Montgomery manuscripts

The Montgomery Manuscripts. 27
Scotland, on notice thereof, our valorous and well-bred Laird kept his state, staying at home, and
sent his brother-in-la\v,3° Patrick Montgomery (of whom at large hereafter, for he was also instrumental
in the escape), and other friends, with a number of his tenants, and some servants, all well mounted
and armed, as was usual in those days, to salute the said Con, to congratulate his happy escape, and
to attend him to Braidstane, where he was joyfully and courteously received by the Laird and his
Lady with their nearest friends.3 1 He was kindly entertained and treated with a due defference to
his birth and quality, and observed with great respect by the Laird's children and servants, they
being taught so to beheave themselves. In this place the said Con entered into indenture of articles
of agreement, the tenor whereof was that the said Laird should entertaine and subsist him, the said
Con, in quality of an Esq., and also his followers, in their moderate and ordinary expenses; should
procure his pardon for all his and their crimes and transgressions against the law (which indeed were
not very heinous nor erroneous), and should get the enquest to be vacated, and the one-half of his
estate (whereof Castlereagh and circumjacent lands to be a part) to be granted to himself by letters
patent from the King; to obtain for him that he might be admitted to kiss his Majestie's hand,
and to have a general reception into favour; all this to be at the proper expenses, cost and charges
of the said Laird, who agreed and covenanted to the performance of the premises on his part. In
consideration whereof, the said Con did agree, covenant, grant, and assign, by the said indenture,
the other one-half of all his land estate, to be and enure to the only use and behoof of the said Laird,
his heirs and assigns, at which time the said Con, also signing and registering; but no sealing of
deeds being usual in Scotland, he promised by an instrument in writing to convey part of his own
quher ther was a grate number of Danes enclosed and Andrew Stewart, who was Presbyterian minister at
taken prisoner at ye battail of ye Lairgs." Fairlie Castle, Donaghadee from 1645 t0 1671: — "On these begin-
now in ruins, Pont describes as, in his time, "a strong nings they proceed. The wife endeavours her hus-
toure, and very ancient, beautified with orchards and gar- band's delivery, and Montgomery to have a vessel ready
dens." Kelbume Castle, he states, "is a goodly building, to send for him upon notice given. The woman, there-
veill planted, having very beautiful orchardes and gardens, fore, returning with what speed she could to Ireland, had
and in one of them a spatious roume, adorned with a access when she would into the castle of Carrickfergus,
christalin fontane, cut all out of the living rocke." Knock where her husband was ; sometime to bring in clothes,
Castle is "a pretty dwelling, seatted on the mane occeane, sometime drink, sometime meat, and never, almost, with-
and veill planted." Skelmorlie Castle, "seated on the out some appearance of a good errand. At last she had
mane occeane, is a fair veill built house, decorred -with appointed a boat to come from Bangor, which, being
orchards and woodes, the inheritance of Robert Mont- light, might even come under the castle, and receive Con
gomerie, laird thereof, who holds it off ye earles of Glen- out at a window at a certain hour, and thus to effect it.
cairn." The following notice of Largs parish is abridged For one day she came into the chamber with two big
from the Uld Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. ii., p. cheeses, the meat being neatly taken out, and filled with
360: — "No parish in the west of Scotland, and few in cords, well packed in, and the holes handsomely made
the Highlands, can afford such a variety of beautiful and up again. Those she brought to him without any sus-
romantic scenes. The hills which begin to rise in the picion of deceit, and left him to hank himself down from
neighbouring parishes of Greenock, Kilmalcolm, Loch- the window at such a time when, by moonshine, he might
winnock, Kilbirnie, and Dairy, meet in a kind of general see the boat ready, and so begone as it was already con-
summit at the eastern boundary of Largs, from which they trived. All this is done accordingly, and Con brought
gradually descend as they approach the shore, till they over to the church of Bangor, where, in an old steeple,
terminate at last in a variety of abrupt declivities, some he is hid, and kept till such time as Hugh Montgomery
of which are almost perpendicular, as if part of their base might be advertised to send a relief for him. And indeed
had been torn away by force." — Paterson, Account of the it was not long till, wind and weather serving, there is a
Parishes and Families of Ayrshire, vol. ii. , pp. 29S, 301. boat sent with Patrick Montgomery, afterwards of Creboy,
3 " His brother-in-law. — Patrick Montgomery had mar- in Ireland, to carry Con away. And away lie went, and
ried Christina Shaw of Greenock, sister to the sixth was well and kindly entertained in Scotland by the
laird's wife. family of Broadstone, till Hugh made ready and went to
31 Nearest friends. — The following account of Con's London, to do what he could to bring his desires to
escape is preserved in a manuscript written by the Rev. pass."