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. 183
not benefit them, for they would then only be in the same situation as the
Stirlings of Cragbarnet, Glorat, Ballaga, Law, &c., who likewise bore the
buckles, although evidence is as yet wanting to prove them to be connected
with Cadder. Indeed, the Keir Performance is at pains to inculcate that 127.
*' no evidence has been found of the exact relationship of the first Stirling of
Craigbernard to the house of Cawder."
Thirdly and lastly, as little good can result to Keir from the entail in The Ra-
1414, where it may be inferred that Luke Stirling of Ratherne, his ancestor, grantor
entail in
was to take (though this be not explicitly proved) as a substitute of the i4i4aiso
Cadder succession, in the event of the faihu'e of the male issue of William, *'^"'>''-
Laird of Cadder, and where nothing transpires of their being cousins or rela-
tives, which would bear out the gratuitous assumption of the Keir editor.
An entail notoriously implies a deviation from the regular order of succes-
sion. And there was in Scotland, according to a pecuhar bent or usage, a pre-
ference often given on these occasions as substitutes, to parties who happened
to be of the same surname, though not blood relations ; and this, no doubt,
was somewhat akin to clannish feelings, whiqh in these early times existed so
strongly in the breasts of our countrymen, or rather, perhaps, to the law of
Thanistry that also ruled in Scotland — as it must in all rude and turbulent
states — and which, without reference to lawful family representation — talents
not always being hereditary — preferred, in the succession, the stronger or most
powerful of the name, to the weaker.
Such was most probably the case in the Cadder and Keir entail, since no
proof of relationship exists ; and, from the same marked predilection, if any
one now ventured to question or derogate from Keir's rights or literary
merits, the exponent is persuaded there is not a single Drumpellier but who
would be ready to exclaim with Chm-chill, nearly in his words : —
" The praise be Stirling's, freely let him bear
The "wreath which genius wove and planted there ;
Foe as I am, should envy tear it down,
Myself would laboiu- to replace the crown !"
The word " foe " must be here taken cum grano salis, and only to denote
one opposed in an antiquarian discussion like the present ; while, on any other
point than the mere Cadder representation, the Drumpelliers would be happy
that the cause of the honourable Member should succeed, and should be