Am 
 Wm
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 %.
 
 NAIRN, 
 
 ( 
 
 rOUNBEB ON FACT; 
 
 WITH NOTES & ANECDOTES, 
 
 ILLUSTPvATIVE OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 
 
 THE NATIVES OF NAIRN, OR STRATHORDE, IN 
 
 PERTHSHIRE, IN THE XVIII. CENTURY. 
 
 BY JAMES ANDEHSON, 
 
 PERTH: 
 
 Printed by Crerae, ano SaN, 
 
 1825.
 
 H-007 
 
 8528^X5
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 -■- HE Author of the following pages had, 
 when he first entered on the subject, no idea 
 of offering them to the pubh'c in the form 
 tliey now bear. He was not in possession of 
 any information but what he derived from 
 the common tra:dition of the country. But 
 since finishing the Poem, he has had an op • 
 portunity of getting a considerable addition 
 to his knowledge on the subject. Of tliis' 
 knowledge the limit? of the Publication will' 
 not permit him to avail himself, at least to 
 any extent. Should this attempt meet wifh 
 that success, which the favourable manne? in 
 which his proposals of Publishing have been 
 received gives liim reason to expect, he may 
 .It a future period, give the public some of 
 those romantic Legends, which are so deser- 
 vedly popular to the north and west of Pertli. 
 
 Many of these are already incomplete, and 
 the time is not far distant, when these stories, 
 unless collected, will be entirely forgotten. 
 
 In hopes of rescuing a small portion of tbem, 
 for a short time from the general wreck, and
 
 perhaps inducing some abler Individaal to 
 attempt the affair, he has presumed to oirer 
 these pages to the public ; trusting their 
 good namre Viill make ihem overlook any 
 deficiencies in the ejaccuiioa.
 
 Bright Phoebus' last and gllmm'ring ray,. 
 On Jofty tow'r and turret grey, 
 To stream and lawn, to hill and dell, . 
 Had beamed a short, a sweet farewelL 
 With slow, but certain pace the night 
 Crept onward, and dispelled the light ; 
 While Earn*s chiefs, at festive board. 
 Sat with Strathallan's noble Lord : 
 For many a princely chieftain there. 
 That nighrthe baron's feast did share,^ 
 And 'mid their wine, held deep discourse 
 How, that where Almond holds its course, 
 And pours, with rapid force, its flood 
 From rock to rock thro' Methven wood, (' 
 A Robber dwelt, who by his sword. 
 Of that wide forest live'd the lord. 
 Yet such Kis power, and such his fame, 
 That none could his fierce spirit tame, 
 Thus, long disdaining force or law 
 The country round he kept in awe .; .
 
 And yet no champion, had been found, 
 Could make him quh an inch of ground j 
 While thus they talVed, the Castle clock 
 Rung ten, and soon the assembly broke ; 
 For horse, and servants, loud the call 
 Resounded thro' the crouded hall. 
 ^Twas then Strathallan urged the stay 
 Of Nairn's lord, whose dreary way 
 Lay thro the wood, and 'cross the stream^ 
 Where in a cave, or rifted seam. 
 The robber dwelt: and still by night. 
 And often too in broad day light 
 Did haunt the road, and thro' nide force 
 The traveller robb'd, on foot or horse 
 Who pass'd that way, nor would he take 
 Advantage mean, but still would stake 
 His life, in combat fair, with those 
 Who singly dar'd his arm oppose. 
 On those by his strong arm o*erthrownj> 
 Hty, or mercy, he had n^ne^
 
 Yet some stout hearts the fight had dar'dj 
 They fell, and none the bandit sparM. 
 This Nairn heard, and well he knew. 
 The Bandit equall'd was by few, 
 Yet his proud heart with vengeance boiPd, 
 To think his country's youth were foil'd, 
 And basely forc'd their fame to yield, 
 And to the Bandit quit the field. 
 Resolv'd he was, the road to take, 
 And for his own, and country's sake, 
 The robber tame, or nobly fall, 
 And never view his princely hall. 
 So finely grand on Orde side, 
 Where, in the pomp of feudal pride 
 Oe'r many a vassal he held svv^ay. (2) 
 Between the Grampians and the Tay. 
 His beautiful, his fine domain 
 Lay widely spread o'er many a plains 
 Of noble mind, of body strong, 
 Renowa'd in Scotland's annals long
 
