Historical memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton

HOUSE OF EGLINTON. 107
Wodrow carefully records, that he was repeatedly
subjected to penalties by government, on account
of the attendance of his lady at conventicles.
Which unmanageable lady is described as " Anna,
second daughter, and co-heiress of Sir James Scott
of Rossie, knight, and Antonia Willobie, his spouse."
Five sons and four daughters were the issue of
this marriage, all of whom appear to have arrived
at mature age, but few of them would seem to have
left successful descendants.
To Sir Robert, third baronet of Skelmorlie,
succeeded his eldest son, Sir James Montgomerie,
a man in point of capacity and intellectual attain-
ment, undoubtedly the most eminent individual of
the race ; but unhappily, from a lamentable obli-
quity of character, or perversity of mind, his
splendid talents were rendered alike unavailing
either as regarded his own well-being, or the far
more important and sacred interests of his country ;
consequently he perished prematurely, amidst the
entanglements and perplexities of his plots and
machinations. Immediately on his coming to the
family estate, he gave a bad earnest of his future
career by unworthy conduct towards his widowed
mother. " Two months after his father's death in
April, 1684, his widowed mother addressed a strong
appeal to him, to make suitable provision for her
and four fatherless children." He replied thus
harshly — " I am strangely surprised to be so hard
quarrelled without anie ground, and to be re-
proached in write that my carriage towards you