The Historie and Descent of the House 95 Rowallane
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THE HISTORIE AND DESCENT O F TH E H OU SE 95 ROWALL ANE . SI R WI LL I AM 9 K N I GH T M 52? , O F ROVV A L L A N. R I N O R P RI OR TO W ITTEN , 1 6 57 . GLASGOW P RI NTED F OR CH AL M E RS AND COLLI NS. M DCCCXXV . __ TH E M OS T N OB L E F LORA M URE CAMPBELL , M ARCH I O N E O F H A TI N G SS S S , C O U N TE O F L O U D O U N B AR O N E M AU CH L I N E SS , SS , 1 8 m. &c . 8 0. I N H E R OWN R I G H T ( , ) {flifiis 3&is tn ry OF TH E H S OF ROWALL AN OU E , ’ PUBLISHED F M THE M ANUSCRI PT OF HER LADY SHIP S ANCESTOR RO , I S M O S T R E S P E C T F UL L Y I NS C B E R I D , THE D E I TOR. P R E F A C E. TH E following Genealogical History of his ancestors from the pe n of SI R WI L L I AM M U RE , was lately found in the castle of Ro wallan , together with a variety of his poetical manuscripts , amongst a miscellane ous collection of old family papers . It is , probably, notwithstanding the eminent an ti uit q y, rank , and high alliance of the family it to which refers , the only detailed account of them which has ever appeared . ff n In o ering, then , the present publicatio m to the attention of the curious , to who only we expect it will be mainly interesting, a little further apology, it is trusted , will p it pear necessary . Though may seem very l doubtfu , whether the Author ever contem vi plated the publication of this history, yet, it certainly bears such ample testimony of u his ed cation , and literary acquirements , as may probably make it Vie with any similar composition of that, or any prior time . The t sta e of our public history and records , in e down to the time qu stion , forbids the expectation of historical exactness in the n arrative b ut w h e r more early parts of the r ever errors have been observed , they have , a s . far as possible , been corrected As illustrative , however, of former man ners and usages , productions of this nature m c ust, no doubt, ever derive their hief value ; yet, the origin and progress of the f amily, which has here been delineated , through the various fortunes and changes evolved by the long period of well nigh six hundred years , may not be found altogether without a m ore special claim on the regard of even the most general reader ; whilst it cannot fail to afford matter of far deeper i n t e re s t o t o the contemplation of the moralist -i n their struggles thro ugh many a dismal v ii b day of lawless turbulence and loodshed , before the blessings of civilization and con s n equent security, had re dered existence n the useful , or society i teresting ; and place w they were after ards , through a long period of the history of their country, destined to o ccupy . The fortune of Elizabeth , whose virtu es and beauty recommended her t o the h has n eir of theacrown , the grace of fictio with the re lity of truth , and every reader will rejoice that time has n o w rem o ved the mistakes that posterity had fallen into re gardin g her marriage . The reader will pro bably lament the shortness of the graphic ” sketch of the w ais to r Rud - like many other ancient Scottish families , their history bears testimony to the fatal days of Flodde n and Pinkie . To a number of readers , the notices which have been reco vered of the pious and poetic Sir William , our Author, it is hoped , may not be less interesting ; ff and the su erings of his posterity, during d the troubles of the Church of Scotlan , are worthy of record . pains have been spared to the every, even the minutest peculiarity of u original man script ; the exact orthography, e xc e contractions, and, with scarcely any p tion , even the punctuation , have all been scrupulously retained . h The Editor acknowledges , wit gratitude, the kind assistance which he has received JOH N F U L L ARTON . O ve rto un from , Esq of , to whom the reader is indebted for many of the illustrative notes . WI LLIAM M UI R. Glas ow A ril 18 25. g , p , TH E H ISTORIE AND DESCENT OF T H E F H OU SE O ROWAL L ANE . AM ONG a great many papers , confusedly cast by in a private corner, as Judged ‘ w s e le s or w n w o rthie roome among oyl s of O c c ure d s e arc h e better consequence , to my , c olle c ti o n e s s e ve rall divers of times , intend ing (as would app e are ) the keeping in memorie qt hath been transmitted from o n e r i v generation to another, for clea c ng p s ev e i all the passages of Things , Tymes , 85 p e I s o n e s z Relating to this familie In the l‘ Cll ref r 8c s e ve rall o f w fo athe s branches y , furnishing a ground to me for Re d uce in g the same to some method, Having com pare d qt hath thus come to my k n owledge t Cro n i cl e w the historie, Evidence of the 85 w r te house, other adminicles of y in myne o w n e I u ff hand , have advent red to o er This h o ste riti e w C small peace of labour to p , as draw n e v p wt o u t affectation or [the] least expectation of the meanest gale of pgais e or applause, It is the wish and earnest de syre of my heart That it may be taken off t m w e uall 85 s ob rie tie y hands q moderation , 8: made vs e of (man elie ) by those concern e d as ane m e m o riall of spe ciall mercie and ane meane tending to stirring vp to thank fulln e s in the acknowledgement of the con stant c ourse of the g o o dn e s of Go d to w s s o n raio n s throughout many g e e t e . As the p e n I mploy e d in this subject would be made vs e of by a trembling hand (Ou r carnall spirits yeilding so e as ilie to be w t n aturall tickled , And too too Taken a propension of Glo rie i n g in our fl e shli e per o ative s ffo r e tti n m e n g , g g That for to seek ‘ l i I s G t G o d y own glor e not lorie , And y , whose glorie is above the heavens the e arth will n o t dispe n s e to gi ve his glorie to 1 1 t t an o ther; w o ut his b r oad C urse w it ; 8: ’of o ff ing downe y , Cutting his branches , shaking of his leaves 8: scatterin g of his e rs o n e s fruite . ) All p interessed would t a th e t b V OH guard g fi ng aYPfi fii bfi fi fl g P this accompt And beg grace not to be hie m n d d I e . e s e c t y , but feare In p of this rock {Te m ti o n fi x Sin re adilie e n s ue in I of p g , m m s are in lie have the ore p g set hand to paper, ke e t v t s And till this time p p by me, q diver years agoe I had w t no s m al ai n e s Col l e c te d 8: c o mitte d to w ryte Caused to be draw ne forth to theeye By the vpo n paiTt b hm e n t n d I i n 1 l rd Y e t c o Sid e g . That the o who buildeth the house giveth Children 85 suc cession for ane h e re tage the fr uite of the wombe for his re w arde 2 . That Childrens Children are the C ro w n e of old age 8: the l f f rS a . g orie of Children ar y y , in the lord 3 . That it hath not o n lie past as a laudable and re c e ave d practise w t all honored for h u m p e learn e in g but that eve n the l l j w i lqly 1 2 ghost by the penmen of scripture hath Pun c tuallie left on register the s eve rall Tribes of God ’ s people from the beginning h h l ff r c fo r most gly ends .