Ayrshire > Volume 2

THE MONTGOMERIES OF EGLINTON 59
charms formed a theme for the muse of her kinsman,
Alexander Montgomery, the author of " The Cherrie
and the Slae "• —
Quhose nobil birth, and royal bluid
Her better nature dois exceid,
Her native giftes, and graces gud,
Sua bonteouslie declair indeid
As waill, and wit of womanheid,
That sa with vertew dois confleit.
Happie is he that sal posseid
In marriage this Margareit.
On the death of the third Earl in June, 1585, he was
succeeded by his elder son, Hugh, the fourth Earl
(1585-1586). Born in 1563, he only survived his father
about ten months, falling a victim to the feud in a
manner described in " The Historie of King James the
Sext." We have taken the liberty, without interfering
with the sequence of the text, somewhat to modernise
the language : —
" Cunninghame of Robertland took the enterprise
in hand, which he accomplished in this manner. Two
years hefore his treasonable attempt, he insinuated
himself in familiarity and all dutiful service to the
young Earl, whereby he so moved him to take pleasure
without any suspicion that he acquired such favour
at his hand that neither the gold, money, horses,
armour, clothes, counsel, nor voyage was hid from him,
that this same Robertland was made a participant of
them all even as if they had been his own ; and,
besides all this, the confidence and favour that the
Earl showed to him was so great that he preferred
him to his own bedfellow. Hereat Lord Hugo, auld
Earl of Eglinton, took great suspicion and therefore
admonished his son in a fatherly manner to beware of
such society, which without doubt would turn to his
skaith ; for he knew well the nature of these Cunning-
hames to be subtle and false, and therefore willed him
to give them no trust, but to avoid their company
altogether, even as he loved his own life, or would
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