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

98 COMMENTS ON KEIR PERFORMANCE,
After the foregoing, can we arrive at any other conclusion than that, through her career,
Janet was more sinned against than sinning 1 if, in fact, it may not be even added, at such
a juncture, that she was the victim of a scheme originating with Su- John Stirling of Keir,
but dexterously prosecuted to the utmost and most reprehensible extent by James liis son,
through means and subtle co-operation of Bischop, — a man of education, and no inferior
law proficient, while the confidential family agent. The former accounts, it may be
observed, of him are absurd and untenable ; he was, withal, a man of address and finesse,
which enabled him afterwards conspicuously to figure in political life among the highest
and ablest of the land, however unprmcipled, and more swayed by his own peculiar
interest than by those of others.
It was only subsequently, after making due inquiries and investigation, that the
Exponent has been enabled to attam full knowledge of the i:)arentage and liistory of this
remarkable person, as to which he had been misled long ago, when the case was not so
matured, by unsupported scandalous and depreciatory accounts, derived from partial
quarters, which he now pointedly recalls.
No. IT.
(Referred to at p. 67, dndee No. 9.)
1 See Keir's The notice in the Keir Performance of the final settlement made by James of Keir ^v^th
in'favourof gliomas Biscliop, 2.3d Pebmary 1541, is incomplete, and not in the words of the oi'iginal,
Thomas existins in the Keir charter-chest. AH we learn about it is through the medium of an
Bischop, ° "
'23d Feb. autograph copy of the account of the deed in the Keir inventory, formerly taken by Mr
in view in Ramsay of Auchertyre,' and communicated by him to a brother antiquar}^ the cele-
Evidence brated Lord Hailes, from whose repositories we derived it.
'"d esent ^'^^ sums there at the outset to be paid by Bischop, apjDear odd, but may have been to
E.s-position, giyg ^n air of onerosity to this strange transaction, while the term "servitor" applied to
sup. him, the same in a legal sense with servant, the meaning of which was plain and obvious,*
confirms his continuance still as law or familj' agent of Keir, as he had formerly been of
Sir John his father.
The last grant of James V. of the marriage of Janet of Cadder, July 22, 1529, to Sir
Perform- John and " his airis and assignais, ane or ma," not having been le^'ally practicable in
S'o2. the case of James his son and Janet, o\\'ing to the legal bar to theu' union,' and only
in 1541 first coming into play, could, plausibly at least, be conferred by James, now
* Thus, to quote from the Preface (p. 7) to far short of their ancestors : " — " the candidats
Reports of Decisions of Court of Session by of the law were clerks and servants to the expe-
Lord President Gilmoux- — Edinburgh, 1701 — rienced advocates, and had an opportunity of
the learned editor remarks " that the young learning at the same time both the civil and
men of this age, iu point of painfulness, come the municipal laws,'' &c.