Tracts, legal and historical

123
blishment by a readier sale of the goods in com-
munion.
Mr. Napier has done well in distrusting the fa-
bulous descent in the male line of the Napiers of
Merchiston, from a doubtful Donald, son of an Earl
of Lennox, with the legend of Donald's military
exploit, in consequence of which he was said by
the Sovereign to have " nae-peir" — that is no equal
— thus originating, as was supposed, the surname of
" Naepier." He at length adopts, as their immediate
ancestor, Alexander Napier, burgess of Edinburgh,
who, according to him, figured in 1432. This Alex-
ander, the root and progenitor of Merchiston, as
far as yet known, had no ancestral estate, but was
artifex fortmice suce ; he, at the same time, is
proved to have been the father of another Alex-
ander Napier, burgess of Edinburgh, who had then
arrived at maturity. Mr. Napier supposes that the
first Alexander died in 1454, but there is no proper
evidence of the fact, and the date of his death, and
of his son's succession, are hitherto uninstructed.
The author has been so fortunate as to discover a
still earlier notice of Alexander the father, which
fixes that he discharged the grave duties of Provost
of Edinburgh, and Dean of guild, as far back as
1403 ; so that it is not likely that he survived till
1454. This being the first glimpse of a race con-
spicuous at the time, and afterwards distinguished,
the relative authority is given below. 1 In the year
1 " Prima gilde capitalis {curia) post festum Beati Michaelis,
tenta in pretorio burgi de Edinburgh, convocatis confratribus