Montgomery manuscripts

12 The Montgomery Manuscripts.
Mr. Conningham,37 for reparation whereof he challenged the same Gentleman to a combat, but Mr.
Conningham avoided the danger by a visit to London (the Queen being still and for some years
thereafter alive tho' old) : yet was soon followed by the said Laird, who came to the city; and his
errand for satisfaction was told soon enough to Mr. Conningham, whereupon he went clandestinely
into Holland on pretence to improve his parts at the Court in the Hague.3 8 The said Laird being
thus twice disappointed of his purpose (stayed a few days at the English Court), and then rode to
his brother George, Dean of Norwich, and instructed him how to continue his said intelligence, to
be communicated to King James by one of their near kinsmen ;39 which affairs adjusted (undervaluing
costs, toyle, and danger), the Laird took ship at Dover, and arrived in Holland, going to the
Hague (unheard of and unexpected), where lodging privately, till he had learned the usual hours
when Mr. Conningham and the other gentlemen and officers walked (as merchants do in the inner
courts of the palace, called Den Primen Hoff»°), the said Laird there found Mr. Conningham, called
him coward, fugitive, and drew his sword (obliging his adversary to do the like); but the Laird press-
ing upon him, made a home thrust (which lighted on the broad buckle of his sword belt), and so
tilted Mr. Conningham on his back; yet it pleased God that the buckle (like a toorget) saved his
life. This was a sudden and inconsiderate rash action of the Laird, who thought he had killed Mr.
Conningham. Putting up his sword quickly, and hastening out of the Court, he was seized on by
some of the guard, and committed to the Provost-Marshall's custody, where he meditated how to
escape, and put his design that night in some order (an hopeful occasion forthwith presenting itself)
for no sooner was the hurry over, but one Serjeant Robert Montgomery* 1 (formerly acquainted with
the Laird) came to him; the condolement was but short and private, and the business not to be
of the windows, in a more modern portion of the castle, is could be effected between him and Glencairn, which was
the date 1599. The oaken beams and massive fire-places of only at last accomplished at the command of the Privy
the great Hall remain, and such is still its comparative state Council. — Chambers, Domestic Annals of Scotland, vol. i. ,
of preservation, that three poor families make the old pile p. 395.
their place of residence. At the commencement of the last 3S In the Hague. — The Hague, which is the capital of
century, George Maxwell sold his property in Newark to South Holland, was the usual residence of the court, and
William Cochrane of Kilmarnock. The barony, includ- the seat of the States-General, or Dutch parliament. It
ing the castle, passed afterwards into the possession of lord takes its name Gravenhage, "Count's Hedge," from the
Belhaven, who, in turn, sold it to Mr. Farquhar, from house originally forming part of the enclosure surrounding
whom it came by inheritance to its present owner, sir the count's park, the house having been a hunting'lodge,
Michael Shaw-Stewart. — Original Parochiales Scotue, vol. which, in 1250, became a palace of the counts of Holland,
i., p. 87; Macdonald, Days on the Coast, pp. 62, 63. and the commencement of the large and beautiful city of
37 Mr. Conningham. — This was William Cunningham, Hague,
eldest son and successor of James, seventh earl of Glen- 39 Near kinsman. — This near kinsman was, most pro-
caim, by his wife, Margaret, a daughter of sir Colin bably, their uncle (mother's brother), Alexander Mont-
Campbell of Glenurchy. The quarrel here mentioned gomery, the celebrated poet, who, for a time, was a
was, no doubt, another result of the feud between the frequent visitor at the court of James VI.
Montgomerys and Cunninghams, which seems to have 4 Den Primen Hoff. — Primen Hoff is no doubt a mis-
been somewhat allayed after the assassination at the ford print for Binntnhoff, the name of an irregular old pile of
of Annock, although the excitement consequent on that various dates, having a handsome Gothic hall, which is
event continued. In 1606, an encounter took place be- now the only remaining portion of the original residence
tween them in the streets of Perth, where the rival earls, of the counts of Holland. The States-General hold their
Eglinton and Glencairn, had gone to attend a meeting of meetings in the Binnenhoff, part of which is also occupied
the Scottish parliament. The fight lasted from seven by the government offices.
until ten o'clock at night, and was only quelled after pro- 4I Serjeant Robert Montgomery. — The sixth laird did
digious efforts made for that purpose by the citizens. not forget the useful services of his humble kinsman, as
Lord Semple was involved on the side of the Montgomerys, will be seen in the author's concluding account of several
and it was not until the year 1609 that a reconciliation persons bearing the surname of Montgomery.