Collections towards a history of the county of Clackmannan

42
Stuart"
of friends, and was ever ready, in good natured
pride, to show the trophic of her house
— the helment and sword [of King Eobert
Bruce] — to the patriotic pilgrim of whatever
degree. On the guest of gentle blood, she
would sometimes confer the honor of knighthood
with the two handed sword ; nor did she con-
sider the ceremony entirely jocular, or barren of
distinction, though conscious that it went for
nothing in the Herald's College." Accordingly,
when Burns the poet visited Lady Clackmannan
in 1757 the venerated Heirloom was called into
requisition, and was applied to the bard's
shoulder with a hint that this act was no in-
fringement on the assumed rightsof "some folk."
In her Jacobite parlance the reigning family
were of course thus indicated, and in like spirit
her daily first toast were Hooee uncos,— the
howl used by Scotch shepherds to repel an
intruding flock, but her signifying " away wilt
the strangers set over us !" Another of her
knights was Henry Dundas, afterwards Lord
Melville, who, when a winsome youth, bent his
head before the sword of Bruce, and on rising
begged in courtly phrase to kiss the hand that
had conferred on him so great an honour.
" What ails ye at my mou, man f replied the
blunt holder of the royal blade ; a challenge
which the future statesman was too gallant to
evade. This anecdote I owe to Mr Keith
Milnos, now probably sole survivor of the Clack-
mannan chevaliers," Memoirs of Sir Eobert
Strange by Dennistoun 1865. The following
obituary was drawn up by Andrew Qumiodon,
private secretary to the Smart - P rinces, for one
of the journals of the period :— " Mrs Katharine
Bruce, daughter of Mr Bruce of Newton, and
widow of Henry Bruce of Clackmannan, Esq..
died at the castle of Clackmannan on Friday,
the 4th November 1791, in the 95th year of her
age. Long as this lady's life was, alas, it was
too short for those who had the happiness to
know her ! Possessed of every virtue and
every amiable quality that adorns her sex, she
was a pattern worthy to be imitated by all.
Her conduct through life, her hospitality and
dignity of character, reflected a new lustre on
the ancient and noble family of Bruce." Twelve
years before her death this venerable dame was
portrayed in a rare etching by David Allan,
with the Bruce arms supporters.
337.— 8th March, 1771.— Will of Keturah
Bruce of Hatton Garden, London, widow of
the Hon. Jas. Bruce of Garlet. . . "I give to
the two eldest sons of my son Joseph Osborne
Bruce, Esq., namely, James Conrade Bruce and
Barwick Bruce the sum of £500 each, and to his
third son, Samuel Laroque Bruce, £200 sterling,
to be paid to them at their respective ages of
21 years, and in case either of them die before
the said age his share is to go to the survivors
with interest arising therefrom." . . Also other
bequests to the above named James Conrade
Bruce, to her grand-daughter Keturah S. Bruce,
daughter of her late son Alexander Bruce
deceased, all her debt and demand with all
interest due thereon from the Estate of Sarah
Logan, To her daughter Keturah Pilgrim, the
furniture of her house in Hatton Garden, and
all her linen, china, plate, &c.,— states that she
would have given her a larger share of her
affection had she not chosen to decline the
same in favour of her sister. To her brother
Johu French, Esq., her son-in-law, the Rev.
J, Pilgrim ; the Rev. Mr W. Duke, Charles
Branford, Esq., John Martin, attorney at law
now residing in Barbadoes, and Mr John Bar-
clay of London the sum of ,£4000 in trust for
her daughter Elizabeth Straker wife of James
Straker, she paying yearly an annuity to her
son, Joseph Osborne Bruce, during his natural
life ; to her niece Leonora French £ 50 ; to her
niece, Elizabeth Sharpe, £100, and all the rest
and residue of her Estate not otherwise disposed
of, of what kind or nature soever, to her
daughter, Elizabeth Straker, she paying all
debts, legacies and personal expenses. Appoints
her brother, John French, and. her sons-in-law,
the Rev. John Pilgrim, and James Straker, the
younger executor of her last will and testament
bequeathing to both of them a ring of £20 value.
Dated 8th March, 1771, and proved In London
3d February, 1775.
Mrs Keturah Bruce, the widow of the Hon.
James Bruce of Garlet, Chief Justice of Barba-
does, whose Will is given at No. 326, was buried
beside her husband in the vault under the
Parish Church of All Hallows, Staning, Mark
Lane, London, January 23, 1775. His grand-
son, Barwick Bruce, mentioned in this Will,
became on the death of his elder brother, James
Conrade Bruce, Esq., the representative of the
Garlet branch of the family. He married Miss
Amabel Walrond, and by her was grandfather of
William Downing Bruce, Barrister at Law,
formerly of Kilbagie, and now residing in Lon-
don, the present representative of the Bruces of
Garlet.
No, 338.— August 6th, 1772.— Charter of
the lands of Garlet in favour of Robert Bruce
of Kemiet.
No. 339.— September 24th, 1772.— Sasine in
favour of Robert Bruce of Kennet of the lands
of Garlet by Alexander Cumming.
No. 340 16th September, 1772.— Charter
by Robert Bruce of Kennet to James Dundas,
of Dundas, of the lands of Kilbagie, commonly
called Shanbody, Kerse Bank, and Wet Acres,
as possessed by James Stein.
In October 1761, Robert Bruce of Kennet
grants a lease of two rooirffof land in Craigton,
formerly let to Alexander Izat, tenant in Craig-