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 it on him (ib. pp. 310-11), and on 13 April following he was infeft in the earldom, under the designation of Alexander Montgomerie, Earl of Eglinton, Lord Montgomerie and Kilwinning. According to tradition the king was finally induced to this decision through the interposition of his favourite, Robert Car, earl of Somerset, after Eglinton had explained to him that, though ignorant of the intricacies of law, he knew the use of the sword, and had intimated that he would challenge the favourite to a duel unless the opposition to his assumption of the title were withdrawn. From the incident Eglinton, who was a very skilful swordsman, obtained the surname of 'Graysteel.' In 1617 James when in Scotland paid a visit to Eglinton. The latter was one of the Scots nobles who on 7 May 1625 attended the funeral of King James in Westminster Abbey (, Annals, ii. 118). He formed one of the procession at the state entry of Charles into Edinburgh on 15 June 1633 (ib. iv. 354) ; at the coronation on 18 June he carried the spurs (ib. p. 357) ; and at the rising of the parliament on 24 June he carried the sword (ib. p. 364).

From an early period Eglinton was a staunch presbyterian, chiefly owing to the influence jof David Dickson or Dick [q. v.], minister of Irvine, who he affirmed was 'the instrument to reclaim him from popery,' the traditional faith of the Montgomeries. He was one of the commissioners who at the parlialiament of 1621 voted against the five articles of Perth (, vii. 498). After Dickson was deprived of his ministry at Irvine for publicly protesting against the five articles, the earl obtained for him liberty 'to come to Eglinton and to visit now and then his family at Irvine, but not to preach there' (ib. p. 541). On his arrival Eglinton arranged that he should preach in the hall of the castle, and afterwards in the close, when the multitudes who thronged to hear him became too great for the hall ; but after two months he was ordered to proceed to ward (ib.} Eglinton was, however, ultimately successful in obtaining consent to his return to Irvine (ib. p. 568).

Eglinton was no doubt further confirmed in his presbyterianism by intercourse with Robert Baillie [q. v.], minister of Kilwinning. He was one of the noblemen who after the tumult in St. Giles's Church, Edinburgh, on account of the introduction of the prayer-book, presented a petition against it (, Memoirs, p. 25). He also took an active part in the movement for the preparation of the national covenant (ib. p. 137), and was a witness of the oaths of the people to it (, Letters and Journals, i. 88). He attended the general assembly of 1638 as commissioner from the presbytery of Glasgow, and was one of the committee appointed by the assembly for taking in complaints against the bishops (, Scots Affairs, ii. 29). When in 1639 it was resolved to withstand by force of arms the attempt of Charles to concuss the covenanters, Eglinton 'came away with the whole country at his back' (, Letters and Journals, i. 201), and joined the force which under Leslie encamped at Dunse Law to bar the northward march of the king. In April 1640 he was along with Argyll deputed by the convention of estates to watch the western parts of Scotland against the landing of forces from Ireland, the portion assigned to him being that south of the Firth of Clyde (, iii. 163). After Charles had come to a temporary agreement with the Scots, Eglinton was on 17 Sept. 1641 nominated one of the privy council (, Annals, iii. 67), and the choice was confirmed by parliament on 13 Nov. (ib. p. 149). He was also one of the committee appointed to inquire into the 'Incident' or supposed plot against Argyll (ib. p. 127).

In 1643 Eglinton was appointed to the command of a regiment of horse in the army sent by the Scots to the assistance of the English parliament against the king (, Memoriall of the Trubles, ii. 294). He was present at the siege of York in April-June 1644, and on one occasion, with four thousand Scots, entered some of the gates and made a passage to the manor-house, a strong party who sallied out of the city being beaten back with loss (, Memorials, p. 90). At the battle of Marston Moor, 2 July 1644, he rendered signal service by keeping his ground with his regiment when the charge of Prince Rupert swept the remainder of the left wing into confusion (, ii. 204 ; also Full and True Relation of the Victory obtained by the Forces under command of General Lesley, Lord Fairfax, and the Earl of Manchester, 1644). Shortly afterwards he returned to Scotland, and was present at the meeting of parliament on 28 July (, Annals, iii. 240). He was one of the committee of estates appointed in 1645 to consider the petition of General Baillie for a trial regarding his conduct at the battle of Kilsyth, and on 30 Jan. 1646 was named one of the committee of estates during the interval between the sessions of parliament.

Eglinton disapproved of the 'Engagement' of 1648 to march into England for the relief of the king, and after the defeat of Hamilton at Preston headed the raid of the western 