 8 * 
 
 His sires had been ; (3) and oft the soa 
 Had deeds of boldest daring done, 
 Which to his friends and foes bespoke 
 The scion true of such a stock. 
 la vain Strathallan keenly prest 
 With hospitable warmth his gues^. 
 And urg'd as reasons he should stay, 
 The length, and dangers of the way ; 
 The robber's strength, and savage life. 
 His desp'rate success in the strife 
 With some, whom Nairn knew were brave, 
 And yet their lives-they could not save. 
 The gallant Ireland, so they tell, 
 Btneath his desp'rate weapon fell, (4) 
 And yet his friends, though wise and strong, 
 Could not revenge their brother's wrong. 
 «* When next we meet" stout Nairn said 
 « That robber shall have closed his raid." 
 <« But if beneath his hand you fall ? " 
 f Why, there's an end of me, that's all?
 
 9 
 
 "And you shall raise your vassals then 
 *«To hunt the savage from his den.'* 
 This said, he slack'd the courser's rein, 
 And bounded swiftly o'er tlie plain. 
 One hardy servant, tried and true,. 
 Sv/iitly his footsteps did pursue; 
 Nor did they their flett horecs check. 
 Nor oace did Nairn -silence hrc^k^ 
 Till tJie deep Earn's stream xras past. 
 And shen his eye he backward cast, 
 •* Come onward ClarLc, for soon muit I 
 ** A Bout wiih this fam'd robber try, f r) 
 *' How far ii't ken ye to his Iiauni ?" 
 •*Not far my Lord, but sure you'll grant 
 ** 'Tis folly in th' extreme, for you 
 «« To tempt the rage of Callum Dhii ; 
 ** A savage wretch, who at one b!o\7» 
 ** The bravest swordGinan can ky low ; 
 ** We ne'er shall see our home again, 
 *'But surely by his haad be slain."
 
 la 
 
 *' Stop, coward, stop, and if you fear, 
 «' By heavens, yojj may stay trembling here, 
 *' But hand to hand his strength I'll try, 
 *' And if I fall, know how to die." 
 *^ No, Nairn, no," — his man replied, 
 «^ WeVe often conquered side by side;. 
 '• Nor shall you now deserted be, 
 " I'll die ere from your side I flee." 
 Then on they rode with fleet career,. 
 Until fam'd Methven wood they near.. 
 Now dashing o'er its rocky shore. 
 The flooded Almond sounds before ;, 
 The forest now appears in view, 
 Where lofty Oak, where Pine and Vew, 
 Waft, by ihe foil moon's midnight beam. 
 Their darken'd shades across the stream. 
 Still is the night, no quiv'ring breeze 
 Shakes die dark foliage of the trees, — 
 No sound amid the gloom is heard, 
 Save ringdoves, from their roosting scar*d,
 
 11 
 
 Till loud th' echoing rocks repeat 
 The sounds, made by the horses* feet 5 
 And the lone owl, with hollow voice, 
 Joins loudly in th' unusual noise ; 
 For nersr since that cloudless night, 
 When her fond dam first urg'd hcr^fiight, 
 (Yet six cold winters past had sped. 
 Since first she made yon Yew her bed,) 
 Had sound of mortal foot been heard 
 By night, upon the thick'ning sward, 
 Which clothes tlie path so often trode, 
 £re yoa fierce Outlaw took the road, 
 Kor scarce by day durst man presume 
 To tempt the forest's thicken'd gloom ; 
 His giant strength and fearless heart 
 'Had often made the stoutest smart ; 
 Tor since the spring last deck'd the pidin, 
 .He. i six bold youths, by him been dain. 
 T^e horsemen now have reach'd the wood,' 
 .A moment in his stirruf> steed
 
 n 
 
 The iearle3£, lord, 2i.n6, then with eye 
 Keen as the falcon, when on high 
 With level wing he lightly soars, 
 And for his prey the brake explore?, 
 He scannM the silent servant's face, 
 To see v/hat thoughts he there could trace, 
 His eye was calm, no palsied fear, 
 Ko feverish dread was painted there , 
 Then Nairn spurred the noble steed, 
 And down the pathway rode with speed. 
 His eye thro' ev'ry thicket glanc'd. 
 As on the gallant coarser pranc'd ; 
 The servant follows in the rear, 
 And now, they can distinctly hear 
 The rushing sound of wateifall, 
 And soon they reach a rugged wall 
 Of hardest rock, whilst fragments grey 
 Lie scatter'd 'mongst the foam and spray ; 
 The wood gives way, and finely spread 
 Before them lies a lovely glade,
 
