
Spring Meeting—his celebrated Flying Dutchman,
defeating the Earl of Zetland's Voltigeur—his
lordship gave up the turf, and very seldom after
attended the chief race meetings, of which he had
been formerly such a consistent supporter.
The name of the Earl of Eglinton will always be
associated with the pageant he held in August,
1839, at his Castle in Ayrshire, familiarly known
as the Eglinton Tournament, at which the present
Emperor of France was one of the Knights, and at
which the Duchess of Somerset, then Lady Sey-
mour, had the distinction to take the part of the
" Queen of Beauty." The late Earl married first,
on the 17th Feb,, 1841, Theresa, widow of Captain
R. H. Cockerell, R.N., and daughter of Mr. Chas.
Newcomen, by whom he leaves surviving issue
Archibald Wm. Lord Montgomerie, Lady Egidia,
born on the 17th Dec., 1843, and married a few
months back to Lord Rendlesham ; the Hon. Seton
Montolieu, born in May, 1846 ; and the Hon. G. A.
Montgomerie, born in February, 1848. His lord-
ship married, secondly, in 1858 (his first Countess
dying in December, 1853), Lady Adela Capel, only
daughter of the Earl of Essex, who died suddenly
in Edinburgh on the 31st of last December. The
Earl of Eglinton was a firm supporter of the Con-
servative party. The late Sir It. Peel, on the death
of the Earl of Glasgow, appointed him Lord-Lieu-
First Lord ot the Treasury,
When.4l.. _Earl of Derby was(
in M 52, he selected
the Earl of Eglinton to fill the high post of Lord-
'Lieutenant of Ireland. It was one of the Earl of
Derby's happiest selections. The rare social quali-
ties of his lordship, combined with his princely
hospitality, rendered him a most popular viceroy.
_ _

It was stated unanimously by the Irish press, on
his retirement in Dec., 1852, that since the late
Duke of Northumberland was the representative
of the Sovereign, no one had kept up the vice-regal
hospitalities in a more princely style. He was again
appointed Lord-Lieutenant in February, 1858, and
maintained the dignity until the Earl of Derby left
office in June, 1859, his popularity remaining undi-
minished. During the early part of the Earl of Aber-
deen's Ministry that eminent statesman presented
the Earl of Eglinton with the Order of the Thistle,
expressing his belief that no member of the Scottish
nobility was more justly entitled to the honour than
the Earl. The deceased nobleman was elected Lord
Rector of Glasgow University in November, 1852 ;
and. was colonel of the Ayrshire Militia from 1836
to 1852, when he resigned. The lamented peer is
succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, Lord
Montgomerie, born December 3, 1841. His lord-
ship has been some few years in the Royal Navy
as midshipman, but we believe has relinquished the
idea of adopting it as a profession.
The noble house of Montgomerie has for more
than 600 years held an eminent position among the
nobility of Scotland. Robert de Montgomerie, sup-
posed to have been derived from [the great Norman
house of that name in England, died about 1180.
He was a witness to the foundation of the monas-
tery of Paisley. His son, Sir John, was succeeded
by Sir Alan, who died before 1234, leaving Sir
Robert, who dying in 1264, was succeeded by his
brother, Sir John, who died in 1285. His son, Sir
John de Montgomerie, was one of the great Barons
of Scotland, summoned to appear at Berwick in
1291. He was an adherent of Robert Bruce, and
engaged with him in many dangerous encounters ;
he died in 1316. His son, Sir Alexander, was father
of Sir John, who married the heiress of Eglinton,
by Giles his wife, daughter. of Walter, Lord High
Steward of Scotland, and sister to King Robert 11.
His eldest son, Sir Hugh, was engaged with James,
Earl of Douglas, in the battle of Otterburn (Chevy
Chase), where he was slain in 1388, in which en-
gagement he signalised himself; and, having taken
Sir Henry Percy prisoner, built with ransom money
his castle of Punoon, which was afterwards his
chief seat, in his lordship of Egilshomme. His
son and heir, Sir John, was raised to the dignity
of a Lord of Parliament, by the title of Lord Mont-
gomerie, in 1427, and died in 1430. His son, Alex-
ander, second peer, was in high favour with James
I. (of Scotland); and, among many important
offices, was sent Ambassador Extraordinary to
the Court of England, in 1451 ; ho died in 1454.
His son Andrew, third peer, died in 1459,
leaving Alexander, fourth peer, who died in 1487,
leaving Hugh, fifth peer, who was created Earl of
Eglinton in 1503. His son John, Lord Montgo-
merie, was killed in a scuffle between the Earls of
Arran and Angus, at Edinburgh, in 1520 ; and the
Earl was succeeded by
his grandson, Hugh, second
Earl, to whose care was committed the tuition of
the young King James V. He was appointed one
of the Governors of Scotland, in 153 G. His son
Hugh, third Earl, was for a long while an adherent
of the party of Queen Mary.
" At length, in 1571,
the Regent," says Robertson, the historian, " pre-
vailed on the Earls of Argyll, Eglinton, Cassilis,
and the Lord Boyd to acknowledge the King's
authority. The three Earls were among the most
powerful noblemen, and had been hitherto zealous
in the Queen's cause." The Earl was soon after
made prisoner, with several others, at the surprise
of the King's party at Stirling, by Kirkcaldy. He
died in 1585. His daughter, lamb; Margaret, mar-
ried Robert, Earl of Winton. But his Son Hugh
became fourth Earl, and being murdered in the
flower of his age, in 1589, was succeeded by his son
Hugh, fifth Earl, who had a son, Robert, who died
before him, in 1602, and left a daughter, Lady Mar-
garet, who married Robert; Lord Boyd, but had no