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

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APPENDIX B.
eldest brother, Hugh, the fifth Laird of Hessilheid. Montgomerie
sings his praises in a poem of welcome on his return from France,
the second stanza of which begins—
“Then welcome hame, my lord,
Suete Semple, welcome hame ;
Quhais vertues wan the word
That formest flies with fame.”
At a later date, 1591, we find Ludovic, second Duke of Lennox,
acknowledging Montgomerie’s services, and amongst those who
witness the document are such well-known Catholics as the Earl of
Huntly, Lord Claud Hamilton, and others.1 Finally, as establishing
the poet’s connection with the Catholics, we have authentic evidence
of his implication in a plot to land Spanish soldiers in the island of
Ailsa Craig, and of his denunciation in consequence by the Privy
Council. But this was at a much later time, and will best be
discussed afterwards.
We have seen that Montgomerie received his pension soon after
the overthrow of the Ruthven Raiders in the summer of 1583. The
political party to which there can be no doubt he was attached was
once more in office, and under the leadership of Arran pursued a
policy of systematic revenge upon the Presbyterians. The most prom¬
inent members of the Raid faction were forced to flee the country.
During this time Montgomerie was in attendance on the King as one
of his servitors. It is unnecessary here to trace the events which
brought about the downfall of the Arran Administration, and the re¬
turn to power of the Banished Lords in November of 1585. But this
change, we shall see, had most important consequences for the poet.
One of those who had for the past two years been living across the
English border, and who now returned to share in the restored pros¬
perity of the Raiders, was a certain William Erskine, cousin of the Earl
of Mar. He is mentioned in the Act of Abolition, passed by the new
Parliament in December 1585, as “ Maister Wm. Erskin, persoun of
Campsie,” and is, along with many others, relieved of the “ dome of
foirfaltour” passed upon him during the time of the Arran supremacy.
He appears at the first meeting of the new Privy Council, and as mem¬
ber of the Parliament which met at Linlithgow in December to ratify
the revolution. Some time prior to 1579 he had been appointed to the
Chancellorship of Glasgow University.2 It was this man, a prominent
member of the Raid party, an enemy of the Catholics, who was now
to be the immediate cause of Montgomerie’s troubles.
Amongst those who, on the downfall of Arran, had returned to
Scotland, was Lord Claud Hamilton, for many years an exile from
his country. Formerly he had held the position of Commendator of
Paisley, but had been foirfalted as far back as 1568, and again in
1 See Life-Records, No. VII., p. 3x1.
2 ‘ Register of the Privy Council,’ February 14, 1579-80.