Stirling peerage

vi APPENDIX TO INTRODUCTION.
he lias not. All which he tlcclares to be truth. Five word*
delete before signing. (Signed) William Gregory.
R. Handyside, Comr.
James Keddie, Clk.
Compeared Donald Gregory, Esq. Joint-Secretary to the
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, a witness cited for the
pursuers; who being solemnly sworn, purged of partial coun-
sel, examined and interrogated, depones, that he has been in
the habit of examining old manuscripts for the last fourteen
years, and has turned his attention very much to the exami-
nation of manuscripts, both in the public records and in
private repositories, in the course of his historical and genea-
logical inquiries. Depones, that he is acquainted with the
distinguishinc; character of hand-writin"' during the last 400
years. Being shewn the document referred to in the deposi-
tion of the last witness, and which is marked by the deponent
as relative hereto, he observes, that it bears date in 1723,
and declares, that in so far as his experience goes, he has no
hesitation in stating, that the character of the writing in the
body of the document is of a considerably later period than
the date above specified ; and the chief grounds of his
opinion, are the want of the contractions which, in deeds of
that period, are usually met with in legal hand-writing, and
the peculiar shape of the letter e. Depones, that the general
style of the document, as well as the character of the hand-
writing, and farther, the mode in which the date ' 7th De-
cember 1639' is written, lead him to the opinion that the
writing is of the early part of the reign of George III. De-
pones, that the signature ' Hen. Hovenden,' appears to be
that of an old man in the year 1723, judging from the cha-
racter of the hand-writing, and corresponds with the age
mentioned in the commencement of the affidavit ; and the
signature of ' J. Pocklington,' appears to be that of a younger
man, and in its character corresponds with the date of the
affidavit. Depones, that he perceives certain words contained
in the docquet on the back of the deed, which are of a differ-
ent character from the rest of the docquet, and correspond
with the date 1723, and he points out these words, as ' — neblf.
Jno. Pocklington, Esq. one of ye. Baron, ( torn ) Excheqr.
in Ireld.' Depones, that tlie signature to the docquet appears
to be of the period corresponding with the date of the docquet,
and of a considerably earlier period tiian the writing of the
docquet itself, with the exception of the words above quoted :