A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF THE CROSS, &c..
Sir JAMES SINCLAIR of Oldbarr, Baronet, argent, a cross parted per cross, fable
and gules ingrailed ; in the dexter canton, the badge of knight-baronet ; crest, an
otter issuing out of the wreath : motto, ^uociaique ferar. Ibid.
The surname of RAIT or Knur, or, a cross ingrailed sable : The first of this
name is said to be a German, from the country of Rhetia, from whence the name;
and, it is said, to have come to Scotland in the reign of Malcolm IV. and from that
king got some lands in the shire of Nairn, which he called after his own name.
In the reign of John Baliol, mention is made by our historians of Sir Gems Rait
of that Ilk. In the reign of Robert III. Sir Alexander Rait of that Ilk, having
killed the Thane of Calder, fled to the Merns, and lived under the protection of
the Earl Marischal ; his son, Mark Rait, married Dunnct, heiress of
Halgrecn, and got with her these lands. David Rait of Halgreen and Drumnagar
gets a charter from King James III. of these lands, of whom were descended the
Raits, lairds of Halgreen ; who carried as above, for crest, an anchor, proper ;
motto, Spero meliora. Lyon Register.
Mr WILLIAM RAIT of Pitforthie, descended of a second son of Halgreen, or, on
a cross ingrailed sable, a hunting-horn of the first, stringed gules ; crest, an
anchor, proper, ensigned on the top, with a crescent argent : motto, Meliora spero
sequorque. Lyon Register.
WILLIAM RAIT, Merchant in Dundee, whose father was a second son of Hal-
green, or, a cross ingrailed within a bordure invected sable ; crest, a lily . motto,
Sperandum. Lyon Register.
The surname of WIDDERSPOON, or, a cross ingrailed betwixt four crescents gules,
as in Mr Font's Manuscript.
AYTON of that Ilk, argent, a cross ingrailed, cantoned with four roses gules. This
was of old an eminent family in the shire of Berwick, in the reigns of Robert the
Bruce, and Robert II. ; which family continued in a male succession till the reign
of King James III. : It ended in an heiress, who was married to George Home,
second son to Alexander Lord Home, and has continued in the name of HOME of
Ayton, who have been in use to place over the quartered coat of Home in the centre,
one of the red roses of Aiton.
AYTON of Dunmura in Fife, being the next heir-male of Ayton; of that Ilk, in
the shire of Berwick. I have seen a seal of Ayton of Dunmure, who
was Captain of the Castle of Stirling, in the reign of King James V. upon which
was a shield quartered, first, a cheveron between two stars in chief, and a crescent
in base j second, the coat of Ayton as before ; third, an anchor ; and the fourth as
first. This family, since, has procured a signature and, warrant from, the King,
for calling the lands of Dunmure, Ayton and ; the family is now designed Ayton
of that Ilk, and carries only the arms of Ayton, argent, a cross ingrailed, cantoned
with four roses gules ; and for crest, a hand pulling a rose : proper with the motto,
Decerptee. dabunt odarem. So matriculated in the Lyon Register, at the desire of
Sir John Ayton of that Ilk, Baronet.
Sir JOHN AYTON of Kippo, a cadet of the immediate family, being sworn Gentleman-Usher
of the Black-Rod in England, in presence of the Sovereign and
Knights Companions of the most noble Order of the Garter, the 2Oth of February,
Anno 13. Caroli II.. carried the foresaid arms, and added, by permission, the badge
of his office, being a black batton, ensigned on the top with one of the Lions of
England ; crest, a rose-tree vert, flowered gules : with the motto, Et decerptce
dabunt odorem.
JOHN AYTON of Kinaldy, descended ofthe family of Ayton of that Ilk, carries
the arms of Ayton as above, within a bordure of the second ; crest, a rose-tree
dabunt odorem.
vert, flowered : gules motto, Decerptee
JOHN AYTON of Inchdarnie, another cadet, gives the arms of Ayton as above,
differenced with the addition of a crescent argent ; and, for crest, a rose : gules
witli the motto, Vlrtute arta ofddunt rarius.. Which blazons are in the Lyon
Register.
ADINSTOUN of that Ilk, an ancient family in East-Lothian, which ended in an
heiress, who was married to Hepburn, descended of Hepburn of
Waughton, carried, argent, a cross ingrailed sable, cantoned with four cross cros-
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