Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Montgomerie, Hugh (1613-1669)
MONTGOMERIE, HUGH, seventh Earl of Eglinton (1613–1669), eldest son of Alexander, sixth earl [q. v.], by his first wife, Lady Anna Livingstone, daughter of Alexander, first earl of Linlithgow [q. v.], was born 30 May 1613. Robert Baillie (1599–1662) [q. v.], whom he afterwards got appointed to the church of Kilwinning, had for some years the superintendence of his education (Robert Baillie, Letters and Journals, iii. 446). Until he succeeded to the earldom he was known as Lord Montgomerie. On 29 Feb. 1628 he was enrolled a student of Glasgow University. In 1633 he went to Paris, where he spent over a year in the prosecution of his studies, especially in the art of fortification.
Like his father, Montgomerie took a prominent part in opposing the ecclesiastical policy of Charles I in the assembly of 1638, strongly supporting the proposals against the bishops (ib. i. 125, 137, 147). When the covenanters in 1639 determined to resist the march of Charles northwards, he was chosen colonel of the men of Renfrewshire (ib. p. 201). He also joined the army which under Leslie marched into England in April 1640, and commanded a brigade of eighteen hundred men at the battle of Newburn. When the Scots came before Newcastle, he made an attempt to seize Gateshead, but was unsuccessful (Thurloe State Papers, i. 41). On 15 Sept. 1640 he was sent to occupy the castle of Tynemouth. He remained with his brigade in England until the return of the Scottish army after the ratification of Ripon in August 1641. Some time afterwards he was suspected by the covenanters of lukewarmness, and it was greatly feared that he would definitely join Montrose (Baillie, ii. 11, 35-7). The statement sometimes made, that he and his father actually fought on opposite sides at Marston Moor, 2 July 1644, is, however, without foundation. He does not appear to have fought on either side at that battle, but on 11 Oct. he joined the rendezvous at Glasgow against Montrose (ib. ii. 234). Along with other Scots lords in Leven's army, Montgomerie, after the battle of Naseby, made vain attempts on 21 July to open communications with Charles.
In 1646 Montgomerie was engaged in the northern campaign under Middleton, and on 27 April entered Aberdeen with four troops of horse (Burgh Records of Aberdeen, 1643-1747, p. 63). In addition to his horse he had under his command two regiments of foot, and he was entrusted with the duty of holding the city; but on 14 May it was entered by a large force under the Marquis of Huntly, who defeated Montgomerie and took above three hundred of his men prisoners (ib. p. 68). Nevertheless a council of war declared on 8 June that Montgomerie had conducted himself in the affair 'with as much prudence and gallantry as could have been expected' (ib. p. 64).
Montgomerie did not, as is sometimes stated, join the 'Engagement,' under his brother-in-law, the Duke of Hamilton, for the rescue of the king. By the act of classes he was disqualified for all public service as having been accessory to it; but while admitting that he had been appointed colonel, and had consented to nominate officers, he declared that he declined to go into England on finding that the 'malignants' had been invited to join in the scheme (Hist. MSS. Comm. llth Rep. pt. i. p. 87). He also denied that he had given any support to William Hamilton, second earl of Lanark [q. v.], or Monro on their retreat from England (ib.} On this account he petitioned the states to be reponed, producing a recommendation from the commission of the kirk in his favour (Balfour, Annals, iv. 127), and he was finally, on 17 Dec. 1650, declared by the parliament capable of public employment (ib. p. 206). In 1651 he defended himself in his house of Cumbrae against Cromwell, Robert Baillie taking shelter with him (ib. p. 244; Baillie, iii. 119). He was taken prisoner (ib. p. 317). Subsequently he received his liberty, but on 18 July 1654 the governor of Berwick was ordered to secure him and his father till they procured Colonel Robert Montgomerie (d. 1684) [q. v.], or gave security that he should leave the kingdom (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1654, p. 258). As Robert Montgomerie was captured, Lord Montgomerie was no doubt soon afterwards set at liberty. He was excepted from Cromwell's Act of Grace in 1654. The yearly value of his estate was then stated at 271l. 3s. 11d., and the charges on it 5,236l. 18s. In addition to the fine on his own estates he was also fined 1,400l. for his interest in the estate of his father, but petitioned to be relieved (ib. 1657-8, p. 128), and the petition was granted on 1 June 1658 (ib. 1658-9, p. 41).
Montgomerie succeeded his father in the earldom, 7 Jan. 1661. On 1 Jan. 1662 he obtained from Charles the citadel of Ayr. He died towards the close of February 1669. By his first wife, Anne, eldest daughter of James, second marquis of Hamilton, he had one daughter, Anne. By his second wife, Lady Mary Leslie, daughter of John, fifth earl of Rothes, he had two sons and five daughters : Alexander, eighth earl (d. 1701), a staunch supporter of the covenanters, and afterwards a privy councillor of William III, and father of Alexander, ninth earl [q. v.]; Francis, a commissioner of the treasury under William, and one of the Commissioners of the union with England; Mary, married to George, fourth earl of Wintoun; Margaret, to James, second earl of Loudoun; Eleonora, to Sir David Dunbar of Baldoon, Wigtownshire; Christian, to John, fourth lord Balmerino; and Anne, to Sir Andrew Ramsay of Abbotshall. There is an engraving of the earl in Sir William Fraser's 'Earls of Eglinton,' from a portrait in the family collection.
[Robert Baillie's Letters and Journals (Bannatyne Club); Sir James Balfour's Annals; Burgh Records of Aberdeen; Guthry's Memoirs; Thurloe State Papers; Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser., during the Commonwealth; Hist. MSS. Comm. 11th Rep. pt. i.; Paterson's Hist. of Ayr; Sir William Fraser's Earls of Eglinton; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), i. 503-504.]