Genealogical memoir of the most noble and ancient house of Drummond

TEEI-ACE.
lor. In poetry, history, and general literature, they have
been eminently conspicuous, and have been all along, as
distinguished for their virtue and personal merit, as for
their high rank and largely extended possessions. While
the sons of this illustrious house have been uniformly
brave, just, and prudent, the daughters ' have been uni-
versally celebrated for their beauty, their elegant accom-
plishments, and the lovelier graces of the heart. By
their alliance with the royal house of Stewart, they gave
sovereigns to Scotland for two hundred years ; and to
England and Scotland for one hundred and twelve. Over
Great Britain, their descendants still reign in the house
of Hanover : — and from their race, most of the sove-
reigns of Europe, at the end of the last century, de-
duced (heir immediate descent. By their intermarriages
at home, they were connected with most of the ancient
Scottish nobles, and, except in a few instances, there is
not a family of the present peerage of Scotland, but de-
rives its orijn from this noble and illustrious house.
At its very first establishment, the house of Drum-
mond was ranked among the nobles of Scotland.
Maurice, its founder, was an Hungarian prince. He
came to the Scottish court in the train of the royal fa-
mily of England : and by King Malcolm. Canmore was
dignified with the title of Thane of Lennox — a title, at
that time appropriated to the Scottish nobles, and which
then formed the second highest degree of nobility. Be-
' Hujus Erni ripam exornat Drimein castrum familire baronuui
He Dromond, qui honores consequutl sunt amplissimos, ex quo
Rex Robertus Stewart Terrius uxorera ex his Sfbi assumsil. Fa;-
minaj enim, ex liac stirpe, excellent! oris et vultns dignitate pa.l-
mam ceteris pracripuerunt, adeo ut regibus fuerint in deliciis-
Camhdcn's Britannia.