A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS.
George Nisbet, son of Alexander Nisbet of that Ilk, of half of the barony ot
Dalziel, 1513, as in the Public Register.
Which George succeeded his father Alexander ; he gives a charter (wherein
he is designed de eodtni)
to Elizabeth Cranston, daughter of Cuthbert Cranston
of Mains, of the lands of Mungo's-Walls, West-Miln of West-Nisbet, and
lands of Otterburn in Berwickshire, anno 1551.
He was grandfather of Philip Nis-
bet of that ilk, who married a daughter of Haldane of Gleneagles ; with her he
had Sir Alexander, v, ho succeeded i .,uip Nisbet, who lived in England.; of him
are descended Thonu^ and Philip Nisbets, eminent merchants in London ; and, for his
third son Thomas, \\ Iio married Agnes Purves, father and mother of Mr Philip
Nisbet of Lfldykirk, an eminent man for his learning and loyalty, grandfather of
Margaret Nisbet, married to John Veitch of Dawick, chief of his name, of whom
afterwards.
Which Sir Alexander Nisbet of that Ilk, .who demolished the castle of Nisbet, and
builded the house of Nisbet, was most signally conspicuous for his bright parts, and
dutiful loyalty to his Sovereign King Charles the I. He was principal Sheriff of
the shirt of Berwick during the peaceable time of that King's reign; he strenuous-
ly opposed the Covenanters but ; they prevailing, he and his sons were iorced to
leave the country, and join with the King's army, where they served in honourable
posts with valour and untainted loyalty, to the loss of their persons and estate :
His lady was Katharine Swinton, only daughter of Swinton of that Ilk, and his
first lady Katharine Hay, daughter of William Lord Tester ; she bore to him
Philip, Alexander, Robert, John, and Adam.
The eldest son, Sir Philip, was on his travels abroad, who, hearing of his sovereign's
troubles, came to England, and offered his service to his Majesty, who
knighted him, and gave him the command of a regiment, and was lieutenant-
Governor of Newark upon Trent, when the Scots Covenanters besieged it ineilct:-
tually : He
gave many singular proofs of his conduct and valour in the service of
his king in England, till the affairs drew him to Scotland to join with the Marquis of
Montrose, and continued with him till the battle of Philiphaugh, where, being ap-
prehended,
he was no sooner known but an order was sent from the Committee of
Estates for his commitment to Glasgow ; and there he was tried for being in arms
with Montrose, which they easily found him guilty of, and gave sentence to
lose his head ; which judgment was execute upon him at Glasgow, in company
with Alexander Ogilvie, eldest son of Sir John Ogilvie of Innerquharity, a youth
scarce twenty years, both unmarried, upon the 28th of October 1646; as in the
History of these times, by Dr George Wishart, Bishop of -Edinburgh, who says,
that the Covenanters beheaded then three stout gallant gentlemen, Sir William
Rollock, Alexander Ogilvie, and Sir Philip Nisbet, of an ancient family, and chief
of it, next his father, who had done honourable services in the King's army in
England, and had the command of a regiment there.
Alexander and Robert, both Captains, were killed in the field following Mon-
trose. Mr John, the fourth son, married and died in England, leaving a daughter
who was married to Mr Brown in Chirnside, a brother of Brown of Blackburn.
Adam, the youngest son of Sir Alexander Nisbet of that Ilk, married Janet
Aikenhead, grandchild to David Aikenhead, Provost of Edinburgh, father and
mother of the author of this System of Heraldry, who is the only male representer
of the ancient and honourable family of Nisbet.
There were of old several good families of the name, branched from the house
of Nisbet, now extinct, as Nisbet of Paxton, Nisbet of Spittle, Nisbet of Swinewood
in the shire of Benvick, and Nisbet of Dakiel in the shire of Lanark, which
nourished from the reign of King David the II. to the reign of King Charles the
II. from whom were descended the Nisbets, who were magistrates and eminent
merchants in Glasgow.
There was also another family of the name in the shire of Renfrew, stiled NISBET
of Johnston, which, in the time of King James the I. went of with an heiress married
to a son of Wallace of Ellerslie, who thereupon quartered the coat of Nisbet
with that of Wallace, which, as I am informed, are to be seen engraven on the
house of Johnston.