on his return to Scotland the colonel, who mission from James. He first appeared in enjoyed the confidence of the king, became Denmark, where he added the Danish king his chief instrument in effecting the counter-to the list of royal suppliants for the rerevolution which released James from the storation of his wife's dowry; and in Decemcontrol of the Ruthven raiders, and brought ber 1586 he was in Paris closeted with Menback James Stewart, earl of Arran. The doza, to whom he explained that he came as earl and the colonel, notwithstanding some a secret agent from the catholic earls, who jealousy between them, now governed the were resolved with the aid of Spain to free king and country, and incurred the fierce the king from the hands of the English faction, hostility of the church. Stewart was made to secure liberty of conscience for catholics, a member of the privy council, and (July and finally to restore Scotland to the Roman 1583) received a grant of the priory of Pitten- church. To carry out this enterprise, said weem. As captain of the guard he vigorously Stewart (and in this he was supported by the supported the king, besieged and captured assurances of another catholic agent, Robert the Earl of Gowrie [see RUTHVEN, WILLIAM, Bruce), it would only be necessary to kill first EARL OF GOWRIE], at Dundee, brought four of the hostile lords-Angus, Boyd, him to his trial at Edinburgh, helped to frus- Hamilton, and Mar. In return for aid they trate the attempt of the insurgent lords at offered to molest the queen of England. Stirling, April 1584, and held Lord Maxwell Stewart,' wrote Mendoza to Philip, is a catholic himself although a politique.' It is not surprising after this to learn that the colonel was in great credit with Parma, and had at last recovered his wife's possessions. In the same year he was again in Denmark, busy apparently with James's matrimonial projects.

in check on the south.

Fontenay reported to Mary Stuart that James, according to the king's own account, valued Stewart simply as a fighting man, and had said that the colonel, though devoid of intelligence or gift of speech, was a brave and faithful servant. On one occasion Stewart had forgotten himself, and the king brought him to his knees by threatening to reduce him to the coquin et hélitre that he once was. Stewart, however, as the king must have soon discovered, possessed considerable diplomatic skill. At this moment he was bent on recovering his Flemish wife's property. He got the king to write on his behalf to Philip II, and he himself sent letters through Fontenay and Mary to Parma and Guise, as well as to the king of Spain; and he even induced Elizabeth to request as a favour from Mary Stuart that she should herself intercede for him with Parma, which Mary did on 13 May 1585 (LABANOFF). Fontenay told Nau that Stewart would be on Mary's side, if not from good will, at least from self-interest: this and money rule all the Scots nobles' (Hatfield MSS. 15 Aug. 1584).

In November 1585 there occurred another coup d'état on the part of the banished lords; and with the help of John, lord Maxwell and earl of Morton [q. v.], who from personal reasons had momentarily joined their party, they made the king a prisoner at Stirling. The Earl of Arran was dismissed; the colonel lost his office of captain of the guard, and was given into the custody of Maxwell, who took him to Dumfries. Stewart quickly accommodated himself to the change of circumstances, made friends with Maxwell, reappeared for a short time at court to the disgust of the church party, and slipped away or was dismissed to the continent with a secret

On his return to Scotland on the eve of the armada, Stewart found the king was no longer willing to give countenance to his Spanish intrigues; but Stewart, now bent on claiming from the Dutch the arrears of pay which he declared to be due to him for his former military services, persuaded the king to grant him letters of marque to enable him to extort forcible compensation from the Dutch merchants. The States-General, indignant at the audacity of these proceedings, sent envoys to Scotland with instructions to pass through London on their way. They were stopped by Elizabeth, who undertook to bring James to reason if they would leave the matter in her hands. Thus baffled, the Dutch despatched De Voecht and De Warck on a second mission direct to Leith, where they landed 17 May 1589. The result of the conferences which they held with James and his councillors, partly in the presence of Stewart, was not satisfactory to the Dutch, and a few years later they were compelled to pay to the colonel a large sum of money. No sooner had the envoys re-embarked than Stewart set sail for Aberdeen to join the earl marischal and others who were to complete the king's marriage with the Princess Anne. After many delays and adventures he finally commanded the six ships commissioned to bring back both king and queen from Denmark. His zeal in this matter raised him higher than ever in the king's favour. He became once more a member of the privy council, and in the summer of

