The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-09-26
THE HEART OF M0NTR0SE
BEOUEATHED BY THE MARQUIS 70
HIS NIECE, LADY NAPIER.

Little Hope of the Ultimate Recovery Of
the Relic, but After the Lapse OF One
Hundred Years the Heart OF the Graham
bIay Once Again Rest on scottish Soil.
(From Chambers's Journal9
!: Alas that no one knows where-but
somewhere, certainly-the heart OF valiant
James Graham, Marquis of Montrose'
awaits the collector of curiosities! Tossed
among bits of armor, old china, or1c-a-
brac, in some old curiosity shop In the
north of France; possibly now carried 70
Paris or London, it may lie In some oid
lady's lumber attic; or. trampled years ago
into the ground of a back garden in Bou-
logne, Pierre and little Marie may turn 1t
up any day with their spades. "Qu' 'est-ce
que c'est done" this little old. beaten,
egg-shaped box Of steel? Why, Pierre and
Marie, it holds, if you only knew 1t, the
dust of a Scottish hero's heart, and the
case itself was fashioned out OF his good
steel sword.
Montrose knew Merchiston Castle, Edin-
burgh. well; it was, in fact, second nome
to him in his boyhood, for his sister Mar
saret had married Sir Archibald Napier
when Montrose was s q years old, and
he spent much of his tile with them. The
Napiers had, besides, town mansion
within the precincts Of Holyrood house,
but to little MontroSe, brought up IN the
country, the old castle, with Its barns ana
out houses and oranges, was no doupt
more attractive holiday home than a dull
town house in the fashionable Cannongate.
One can fancy the little figure, IN It's
clothes Of green camlet' or mixed par
gone and "cloak with pasmcnts, wan
dering with his bow and arrows ABOUT the
parks, or, maybe, escaped from MS watch
full "pedagog," Master William FORFEIT,
inperiling himself, boylike, on the oattie-
ments Of the castle.
But to get to the story of the heart one
must leave the life and hasten to the
death of Montrose. His sister and broth
er-in-lawt had died long before, ana the
owner Of Merchfston in 1850 was Mont
roses nephew, the second Lord Napier. A
great affection existed between Montrose
and his niece by marriage, Lady Napier
and as mark Of it he bequeathed to ner
his heart-a strange, and, II one must ten
the truth, an embarrassing, legacy; but
looked upon by the lady herself as su-
preme honor and a sacred trust.
Montrose was executed at the Market
Cross of Edinburgh on Tuesday, May q,
1850. The extraordinary composure and
gallantry Of his bearing are, Well attesteu.
An unsigned letter in the British Museum,
written by spectator while the execution
was actually going on, says: Il never saw
more sweeter carriage in man IN all
my life. He is just now turning on from
the ladder; but his countenance changes
not" Another account says: He slept
along the streets with so great state, so
| much beauty, majesty and gravity as
amazed the beholders. And many OF his
enemies did acknowledge him to be the
bravest subject in the world, and in him
gallantry that graced all the crowd. !,
Clothed in fine scarlet richly shammaded
with golden lace, and linen with fine
pearling about. his delicate white gloves
in his hand, his stockings Of incarnate
silk, his shoes with their ribbons on his
feet" his dress was more becoming
bridegroom than criminal.
After hanging on the gfbbet for three
| hours. the body was taken down and the
head was affixed to the Tolbooth: the
limbs were dispersed to various places
throughout the Kingdom, and the d1smem-
bered trunk was enclosed In little snort
chest" and buried on the Bcroughnutr.
The Boroughmuir was the usual place OF
execution and burial for the worst crimi-
nails; it was place Of evil reputation, 1T
tie sought during the day and much to be
Stunned by night.
No wonder, them that some "adventu-
rous spirits were required who would
steal to that grewsome spot, raise the
hastily and none too deeply buried BODY
and cut from it the heart Of Montrose.
The master Of Merchiston was in exile In
Holland; 1t was Lady Napier alone who
planned the night excursion and saw It
carried out. Did her heart fair her that
May night, waiting at the foot Of the tur-
| ret stair until her messengers, returning,
! put in her hands something not seen, but
felt, with the square Of fine linen all
"tricked with bloody gules? That same
square of linen and the pair Of stockings
| Of 'fncarnate" silk showing q. still darker
stain have remained ever since among the
treasured possessions Of the Napair fam
lily.
For time, then, the heart was safe at
Merchiston. It was embalmed and In
| closed in a little steel case made OF the
blade of Montrose's sword the case was
placed in fine gold filigree box which
had belonged to John Napier, the inven-
tor of logarithms; and the box in its turn
was deposited in silver urn.
Before very long, however, Lady Napier
dispatched the oasket by some faithful
| hand to the young Marquis Of Montrose,
who. with Lord Napier and others Of the
connection. was still living in exile in Hol-
land, and here begins the first part Of its
adventures, Of which, unfortunately, no
record now remains.
For many years the heart was complete
ly lost sight Of, and any hope of ever re-
gaining it had long been given up, when a
friend of the Napier family recognized the
gold fligree box enclosing the steel case
among a collection of curiosities In Hol-
land. He purchased the relic at once and
returned 1t to Merchiston, at that time
the property Of Francis, the fifth Lord
Napier. There for q second time the heart
reposed, but not for long. On the death
of the fifth Lord Napier it passed into the
keeping Of his only surviving daughter,
Hester, afterward Mrs Johnston.
Some years after her marriage Mrs john
ston was on a voyage to India with her
| husband, her little son, and all their
household goods. when their ship which
formed part of the fleet under Commodore
| Johnston, was attacked by a French
frigate, and stiff fight ensued. Mr. john
ston busted himself with four Of the guns
upon the quarter deck, while his wife. who
had refused to go below, remained beside
him, heroically obstinate figure, holding
by the one hand her little boy, and In the
other a thick velvet reticule. into which