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A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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X4 2<br />

OF THE SALTIER OR SAUTOIR.<br />

I have seen a seal <strong>of</strong> arms <strong>of</strong> John Bruce <strong>of</strong> Clackmanan, appended to a writ in<br />

the year 1481, which had on the chief a star or mullet.<br />

The first <strong>of</strong> this family was ROBERT BRUCK, who got a charter <strong>of</strong> the castle and<br />

barony <strong>of</strong> Clackmanan from King<br />

signed, by that King, Dilectits consanguineus<br />

David the Bruce : In which charter he is de-<br />

noster. From the lairds <strong>of</strong> Clackman-<br />

an all the families <strong>of</strong> the Bruces, since the reign <strong>of</strong> that King, seein to be descended.<br />

BRUCE <strong>of</strong> Airth, the first <strong>of</strong> which family was David, second son to Robert the<br />

first laird <strong>of</strong> Clackmanan, and his wife Elizabeth Stewart, daughter to Sir Robert<br />

Stewart <strong>of</strong> Rosy th. This family carried <strong>of</strong> late as Clackmanan did <strong>of</strong> old; viz.<br />

or, a saltier and chief gules, the last charged with a mullet <strong>of</strong> the field.<br />

BRUCE <strong>of</strong> Blairhall, another branch <strong>of</strong> the house <strong>of</strong> Clackmanan, carries the<br />

same arms with Clackmanan, with some small difference.<br />

This family ended lately in an heiress married to Mr Dougald Stewart, Advocate,<br />

brother to James Earl <strong>of</strong> Bute.<br />

BRUCE Earl <strong>of</strong> Elgin in Scotland, and Aylesbury in England, being descended<br />

<strong>of</strong> Edward Bruce, a younger son <strong>of</strong> Bruce <strong>of</strong> Blairhall, a man <strong>of</strong> singular parts,<br />

was sent ambassador with the Earl <strong>of</strong> Marr, from King James, to Queen Elizabeth<br />

; and being eminently instrumental in the peaceful entrance <strong>of</strong> King James,<br />

after the death <strong>of</strong> that C^ueen, into the throne <strong>of</strong> England, by the intelligence<br />

which he privately held in her lifetime, with Sir Robert Cecil her Secretary <strong>of</strong><br />

State. In recompense <strong>of</strong> this his faithful service, he had the great <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> Master<br />

<strong>of</strong> tlie Rolls conferred on him for life, in the first year <strong>of</strong> the reign <strong>of</strong> King James<br />

I. <strong>of</strong> Great Britain ; and the next year, was advanced to the dignity <strong>of</strong> a Baron,<br />

by the title <strong>of</strong> Lord Bruce <strong>of</strong> Kinloss, and Earl <strong>of</strong> Elgin in Scotland. He died<br />

the i4th <strong>of</strong> January 1610, having issue by Magdalen his wife, daughter <strong>of</strong> Sir<br />

Alexander Clerk <strong>of</strong> Balbirnie, Edward and Thomas, and a daughter, Christian,<br />

married to William Earl <strong>of</strong> Devonshire. Edward succeeded his father in his ho-<br />

nours, but had the hard fate to be killed in a duel by Sir Edward Sackville, afterwards<br />

Earl <strong>of</strong> Dorset ; whereupon Thomas, his brother, became his next heir, and<br />

succeeded him in the honours, and had additional ones bestowed on him by<br />

King Charles I. the iyth year <strong>of</strong> his reign, being advanced to the dignity <strong>of</strong> a<br />

baron in England, by the title <strong>of</strong> Lord Bruce <strong>of</strong> Whorleton. His son and successor<br />

Robert was, by King Charles II. in the i6th year <strong>of</strong> his reign, created Lord<br />

Bruce <strong>of</strong> Skelton, Viscount Bruce <strong>of</strong> Ampthil, and Earl <strong>of</strong> Aylesbury in England..<br />

The arms <strong>of</strong> this noble family are, or, a saltier and chief gules, on a canton<br />

argent, a lion rampant azure ; which last are the original arms <strong>of</strong> the Bruces <strong>of</strong><br />

Skelton, thus blazoned by Jacob Imh<strong>of</strong>f; Scutum, quo Comes Alisburry utitur, aureum<br />

est, decussim continent rubeum ccephaloque<br />

dist'mftum ejusdem colons ; cujus angulus<br />

dexter argenteus leonem caruleum defcrt. Which arms are supported by two savages,<br />

proper ; and for crest, a lion : rampant with the motto, Fuimus.<br />

The other cadet <strong>of</strong> the family <strong>of</strong> Blairhall was Sir GEORGE BRUCE <strong>of</strong> Carnock,<br />

third son to Edward Bruce <strong>of</strong> Blairhall, predecessor to the Earl <strong>of</strong> KINCARDINE ;<br />

who carry quarterly, first and fourth argent, a lion rampant azure, armed and<br />

langued gules, the ancient arms <strong>of</strong> the Bruces <strong>of</strong> Skelton ; second and third or, a<br />

^altier and chief gules, the arms <strong>of</strong> those descended <strong>of</strong> the Bruces <strong>of</strong> Annandale ;<br />

supporters, two men in armour with targets : and for crest, a naked arm flexed,<br />

issuing out <strong>of</strong> a cloud, and holding a man's heart, proper ; with the motto, Semper<br />

fidelis. This imily was honoured with the title <strong>of</strong> Earl <strong>of</strong> Kincardine by King<br />

Charles I. 26th December 1647.<br />

BRUCE <strong>of</strong> Kennet, carries the old arms <strong>of</strong> Clackmanan, viz. or, a saltier and<br />

chief gulfs, the last charged with a mwllet urgent', crest, a hand holding a sceptre,<br />

proper r motto, Fuimus. The first <strong>of</strong> this family was Thomas Bruce, a younger<br />

son <strong>of</strong> Robert Bruce, Dominus de Rate \S Clackmanan, who got from his father the<br />

lands <strong>of</strong> West-Kennet, as by the charter <strong>of</strong> the date the 2d May 1389 ; which is<br />

confirmed by another charter <strong>of</strong> King Robert 111. anno 1399 from whom is li-<br />

;<br />

neally descended the present Laird <strong>of</strong> Kennet, Brigadier-General James Bruce.<br />

JAMES BRUCE <strong>of</strong> Wester-Kinloch, descended <strong>of</strong> the family <strong>of</strong> Airth, argent, a<br />

saltier and chief gules, with a mullet in the dexter chief point or ; all within a

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