|
||
| Where to start, I wonder? What do you know of my family and me? In the 12th Century, my ancestor came to Ayrshire and obtained a charter for the manor of Cunninghame from Hugh de Morville, Lord High Constable of Scotland. So began the family name. | ||
|
Richard de Cunninghame appeared as a witness to a grant of lands in the early 1200's. For bravery at the Battle of Largs in 1263, Hervey de Cunninghame received the lands of Kilmaurs from Alexander III, creating the Laird Kilmaurs. When James III, in 1488, granted an Earldom to Alexander de Cunninghame, he, Alexander, took the title from the Glenncairn lands, which he had obtained through his marriage to Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Dennieston of Glen Cairn. He was the King’s Baillie of Cunninghame until the title was taken from him and given to his neighbors and rivals, the Montgomeries of Eglinton, and we haven’t gotten along with them since. |
 |
William, the 3rd Earl of Glenn Cairn had a charter in 1498 to the Lands and Barony of Kilmaurs; the lands of Skelmorlie and others in Ayr; together with other lands in Renfrewe, Stirling, Dumbarton, Larrick, Dumfries on the Border, Edinburgh, Selkirk, and Berwick. In 1499, he had Knight of Redhall, in Edinburgh, and Lonlands, in Ayr. By 1511, he had restored to himself the charter of Earldom and Barony of Glen Cairn. |
|
|
In 1526 he was commissioned Lord High Treasurer, a post he held for four years. But that’s another story. The Duke of Norfolk captured William at Solway Moss, but Grandfather argued successfully for his release upon payment of £1000 Sterling and his signature on an agreement to promote a match between Edward and little Mary Stuart. He told me this was a difficult thing to do. But he did it for the family name, not himself. He also signed a pact with King Henry VIII and the Earl of Lennox guaranteeing a pension to himself and his heirs, in exchange for his undertaking to have Henry named Protector of Scotland, and delivering the lands, and Mary, into Henry's hands. In this effort my father was defeated by Arran near Glasgow and was forced to take refuge in England. Later that year, 1544, he received remission for all crimes and treasons of which he may have been charged. He died four years later, in 1548, at which time I, Alexander, became the 5th Earl. |
As my father had done before, I found it in the family’s best interest, most importantly my mother, Catherine, who was the daughter of William, 3rd Lord Barthwicke, to maintain intercourse with London. So, I have openly supported the English Party in Scotland and the Reformation. Why, only two years after I became the Earl, I was touring France with the Queen mother, Marie de Guise and young Mary, encouraging Mary’s marriage into the royal family of England. In 1556, at Easter, John Knox visited my home at Finlayson and dispensed communion. My mother pled illness and stayed at Kilmarnock Castle to avoid him. In 1559, I assured their confidence once again by rescuing the Party of the Congregation from certain destruction at the hands of the French troops of the Regent. I was quite a picture, I believe, riding over the hill near Perth with my men-at-arms, numbering about 2500. I continue to be a staunch supporter of the Lords of the Congregation of Jesus Christ. I have always been less than shy and love to dress well and attend court. I am a Scot, no doubt about that, but I act in my family’s best interest first. |
There has been some trouble on my lands in Dumfries, and lately I have spent much of my time there in the company of several families of allies. Although some may be called Reivers and Scoundrels, I find them trustworthy and daily prove the same to them. They are quite an assortment of people. They are Borderers, highlanders, Welshmen, Irishmen, and a few Englishmen who found themselves north of the border and sought safety in numbers. Among their number are members of the Armstrong, Kerr, MacLean, MacNeil, and Henderson clans. All of these families are known in some quarters as villains. The Highlanders and devout Catholics have no love for us. Our friends outside the cadre are few. We do travel some above the border, looking for trinkets and plunder to send to the young Queen Elizabeth to support her effort to successfully annex Scotland and to provide for our existence, as well. I visit The Queen occasionally, taking some of the locals with me. They call themselves the Border League, and since I’m the only one who has safe conduct south of the Border, they openly follow me. Each wears a swatch of my family tartan to identify themselves as under my protection and, therefore, under the protection of the Crown. I don’t know what they say behind my back. I hope that the unpleasantness will end very soon. |