Montgomery manuscripts

The Montgomery Manuscripts.
405
of myself — Even as I have made my Repository ; to be peculiar for my proper earthly remains,
and those of my 2 nd self, namely, my deservedly Deare, Deare, and onely wife, whom I have
within these few months (by translation put in possession thereof), and in these two performances
I am not guilty of affectation or singularity, or designe to gaine applause thereby, but can shew
presidents of y" like done by well approved writers, & thereby I have made use of my due freedom
in so doeing, and writing : 3 So I leave all Persons to theirs, in judgeing as they please : bee it by
Sinclair remembers her father and mother (who lived
generally in England) coming to visit their kinsfolk, the
Edmonstons of Redhall. Their families had been still
earlier united by the intermarriage of James Montgomery
of Rosemount, Mrs. Sinclair's great-great-grandfather,
with Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Archibald Edmonston,
owner of Redhall and laird of Duntreath.
a As bigg as my promise. — The portion of his Manu-
scripts in which this promise was made has not been
printed, and is probably lost.
3 So doeing and writing. — The "two performances"
here referred to by the author consisted in writing an
account of his own life, and building his own tomb, the
"Repository" of which he speaks in the text. When
Harris visited Greyabbey, nothing appears to have been
known of this vault, or the curious inscriptions recently
found therein. On the 6th of September, 1843, tne wall
that closed the arch to form the east end of the old church
in the Abbey was taken down, and when the rubbish was
cleared away, the " Repository" appeared. On the
removal of the flag that closed the front of it, a skull was
discovered lying on the left side of the entrance, and on
the right side a coffin, apparently perfect. The cloth that
had covered it was gone, and on being touched, the
coffin fell to pieces. Inside, there was a greasy substance,
but not a bone had remained in shape. Under the coffin
lay a coarse quarry flag, two feet broad, and five feet long,
having on it the following inscription cut into it, in round
hand, most probably by William Montgomery himself: —
Memento Mori
A Perish rasis of this
Buriall Vault or Tombc or grave viz.
It is no comon charnel lions but our
Worms banqueting hall &> the Porch of
/Eternitys Mansion Pallaces.
Mortuis in/ormis erypta luec habitatio sicque
Ineolis ecu Downs est, quoqne perennis erit
Tile Premises Paraphrased
An humble noiseless dark refining Roome
fas Mankinds Duefs lasting not last Home
a stnfeless bed tis df a Resting place
which allways Levells all of mortal Race
Goodmenfrom Griefs into our Lords joy goe
Freed from all Sinn, wants, toill, paine, sickness, woe,
Who this our consecrated Vault or Roome
Breaks up or takes from us ere day of Doome
a Portion may for Swine or foxes bee
Loaded with just Reproachfull Infamy
a grateful issue saves our liberty
This is for Wnt. <&» Elizabeth Montgomery's alone
aplaee to ly in. Made Ao. Dni. 1702.
"On a common house slate, found leaning against the
left side of the Vault inside, was the following inscriptions
written in white paint, except the two first lines, which
are cut into the slate :—
This is directed to all Mankind
d J mostly to our offspring
This Vault april Ao. Dni. 1699 is built
at ye cost* of Wm. Montgomery
of Rosemount Esqr. reserving it for ye
Buriall place onely of himself &r> his be-
loved wife ye honble. Elizabeth sole
daughter of Hugh 2nd Lord Visct. Mont-
gomery of ye great A rds.
The said William contributed largely £r> was
constantly assisting to the roofing of this
Church let none therefore invade tlieir
Property nor Slight tlieir earthly remains
by ejecting t/iem or intrudeing others
into tlieir wedded Mansion hous and
deserved quiet grave roome w/ierein t/iey
are layd to rest that tliey may rise together
at ye great opcueing day of generall judgment
For all irreverence and wrong done to tlie dead
as well as ye liveing. all glory bee to God
A men
The coffin on the left side of the entrance was quite
gone, but the Skeleton perfect and in its place — a mass of
auburn hair lying round the base of the skull. It is re-
markable, that on the Slab which lies outside, over this
Vault, it is stated thai the Honble Elizabeth Montgomery
died on the 15th Nov. 1677, aged 42 years, and, on the small
slate inside, the Vault is stated to have been built, April,
A°Dni. 1699. \VilliamM0ntg0merydied0nthe7th January,
1706-7, or twenty-nine years after his lady's decease, yet
her bones were perfect, but of his no vestiges remained.
His wife died when she was only 42, whereas he was 74,
and his bones would, therefore, much sooner crumble to
dust. This Vault is evidently built on the spot where Sir
James Montgomery's '2 other virtuous ladies' and their
children rest — as stated in the Inscription on his monu-
ment." — MS. A T otes of colonel F. 0. Montgomery. Seep.
345, supra. The following inscriptions were found by
Harris on a monument "adorned with Cherubs' Heads,
the Rose, Thistle, and flower de lys. " : —
EUITAMON EnirPAMMATIKON.
In Honoratum Gulielmum Mountgomery de Rosemount Armi-
gerum, qui in Domino obdormivit -jmo. die of January, Anno
XPI2TOrENIA5 1706-7. Mt. 74.
Armiger, ecce, manu, vita, literisque profundis,
Qui largns, lampas, Corybosus, fata peregit,
Laude, fide, genere, et dementia turn probitate
Luxit laudalus, prcecellens, vicit amatus.
At the bottom,
Idyllium hoc elaboravit et Sculpsit
A I. Duncan
* It is not clear whether this should be written at ye cost or by ye
X2