 13 
 
 And o'er a cluster'd grove of Pines, 
 The moon with double lustre shine-.i.. 
 Upon 1/he rock loud footsteps ring, 
 And instant, with a sudden spring. 
 As lights the raven from the rock, 
 The Eandit. came ; and fiercely spoke ; 
 ** Stand, dastard, stand, cr else you'll rue 
 ** The hour you've metv/Ith Galium Dhu, 
 •♦ Stop. — hold, no moving. — fellov/, knov/ 
 " That none dare thro' this forest go, 
 "But those who my permission buy 
 *' With all they h.u-e ;" *' none else ?" <' oh a y 
 "There's those who are so bold as bizud 
 *' The force of this unconquer'd brand ; 
 " Be not deceiv'd, there's many a year 
 " Since I have livM unconquer'd here, 
 *' Some in that time my strength have tried, 
 " And all have by this weapon died." 
 *' Then Bandit know, nor goods nor coin 
 «^ You ever shall possess of mine,
 
 u 
 
 ■ «^For whilst my hand can wield my sword, 
 " That weapon, shall defend its lord." 
 This said, he from the saddle sprungj 
 .And on the ground his cloak he flung, 
 Then in his strong, his hardy hand 
 He grasp'd his oft-tried trusty brand. j 
 For in the island men were rare, 
 Who durst the dauntless Nairn dare 
 In battled field, or private feud. 
 His t-enants he had oft rescued 
 From plund'ring raid, when spoilers bold, 
 V^ithout remorse, swept byre and fold ; 
 When chieftain against chieftain fought, 
 Till both were to destruction brought; 
 When force was law, nor right nor wrong 
 Was minded, if the clan was strong i 
 Wh^n rapine stalk'd with unveil'd face, 
 When murder was thought no disgrace. 
 Jn times like these was Nairn bred, 
 And oft ths foeraan's blood had shed,
 
 Yet ne'er till now could mortal spy 
 A tremor in his dauntless eye. 
 And well the awful Bandit might 
 The boldest, stoutest heart affright ; 
 His limbs were large, of giant make, 
 His brawny arms, like twigs could shake 
 The forest Pines ; his breast .vas bare. 
 Or only cloth'd with clotted hair ; 
 His form was large, his visage wild 
 As tiger, when in thicket coild. 
 It spies the poor, unwary prey 
 Advancing in the dangerous way ; 
 His look the angry bull-dog's scowl ; 
 His voice the hungry lion's Iiowl ; 
 Thus frowning like the stormy north, 
 He drew his dreadful weapon forth. 
 Well fitted to his awful strengdi, 
 Was the strong blade's uncommon length. 
 Then hand to hand, in furious strife, 
 To fail was death, the prize was life.
 
 IG 
 
 They fiercely clos'd ; their weapons' clang 
 
 O'er rock and thicket loudly rang. 
 
 As falls the axe upon the oak, 
 
 The Bandit plied each heavy stroke ; 
 
 But well the guard did Nairn know, 
 
 To parry evVy thrust and blow, 
 
 Yet thrice they clos'd in contest keen, 
 
 And thrice I-ord Nairn's blood was seen ; 
 
 Nor 'acap'd his fee unhurt, for well 
 
 Did Nairn's sword his prowess tell. 
 
 Across the Bandit's arm his blade 
 
 A deep and hideous gash has made ; 
 
 Dark scowl'd his eye, but word or groan 
 
 Declar'd not that his strength was gone, 
 
 Altho' 'twas plain to Nairn's lord 
 
 His arm could scarcely v/ield his sword. 
 
 He strove the contest lo renew, 
 
 But from his grasp the weapon fle\7, 
 
 And, then with despVate strength, he broke 
 
 A rifted splinter from the rock,
 
 n 
 
 And ere his dire intent he knew. 
 The massy stone at Nairn threw. 
 It miss'd him, else that dreadful cast 
 Had made that midnight hour his last ; 
 While for another bending low. 
 He dealt the Bandit such a blow, 
 The sword thro' bone and sinews drave, 
 As cleaves the vessels prow the wave ; 
 pif flew the head, the lifeless trunk. 
 With hollow sound, beside it sunk. 
 'Twas strange to see the sever'd head 
 Wear dreadful frown when life had iled ; 
 Then Nairn cast his chastened eye 
 On rock, on wood, on moon and sky • 
 For though successful in the strife, 
 His skill had scarcely sav'd his life. 
 His dauntless soul receiv'd a check 
 When light the weapon graz'd his neek ; 
 Altho' each guard and pass he knew, 
 The Bandit's sword had cleft in two 
 
 15 3.
 
