MEMORABLES

OF THE

MONTGOMERIES,

A NARRATIVE IN RHYME,
COMPOSED BEFORE THE PRESENT CENTURY.

PRINTED FROM
THE ONLY COPY KNOWN TO REMAIN,
WHICH HAS BEEN PRESERVED ABOVE SIXTY YEARS BY THE
CARE OF HUGH MONTGOMERIE SENIOR AT EAGLESHAM,
LONG ONE OF THE FACTORS OF THE
FAMILY OF EGLINTOUN.

GLASGOW,

PRINTED BY ROBERT AND ANDREW FOULIS,

M.DCC.LXX.

MEMORABLES
OF THE
MONTGOMERIES.

A Noble Roman was the root
From which Montgomeries came,
Who brought his legion from the war,
And fettled the fame
Upon an hill 'twixt Rome and Spain,
† Gomericus by name;
From which he and his off-fpring do
Their fir-name still retain.
From this unto the wars of France,
Their valour did them bring,
That they great instruments might be,
To fave the Gallic king:
Here with great fplendor and renown,
Six centuries they fpend:
At length for England they fet fail;
Ambition hath no end.

† Mons Gomericus.

2

MEMORABLES OF

On British ground they land at length,
Rodger must general be,
A cousin of the conqueror's,
And fittest to supply
The greatest point into the field,
The army then leads he
Into a camp, Hastings by name,
In Sussex where you'll see
The marks of camps unto this day;
And where you'll hear it told,
The English king did them attack
Most like a captain bold.
But soon, alas! he found it vain,
With Rodger arms to try:
This warry officer prepares,
His projects to defy.
The strong attacks he then observes,
Which made him thence to dread,
That England's king might be among
Those who charged with such speed:

THE MONTGOMERIES.

3

The life-guards straight he ordered,
Their fury to defend;
Where Harold, England's king at once,
His crown and life did end.
Whence to the conqueror did come
The English scepter great,
And William, England's king declar'd,
To London came in state.

† Earl Rodger then the greatest man,
Next to the king was thought;
And nothing that he could desire,
But it to him was brought.
Montgomery town, Montgomeryshire
And earl of Shrewsburie,
And Arundale do shew this man,
Of grandeur full to be.

Thus did he live all this king's reign:
For works of piety,
He built an abbacie and then,
Prepar'd himself to die.

† Dugdale's Baronage, and Histories of England.

B

MEMORABLES OF

At last king William yields to fate;
And then his second son
Mounts on the throne, which had almost
The kingdom quite undone:
Some for the eldest son stand up,
As Rodger's sons did all:
But the usurper keeps the throne,
Which did begin their fall.
Then Philip into Scotland came,
Unable to endure;
That they who earldoms had possessed,
Of nought should be secure.
The king of Scots well knew the worth
Of men of noble race,
Who in no time of ages past,
Their worth did once deface.
He in the Merse gives Philip lands,
Which afterwards he soon,
With the black Douglafs did exchange
For Eaftwood and Ponoon.

THE MONTGOMERIES.

5

Where many ages they did live,
By king and country lov'd;
As men of valour and renown,
Who were with honour mov'd;
To shun no hazard, when they could
To either service do:
Thus did they live, thus did they spend
Their blood and money too:
At last earl Douglafs did inform,
That to our king's disgrace:
An English earl had deeply fwore,
He'd hunt in Chevychase;
And maugre all that Scots could do
Would kill and bear away
The choicest deer of Otterburn,
And best of harts would flay.
Our king fent his commands unto
Sir Hugh Montgomerie,
And told him Douglafs wanted men
Who fight could, but not flee.

6

MEMORABLES OF

* The flout fir Hugh himself prepares,
The Douglafs to support;
And with him took his eldest son;
Then did they all resort
Unto the field, with their brave men,
Where most of them did die;
Of fifteen hundred warlike Scots
Came home but fifty three.

Douglafs was flain; fir Hugh again
The battle did renew;
He made no stand, with his own hand
The earl Percie he flew.

Sir Hugh was flain, fir John maintain'd
The honour of the day;
And with him brought the victory,
And Percy's son away.

He with his ransom built Ponoon,
A castle which yet stands;

The king well pleas'd as a reward
Did therefore give him lands.

* Histories of Scotland.

7

THE MONTGOMERIES.

And some time after gave his niece,
Of Eglintoun the heir,
To fir Hugh's representative;
Thus joined was this pair.

As with her came a great estate;
So by her did descend,
Her royal blood to * Lennox houſe,
Which did in Darnly end,
Who father was to James the fixth,
Of Britain the first king,

Whose royal race unto this day,
Doth o'er great Britain reign.
Since you are come of royal blood,
And kings are sprung from you,
See that with greatest zeal and love,
Those virtues ye pursue,

Which to those honours rais'd your houſe,
And ſhall without all ſtain,
In heralds books your enſigns flowr'd,
And counter-flowr'd maintain.

* Earl of Lennox.

FINIS.