1590 was sent as ambassador to the princes [Calderwood's History, iii. 714, iv. 422-50; of Germany. On, his return he was re- Tytler, viii. 77, 97, 153, 198, ix. 19, 320; Hatwarded for his great services to the king in field MSS. (Hist. Comm.), iii. 52, 57, iv. 600, foreign nations with a gift of ten thousand &c.; Cal. State Papers, Spanish, iii. 26, 183, merks and a further grant of lands (Privy 458, 471, 488, 681; Border Papers, i. 1583Council Reg. 12 Jan. 1591). A cloud passed 1588; Hamilton Papers, ii. 649, 697, 703; over him for a moment in 1592, when he Privy Council, Scotl. 1583-1606; Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot.; Colville's Letters (Bannatyne Club); was warded in the castle of Edinburgh on suspicion of being concerned in one of the Douglas's Peerage; Meteren's Hist. des Paysmad freaks of Bothwell; but in the follow-relating to the affairs of Colonel Stewart, the emBas, p. 310; Manuscript Reports and Papers ing year he was entrusted with an embassy bassy of De Voecht, &c., from the public archives to the Low Countries, having instructions at The Hague, now in course of publication by to form an evangelic alliance against the the Scottish History Society.] T. G. L. jesuits. He now received a grant of the lands of Houston, and was knighted on the occasion of the baptism of Prince Henry. In December 1594 Sir William Stewart of Houston went again as ambassador to the Low Countries, where he requested a loan of cavalry and infantry to fight against the catholic rebel earls. Two years later he was granted a commission as the king's lieutenant for the Isles and Highlands to establish the royal authority in Kintyre; in 1598 he was once more in Denmark, soliciting the king's goodwill in the prospect of James's accession to the English throne; and in the same year he was one of the 'gentlemen adventurers' who were appointed, at their own cost, to plant policy and civilisation in the hitherto most barbarous Isle of Lewis.

Stewart had meanwhile married, for a second time, a widow, Isabella Hepburn, the lady Pitfirrane, the daughter of Patrick Hepburn of Wauchton, 'not without suspicion of the murder of her former husband,' adds Calderwood (iv. 448). The suspicion may fix approximately the date of the marriage. For in 1585 the laird of Pitfirrane, provost of Edinburgh, having given offence to the clergy, the brethren commended the wrong to God, and 'within a few years after,' adds Calderwood, he was found fallen out of a window of his own house of Pitfirrane. 'Whether he threw himself out of a melancholious despair, casting himself, or by the violence of unkind guests ludgit within,' remarks James Melville, 'God knows' (Diary, p. 151). Stewart survived this marriage some eighteen years or more, dying between 1603 and 1606.

By Lady Pitfirrane Stewart had a daughter Anne, born 5 June 1595, and an only son Frederick, in whose favour the lands and baronies of the priory of Pittenweem were erected into a temporal lordship by act of parliament in 1606. Frederick was created a peer, under the title of Lord Pittenweem, on 26 Jan. 1609, but died childless on 16 Dec. 1625 (G. E. C[OKAYNE], Complete Peerage, 6. v. 'Pittenweem').

STEWART, SIR WILLIAM, first VISCOUNT MOUNTJOY (1653-1692), only son of Sir Alexander Stewart, was born six weeks after the death of his father, who fell fighting against Cromwell at Dunbar on 3 Sept. 1653. His grandfather, Sir William Stewart (d. 1662), was an undertaker for the plantation of Ulster, sat in the Irish parliament for co. Donegal, 1613-15, was created a baronet on 2 May 1623, and served with distinction against the Irish rebels, 1641-2 [cf. art. STEWART, SIR ROBERT]. The grandson was heir to much property in Donegal and Tyrone, and his wardship was given in 1660 to Sir Arthur Forbes, created earl of Granard, who had married his mother. In 1662 he succeeded his grandfather as second baronet. In 1675 he was appointed a commissioner for managing claims under the acts of settlement and explanation by protestant officers who served before 5 June 1649. In 1678 he was made custos rotulorum of co. Donegal. Although his father had been a presbyterian, the son was somewhat active against the ministers of that persuasion (REID, Hist. of Irish Presbyterians, ed. Killen, ii. 339). By patent dated 19 March 1682-3 he was created Baron of Ramelton and Viscount Mountjoy, and on 9 May 1684 was made master-general of the ordnance for life. He was also colonel of a regiment of foot and a privy councillor (Hist. MSS. Comm. 14th Rep. App. vii. 358).

