A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

256
OF CELESTIAL FIGURES, bV.
Somerville ; but he nor his successors never claimed it, but carried the foresaid
arms, as doth the present
Somerville of Drum. Of whom before.
Another eminent family of this name, was the SOMERVILLES Barons of Camnethan,
or Cambusnethan. The first was Sir John Somerville, a son of John Lord
Somerville, by his second marriage with his lady, Mary Baillie, a daughter of Lamington.
I have not met with this family's arms in old books ; but in the Lyou
Register they are, of late, recorded thus. James Somerville of Usher to
his Majesty's Exchequer, representer of the family of Cambusnethan, bears argent,
three mullets gules, within an orle of six cross croslets fitched sable; crest, a
dexter hand in pale, proper, holding a crescent : argent motto, Donee rursus implcat
orbem.
ARBUTHNOT Viscount of ARBUTHNOT, chief of the name, azure, a crescent between
three stars argent ; supporters, two dragons with wings expanded, and tails
nowed vert, spouting out fire ; crest, a peacock's head and neck, proper : motto,
Laus Deo.
The first of this family is said to have married a daughter of Oliphard, Sheriff
of the Merns, in the reign of King Edgar and with her ; got the lands of Aberbothenoth,
from which the name.
RICHARD de ABERBOTHENOTH is witness in a charter granted by the abbot and
convent of Kelso, in the year 1178, to Reginald, then elected abbot of Aberbrothwick.
Sir George Mackenzie's Manuscript.
DUNCAN de ABERBOTHENOTH is witness to a donation of King Alexander II. to the
abbacy of Aberbroth 1242: As in the Register of that Abbacy. And there, in
the year 1282, Hugh de Aberbroth grants the patronage of the church of Garvock,
in pure alms, to the Monks of Aberbrothick : And, in the year 1367, Philip de
Aberbothenoth Dominus ejusdem was a benefactor to the church of Aberdeen.
In the year 1421, Hugh Arbuthnot (the same with Aberbothenoth) with other
gentlemen of the Merns, who had been accessory to the slaughter of John Melville
of Glenbervie, were received to the Lack of Clan M'Duff, as being within nine
degrees of kin to M'Duff Earl of Fife ; as by a certificate under the hand and
seal of one Johntson, Steward of Fife. From this Hugh was lineally descended
Robert Arbuthnot of that Ilk, who was dignified with the title of Viscount of Ar-
buthnot, by letters patent, dated at Holyroodhouse, the i6th of November 1641 ;
of whom is the present Viscount.
ARBUTHNOT of Findowry, descended of Arbuthnot of that Ilk, azure, a crescent
between three stars within a bordure argent ; crest, a peacock issuing out of the
wreath, proper : motto, Interna preestant. New Register.
SIMEON ARBUTHNOT of Catherlan, a third son of Arbuthnot of that Ilk, and his
lady, Margaret Fraser, daughter of the Lord Fraser, azure, a cresent between three
stars within a bordure argent, charged with eight cinquefoils of the first ; crest, a
Sit laus Deo.
peacock's head couped, proper, charged with a mullet or: Ibid.
motto,
JOHN ARBUTHNOT of Fiddes, another younger son, the arms of Arbuthnot, within
an orle of eight cinquefoils argent, because his mother was a Fraser ; with the
crest of Arbuthnot ; and for motto, Tarn internet quam externa. Ibid.
The surname of BRODIE, argent, a cheveron gules,
between three stars azure.
The chief is BRODIE of that Ilk, in the shire of Murray. The first of this family
was one Michael, son of Malcolm, who got the lands of Brodie, in the reign of
King Robert I. and, from the lands, took the surname of Brodie. See Sir George
Mackenzie's Manuscript. Of whom is descended the present Laird of Brodie.
The family, it seems, has been in use, as chief of the name, to carry supporters,
viz. two savages wreathed about the head and middle with laurel ; and for crest,
a right hand holding a bunch of arrows, all proper; with the motto, Unite. As in
Plate of Achievements.
The surname of CAUSLAND, argent, two stars, and a crescent in base sable, a chief
cheque, of the first and second. Font's Manuscript.
The surname of AUSTON, gules, six stars, three, two, and one, argent, within a
bordure indented or. Font's Manuscript.
Some Heralds, as I observed before ; but especially the English, call stars of five