ftI tL.HV.l >$ National Library of Scotland m ii ii ii mi ii iiiiii ii •B000033403* Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/historicalgeneal1830pitc */t S /tfb /is//?//:// <l^ ( /', * T) '// /As-i / 7 L <A I. LOter />?/ Sir ZTtonzbuf JRennedy of-' &t?ze*xne>, Tutor of CafSilhs, in reply to the Z,<*/r</ e>/' J}<r/y<rri//,s- Cartel. Seep. // c%% n. Character of GOhert JZZnmetty afSotryant/. See p. >/. fC<**, Forrester Iifliog : G. nk L./r HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE NAME OF KENNEDY. FROM AN ORIGINAL MS. WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, &c. BY ROBERT PITCAIRN, WRITER TO HIS MAJESTY'S SIGNET, F.S.S.A., AND HON. F.S.A., PERTH, &C. EDINBURGH WILLIAM TAIT; AND JOHN STEVENSON. LONDON: LONGMAN AND CO. M.D.CCC.XXX. ' TwiXT WlGTOUNE AND THE TOWN OF AIRE, Akd l a i g h down bythe C r u v e s of Cree, you shall not get a lodging there, Except ye court a Kennedy!' BANNATYNE CLUB PRESS, BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. PREFATORY NOTICE. THE following Historical and Genealogical Account of the principal Families of the Name of Kennedy, is appended to an Anonymous MS. Chronicle of Scottish Affairs, from the earliest periods to the reign of King James VI, which is preserved in the truly valuable Library of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh ; and is now presented to the public, in its present form, through the liberal permission of the Curators of that National Institution, as it may with much propriety be termed. The remarkable events detailed in this MS. History of the Kennedies induced the Editor to prepare it for the press, originally, with the view of explaining many of the incidents which are related in the extraordinary Trial of the Mures of Auchindrayne, for the murder of Sir Thomas Kennedy of Colzeane, Tutour of Cassillis, and of William Dalrymple, &c. ; but the numerous notices which it contains, illustrative of the History of Carrick, and of the inveterate and deadly Feuds which prevailed in Ayrshire and Galloway, &c, and especially, within the Bailiary of Carrick, induced him to extend his researches, iv PREFATORY NOTICE. for the purpose of affording to the reader suitable explanations of the many minute, but often obscure, events which it records. The state of society and of manners which are here unfolded, are of such lively interest, and are so novel in their details, even to the most ardent enquirers into the private history of the people of Scotland, at and previous to the accession of King James to the English throne, that it was deemed advisable that the present work should be accompanied with pretty copious Notes and Illustrations. An Appendix of hitherto un- published Papers, relating to the history and statistics of the districts embraced by the author, as the general scene of the exploits which he so graphically narrates, was likewise considered as a necessary accompani- ment. A Glossary and a copious Index of persons and places conclude the work. For the satisfaction of the antiquary, a facsimile of the original MS. from which the History has been taken, together with an old Genealogi- cal Tree of the Family of Cassillis, drawn up by another hand, shortly after the date of these Annals of the Kennedies, have also been added, as suitable illustrations. With regard to the author, nothing satisfactory can at present be as- certained, farther than the internal evidence afforded by his work ; which seems clearly to prove him to have been a strenuous adherent to Bar- gaky's faction, and of course a zealous antagonist of the Earls of Cas- sillis. He is likewise a very keen supporter of all the transactions in PREFATORY NOTICE. v which the elder Auchindrayne was concerned; so much indeed, that the Editor was at one time convinced, that the work had been penned in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, by that extraordinary man, as a relaxation and amusement during the long confinement which preceded his trial. In favour of such theory it might be urged, that the letters and speeches of Auchindrayne, given in the course of the History, savour much of the dry and caustic humour of the author. The author omits no opportunity of giving a favourable gloss, even to the most indefensible parts of Auch- indrayne's conduct, in every affair in which he has occasion to name him. He always assigns him a very prominent part in every feud, &c, and stu- diously amplifies in all instances which relate to him ; and he acts the part of a professed apologist of all his actions. He is uniformly present, as an eye-witness and auditor, at every conference, however secret, and details the very words uttered, excepting in the case of the diabolical plot to waylay and murder the Tutor of Cassillis, where he incautiously says, " quhatt wordis was amangis thame, I will not repeitt