Montgomery manuscripts

2 The Montgomery Manuscripts.
treatise, make use of my own certain knowledge and memory in those affairs, having had conver-
sation or concern with most of their familys (both the dead and yet surviving of them), to whom I
have been a contemporary within the space of above those fifty years now last past,* wherein I
did more or less make observations as I best could, whilst I grew up in age, and acquaintance with
them; and thus furnished, I begin this following narrative (as near as I can) according to the order
of time, wherein the several events came to pass, the like not having been attempted that I can
any ways learne.s Therefore, Imprimis (as in duty I am bound), with the Montgomeries of the
great Ardes, who were the first and chiefest of all that sirname that came from Scotland, and mostly
the procurers of other Montgomery families, and of many of divers sirnames besides them; to follow
and plant in this kingdom, of whom the most conspicuous and powerfull, and the first introducer and
crown of all the lands then in his possession; the lands in
Greyabbey being erected into the manor of Rosemount,
whilst those on the opposite side of the Lough, in the
parishes of Killinchy and Kilmood, constituted the manor
of Florida. In the author's Description of the Ardes (see
p. 308, first edition), he states that the whole manor of
Rosemount "taketh name" from the House, to which,
therefore, the designation must have originally been applied.
From the peculiar names of Rosemount and Florida, given
by sir James Montgomery to his two manors, it is inferred
that he had a love for flowers, and was devoted to their cul-
ture. Mountross and Rosemount are translations of the
Latin Mons Rosarum, and it would seem that this word, in
some form, was a popular name for places of residence in
Ireland as well as in Scotland. A place near Ardquin
and Portaferry is called Mountross. There is a Rose-
mount (formerly called Goldring), in the parish of Syming-
ton, Ayrshire, which belonged, in the sixteenth century,
to an old family of the Schaws. — Paterson, Account of the
Parishes and Families of Ayrshire, vol. ii. , p. 481. It is
curious that the motto on the town-arms of Montrose is
mare ditat, rosa decorat, which would imply the same
origin for this name. — New Stat. Account of Forfarshire,
pp. 271 — 2. Besides the Rosemount at Greyabbey, and
another in Lower Iveagh, there are family residences of
the same name in the counties of Antrim, Westmeath,
Tipperary, Wexford, and Waterford. — Parliamentary Ga-
zetteer of Ireland, vol. i., p. 293 ; vol. ii., pp. 26, Si, 290,
393; vol. hi., pp. 183, 317.
4 Now last past. — The author was bom at the residence
of his grandfather Stewart, in the county of Tyrone, and
continued to live there until the month of May, 1644,
when he was brought to Rosemount, in the eleventh year
of his age. " The space of above fifty years," mentioned
in the text, was the interval between 1644 and 1697 the
latter being the date at which the author commenced to
compile the Montgomery Manuscripts.
5 Any ways learne. — It is supposed that there had existed
at Eglinton Castle a MS . account of the Montgomery
family in Scotland, which was destroyed when that old
pile was burnt by the Cunninghams, in 1528. Our
author's work, therefore, on this subject, is the earliest
existing attempt to illustrate the family history, and it is
especially valuable, because treating of persons who came
within the reach of his personal knowledge, and events
that had occurred during the period of his own life.
Since these memoirs were written, the following compila-
tions have been made, intended by their authors chiefly
to illustrate the genealogical history of the Montgo-
merys : — 1. Hugh Montgomerie, of Broomlands, in the
parish of Irvine, compiled, prior to the year 1760, what
is known as the Broomlands Manuscript, containing re-
cords of the Montgomery family from an early period.
The author of this work, which is still in MS., died in
1766, aged eighty years. 2. John Hamilton Mont-
gomery, of Barnahill, in the county of Ayr, who was cap-
tain in the 76th regiment, wrote a Genealogy of the Family
of Montgomery, compiled from various authorities, which
also remains in manuscript. — Paterson, Account of the
Parishes and Families of Ayrshire, vol. ii., p. 229, note.
3. Mrs. E. G. S. Reilly printed for private circulation, in
1842, A Genealogical History of the Family of Montgomery,
comprising the lines of Eglinton and Braidslane in Scot-
land, and Mount-Alexander and Grey- Abbey in Ireland.
This lady was the daughter of the Rev. Hugh Mont-
gomery, of Rosemount, who died in 1S15, and a descen-
dant, through John of Gransheogh, in common with the
author of the Montgomery Manuscripts, in the Braidstane
line. 4. William Anderson printed, at Edinburgh, in
1859, A Genealogical Account of the Family of Mont-
gomerie, formerly of Brigend of Doon, Ayrshire, male and
lineal representative of the ancient and noble families of
Eglinton and Lyle. This account commences only with
the commencement of the sixteenth century. 5. James
Fraser published, at Edinburgh, in 1S59, two volumes,
4to, entitled, Memorials of the Montgomeries Earls of
Eglinton. This is a most valuable work, principally be-
cause in it are printed many original letters, charters,
and marriage contracts. The letters contain much im-
portant information on public as well as family affairs,
between the years 1170 and 1728. 6. Thomas Harrison
Montgomery published, at Philadelphia, in 1S63, A Genea-
logical History of the Family of Montgomery, including the
Montgomery Pedigree, — a work which contains much in-
formation respecting the families of this surname who emi-
grated to the United States. In his preface, the author
says : — " Many years ago, my attention was drawn to the
examination of records and doings of the generations of
the Montgomerys, immediately preceding that one which
came to America. This was due chiefly to the perusal
of documents and papers brought from Scotland to this
country by the first one of the family who crossed the
ocean. William Montgomery, of Brigend, now more
than one hundred and sixty years ago, came with his wife