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

220 COMMENTS ON KEIR PERFORMANCE,
instead of a frie harroune, as he was, (it) " sail mak Mm ane thrall (slave) tenent yair-
tlrrow, to his hevy dampnage and sJcayt " {injuri/). The process bears on the record to
be continued, without apparently any result or decision, the evidence above thus formally
submitted to the Court being probably held conclusive, and deterring the opposite party
from taking further steps in the matter.
There were also the two following legal processes, to the same purjjort, and eliciting the
same conclusion, by Keir against his tenants in 1576 and 1586 ; —
1 Records Action before the Supreme Civil Court in January 1576 by James Stirling of Keir,
of the same _ .
Court, nt Knight,'' against the tenants of Achwan, adjacent to the "landis and BAHRONiE-of Cadcler,"
where it is stated that he and his predecessors had right to the barony of Cadder,
" lyand in ya regalitie of Glasgow."
-Ibid. Action also, 25th N"ovember 1586,^ by the said Sir James StirUng, "lawful heretor of
ye laadis of ye barronie of Caulder, wyt tour, fortaUce, and manerplace of ye samyn,
lyand wytin ye barronie of Glasgmo" " aganis certain tenants, to remove from the Kirk-
toun of Cadder ; " it being requisite in a legal process thus to set forth the full title of the
pursuer as proprietor of the haromj. While no objection was taken thereto, this, coupled
with what precedes, proves that the right, and the undenied — in fact, acknowledged — appel-
lation of the fief were just and appropriate ; and Sir James, by thus maintaining Cadder,
the ancient heirloom of the SttrHngs of Ochiltree, &c., or of that Ilk, to be a barony ia the
barony and regality of Glasgow — an imjyerhim in imperio — did the sole thing (among
much detriment), in the course of his existence, seemingly respectful and agreeable to
the former, as defending high rights and privileges once inherent in them, in virtue of a
venerable iief and jDossession, though (however otherwise the Keu' Performance has repre-
sented the matter) he clearly so far had but a legal right under a singiUar title, that, we •
may infer, weighed more -with liim than any such consideration.
No. III.
(Referred to at Page 209.)
The Ragman Roll in 1292 and 1296 would be an admirable and interesting medium
through wliich, as a kind of nucleus or pivot, to convey more minute and valuable infor-
mation about our families ; and it is therefore, in tliis view, with submission, suggested tu
the attention of oiu' antiquaries.
TJnfortimately now, in so advanced an age, when our records and writs of all kinds are
so greatly increased, and made accessible to the public, affording good means and oppor-
tunities for the purpose, nothing of the kind properly or to its fuU compass has yet been
attempted, whUe we have only a meagre publication of the RoU in question, under the
auspices of one of our antiquarian clubs, without desirable or appropriate comments or iUiLS-
trations by the editor, who was little of a genealogist, and thus in the main, it may be said,