it"—evidently inferring, that he was present, or was perfectly aware of all that passed, from the best authority. The narrative terminates most abruptly, at the period of the public accusation of Auchindrayne and his son, as being guilty of the lad Dalrymple's murder. These circumstances, however, are in themselves but slender and un- satisfactory. But it may confidently be asserted, that the author was a person of family, and of considerable influence in Carrick—that he was most intimately connected with the leading actors —and that he was bu- sily engaged in the various events which he so admirably records. vi PREFATORY NOTICE. It appears to be unnecessary, in this place, to enter into any recapitu- lation of the subject matter of the History, which has been as carefully illustrated, in the course of this work, as the Editor's present opportunities permitted. Having been engaged for a considerable time in collecting suitable materials for this purpose, every source which fell within the range of his observation and research has been applied to ; and much that is entirely new to the general reader has been obtained, from the most authentic MSS ; which, indeed, are known and consulted by a very limit- ed number of those who may have occasion to peruse these pages. In conclusion* of this subject, it may be briefly noticed, that it appears ob- vious, that the same individual who wrote this account of the Kennedies, also compiled the Chronicle of Scotish Affairs, which forms the principal part of the same MS. volume from which this has been taken. Since these sheets were printed, the following notices of the curious Chronicle mentioned by the author, entitled, " The Black Book of Scone," (see pp. 1 and 75,) were found in Father Hay's Memoirs, Tom. II. Folio, MS. Adv. Library, W. 2. 3. p. 647 ; which the Editor thinks are worthy of being added to this Prefatory Notice, having been discovered too late for insertion in the Notes or Appendix. In his " Catalogue of Books relating to our Scots History," Father Hay states, that " The Black Booke of Scone was amongft Prefldent Spotfwood's books. It was given by Lewis Cant to Major-Generall Lambert, and by him to Collonell Fairfax." In another place, (p. 669,) he likewise mentions this remarkable fact, in relation to the same PREFATORY NOTICE. vii Volume—" Which Booke King Charles the First had ranfom'd from Rome, by a confiderable foume of money. It is certain Bifhop Spotfwood had it and the Black Booke of Pasley, fign'd by the hands of three Abbots, when he compil'd his Hiftory." It is very probable, therefore, that this Volume may still be in exist- ence, (likely in England)—and that this brief mention made of it may prove the means of its recovery, and of having it preserved in some Public Institution, such as the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, so as to be, at all times, accessible to the Historian. If it should be recovered, it is very likely that it would eventually be pre- sented to the public, in a proper form. The same author mentions the Black Books of Paisley and Plus- cardin, " quhich we find lifted amongft Bifhop Spotfwood's Books ;" the Black Book of Hamilton, which is quoted by John Knox, Lib. I. " p. 47, ad annum 1543 ; the Breviary of Aberdeen, printed in 1509, the 22 year of King James- the Fourt his Reign, impenfis Walteri Chap- man, mercatoris Edinburgenfis ;" the Chronicles of Melrose, Holy- rood, and in general all the MS. Chronicles, Chartularies, and Histories of Scotland, amounting to seventy-six. Towards the conclusion of his valuable Catalogue, Father Hay remarks, " The Black Booke of Pasley, frequently cited by Buchannan, together with the famous Booke of Pluscardin, I find lifted in the Catalogue of Bifhop Spotfwood's Library. Doctor Sibbald hath ane viii PREFATORY NOTICE. very old abridgement of the Booke of Pasley ; which Booke, Ufher cites, containing ane account of the memorable things which occurr'd in every year fmce our fettling in this Ifle, or rather, fince the creation, till King James the Firft's death. It is founded upon good grounds and warrands, and deferves the credit and applaufe it met with. The abridgement kept by Doctor Sibbald was extracted, per venerabilem virum Johannem Gibfon, Canovicum Glafgoenfem, et Rectorem de Ren- frew, anno 1501. The Hiftory of the Reed Friers or Trinitariens cites frequently the Booke of Dumfreise, which probably belong'd to the Gray Friers of that city.. Camerarius alfo cites the Chronicles of Dumfermelyne, Scone, Fragmentum Glasguense, Bruni Collec- tanea, Scoti Chronicon, Sinclare, the Breviarie of Aberdeen, Hunterus libro de Sanctis Scotis, Millus, Georgius Neutonus, Elphinftonius, Bre- viarium Scoticum, Martyrologium Sanctae Cruris, Georgius Thomfonius, Jacobus Ballindenus, Veremundi Hiftoria, Dempfterus, Adammannus de vita Sancti Columbei, &c.