 IS 
 
 The silver clasp, with which was bound 
 His collar band ; — as from the ground 
 His cloak he took, the crimson stream 
 Fast trickling in the moon's pure beam, 
 Between him and the grass he saw ; 
 The wound he felt, with heighten'd awe, 
 No simple cut, the weapon's point 
 Hadenter'd nigh the shoulder joint. 
 The servant soon in bandage tight 
 Has wrapt the wound, that so he might 
 His master's flowing blood restrain, 
 Which now had dyed the grassy plain. 
 This done, in a clear glassy fount 
 They wash, and then their steeds remount; 
 Then off at swiftest pace they sped. 
 And with them take the robber's head ; 
 Nor did they once their horses rein 
 Until they reach'd their own domain, 
 When glimm'ring thro' the trees they spied 
 Their Mansion, Perthshire's boast and pride.
 
 19 
 NOTES 
 
 (i) "And pours with rapid force its Hood, 
 *' From rock to rock thro' Methven wood.^ 
 
 Those who have not seen the romantic situation 
 here alluded to, can have but a very inadequate con- 
 ception of its appearance. The forest at the prc^ieht 
 moment is large, dark, and gloomy, and at the era 
 in que-tlon was considerably more so. The Alnaond 
 rushing from rock to rock with the impetuosity of a 
 Grampian torrent, tends much to give the situation a 
 very delightful appearance. — A place like this was well 
 fitted for, and often was the retreat of those, v^ho had 
 set the. laws of their country at defiance. — Ihis place 
 was sometimes too, the residence of recluses of a more 
 amiable character ; as Bessy Bell and Mary Gray, 
 who died and are interred there. To visit their graves 
 is reckoned a very fasluonable amusement for a sum- 
 mer evening, in that part of the country. 
 
 (2) " O'er many a vassal he held sway." 
 
 The estates of this noble and ancient family, were 
 then v«ry czLensive. ccmprehend'ng more than is now
 
 20 
 
 included hi the estate, which then was and is some- 
 times still, called Nairn. 1'helr vassals were of con- 
 sequence numerous, atid their influence over them 
 greater than the most pait of the inhabitants of Perth- 
 ?hire can, at the present day, believe. 
 
 This influence had decreased much, in the course of 
 the Thirty years which elapsed between the Rebellions 
 of 13 and 45. Lord Nairn was kept a considerable 
 time a State Prisoner, on account of rising in the year 
 15, and many stories are told of the hardships he suf- 
 fered during his confinement. 
 
 His Tenants, had at that time, an opportunity of 
 being convinced that, there were others, (and those 
 more powerful than their Lord,) who had a right to 
 their obedience and service. 
 
 Lady Nairn had the address to procure her husband's 
 enlargement ; many romantic accounts are still given 
 of the manner in which she effected his deliverance, 
 with these the limits of this Publication will not per- 
 mit the Author to interfere. Nairn did not however 
 long survive his release ; his constitution being broke 
 by long and rigid confinement. Lady Nairn appears 
 to have managed all the family affairs for a long time 
 previous to the year 45 ; notwithstanding her misfor- 
 tunes, she appears to have been warmly attached to 
 the unfortunate and misled IIouss of Siuart ; nor, i»
 
 CI 
 
 this attachirent difficult to be accounted £or in an im- 
 perious haughty feudal superior, who looked on every 
 rx-eu«ion of freedom as so many encroachments upon 
 that power and privilege, which was more valued than 
 the pecuniary emoluments to be derived from' the 
 estate, and which indeed almost placed the poisesfor 
 without the reach of the laws of that country of which 
 he was a member. 
 
 (a) " Renown'd in Scotland's annals long 
 ♦' His sires had been." 
 
 Tl-e family of Nairn were long famed for bo lily 
 strength, and a noble and chivalrous disposition. Si- 
 tuated as they were on the borders of the Highlands, 
 they were often forced to repel the incursions of their 
 warlll^e neighbours. The country to the south and 
 west of their estate wa? in the posscss-ion of a numhtr 
 of small proprietors, who were unable to defend tiiem- 
 selves from the depredations of these mountain mar- 
 auders, otherwise than by putting themselves ui.dcr 
 the protection of their more potent neighbour. 
 
