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

84-
COMMENTS ON KEIR PERFORMANCE,
lands of a property constituted by far its most important portion, and were
identified with the superiority and family representation, and, for the most
part, were reserved and kept intact from other burdens and responsibilities.
The principal messuage, too, when the family is represented by female heirs'
portions, thus goes exclusively to the eldest ; and far back, when peerages
were territorial, whoever got the principal messuage, whatever became of the
rest of the property, was peer. Now, it cannot be disputed that Old Keir
must have comprised both the old family residence and demesne lands, hence
it may be held or called the Keir paramount patrimony, than which Sir John
of Keir, in 1527, could not have made a greater concession, excepting his
own life, — strongly evincing the deep family rights and interests then in
Robert Stirling, who, under the circumstances, it may be concluded, could
thus be no other than the male Gadder heir.
Even the preceding, too, is not all, for antecedently a charter was granted
EcimoD- by the same Robert Stiiiing of Lettyr, dated at Niddrie, 24th December 1599
Duntreath (hc appearing to have been embarrassed in his circumstances), to WilHam
chest. Edmonstone of Duntreath, of " all and whole the ten pound land of old extent
of Keir, of the fifteen pound land oi-old extent thereof J'^ in warrandice of the
lands of Lettyr, in the same manner as they had been disponed in warrandice
" by Sir Archibald Stirling of Keir to the said Robert Stirling."
Thus, independently of the grant to the same effect by Sir James Stirling
of Keir to John Stirling of Lettyr (Robert's father) in 1553, there is proved
to have been a new and later one by Sir Archibald, Sir James's son and heir, to
Robert, — all evincing the weighty Gadder right and claim in the Lettyr family
which required so strong and reiterated guaranteed compensation.
Having given these entirely new documents, each intimately connected with
the condition in favour of the bairns of umquhile Robert Stirling, made by
Janet of Gadder in her procuratory of resignation in 1541, we now proceed
to show how, and in what way, the bairns of umquhile Robert Stirhng of
Lettyr were provided for, and with the greater reason, as, though plain enough
in the Abstract of Evidence in 1818, it was not minutely gone into there.
As soon as practicable, James Stirling of Keir, who was accordingly so
legally bound, and in order to purge the Gadder estate of all burdens, on
2 See p. 66. 30th January 1542, entered into a formal submission" with
I. " JoHKE Stpjveling, sone an AIRE of umquhile Robert Striveling,"
undeniably of Lettyr, and the Drumpellier ancestor, whereby he actually
' Sic (as
to this de-
scription).