Historical memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton

108 BRANCHES OP THE
should be unsuitable to ane child to ane christiane,
and inconsistant with my credit with conscience,
and with the laws of God and man
I am glad that in anie business I have had as
yet to doe with you, there were some gentlemen
witnesses to it, who will not onlie cleare me
from anie miscarriages of that nature towards
your ladyship, bot will testifie I went leuths for
peace, I was not tied to in law," and so on.
Sir James Montgomerie was chosen by the
county of Ayr to act as their Commissioner in the
Convention of States which met at Edinburgh,
March 14th, 1689. He strenuously supported the
resolution, proposed and carried by the States, that
James II, had forfeited his throne and kingdom ;
and when this resolution was passed, he and the
earl of Argyle, and Sir John Dalrymple, were ap-
pointed by the Convention to proceed to London,
and wait upon King William and Queen Mary, and
offer them the crown. William having accepted
the Scottish crown, it became necessary that he
should appoint ministers to carry on the affairs of
Scotland. Sir John Dalrymple was made Lord
Advocate ; Sir William Lockhart was appointed
Solicitor-General ; Melville was made Secretary of
State ; and Sir James Montgomerie Lord Justice-
Clerk. But having set his heart on being Secre-
tary, and being confessedly possessed of great
talent for public business, and of eloquence only
surpassed by Dalrymple, Sir James felt his claims
to be neglected ; and the delay in making out his