 (!) *'Comc cnw.^i-d Clarice, for soon must I 
 *' A bout with this fam'd robber try."
 
 2'2 
 
 Clarke w;;s the surname of a family who lived on 
 the estate of Nairn for a very considerable number of 
 years ; one of them who was In the rebellion in 1745, 
 lived on a farm on the estate till his death. I have 
 ofren sat with the greatest pleasure, whilst the men in 
 the neighbourhood who were acquainted with him, 
 repeated some of his stories, which tend to throw 
 light on that period of Scottish history, when the 
 pasMons and prejudices of men were called into full 
 activity. 
 
 When the Prince called at Nairn on his way to the 
 south, the tenants were raised, and all capable of bear- 
 ing arms were marched off to join 'a small body which 
 v/as stationed In Perth. But they had either felt, or 
 heard of the hardships endured in 1715, when as now 
 they had been obliged to join the Prince. Of the 
 whole of the numerous vassals on the estate, only 
 three or four reached Perth, thc-othcrs having found 
 means to desert by the way. 
 
 Clarke however scorned to leave his Lord, and 
 stayed a number of days in Perth, until some of his 
 friends found, and forced him home. He brought his 
 arms home with him, and hid them in a furrow of a 
 newly plou^jhed field, where they continued till des- 
 troyed by rust- Another of the Nairn tenar.ts who 
 went to Perth, was called Littlejohn; he wiih some
 
 23 
 
 others had taken po?sa?sion of the Council House, 
 where they were attacked by some Loyalists, and one 
 of their French Officers killed. Oliphant of Gask was 
 one of the party, he stood in a corner and loaded the 
 muskets ; Littlejohn, who discharged them, bawling 
 out at the same time, "Load ye, Oliphant, and Til 
 fire," 
 
 Lady Nairn, who appears to have been a woman 
 of good abilities, was straining every nerve to induce 
 her tenants to set ofTto join the Prince ; when Little- 
 john who had deserted, arrived and informed her that 
 a to\s'nsman named John Gorrie, had rolled a cask of 
 Gunpowder to the arch which forms the entrance to 
 the Fibh'market, and was in the act of applying a 
 match to it when he was observed, and shot. On hear- 
 ing this, Lady Nairn stated that she would give a farm 
 rent free to whoever had done it, Littlejohn held up 
 his hand, saying, there, Madam, is the very hand that 
 did it ; there's the hand that did it. Tl-.i> past ofl, 
 Lady Nairn was obliged to flee ; and a party of Hes- 
 sian Dragoons was stationed in the vicinity of Nairn 
 House. Littlejohn and a William Gorrie were em- 
 ployed to drive a load of straw to their horses, Gorrie, 
 (whose waggeries are proverbial) when passing the 
 tents of the Hessians looked back, and asked his com- 
 panion what he had done with the hind that shot .Tohtj 
 Gorrie ; poor Littlejohnj while he trembled at cvrrj
 
 ^4 
 
 limb, beffgod hlni to have pity on him, and not expose 
 him to certiiin destruction. 
 
 (5) '• The gallant Ireland, so they tell, 
 "Beneath his desp'rate weapon fell/' 
 
 The Irelands, of Mllnhole, flourished much in the 
 legends of the natives of Logiealmond. They were 
 rot only said to be strong, but very deeply skilled in 
 knowledge of that kind which flourishes so much in 
 .Scottish story ; and which the possessor was supposed 
 to have received from beings of another world. In 
 short, it was reckoned very dangerous, " for gentle or 
 simple," to contradict them, but it appears that CaHum 
 Dhu either did not know, or at least did not care for 
 their supernatural abilities. The Reader will perhaps 
 rot be displeased to see the foUowirg very old Ballad 
 which I have lately been favoured with by a crer tie- 
 man, whose knowledge In the history of the iamilics 
 who possessed the estates on the Almond, Shochy, and 
 Orde, is very extensive. This gentlenian is in posses- 
 sion ol 'acks, llsceipts, and other Papers, at least One 
 Hund' . and Fifty years old. 1 wrote the Seng in 
 the manner he dictated it, but I am afraid it is incom- 
 plete. Several of my acquaintances recollect of having 
 heard it sung, and all concur in stating the air to be 
 very iiitcrejtinjr.
 
