Records of the clan and name of Fergusson, Ferguson and Fergus

340 CLAN FEEGUSSON
neither give nor lend him a penny, except he and his sons
would bind themselves to go home and sign the Covenant,
upon which condition he offered to lend him what he
sought.'
It is needless in this place, so far as regards the Duke, to
expatiate on the absurdity of such a charge ; but the Duke
in his answer to it expressly declared that for his part he
knew nothing of any conversation which might have passed
between Sir John Hamilton and Sir John Ferguson, nor did
he consider himself accountable for what others, whatever
their dependence on him might be, had spoken ; and then
concluded with saying, ' he knows not whether Sir J ohn
Feraruson ever took the Covenant or not ; but this he knows
well, that he did recommend him to His Majesty as one that
suffered much for adhering to his duty to His Majesty, and
did procure several marks of His Majesty's favour for him ' —
a testimony too honourable to be omitted here.]
This reverse in the fortune of the family, in addition to
other misfortunes, is the apparent cause of the loss of most of
the old writings of the estate, which, if extant, might have led
to more accurate information respecting the earlier history of
the family. This Sir John Fergusson married Helen Kennedy,
daughter of Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean, second son to
Gilbert, the third Earl of Cassilis, which Helen was widow of
— Mure of Auchendrain. Of this marriage there were four
sons — Alexander, who succeeded his father ; James and John,
who were both captains in the army during the Civil Wars,
and died unmarried ; and Simeon, who was the proprietor of
the lands and estate of Auchinwin.
[This Alexander married Margaret Sydserf, daughter of
— Sydserf, first Bishop of Galloway, afterwards translated to
the See of Edinburgh ; by this marriage he had two sons —
Alexander, and James, who became a clergyman in England.
Alexander married Catherine, daughter to Sir William Weir
of Stonebyres, by whom he had three sons — 1. John, married
Margaret, daughter of David Crawford of Kerse, but died
without male issue, leaving a daughter only; 2. William,
married Agnes, eldest daughter and co-heiress of John
Kennedy of Auchinblain, a grandson of — Kennedy of