Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

64 ACCOUNT OF THE FAMILIE
Jttr $amt& Hamilton of asroom&ill, &&bocat
Upon the 31st of October 1674, there is a precept of dare constat
granted by Ann Dutches of Hamilton, Duke James his eldest daughter,
and William Duke of Hamilton, her husband, before Earle of Selkirk,
and eldest son of a second marriage of the Marques of Douglasse, to the said
Mr James of the aboue lands, as eldest son and heir to the aboue Bishop
his father.
Mr James was well educat at schools and colledges, and in most of
the professions then in use here, to wit, divinity, law, and physick; for
his father considering, that notwithstanding of his great memorie, yet he
was extreamly bashfull, so that when at age he might make choice of his
own employment, which was the law ; and in order thereto, sent him to
Leiden, where he continued two winters, and in the summer travelled
thorow France and Flanders. Att Brussels he fell once, and indeed but
once in his lyfetyme, in loue with a lady in a church there. This passion,
as he said, was very heavie upon him for about five or six minutes ; but
he fell asleep, slept about ane quarter of ane hour, and when awakened
saw no such beautie, so well were his eyes opened, and his judgement re-
freshed with that little napp.
Mr James came home, and with great applause entered advocat ; but
his bashfullness continued such, that he could never endure the Outter
House.
In December 1666, after the defeat of the rebells at Pentland, Mr John
Kincaid of Corsbasket, advocat, much upon the rattle, so fit for the outter
bar, overtakes about sun sett the aboue Mr James going into Edinburgh,
who was but ouer plain in his equipage. Mr John knew him not, tho'
he did him ; but thought that he had now got his diuersion for the re-
mainder of the way, either with a sculking whig teacher, or ane ordinary
country quack. After Mr John had ask'd several questions about him