 SONG, 
 
 Cfje fusticc i3efeatet3 j 
 
 CR, 
 
 IRELAND'S ESCAPE FROM EDINBURGH. 
 
 There were seven Oys into Milnhole, 
 It was weel kend they evil did, 
 They dipped their hands among innocent bkiid; 
 And klll'd gentle John Crighton, the laird of Kin» 
 vaid. 
 
 They are on to Edinburgh town, 
 
 Nae laws could touch them here ava, 
 
 And three o' them were guilty found, 
 
 And four o' them hae won awa. 
 c. 
 I
 
 26 
 
 Up an' spak then William Ireland's mither, 
 An' aye an angry woman was she, 
 ** There'll be little Justice in the land, 
 «* If an Ireland for a Crighton die :" 
 
 Then up an' spak John Crighton*s wife, 
 
 An' aye a waefu' woman was she, 
 
 " The Ireland's bluid is gentle enough, 
 
 ** But John Crighton was aye as dear to me.' 
 
 * * * * * * * 
 
 Then up an' spak William Ireland's mither; 
 An' aye an angry woman was she, 
 
 " Oh 1 dinna ye mind, sir," she said, 
 " When ye lay in yon prison Strang, 
 « When I stole the keys o' the prison door? 
 *' An' aye sae quietly's I let ye gang;
 
 ** Novr; ye^re the Judge o' my three sons, 
 " All* a cruel Judge ye're like to be." 
 *i Now for thae words that ye hae spoken, 
 *; You and your three sons shall die." 
 
 Up an' spak William Ireland then, 
 
 An' aye an angry man was he, 
 
 « Ifl die, I'll die but ance, 
 
 *•' An' bragged by nae man I will be." 
 
 Then he has drawn a guid sma' sword, 
 He's drawn it from a narrow cane, 
 He's struck the Justice o'er the breast, 
 A little beneath the collar bane ; 
 
 He jumped the Bartisn, thirty feet high^ 
 An' thro' the water he lightly swam, 
 An' ere they got their little boats drawn, 
 He'd got three lang miles before them.
 
 Then he cllmb'd up to a high tree head, 
 'Twas a' to look what he could see, 
 An' there he saw his lordship comin', 
 Wi* niany in his company. 
 
 Some were ridin', an* some were rinnin'. 
 An' some were in their coaches, sae free ; 
 Oh alas ! said poor William Ireland, 
 There's peace in Scotland, but nane for me. 
 
 Then he's thrown ait his gude grey coat, 
 For the heat o' it he cou'dna thole, 
 An' wi' linen shirt an' doublet blue, 
 Upon them a' he's won Milnhole. 
 
 But when he cam into Milnhole, 
 He hadna peace to stay there ava,
 
 25 
 
 To the west I'll bend my course, 
 
 In the highlands of Scotland I'll remain, 
 
 An' the saugh tree shall be seven times budded 
 
 Before that I return again. 
 
 The common people are of opinion that a seven 
 years absence, in those days, was sufficient to free a 
 man from the punishment due to the greatest crimes^ 
 
 C $
 
 so 
 
 (fi) ''When glimm'ring thro* the trees they spied, 
 
 " Their mansion, Perthshire's boast and pride." 
 
 The House of Nairn was very lately built, not hav- 
 ing been entirely finished in the enterior when the 
 Rebellion broke out, and put a period to further 
 improvement. The old House was consumed by fire. 
 It was situated on a beautiful, elevated situation, a little 
 to the west of the new site, which was on a fine plain 
 in the immediate vicinity of the Orde. A few years 
 ago, the present Farmer had most of the foundation of 
 both Houses taken up to build fences. A large stone 
 was found in the ruins of the old House, with some 
 letters and figures, of which 16,— only could be dis- 
 tinguished.^ 
 
 The old House I have reason to believe was called 
 Strathorde; the gentleman mentioned in a former 
 note, has a Lease signed by a Sir Iloberc Nairn of 
 Strathorde, and another dated a considerable time after, 
 is given at Nairn House. It appears that the name of 
 the Estate was changed between the dates of the Leas- 
 es, The new Hou;e was a very splendid building ; there 
 are said to have beenThree hundred and sixty-five doors 
 and windows in it, — the expence of building must have 
 htsn great. An ancestor of the above gentleman used
 
 SI 
 
 to state that she was " woman mickle " before the 
 foundation v/as laid, and she lived to see the whole of 
 it levelled with the ground. The size of the building 
 may be guessed from the fact, that sixty masons were 
 constantly employed in the building for three years. 
 The nearest Ale-house was at Loak, aud there the 
 men went regularly every Saturday evening, where 
 they were treated at Lord Nairn's expence. The 
 articles of the repast were always prepared for sixty 
 men, every Saturday, for three years ; every man re- 
 ceiving a large oat scone or cake, a salt herring, and 
 a pint of ale. "Whisky at that time was rarely used. 
 
