A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS.
KENNETH MACKENZIE of Suddy, descended of Seaforth, carries Mackenzie, \viih
in u bordure embattled or; crest, a dexter hand grasping
a sword in bend, proper:
motto, Sic- itur ad astra. Ibid.
The surname of THOMSON carries argent, a stag's head cabossed gules, attired or,
iii.J, on a chief azure, a cross croslet fitched of the third,
of the first. Font's MS.
between two spur-rowels
The name of DINGWALL carries azure, a buck's head cabossed or, between three
spur-rowcla argent.
Font's MS.
The horns or attires of beasts are frequently borne in arms ; Sylvester Petra
Sancta, treating of them, says, " Cornua autem, spolia venatorum, non postrema,
"- & qui ideo in virorum nobilium tesseris gentilitii's immigrarunt ;" of which he
gives us several examples borne by noble families in the empire, as those of VIR-
TEMBERI, or, three attires of a hart in fesse sable; thus blazoned in French upon
the margin of his book, d'or a trois perches de cerf, misss en faces de sable.
The surname of BOYLE, with us, bears or, three harts' horns gules, situate fesse-
ways, 2 and i. The principal family of the name is Boyle of Kelburn, of an old
standing in the sheriffdom of Ayr. In the reign of Alexander the 111. they possessed
the lands of Kelburn ; for, in writs about that time, mention is made of
Ricfirdus Boyle, D(-;iinus de Caulburn, i. e. Kelburn : as in an acquittance from
Walterus Cummin, Dominus de Rnugallan, i. e. Rowallan : And, in the charter-chest
of my Lord Glasgow, there is a charter of Hugo Boyle, in anno 1399, whereby he
makes a mortification to the monks of Paisley for the welfare of his soul.
This family continued down in a direct line till the reign of King Charles I.
that John Boyle of Kelburn, having no male-issue, married his only daughter and
heiress, Grissel Boyle, ito David Boyle of Halkshill, a cadet of his own family, his
great-grandfather being a brother of it ; whose grandchild, DAVID BOYLE of Kelburn,
in the year 1699, was created Lord Boyle, and afterwards, in the year 1703.
Earl of GLASGOW, Viscount of Kelburn, Lord Boyle of Stewarton. He carries,
quarterly, first and fourth or, an eagle displayed gules, as a coat of augmentation,
upon his creation as Earl, being formerly the crest of the family ; second and
third, parted per bend crenelle, argent and gules, for the surname of Boyle in
England, as a coat of affection with the Boyles in England ; and, over all, by wav
of surtout, an escutcheon or, three harts' horns gules, 2 and i, the paternal coat of
Boyle of Kelburn ; which arms are supported on the dexter by a savage, proper,
and on the sinister by a lion rampant, parted per bend crenelle, argent and gules ;
crest, an eagle, with two heads and necks displayed, parted per pale crenelle, or and
gules: motto, Dominus providebit.
The name of COCKS, in England, carries argent, a cheveron between three attires
of stags fixed to the scalps azure.
Having treated of beasts of the game with horns, I shall proceed to others \\'th
out horns, carried in arms with us and other countries.
The -bare is carried in arms by an old family with us, of the name of CLHLANU
of that Ilk, in the county of Lanark; it is said they were hereditary foresters to
the old Earls of Douglas, which gave rise to their arms. After the death of Alexander
III. James Cleland of Cleland joined with William Wallace against the
English, for the relief of his country, as in Mr Blair's History of Wallace. He after-
wards stood firm in his loyalty for King Robert the Bruce ; and, for his good ser-
vice, that king gave to him several lands lying within the barony of Calder in
West-Lothian. From him was descended William Cleland of that Ilk, who, in the
reign of King James III. married Jean, daughter of William Lord Somerville,
(as in the Manuscript of that Family). From them branched Cleland of Faskme,
Cleland of Monkland, and Cleland of Cartness ;
which family ended of late in an
heiress, married to Sir William Weir of Blackwood.
.ALEXANDER CLEXAND of that Ilk, ,with his cousin William Cleland of Faskine,
were both killed fighting valiantly for their king in the fatal battle of Flodden,
1513. I have seen the seal of arms of this Alexander appended to a charter, of
the date 1498, upon which was an hare salient, with a hunting-horn about hi^
neck. James Cleland of that Ilk, an eminent man in the time of King James V.
M-hom he frequently attended at hunting, as in the abovementioned Manuscript,