3390 ACCOUNT OF THE DUNDONALD FAMILY. cover it, Cochran petitioned the council that he might be sent to the king; for he had some secrets of great importance which were not fit to be communicated to any but to the king himself. He was upon that brought up to London; and after he had been for some time in private with the king, the matters he had discovered were said to be of such importance, that in consideration of that the king pardoned him. It was said he had discovered all their negotiations with the Elector of Brandenburg and the Prince of Orange. But this was a pretence only, given out to conceal the bargain; for the prince told me he had never once seen him. The secret of this came to be known soon after.”—Vol. i. fol. 634. Lord Macaulay's account of the same event as regarded my ancestor, for it is from this Sir John Cochrane that the present branch of our family is descended, will complete all which is necessary to be alluded to in this place. "With Hume (Sir Patrick) was connected another Scottish exile of great note, Sir John Cochrane, second son of the Earl of Dundonald. The great question was, whether the Highlands or the Lowlands should be the seat of war. The Earl (Argyle) wished to establish his authority over his own domains, and to take possession of the ancient seat of his family, at Inverary. But Hume and Cochrane were impracticable, seeing that amongst his own mountains and lakes, and at the head of an army of his own tribe, he would be able to bear down their opposition, and to exercise the full authority of a general. They said that the Campbells took up arms neither for liberty nor for the Church of God, but for Mac Callum More alone. Cochrane declared he would go to Ayrshire, if he went by himself, and with nothing but a pitchfork in his hand. Argyle, after long resistance, consented, and Cochrane and Hume were at the head of a force to invade the Lowlands. ACCOUNT OF THE DUNDONALD FAMILY. 31 "Ayrshire was Cochrane's object, and the coast was guarded by English frigates. A party of militia lay at Greenock, but Cochrane, who wanted provisions, was determined to land. Hume objected, but Cochrane was peremptory. Cochrane entered Greenock, and procured a supply of meal, but found no disposition to insurrection. "Cochrane, having found it impossible to raise the population on the south of the Clyde, rejoined Argyle in Bute. The Earl again proposed to make an attempt on Inverary, and again encountered pertinacious opposition. The seamen sided with Hume and Cochrane. The Highlanders were absolutely at the command of their chieftain. "Cochrane was taken and sent to London He held amongst the Scotch rebels the same rank which had been held by Grey in the West of England. That Cochrane should be forgiven by a prince vindictive beyond all example seemed incredible. But Cochrane was the younger son of a rich family; it was, therefore, only by sparing him that money could be made out of him. His father, Lord Dundonald, offered a bribe to the priests of the royal household, and a pardon was granted." The history of the succeeding Earls of Dundonald, down to the failure of issue in the first branch, is thus detailed by Crawfurd. “William, first Earl of Dundonald, married Euphemie, daughter of Sir William Scot of Ardross, in comitatu de Fife, by whom he had two sons and a daughter. "1. William Lord Cochran, who dyed in the flower of his Age, Anno 1680, leaving Issue by the Lady Catherine his Wife, Daughter of John Earl of Cassils, John who succeeded his Grand-father in the Honour, William Cochran, of Kilmaro nock, a Member of Parliament for the Burgh of Wigtoun, and the other towns in that District and one of the Commissioners for keeping her Majesty's Signet, Sir Alexander 32 ACCOUNT OF THE DUNDONALD FAMILY. Erskin, Lord Lyon, and John Pringle, of Haining, being joined in Commission with him. He married Grisel, Daughter of James, second Marquis of Montrose, and has issue; Thomas Cochran of Polkely, third Son, dyed without children; Alexander Cochran, of Bonshaw, the youngest; also three Daughters; 1st. Margaret, married to Alexander Earl of Eglintoun. 2nd. Helen, to John Earl of Sutherland. 3rd. Jean, to John Viscount of Dundee, and afterward to William Viscount of Kilsyth. "2nd. son, Sir John Cochran of Ochiltree, in Air-shire, Likewise a Daughter Grisel, married to George Lord Ross. "This Earl gave way to Nature in the spring of the Year 1686, and was by his own Direction interr'd in the Paroch Church of Dundonald, without any Funeral Monument, but upon his Escutcheon I find the Arms of these noble and ancient Families. "To William Earl of Dundonald succeeded John his Grandson and Heir, a nobleman of great Goodness and excellent Parts; he dyed in the prime of his Years, Anno 1691, regrated by all those who knew him, leaving Issue by the Lady Susanna his Wife, Daughter of William Duke of Hamilton, two Sons, William who succeeded in the Honours, but dyed unmarried the 19th of November 1705. And "John married Anne Daughter of Charles Earl of Dun ACCOUNT OF THE DUNDONALD FAMILY. 333 more, a Lady who wanted no Vertue to make her an acceptable Wife; she dyed in 1711, universally lamented, whose Conduct in all Conditions of Life render'd her Loss a lasting Grief to her Relations, he had by her a Son and three Daughters. 66 "William Lord Cochran, "Lady Anne, "Lady Catherine, "Lady Susanne. 66 ARMS. Argent, a chiveron; Gules, betwixt three Boars Heads, Azure, supported by two Ratch Hounds of the first; Crest, a Horse, Argent, Motto, Virtute et Labore." CHAPTER I. MY BOYHOOD, AND ENTRANCE INTO THE NAVY. ALIENATION YOUNGER BRANCH SUCCEEDS TO EARLDOM. HELD IN ESTIMATION. -EARLY REMINISCENCES. My birth is recorded as having taken place on the 14th of December 1775, at Annsfield in Lanarkshire. My father was Archibald, ninth Earl of Dundonald; my mother, Anna Gilchrist, daughter of Captain Gilchrist, a distinguished officer of the Royal Navy.* My father was descended from John, the younger son of the first earl-noticed in the introductory chapter as the compatriot of Argyll. On default of issue in the elder branch of the family the title devolved on my grand * One action of my maternal grandfather is worthy of record. On March 28th 1758, upwards of a century ago, he commanded the Southampton, 32, and when in company with the Melampe, 24, Captain Hotham, fell in with two French frigates off Yarmouth. The Melampe, being the faster sailer, came up first, and was so disabled that she fell astern before the Southampton got within range. On the Melampe falling off, one of the frigates made sail, and got away. The Southampton then engaged the other, and after a six hours' contest, carried on with equal bravery on both sides, she |