 When the present Proprietor determined to demo!- 
 i-.h this very beautiful building, he sold it to the com- 
 pany who had lately taken Luncarty Bleachfield ; who 
 again apld the whole of it in small lots, beginning at 
 the top, and selling one room after another, rescuing 
 the stones to build some of their new bleaching hoii>;ts. 
 In this manner was the countr)-', through the caprice 
 of an individual, deprived of one of its greatest orna- 
 ments. I am informed that the Clock and Weather- 
 cock on the Spire of the Hospital at Perth, was 
 originally on Nairn House. 
 
 The very imperfect manner in which I have noticed 
 Jbe affairs of Nairn, I can only account for by the very
 
 S2 
 
 »mall size of the Publication ; indeed, out of such a 
 mass of old traditions, I was obliged not to select the 
 best, but that, which dctatched from the rest, could 
 be best understood. 
 
 It may not be amiss to state hers, for the Informa- 
 tion of such of my readers as are not acquainted with 
 the district of Nairn or Strathorde, that It Is situated 
 between five and a half and ten miles north of Perth, 
 extending from the River Tay to Glenshie. 
 
 The Orde, after traversing It from west to east, falls 
 Into the Tay at Luncarty. It is almost unnecessary to 
 add, that, this very- beautiful and rich Estate was 
 confiscated in 1745 ; the Proprietor having engaged 
 very deeply in all the schemes of the Jacobites at that 
 period. The family at that time appear, from some 
 papers I have seen, to have been in great pecuniary 
 distress, no doubt, occasioned In a great measure by the 
 building of their new Mansion. They had contracted 
 debts to a considerable extent, which, at the breaking 
 out of the insurrection, had not been discharged. The 
 consequence was, tliat, the creditors were clamorous 
 for the sale of the E-tatc, that they might be paid 
 out of the proceeds The heir was then in France, 
 and Government, after the first alarm had subsided, 
 had begun to return some of the confiscated Estat;*,.
 
 ss 
 
 and to connive at the measures which the friends of the 
 owners of others took to purchase their possessions at 
 sales, where the good dispositions of their neighbours 
 kept them from outbidding them. Many of these 
 Estates were purchased for the Pioprietors at a mere 
 trifle, compared with their real value. And such was 
 the noble mindedness of the greater part of the whigs 
 of that time, that, instead of having any deep rooted 
 animosity to their unfortunate countrymen, scarcely 
 any of them betrayed their confidence ; although by 
 doing so, they might have kept the Estates they had 
 purchased far below their value, at a public sale. 
 
 Unfortunately for Eord Nairn he was doomed to be 
 dissappointed when he thought himself in possession of 
 the inheritance of his fathers. He had entered the 
 place of sale along with a nobleman, who was not only 
 his neighbour, but his relation ; and report says, he did 
 so in expectation of having his Estate purchased for 
 him by his friend. He did purchase the Estate for a 
 mere trifle, the bystanders immediately congratulated 
 him on the recovery of his friend's Estate, but, to their 
 astonishment, he told tliem, the Estate was his, that 
 he had bought, and meant to pay it. 
 
 The independent and high-minded nobles felt the 
 siain which snch proceedings brought on them, but
 
 S4 
 
 there was no remedy, and the Nairn faraily wcr& left 
 without a single acre of their best possession. 
 
 The Government of George IV. among many other 
 acts of the most liberal policy, has taken off the at- 
 tainders of most of the noblemen who lost their titles 
 along with Nairn, in 1745, But as these noblemen, 
 chiefly through the influence of their fi lends, and the 
 lenity of Government, had retained ther Estates, they 
 will be able to maintain their dignity, while Nairn 
 must straggle against many inconveniences, unless 
 some lucrative post is assigned him, which is the sin- 
 cere wish of as many of the tenants of his old Estate 
 as I have heard 5peak on the subject.
 
 This book is DUE on the last 
 dale stamped below. 
 
 -T^TT
 
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