Historical account of the noble family of Kennedy, Marquess of Ailsa and Earl of Cassilis

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John, fifth Earl of Cassillis, eldest son and heir. He
succeeded during his minority, and was placed under his uncle,
Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean, as tutor. The Earl was
served heir to his father 30th August 1588.* He was high
in the countie of Carrik, a stewardrie and parcel of the shiredome of Ayre. There
is of the same name, in that countie, and descended of his house, sundrie lordis
and gentlemen, whereof the principall is the Lord of Barganye and Blairquhoy.
of little less living than the Erie himself. His chief houses be Cassells and Dun-
nyre, 4 miles from the bridge of Doone. The people are mingled in speeches of
Irish and English, not far distant from Carrickfergus in Ireland. This last Erie
was sister (son) to the Lord Aberganie aforesaid."
In other MSS. the chief seats of the Family at this time are said to be " Dun-
ure in Carrik, Miribole in Carrick, Cullean, Cassillis."
In a MS. book of blazonry and depiction in their proper colours of the arms
of the nobility during the reign of Queen Mary, in the Advocates' Library, those
of the Earl of Cassillis are represented as they are now. The motto, however, is
" avise a fin," instead of " avise la fin," which may be something different.
* On the 28th of February 1S78, a commission was granted to Mr John
Skene and others, advocates, on the narrative that John, Earl of Cassillis, Thomas
Kennedy of Culzean, his uncle and tutor, and John Kennedy, brother-natural
of umquhill Gilbert, Earl of Cassillis, had humbly represented to the Lords of
Council that they had intended divers actions and causes against John Gor-
don of Lochinvar, and sundry other persons, inhabitants of the county of Wig-
town, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and earldom of Carrick, within which county,
stewartry, and earldom the Earl's lands and heritages lie ; and that by reason
of the feud between the Earl's House and friends on the one part, and the inha-
bitants of the said county, stewartry, and earldom, chiefly of the name of
Gordon and Crawford, on the other part, who had lately been guilty of the
slaughter of Patrick MacDouall of Logan, the friend and dependent of the Earl,
it became necessary to grant commission to the said Mr John Skene and others,
constituting them sheriffs of Wigtown, stewards of Kirkcudbright, and bailies of
Carrick, with power to them to fence and hold courts within the Council-house
of Edinburgh, and to proceed and decide in all actions intended and depending
at the instance of the Earl, Thomas Kennedy of Culzean, and John Kennedy,
against the said John Gordon and other inhabitants of the county of Wigtown,
stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and bailiary of Carrick. And in 1580, when Lord
Cassillis was served heir to his father to his estates in Kirkcudbright, viz. the
iJlO land of Brachs, called the Forest of Buchan, and fishings thereof, and also
F