The 1st Marquis of Montrose Society
The 1st Marquis of Montrose Society was formed in 1996 and was the inspiration of Alan Macpherson Yr. of Cluny.
Welcome to the website of the 1st Marquis of Montrose Society.
The society is committed to preserving and furthering the memory of James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, and the extraordinary period in which he lived. As a registered charity, the society is a collection of members who share the same interests in the marquis, the British Civil Wars (1638-1654) and seventeenth-century Scotland.
Please feel free to browse the website for more information on the marquis of Montrose and the activities of the society. We hope you might even consider joining our membership today!
Montrose’s Metrical Prayer
Montrose’s military skills and achievements are well known, but he was also an accomplished poet. When, in May 1650, he was imprisoned in Edinburgh’s Tolbooth and condemned to death, on his final night on earth he penned what we now know as his ‘Metrical Prayer’ by scratching it on the window of his cell. The words of this prayer clearly show his piety and his unshaken belief that God would take him to him and ‘raise him with the just’.
Let them bestow on ev’ry airth a limb;
Then open all my veins, that I may swim
To thee, my maker, in that crimson lake;
Then place my parboil’d head upon a stake,
Scatter my ashes, strew them in the air;
Lord (since thou know’st where all these atoms are)
I’m hopeful thou’lt recover once my dust,
And confident thou’lt raise me with the just.
That Montrose could write so eloquently just hours before his execution displays not just admirable ability, but also astonishing focus and strength of character.
Events & Projects
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Join Us
If you have an interest in James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose, and the fascinating history of Scotland in the 17th century, why don’t you join us?
New members are always welcome.