History of the Fife Pitcairns

464 THE FIFE PITCAIRNS.
shire of Edinburgh, ' except Dreghorn and Woodhall,' by
Alexander Meyaners of Woodhall, to the Earl of Fife and
Menteith." 1
The old castle of Dreghorn was built by Sir William
Murray, Master of Works to King Charles II. It formerly
belonged to Sir James Foulis (afterwards Lord Colinton) ;
but he having warmly espoused the Royal cause, his
estates were sequestrated, in 1654, by the Protectorate.
He had to sell large portions of them, Dreghorn amongst
the number. This estate then came into the possession of
David Pitcairn, who lived there many years, and died in
1709. The present house was built more than a hundred
years ago : it is now in the possession of Mr Macfie, who
has kindly allowed a photograph to be taken of it, and
also of David Pitcairn's tomb.
The Pitcairns of Dreghorn have for their coat of arms
three lozenges argent, within a border gules, as in the
plate of Achievement. 2 Their motto, Spes lucis eternse ;
the crest, A sun with waved rays, like a star, encircled
by clouds.
Alexander Pitcairne, minister of Tannadyce, Forfarshire,
was son of David Pitcairne, sixteenth laird of Forthar, Fife,
and is the same Alexander Pitcairne who later became Dean
of Orkney in 1665, born 1600 or before. The family was
subjected to much loss and suffering during the civil wars,
and Alexander's petition for redress lay before the Scottish
Parliament from 1641 to 1661, when it was " recommendit "
to the Privy Council. 3
This Alexander Pitcairne had a son Alexander, who was
a celebrated divine. He was born in 1622, 4 and entered
St Salvator's College, St Andrews, in November 1639,
matriculated in February 1640 (University Matriculation
Books), M.A. in 1643, became Regent in February 1648, and
so continued until December 1656, when he was ordained
1 Shankie's History of Colinton. 2 Nisbet's Heraldry.
3 Acts of Pari., vol. vii.
4 Wodrow's History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, vol. iii. ;
Scott's Fasti.