Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

THE FAMILY OF EDMONSTONE. 45
and Urchill (Graham of Orchill), His Majesty's Commissioners, who were
assieging the same place for thirteen days, and discharging hackbuts. In
1 6 10 he was a member of the General Assembly as one of the barons ; and
in 1614 Sir James sat on the jury at the trial 1 of John Ogilvie, a Jesuit,
who was hanged. The last additions probably, at Duntreath House, 2 were
made by him, as is shown by his coat of arms still existing. It seems
likely, however, that the south side of the quadrangle was left imperfect,
from the resolution Sir James took towards the latter part of his life with
his eldest son, to transplant the family to the north of Ireland.
Various circumstances had occurred to lower the family of Duntreath
from the position it had hitherto held. The reduction of the property by
the constant allotments made to younger branches had doubtless led to
considerable embarrassment, and being no longer supported by Court
favour or upheld by powerful alliances as heretofore, such were probably
among the motives which led to a step so injurious to the family. Almost
immediately upon his accession to the Crown of England, James
commenced his well-organized system of peopling the north-west of
Ireland, the great proportion of which had been forfeited by the rebellion,
in which the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, and the great northern chief
O'Dogharty, had taken so great part, and which was now perfectly laid
waste, by colonists from England and Scotland.
Among the earliest settlers had been John Dalway, who came to
Ireland holding a commission in Lord Essex's army in 1 573. By marrying
a daughter of a relation of O'Neil, he obtained from the Crown a grant of
a considerable district of land in the county of Antrim, which his father-
in-law forfeited. Of this, Broadisland formed a portion, which portion in
1609 he leased for ever to William, eldest son of Sir James Edmonstone,
on the usual conditions of finding five able horsemen, properly equipped,
to attend for forty days yearly the general hostings of the Lord Deputy ;
and within five years to build a dawn, namely a fortified ' mansion of lime
and stone, covered with slate, which shall cost in building^'300.' Probably
on account of his advanced age, this purchase was made entirely in his son's
1 Note 51, Appendix.
2 The cypher S.J.E.K., Sir James Edmon- on the west side of the quadrangle, when pulled
stone, knight, was found on a stone in the tower down and rebuilt in 1863.