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A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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43-<br />

OF ARTIFICIAL THINGS.<br />

The family has been in use to carry those figures, to perpetuate a valiant ami<br />

bold action in the reign <strong>of</strong> David the Bruce ; which figures differ from these <strong>of</strong> the<br />

other families <strong>of</strong> the name, as before, upon the account <strong>of</strong> some notable event,<br />

though <strong>of</strong> the same origin with them, as by the common tradition, That three<br />

brothers <strong>of</strong> the surname <strong>of</strong> O'Neal, came from Ireland to Scotland, in the reign <strong>of</strong><br />

Robert the Bruce, where they got lands for their valour, and their issue changed<br />

their name a little, from O'Neal to Neilson; for O'Neal and M'Neil are the same<br />

with Neilson.<br />

For the antiquity <strong>of</strong> this family, I have seen a precept granted by James Lindsay<br />

<strong>of</strong> Fairgirth, to infeft John Neilson, and his wife Isabel Gordon, in the lands <strong>of</strong><br />

Corsack in Galloway, in the year 1439. Also a charter <strong>of</strong> confirmation <strong>of</strong> the<br />

lands <strong>of</strong> Corsack, <strong>of</strong> the date 2oth <strong>of</strong> July 1444, by Sir John Forrester <strong>of</strong> Corstorpaine,<br />

to Fergus Neilson, son and heir to John Neilson <strong>of</strong> Corsack. And in anno<br />

Neilson <strong>of</strong><br />

1497, there is a charter granted by James Lindsay <strong>of</strong> Carsluith, to John<br />

Corsack, who married a daughter <strong>of</strong> Cairns <strong>of</strong> Orchardton, and with her had a<br />

son, who got the lands <strong>of</strong> Arvie; which family ended in three daughters, who died<br />

without issue, and these lands were purchased by Corsack. Secondly, he married<br />

Janet, a daughter <strong>of</strong> Lindsay <strong>of</strong> Fairgirth, and with her had a son, John, who succeeded<br />

to the lands <strong>of</strong> Corsack, as by charters in the years 1539, and 1546.<br />

This John married a daughter <strong>of</strong> Kirkwall, or Kirko <strong>of</strong> Bogrie, and was succeeded<br />

by his son John, who built the present House <strong>of</strong> Corsack, the date <strong>of</strong> which is to<br />

be seen engraven upon a stone, above the head <strong>of</strong> the door <strong>of</strong> the tower, with the<br />

shield <strong>of</strong> arms as above, without the crest and motto. He married Margaret, a<br />

daughter <strong>of</strong> Gordon <strong>of</strong> Macartney, and was succeeded by his son Robert Neilson <strong>of</strong><br />

Corsack, who married a daughter <strong>of</strong> Maclellan <strong>of</strong> Barscob ; with her he had<br />

John his successor, who married Anne, eldest daughter to Gordon <strong>of</strong> Eaiiston,<br />

father and mother <strong>of</strong> the present John Neilson <strong>of</strong> Corsack, \viio carries the above<br />

arms.<br />

Barnacles, an instrument used by horse-farriers, to curb and command unruly<br />

horses, were carried in arms by the ancient family <strong>of</strong> the name <strong>of</strong> GENEVILL, by<br />

corruption called GRENVILL, sometime great in England, and Lords <strong>of</strong> Meath in<br />

Ireland, azure, three horse-barnacles extended in pale or, on a chief ermine, a lion<br />

issuant gules, which Mr Gibbon blazons thus: " Gestant in area caerulea tres postomides<br />

aureas prorectje expansas, &- alteram alteri impositas summitate scuti<br />

" muris Armeniae velleris impressa, & itidem leone exeunte rubro adornata."<br />

Plate II. fig. 33. This author latins barnacles, postomides, -to distinguish them<br />

from the bird barnacle, (known with us by the name ,<strong>of</strong> cleg-geese) latined b amida.<br />

This bird, says our author, he never met with in arms, but in these <strong>of</strong> Sir<br />

WILLIAM BERNACKE, in Leicestershire, viz. urgent, a fesse between three barnacles<br />

sable, which were in allusion to the name. Menestrier, in his Abrege Metbodique<br />

des Armories, calls the instruments barnacles, broe s, and takes it for an instrument<br />

to break hemp to make it spin, which he says are carried by the name <strong>of</strong> BROYES,<br />

in France, in allusion to the name, viz. d'azttr a trois broes cTor, etendues en face<br />

1'une sur Vautre. Plate II.<br />

The family <strong>of</strong> BUTET, in Savoy, carries three buttets in allusion to the name,<br />

that is, three instruments wherewith Farriers pare the hooves <strong>of</strong> horses. Menes-<br />

trier.<br />

The name <strong>of</strong> KYLE, with us, or, three candlesticks sable. Mackenzie's He-<br />

raldry.<br />

The name <strong>of</strong> WRIGHT, in Scotland, azure, three carpenters' axes argent. Ibid.<br />

Plate II. fig. 34.<br />

JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH <strong>of</strong> Newbehall, in Yorkshire, argent, three weavers' shuttles<br />

sable, tipped and furnished with their quills <strong>of</strong> yarn or.<br />

The name <strong>of</strong> WEBSTER, argent, a fesse between three weavers' shuttles gules,<br />

tipped and furnished with quills <strong>of</strong> yarn or. Plate II. fig. 35. For such like mechanical<br />

instruments, and musical ones, such as fiddles, drums, &-c. are seldom or<br />

never carried by our gentry or nobility. See Guillim, Morgan, and other English<br />

herald books <strong>of</strong> blazons.<br />

So much then for armorial figures in their different kinds, and various terms and<br />

attributes, as methodically as I could perform.

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