GO M.C 929.2 M7411S 1281114 SEN EALOCV COLLECTfON J 3 1833 01416 9616 u^Ufc &* JWo^dU* MmahmM ™^fW^' THE HOUSE OF MONCRIEFF One hundred and fifty copies printed for private distribution, by Sir Alex- ander Moncrieff, K.C.B., Representa- tive of the family of Culfargie, of which this is No.. .'j./l. MO N CRIEFF OF THAT ILK, CO. PERTH. BARONET OF SCOTLAND AND NOVA SCOTIA — THE Irmtsi of JEgnakff GEORGE SETON , Advocate M.A. Oxon., F.S.A. Scot. AUTHOR OF ' SCOTTISH HERALDRY ' AND OTHER WORKS "At genus immortale manet, multosque per annos Stat fortuna domus, et avi numerantur avorum." Virgil. " Les anciens disaient nos ance/rcs, nous disons la postirite C'est la magie de l'avenir, et non pas celle du passe, qui nous seduit." —Joufert. EDINBURGH $rintrti for $ribatc Circulation 1890 : " I have ever thought the knowledge of kinred, and genealogies of the ancient families of a countrey, a matter so farr from contempt, that it deserveth highest praise. Herein consisteth a part of the knowledge of a man's own selfe. It is a great spurr to vertue to look back on the worth of our line. In this is the memory of the dead preserved with the living, being more firme and honourable than any epitaph. The living know that band which tyeth them to others. By this, man is distinguished from the reasonless creatures, and the noble of men from the baser sort. For it often falleth out (though we cannot tell how) for the most part, that generositie followeth good birth and parentage." — William Drummond of Hawthornden to his kinsman John, second Earl of Perth. " And howbeit sum wald allege that it is flatterie to wryt ony thing praysable in the mannis lyftyme of quham it is writtin ; nochtwithstanding, my opinioun is contrair That ony thing praysable done, and specialie in making of policy, may be weill aneuche writtin in the doars awin tyme, sua that the werk be done modestlie. And howbeit it be sumptuous and costlie mair nor necessitie requyris, yit it is the maist tollerable kynd of prodigalitie and of sumptuous and immoderate cost ; becaus the samyn will be steidable [helpful] to the posteritie, and decoir of the cuntrey. And gif it sal happin the said Lord [George seventh Lord Seton] to do onything contrair his honour and godlie dewitie, or contrair the honour or commoun weill of his hous, to the scayth and perpetuall hurt of the samyn ; I sail set furth sic doingis done be him als larglie and weill extendit till his disprayse as I haue done in ony thing befoir said to his loving, he nocht amendand and redressand the samyn in his lyftyme, gif God fortounis me to leiff and be hable thairto. Bot I pray God, that the said Lord sail nocht in sic—inconuenientis, to gif me, or ony man, occasioun to wryt ocht of him bot honorable." ' Cromcle of the Hous of Seyloun,' by Sir Richard Maitland of Lethitigton, Knight. J 28.11 14 PREFACE. BOUT eighteen years ago my friend and kinsman, Colonel (now Sir Alexander) Moncrieff, represen- tative of the family of Culfargie, requested me to collect materials for an account of the House of Moncrieff, with the view of privately printing a small volume, accompanied by a variety of illustrations, for circulation among his relatives and friends. For reasons into which it is un- necessary to enter, he temporarily abandoned the idea ; but after due consideration, he lately determined to carry out his intention in a modified form, confining the illustrations to a series of shields of arms. His main objects have been to correct a number of important errors in the published accounts of the surname, and to preserve, for the use of his own family and his numerous kinsmen, a good deal of interesting information which might otherwise have been lost. Sir Alexander Moncrieff has kindly left the mode of treat- ment to my own judgment, and I have endeavoured to execute my task in accordance with the principles of true genealogy. Owing- to the character of the evidence which I have obtained, vi PREFACE. a considerable amount of controversial criticism has been neces- sarily introduced. In the course of a pretty extensive experience in matters of pedigree, I have never met with a family of so much importance as the Moncrieffs, where the descent of the various branches has been so difficult to trace. With the exception of the line of Cul- fargie and its cadet, there is still a want of satisfactory evidence as to the precise connection with the main stem of all the branches embraced in the following pages. I venture to believe, however, that I have succeeded in laying the foundation of a genealogical fabric, which more skilful inquirers may hereafter be able to complete. In the case of a few of the heraldic illustrations, I have failed to find authority for the blazons ; and in such instances I have generally adopted the " paternal coat " of the surname, with the addition of a mark of cadency. For a ready response to my applications for detailed informa- tion, I am indebted to the late lamented Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, Baronet ; to Mr William B. Skene of Pitlour, representative of the Moncrieffs of Reidie ; to Major - General George Moncrieff, commanding Curragh Brigade ; and to the Rev. Canon Scott- Moncrieff of Fossaway. I have also to express my obligations to Dr Dickson, Curator of the Historical Department in H.M. General Register House, for facilities afforded to the Rev. Walter Macleod when consulting the records on behalf of Sir Alexander Moncrieff. G. S. Cairo, December 1890. CONTENTS. Introduction, ......... i The Moncrieffs of that Ilk, ....... 