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Archiver > NIR-DOWN > 2007-10 > 1192596940
From: "Mike Boyd" <>
Subject: Re: [NIR-DOWN] The Montgomery Manuscripts: (1605-1706),Rev George Hill, 1869 - Col David Boyd
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:55:40 +1000
References: <694693.18032.qm@web86006.mail.ird.yahoo.com><00a401c80e41$85af7230$0100000a@DD4KCF1S><001801c80e83$26d1afc0$26f64518@ownercc2198af2>
Hugh this is what I currently have on Colonel David Boyd. I expect that as
I go through more of the papers I collected in September, I will be able to
add more on him.
M10 Colonel David Boyd, of Tourgill, a natural son, b / /156x ( ), d /
/16xx, living 1613 and died before 1623 ( ), bu , Ireland?, m / /15xx,
Margaret Wallace, Lady Hayning, a widow, dau of Wallace, b / /15xx ( ), d /
/16xx ( ), bu , and had issue:-
[Lived: ]
- He had letters of legitimation under the Great Seal 11 July 1582, and a
grant of the lands of Tourgill 8 August 1598. David Boyd of Tourgill,
Provost, appears as a witness at Edinburgh 6 November 1613. (Why was he made
legitimate in 1582? Was this the date that he turned 21 years? - Mike Boyd's
questions)
- From the limited information - at September 2007 - of Colonel David, it is
very hard to estimate his age. During my trip to Scotland in September 2007,
I found that he was a Colonel in the 1580's [CHECK NOTE BOOK AND PAPERS FOR
DATE AND SOURCE]. In this period his father would have bought his
Commission. You would also expect that he bought other junior ranks prior to
this commission. [CAN THESE PURCHASES BE FOUND?]. To be made a Colonel you
would expect David to have been late 30's or even early 40's. This would
suggest that his father had him while married Lady Margaret Colquhoun.
Perhaps through a mistress. [IF HE MARRIED LADY HAYNING IN ABOUT 1600'S,
COULD THIS BE A SECOND MARRIAGE? HOW DO YOU FIND OUT?]
The Montgomery Manuscripts: (1605-1706), Rev George Hill, 1869, p 41, says
"Colonel David Boyd, [M10], was a cadet of the Kilmarnock family. On the 2d
of August 1609, Conn O'Neil, with the consent of Sir Hugh Montgomery,
granted to colonel David Boyd the townland of Ballymacharret, with one
parcel of land without the woods, called Stranmore, in the parish of
Knockcolomchille, in Upper Claneboy, bounded between the River of Belfast,
and the water of Stracharean, and the townland called Ballymurty - To hold
of the said Conn O'Neale, and his heirs male of his body, in free and common
soccage, yielding the rent of 2 Pound yearly, together with the rent
reserved to the king, as it is due out of other townlands, reserving to the
said Conn the right of patronage of the kirk of Glencolumechille, within the
parish whereof the said lands lie. These lands came afterwards into the
possession of James Cathcart, and passed from the latter to James Hamilton,
lord Clanaboy, before the year 1623 - Inquisition of 1623; Ulster
Inquisition, Down, No. 4, Car. I"
The Montgomery Manuscripts: (1605-1706), Rev George Hill, 1869, pp 52-53,
says "to Sir Hugh, who also adduced the afore mentioned Colonel David Boyd,
* who bargained for 1000 acres, in the Gray Abbey parish, Scottish
Cunningham measure, at 18 foot 6 inches to the perch or pole."
* "There is the following account of the grant to Boyd in the Inquisition of
1623: - 'We further find that said viscount Ards, by the name of sir Hugh
Montgomery, by his deed of feoffment, bearing date 7th September 1607, did
grant unto Colonel David Boyde, Esq., his heirs and assigns for ever, the
townes and lands of Ballymeskivie als Fitsthearton, Ballyheghlaye als
Castown, Ballymechertunere als the Great Bog, Ballymaccachow,
Ballytemplechrone als Owlstown, Ballygrange, and Ballychallock, being in the
whole 1000 acres of land, Scottish measure, after 120 acres to every hundred
acres, with appurtenances, as the same is marched and meared by the said
deed, to hold all and singular the premises, unto the said Colonel David
Boyde, his heirs and assigns, for ever, under the yearly rent of 16 pound
sterling, English money, to be paid at the feast of Pentecost, and St Martin
the buschapp, by even portions, and by other services and duties as provided
in the said deed. Robert Boyde, son and heir to said Colonel David Boyde, on
the 8th of December last was, and is in quit possession thereof, and of
every part and parcel thereof, by virtue of said grant, given unto said
Colonel David Boyde deceased.' A kings' letter was granted, directing a
commission to issue to inquire by inquisition what lands, tenements, and
hereditaments were purchased by colonel David Boyd, deceased, not being a
free denizen of either Ireland or England, from lord viscount Montgomery of
the Ards in Ulster; and of whom said lands ought to be held, and by what
tenures, rents, and services, and upon the return of said inquisition, in
consideration of the good and faithful services of David, to make a grant of
the same lands to his son, Robert Boyd. 22 March, 22 Jac. I.' - Cal. Pat.
Rolls, James I., p. 582. The above mentioned grant is thus grant is thus
referred to in the report of an Inquisition held at Downpatrick on the 4th
of September, 1633:- 'The viscount Mountgomerie was seised, as of fee, of
the townes and lands mentioned in a deed indented, made the 7th September
1607, between his lordship by the name of sir Hugh Montgomerie of Bradston,
knight, of the one parte, and colonel David Boyde, esq., of the other parte.
The said colonel David Boyde was a Scottishman, borne in the kingdom of
Scotland long before King James became King of England and Ireland, and at
the time of making of said deed he was not made a denison, by any letters
pattents. All the rents and other duties, reserved in and by the said deed,
are in arrear, since the year 1625.' - Ulster Inquisition, Down (40), Car. I
The family residence of the Boyds was in Castletown or Ballycastle, # , as
the place is called in the report of a post-mortem Inquisition held at
Downpatrick, on the 4th of October, 1636. - Ibid. (75), Car. I.
Ballycastle(which is now included, with most of the others lands held by the
Boyds, in the Mountstewart demese) is supposed to have been so called from
the castle occupied by Thomas Smith, Jun., during the short interval between
his coming to take possession of the Ards, as granted by Elizabeth in 1572,
and his assassination by the natives in the following year. For further
account of the Boyd family, see Appendix C."
However, Appendix C was not in any copy of this book held at Ballymena
Library in March 2007.
# Ballycastle townland is situated about 1 kms north of Mountstewart on the
Ards Pen.
When I was in Belfast in September, I did not have enough time to follow up
on where these townlands are in County Down. But I have found that "
Castletown or Ballycastle" is a km north of Mount Stewart
I had always though that these "1,000 acres" were in the Ballyhalbert and
Portavogie area but I found that so it may mean that the land was not in one
single block.
Mike Boyd
Brisbane
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