A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF FLOWERS AND LEAVES. 375
definite number of the French lilies to three. King Edward V. of England reduced
also the number of the flower-de-luces in his bearing to three.
The flower-de-luces are very famous through Europe, being borne by many
princes and persons of high dignity, not only in adorning the imperial crowns of
England and Scotland; by the first, to show a right of pretension ; and by the second,
its unity with France ; but also in armorial ensigns by sovereign princes, as the
Medici, and the family of Este in
Italy, and in the arms of eminent churches and
abbacies, find great cities, to show their acknowledgment and subjection ; as also
many noble families in Boulogne and Genoa carry flower-de-luces, to acknowledge
the rise of their greatness to France; as many other families do in other countries,
and some with us, as the Dukes of Lennox, who quartered the arms of France
with their own, upon the account of the noble Feus they were honoured with in
that kingdom. Others upon the account of concessions, and others to show their
origin from France, of which I could give many instances, if it were not out of
my road. But to proceed to armorial bearings :
The name of MONTGOMERY, azure, three flower-de-luces or, as being originally
from France, as the learned Camden, and especially Edmond Howes, in his His-
tory of England, page 177. and 135. tell us, that Roger de Montgomery came to
England with William the Conqueror, and founded the Church of Shrewsbury ; and
that his son Robert, upon some discontent, came to Scotland, where he got a fair
inheritance in the shire of Renfrew. One Robert de Mundegumry, so writ with
us, is a witness in the charter of foundation of the Monastery of Paisley, in the
year 1160, in the reign of King Malcolm IV. Allan, de is Mundegumry likewise
to be found in the Register of Paisley, in the reign of King Alexander III. And
in Prynnc's Catalogue of the Barons of Scotland, that were convened by King
Edward I. there is one John Mundegomery. King Robert the Bruce gives a
charter of the lands of Stahar to Allan de Montgomery, son of the deceased John
de Montgomery ; and the same King gives a charter to Allan de Montgomery, the
son of Allan, of the lands of Stair, upon his father Allan's resignation as in
;
Rot. Rob. I.
There were then several families of the name, but the principal one was designed
of Eaglesham: Sir JOHN MONTGOMERY of Eaglesham, in the reign of Robert II.
anno 1388, being at the battle of Otterburn, took with his own hands Sir Henry
Percy, son of the Earl of Northumberland, prisoner, and with his ransom built
the castle of Punoon he married the ; daughter and heir of Sir Hugh Eglinton of
that Ilk, and his lady Giles, daughter of Walter, High Steward of Scotland, and
half-sister to King Robert II. He got with her the baronies of Eglinton and Ar-
drossan, in Cuningham ; upon which account the family has been in use to quarter
the arms of Eglinton, gules, three annulets or, stoned azure, with these of
Montgomery before blazoned. Their son and successor, Sir John Mongomery,
was designed of Ardrossan ; and his son, Sir Alexander of Ardrossan, was made a
Lord of Parliament, by the title of Lord Montgomery : He had with his wife
Margaret, a daughter of Thomas Boyd of Kilmarnock, two sons, Alexander and
George, the first of the family of Skelmurly.
Which Alexander died before his father, and left two sons behind him, by Elizabeth
his wife, a daughter of Hepburn of Hailes, Alexander, who succeeded his
grandfather, and Robert the first of Broadston, of whom Hugh Montgomery Earl
of Mount-Alexander, of the kingdom of Ireland.
Which Alexander, the grandson, was Lord Montgomery after his grandfather's
death, and was father of Hugh Lord Montgomery, who was created Earl of Eglinton,
by King James IV. 1503. He married Helen, daughter of Colin, first
Earl of Argyle, by whom he had three sons and several daughters ; first, John,
called Master of Eglinton ; second son. Sir Neil Montgomery of Lainslmw ; and,
the third son, William of Stnne, of whom the Montgomeries of Auchinhood.
Which John, the Master, died before his father, and left a son, Hugh,
who suc-
ceeded his grandfather, and was second Earl of Eglinton ; he married Marion,
daughter of George Lord Seaton, by whom he had only one son, Hugh, third
Earl of Eglinton, who married a daughter of Drummond of Innerpcffrey, by whom
he had two sons, Hugh and Robert of Giffen ; and two daughters, Margaret the
eldest, married to Robert, first Earl of Winton, of whom before ; and Agnes, to