Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

xviii PREFATORY REMARKS.
zeall to the house of God, he might have been at the tyme under the
kirk's censure ; but our reverend brethren of the presbyterie knew weill
enough how to stryke gentilly the faillings of these of ther oune gang
without publict censure ; for all the noyse they make now against the
orthodox clergy for not punishing vyce with the same severity that they
would, making the world beleive they wer accustomed to doe, when they
had the power of the keyes. However, this act might have been severely
resented, if Providence had not soe ordered, that all the tyme Cambus-
nethen was in Louthain, and before his returne, the minister, that was
allwayes for peace, had caused putt togither the stones as weill as could
be : by doeing whereof, and the minister's intreaty, Cambusnethen for
the tyme rested content, not without a grudge against Idistoune that he
should have had any accessione thereto, seing he was his cussing, and
that ther was soe great freindship and familiaritie betwext ther sones."
The notice of the Stewarts of Allanton in the above gave
rise to a smart discussion in 1817, which produced " The Salt-
foot Controversy," by that very acute and talented antiquary,
John Riddell, Esq., Advocate, wherein he has satisfactorily
demolished the shallow and presumptuous arguments of his
antagonists.
From the bookplates on some volumes now before me, which
appear to have strayed from the Birnie Collection, it would
seem that the pious proprietors had indulged in a heraldic freak
without consulting the Oracles* of the Lyon Office. They
• Heraldry was never properly studied as a science in Scotland. The present officials of that
elegantly organized establishment are about the most ignorant reptiles that ever crawled between
earth and heaven.