Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

OF HAMILTON OF BROOMHILL. 47
men these bishops of Scotland after the Restoration were, which account
is to be seen also 57 page in the lyfe of the most reuerend father in God,
Dr James Sharp, Archbishop of St Andrews, printed anno 1723 : Allow
me onlie to repeat one sentence in that preface of Dr Burnet's ; viz. But
that I haue observed among the few of them to whom I had the honour
to be knowen particularlie, as great and as exemplarie things as euer I
met with in all ecclesiastical history.
By his attending a good tyme on the familie of Hamilton, and in that
country so very near our bishop, his sufficient acquaintance with him is
not to be doubted. But then, what should move him to alter when
much older, and a prelate too. His former opinion of these good bishops,
in his historie of his own tymes, spoken out seven years after his death, is
one of his own secrets to me.
As to the reuerend Mr Wodrow his old wyfe's tales, consisting mostly
of calumnies and lyes foolishly by him repeated, and matters of greater
moment either neglected or impaired ; these, with the sentiments of the
more sober of his own partie, as being ouer credulous, and the performance
far from answering their expectations, caused me in a manner to slight
them. But haveing the occasion lately oftener than once, not only to
hear him cited, but euer after their ordinary way relyed upon, I thought
myself obleidged to doe as I haue done, and not to suffer the fame and
pietie of so good a father in the church to lye at the mercie of this man's
hearsay, without ane answer, especiallie when his legends doe, lyke others
of a different persuasion, tho' of the same kidney, passe as scripture
with the ignorant populace, and some of ane higher station. But reallie,
in my opinion, it would proue more to the advantage of this gentleman's
honour, and the character he bears, that these his wrytings were put in
the close box, rather than the closet.
Dear Bx'other, I am, &c.
Broomhill, 29th December 1729.