Comments in refutation of pretensions advanced for the first time, and statements in a recent work "The Stirlings of Keir and their family papers"

WITH DRUMPELLIER'S EXPOSITION, &c. 37
proposed, of liimself, to speak with you in regard to it when he gets down, and
to be guided by your answer, which, if favourable, will remove his objection.
" Such being the proposal, I could not well decline it, and therefore
think it proper to acquaint you with what passed. And it having been found
necessary to make out a sort of statement, in order to explain to him the
exact nature of our investigation, I think it right to put you in possession of
a copy of the same, whether right or wrong, which, if you are at the trouble
of reading, and notice any errors, perhaps you wiU have the goodness to point
out the same when we meet, which I hope will be in the course of a few
weeks. j\Ieantime, in case you see no fair ground of objection to the Duke's
complying with our wishes, we shall feel obliged if you will say so when you
see him on the subject. " Wm. S.
" (Yr- of DrumpeUier.)"
The DrumpeUier family here acted in the fair and open way that distin-
guished them throughout, which never met with an adequate return, and
even offered, as usual, to supply that of Keu' with a statement of their case
or evidence. What immediately ensued on the above letter between the
parties (though they had Gadder communings between the letters) does not
now appear ; only this, that the former did not succeed in obtaining a sight
of the Lennox writs, as may be inferred, owing to the invariably decided
opposition, as will be seen, of Mr Charles Stirling to their main object. This
seems supported by a passage in the next letter quoted. The Lennox papers
might have been useful to DrumpeUier, owing to Lettyr, one of their old
Cadder patrimonies, having held of the house of Lennox ; and in the hands
of the superior, very often in Scotch charter-chests, there are deeds and
muniments affecting the vassal.
-■&
2. — LETTER, Willum Stirling to Chaeles Stirling.
"Glasgow, 12th January 1818.
" I now beg leave, in pursuance of what has lately passed between us on
this subject, to acquaint you, that I have this day sent orders to my father's
agent (agreeable to my instructions from home to that effect), to obtain a
brief from Chancery, in order to have him served heir to Robert Stirling, the
first of Lettyr, who died in the year 1537 ; and also, if possible, to Andrew