Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

PREFATORY REMARKS. xvii
liquid soume condescended upon for defraying the charges thereof, but
it is left to the optione of these at whose instance the execution of the
contract was to passe, and that was Sir James Muirhead of Lachope, Sir
Walter Stewart of Allentoune, Sir James Stewart of Kirkfeild, James
Somervill of Cambusnethen, John Hamiltoune of Idistoune, Patrick
Hamiltoune of Green, and Master James Hamiltoune of Murrays, mini-
ster of the parish, or any four of them that should agree upon the matter.
By this condescentione was Cambusnethen and Lachope, with all the
other heretors of the parish, insnared ; for Allentoune and his brother
gaineing upon the simplicity of Idestoune and Green, made them conde-
scend to what they did ; who, haveing power by the contract, in impose-
ing what soumes of money they pleased upon the parish, for whereas at
first of Watersaugh, and Alexander King, knowing and able
tradesmen, both as to the masone and wright worke, offered to perfyte
the kirk, and give the heretors the keyes in ther hands, within ane year,
the parishoners laying too the materialls, for three thousand merks ; it
cost them more than seven thousand, and was as many years in building,
a great part of the timber being spoyled before it was sclaitted.
" Soe soon as this contract was subscryved and the worke begune, Idis-
toune, out of zeall forsuith, and pretext to farder the building of the new
kirk, pulles doune the roof of the old, and in takeing of that of the queirs,
(designedly, as was supposed, by Allentoune his instigatione,) the cape
stone is throwen doune, which, falling directly upon the monument Cam-
busnethen had placed over his daughter, breakes it in four peices. A
more malitious act could not readily have been performed, then to deface
the monument of the dead, held in esteem, if not sacred, amongst all
nations to this very day ; this gentleman, Idistoune, being my relatione,
and haveing matched one of his daughters with a cadite of this gentleman's
familie, I will not blacken his reputatione by telling, for ail his furious