The accession of James II made no immediate difference in Mountjoy's position, Clarendon describes him as ' very industrious in the king's service' (Clarendon and Rochester Correspondence, i. 249), and recommends him to Evelyn and others as an encourager of ingenuity' (ib. p. 251). Mountjoy went to England in 1686, and Clarendon charged him to represent the pitiful state of arms and stores in Ireland. Among other things, the muskets were of many different bores (ib. p. 547). Mountjoy intended to return in two months, but was induced to volunteer for foreign service, much to the

disgust of Clarendon (ib. p. 407), who regarded him as a check on Tyrconnel's growing power [see TALBOT, RICHARD, d. 1691]. He was dangerously wounded at the capture of Buda by the imperialists on 2 Sept. 1686. Returning to Ireland in 1687, Mountjoy was made a brigadier-general, with the pay of 4971. 10s. a year. Clarendon was gone, and Tyrconnel, as viceroy in his stead, was busy discharging protestant soldiers and replacing them by Roman catholic recruits. Mountjoy's regiment was quartered at Londonderry when William landed in Torbay. It had been less interfered with than others, and still consisted largely of protestants. Had it remained stationary, the famous siege might never have taken place; but Tyrconnel removed it to Dublin, to replace the Irish troops sent to help James in England. Londonderry was thus without a garrison at the critical moment. The anonymous letter to Lord Mount Alexander on 3 Dec. 1688 is now admitted to have been a hoax, but it put the protestants on their guard. Mountjoy was a tory of the passive obedience kind, and was inclined to put up with almost anything from his lawful king; but circumstances were too strong for him as for other protestants. On 7 Dec. the Londonderry apprentices, moved by an uncontrollable impulse, shut their gates against Lord Antrim's men. The graver citizens accepted the situation with many qualms, and invited Mountjoy's intercession in an apologetic letter (WITHEROW, Derry and Enniskillen, p. 39). The Roman catholics all left the town, and protestant guards were established.

sons were to remain within the walls as hostages, and the two companies, if withdrawn, were to be replaced by armed citizens (ib. App. p. 3). The soldiers were then admitted, and Lundy became governor.

From Londonderry Mountjoy went to Newtown-Stewart, where delegates from Enniskillen met him. He told them that they were too weak to resist, and that they must receive a garrison and trust to the king's protection. Allen Cathcart sharply replied that he could not protect himself' (MCCARMICK, Enniskillen). Mountjoy, after some reflection, said he would go to Enniskillen himself, cautioning the inhabitants to shed no blood in the meantime. Before he could carry out his resolution he was summoned by Tyrconnel to Dublin.

As a trusted leader of the protestants, with some knowledge of war, Mountjoy was in Tyrconnel's way, and he persuaded him to go to France on 10 Jan. 1688-9 with Sir Stephen Rice [q. v.] Mountjoy refused to sail until Tyrconnel promised upon his word and honour' that no more levies should be made, no additional troops sent into Ulster, no more arms issued, and no fresh commissions signed until King James's pleasure should be known. Tyrconnel did everything that he had promised not to do. Mountjoy was commissioned to tell James that Ireland was untenable, and that the viceroy considered it so; while Rice had secret orders to denounce his colleague as a traitor. Tyrconnel's admirers considered this a wise and seasonable dissimulation' (Jacobite Narrative, ed. Gilbert, p. 43).

On his arrival at Paris Mountjoy was As soon as the news reached Dublin, Tyr- thrown into the Bastille.If your majesty,' connel burned his wig in a rage, and des- wrote Avaux to Louis XIV, on 23 April patched Mountjoy and Robert Lundy [q. v.], 1689, had not ordered the arrest of Lord with six companies, to the scene of action. Mountjoy, and had allowed him to leave Mountjoy halted at Omagh, and sent a mes- France, as the king of England wished, the sage to Londonderry. Representatives of latter would never have been master of Irethe citizens came to him at Raphoe, and after- land, Lord Mountjoy having great power wards the acting-governor, George Philips there throughout the whole north.' Mount[q. v.], and others met him near St. Johns-joy's life appointment as master of the ordtown with full powers. They demanded a protestant garrison and a full pardon under the great seal. Mountjoy demurred, and it was not without some debate that he was admitted unattended within the walls. Philips resigned the governorship in his favour. On the 21st Mountjoy bound himself by articles with the town to procure a general pardon for the inhabitants of Ulster within fifteen days. Two companies only of his regiment-and these all, or nearly all, protestants-were to be admitted until after 1 March, and even then at least one half of the garrison were to be of the same religion. Mountjoy's two

nance was given to Justin Maccarthy, titular viscount Mountcashel [q. v.], and he was included in James's great act of attainder (7 May 1689) as not appearing in Ireland on the appointed day, although he was in the Bastille, and although he had gone to Paris by the viceroy's orders. After the battle of Newtown-Butler it was proposed to exchange him for Maccarthy, but the latter escaped. Ultimately, but not till 1692, Mountjoy was exchanged for Richard Hamilton [q. v. He had had enough of passive obedience, joined William's army as a volunteer, and was killed at Steenkirk on 3 Aug. following.