Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

OF BIRNIE OF THAT ILK. 9
Thomas Boyd of Bondshaw, dated third of November 1633, and there
married Christian Melvine, second daughter of Dr Patrick Melvine, Pro-
fessor of the Oriental Language in the New Colledge of St Andrews, a
brother's son of the familie of Raith, whose wife was Elizabeth Oliphant,
of the familie of Kellie.
This doctor haveing four daughters, taught each of them a learned
language, to wit, Latin, Hebrew, Greek, and Syriack. The Hebrew falling
to Christian's share, she became so good a proficient therein, that she was
able to read the English euery where, from the Hebrew text, throwout the
Old Testament, and had the first fifty or fifty-one psalms of the Hebrew
Psalter by heart. Her Bible in four parts, with her Psalter, are in our
Librarie. Upon the 23d Nouember 1643, he was collated minister at
Lanark, upon a presentation by King Charles I. to him, dated at Oxfoord,
the 18th of March 1643 ; where he continued a painfull minister for forty-
eight years, untill his death, which happened the 21st January 1691,
about the eighty-third year of his age, and of his ministry the 59th. His
picture, well done, wee haue.*
He was a pious and learned man, well seen in the Oriental tongues,
very diuerting and facetious, accounts whereof seueral of the old people
in that town still haue. I shall instance one. There happened after the
building of the new church, a strong contest betwixt the taylors and
shoemakers, anent their preference to a loft in the church : Agree they
would not, tho' the heretors of the paroch, with the magistrats and dea-
cons, used all means possible. At last they yielded to the above Mr Ro-
bert his determination, be what it would, and sent their commissioners
accordingly. Mr Robert wrote them a letter with some smart reprooffs for
their behaviour the Sundays before, and the following lines : " Gentle-
men,
" It is well kend throw out our toun,
" Wee draw on our hose before our shoon."
• See the Testament of this gentleman, Appendix, No. II.
B