24 The Moncrieffs of Reidie and Myres, afterwards the Skenes of Hall- yards and Pitlour, ....... 40 The Moncreiffes of Rapness, now (territorially) of that Ilk, . 53 The Moncrieffs of Kintillo, afterwards of Culfargie and Barnhill, 74 The Scott-Moncrieffs of Coats, Rhynd, and Newhalls, afterwards of Fossaway (Cadets of Culfargie), . .126 The Wellwood-Moncreiffs of Tullibole, . .136 Appendix— Correspondence between the Author and the late Rev. Sir Henry Wellwood- Moncreiff, Bart., D.D., . .169 J Index, . • • • 79 GENEALOGICAL TABLES. Pedigree of the Family of Moncrieff— I. From MS. Tree in the possession of Sir Alexander Moncrieff of Culfargie, K.C.B. F.R.S. II. From MS. of George Martin of Clermont, in the Advocates' Library. III. From Douglas's ' Baronage of Scotland.' IV. From Playfair's ' British Family Antiquity,' vol. viii. (A) The Moncrieffs of Kintillo and Culfargie, from the same. (£) The Moncreiff-Wellwoods of Tullibole, from the same. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Armorial Bearings of Moncrieff of that Ilk, Baronet, Frontispiece. ARMS OF— Moncrieff of that Ilk, Murray of (?) Dundemore (Dunmure) of that Ilk, Murray of Tullibardine, Dundas of that Ilk, Forman of Luthrie, Murray of Balvaird, Oliphant, Lord Oliphant, Moray of Abercairney, Beaton of Creich, . Murray, Earl of Tullibardine, Moncrieff of Easter Moncrieff, Moncrieff of Reidie, . Non-ell of that Ilk (?), . Seton of Lathrisk, Leslie of Myres, . Drummond of Cultmalundie, Skene of Hallyards, Hay of Leys, .... Rait of Anniston, . Campbell of Skerrington, Liddell, Lord Ravensworth, . Skene of Hallyards, . moncreiffe of rapness, Tyrie of Drumkilbo, Robertson of Strowan, . Baikie of Tankerness, . Herbert of Cardiff, Smythe of Methven, Murray of Ochtertyre, Bart., Guthrie of Craigie, Ramsay, Earl of Dalhousie, . Mackay of Scotstoun, . Drummond-Hay, Earl of Kinnoull Cadet of Kinnoull, moncreiffe (territorially) of Ilk, 73 Moncrieff OF Culfargie (as borne by the family), Crichton of Strathurd, . — ; THE HOUSE OF MONCRIEFF. I ME was when it would have been unnecessary—especially in Scotland—to say a single word in vindication of the Senti- ment of Birth ; but the universal worship of wealth on the one hand, and the spread of what are called " principles of equality " on the other, have to a certain extent modified the old-fashioned belief in the virtues of blood. Accordingly, a few remarks in justification of Family Records may perhaps not be altogether out of place. In days gone by, it must be acknowledged that ancestral glorifica- tion was sometimes so offensively indulged in, as to suggest such clever sayings as that of Sir Thomas Overbury, that the man who was always boasting of his pedigree resembled the potato, of which the best part is underground. At present, however, the " self-made man " is the object of " popular worship, and the "accident of birth —the circumstance of having been born a gentleman— is beginning to be regarded as a questionable advantage. To use the words of a living poet : " Tis not the world you knew, granny, its fetters have fallen off; The lowliest now may rise and rule where the proud used to sit and scoff. No need to boast of a scutcheoned stock, claim rights from an ancient wrong All are born with a silver spoon in their mouths whose gums are sound and strong." "It is highly laudable," says a writer in the 'Spectator,' "to pay respect to men who are descended from worthy ancestors, not only out of gratitude to those who have done or od to mankind, but as it is an 2 THE SENTIMENT OF BIRTH. encouragement to others to follow their example. But this is an honour to be received, not demanded, by the descendants of great men ; and they who are apt to remind us of their ancestors only put us upon making comparisons to their own disadvantage." In his sensible remarks on the topic in question, Sir Egerton Brydges says that " there is no subject more difficult to be dwelt on than that of honourable descent ; none on which the is world are greater sceptics, none more offensive to them ; and yet there no quality to which every one in his heart pays so great a respect." A reverence for ancestry, besides being inherent in human nature, exerts a salutary influence in fostering the praiseworthy desire to maintain the reputation of a family, and lends valuable aid in promoting the general prosperity of a nation.