Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

MONTGOMERIE IN THE SCOTTISH LAW COURTS. 269
Montgomerie could scarcely have been at the Scottish Court dur¬
ing these early years of James’s reign without being drawn into
the eager politics of the time. The interest of European diplomacy
was for the moment centred in the intrigues then going on in
Scotland. Catholic emissaries from France and Spain were flitting
to and fro, with no lack of encouragement from a large section,
probably a third, of the Scottish nobles. The King’s adherence to
the Catholic side was zealously sought, and doubtless he would
have been quite prepared to yield this, had it been clear to him he
would thus further his chances of ascending the throne of England.
The dangers of a Catholic invasion by way of the north were well
known to Elizabeth, and her policy was directed to strengthening
the hands of the Protestant party in Scotland. There can be little
doubt that Montgomerie’s interests were engaged on the side of the
Catholic earls. His family connections, both on his father’s and
on his mother’s side, belonged to this party. Lennox, his kinsman
and patron, had come to Scotland “as the express emissary of the
Guises to work by all means in his power for the restoration of
Mary Stewart and of the ancient religion.”1 When in 1581 Jesuit
agents, representing Spanish aims, were in Scotland, among the
nobles who cordially received them was the head of Montgomerie’s
house, the Earl of Eglinton. Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador in
England, writing in the same year to Philip of Spain regarding this
movement in Scotland, reports that one of their emissaries, Father
Holt, “then went to Edinburgh where he was received ... by the
principal lords and counsellors of the King, particularly the Duke
of Lennox, the Earls of Huntly, Eglinton, Argyle, Caithness, and
others, who are desirous of bringing the country to the Catholic
faith.” Later he adds, “Holt and his predecessor have converted
many, and said mass and preached on Christmas Day and Epiphany
at Lord Seton’s house.” Lord Robert Seton, later on the Earl of
Wintoun, was, next to Lennox, probably the most active of the
Catholic lords. He was a son-in-law of the Earl of Eglinton,
having married in 1582 the Margaret Montgomerie whose charms
are celebrated by her relative the poet in terms so warm as to have
raised the suspicion that Montgomerie was something more than
an impartial admirer.2 With another of the noted Catholics of
that time, Lord Robert Semple, he was also on terms of intimacy.
Semple was married to Agnes Montgomerie, a sister of the Lady
Margaret just mentioned; and his daughter married the poet’s
1 Hume Brown, ‘ History of Scotland,’ vol. ii. p. 175. Also Dr Law, ‘ Edin¬
burgh Review,’ April 1898.
2 Um dieselbe Zeit (April 10, 1582) fand ein Herzens-roman des Dichters seinen
Abschluss durch die Heirat Lady Margaret Montgomerys des Tochter Hughs of
Eglintoun mit Robert, Maister of Seyton dem nachmaligen Earl of Wintoun
(Brotanek, p. 12).