Ayrshire > Volume 1

140 HISTORY OF AYRSHIRE
Robert's cousin-german, a daughter of the family of
Blair."
That the Commenda tor was thus slain appears to be un-
doubted, but there would seem to be a doubt as the person
by whom the deed was done, and the time when it was
done ; for, while the date of the assassination is placed in
the year 1582-3, the Commendator was still alive 1587-8.
" In revenge Patrick Maxwell of Newark killed both
this Sir Robert Montgomery of Skelmorlie and William
Montgomen^, his eldest son, in one day. It would make
a little volume to mention all the bloodshed and murders
that were committed upon this doleful occasion, in the
shire of Renfrew and bailiewick of Cunningham. Aiket.
one of the principal persons concerned, was shot near
his own house ; Robertland and Corsehill escaped.
Robertland got beyond seas to Denmark and got his
peace made by means of Queen Anne of Denmark, when
she was married to King James VI. Clonbeith, who had
actually imbued his hands in the Earl's blood, and shot
him with his own hands, was by a select company of the
friends of the family of Eglinton, with the Master at
their head, hotly pursued, He got to Hamilton, and
(they) getting notice of the house to which it was
suspected he had fled, it was beset and environed, and
John Pollok of that ilk — a bold, daring man, who was
son-in-law of the house of Langshaw at the time — in a
fury of passion and revenge found him out within a
chimney. How soon he was brought down, they cut
him in pieces on the very spot. The resentment went so
high against everyone that was suspected to have any
the least accession to this horrid bloody fact, that the
Lady Langshaw, that was a Cunninghame of the house
of Aiket, was forced, for the security of her person and
the safety of her life, to abscond. It was given out that
she was gone over to Ireland, but she was concealed in
the house of one Robert Barr at Pearce Bank, a tenant
and feuar of her husband's for many years. But before
her death she was overlooked, and returned to her own
house, which was connived at ; but never durst present