Maitland Club > Memorials of Montrose and his times > Volume 1

AND HIS TIMES. 87
of bis decease, as an exploit of his youth, occurring only some thirty years
before, is thus noted in Birrel's Diary: — ' 1595, the 19th Januar, the
young Earle of Montrois fought ane comhate with Sir James Sandilands
at the Salt Trone of Edinburgh, thinking to have revengit the slauchter
of his cousine Mr Johne Grahame.' At this time he was only Loi'd
Graham, as his father, the third Earl of Montrose, sat as Viceroy in the
Parliament of Scotland, in the year 1604.' It is curious to contrast this
evidence of the hot blood of the Graham with the following letter from
the same nobleman, towards the close of his life, indicating a thrifty and
peaceful decline : —
Laurence Graliame,
I doubt not bot je have bein cairfuU in causing haist the making of my doghter
Beatrix lilr goune as I derectit you. I have send this bearer Harie Blacvrod to bring
hir to me, as he will schaw you. It is my will also that the tapestrie in my ower
chalmer in Kincardin be taine downe and pakit weill, to come to me to INIugdok,
as I have send Mergaret Stirling and Kobcrt Taylzer word to be cairfidl of it,
' Five years after his son's exploit at the sail mak me nather to spair my self nor
Salt Tron, the grandfather of Slontrose freinds, but all salbe redy, evin to the
evinced his loyalty in a very determined hazard of lyfl', in the furthering off that
and business-like manner. Among the honourable errand ; and off my geir I am
papers of Sir John Drummond of Haw- content to giff his Majestic for this sam
thornden, the poet's father, there is one purpois four hundred crownis quhen evir
entitled ' Instructions from King James VI. his Majestic sail haiff to do with the sam.
to Sir John Drummond ; and the noble- ' Montrose.
men their engagements to assist his Ma- ' This salbe redy at Whitsunday nixt, or
jestie against the English, 1600.' These sooner giff his Majestic haiff to do ther-
engagements are signed by the Earls of with,
Montrose, Errol, and Angus. That on the ' Montrose.'
part of IMontrose is as follows : — For the above I am indebted to David
' The affectioune quhilk I beirs to the Laing, Esq., who is preparing some account
King's Majestic, to the furthering off his of the Hawthornden MSS. for the press.
JIajestie's rycht to the Crown of England,