Six hundred years thy pedigree can boast,
From John de Balinhard, unto thy sire,
Whose cultured mind a radiance sheds around,
More brilliant far than daring deeds of arms,
Or senatorial triumphs in the State-
Whose glory, gourd-like, fadeth in a night.

Hail! youthful scion of a noble race!
On this auspicious day we greet thee well,
And bid thee welcome to our feudal feast;
Yet, not as vassals pay we homage due-
We meet as brothers, knit by every tie
Of friendship true, affectionate regard.
We go not forth to war, our trumpets hang
Unsounded in the corridors of peace,
Through which in low-breathed music ever rolls
The fervent homage of the loving heart.

Hail! youthful scion of a noble race!
Thy long, illustrious, bright ancestral line,
By warriors brave not all alone adorn'd,
But statesmen high in offices of trust-
Poets, lawyers, judges, men of high repute,
And loftiest range of thought, poetic song,
Whose mystic numbers vibrate in the ear,
Like ancient, well-remembered melodies.

Hail! youthful scion of a noble race!

The song of welcome greets thee from the hills,
Re-echoed from Monrommon's sylvan moor,
Whose woods are vocal with responsive praise;
The South Esk, sparkling bright with jewelled beams,
Enraptured onward flows in golden joy,
And virgin flowerets on its emerald banks
Blush sweeter in the fresh spring-time for thee.
And lo! in gossamer robes of purest white,
Gay crowned with diadems of roseate blooms,
Come tripping light with fairy feet, the band
Of loving sisters, whose soft voices, blent
With Nature's joyous songs, sweet fill the air
With strains divine of richest harmony!

Hail! youthful scion of a noble race,

In whose veins runs the purple blood of earls!
Uphold by noble deeds thine honoured name,
Not circumscribed by earth's contracted verge,
But stretching to infinity of space,

And grasping themes of philosophic thought,

Soar upwards ever with enlightened ken,
To higher, purer spheres of light divine.
Thus, like the eagle with expanded wings-
Imperial emblem of thine ancient House-

Sweep with thy pinions earth, and heaven, and time,
Thy keen eye fixed on far-off heights sublime,
Where, in unfading splendour, gleams the crown-
Eternal prize of glory and renown.

The "Song of Welcome," also composed by the Author, for the occasion, was finely and spiritedly sung by Mr Alexander Foote, son of the Rev. Dr Foote, Brechin :—

SONG OF WELCOME.

Air.-"Lewie Gordon."

Brightest hope of Southesk vale!
Borne upon the fragrant gale,
Songs of beauty through the dale,

Ring out clear to welcome thee!

Joy each swelling bosom fills,
High o'er Carcary's gushing rills,
Echoed back from Grampian hills,
Sounds the trump of Jubilee !

Bursting woods all vocal sweet,
Blossoms white so rare and meet,

Clust'ring fondly round our feet,

Winds so balmy, fresh, and free!

Hark! Monrommon joins the song,

South Esk's hymns the strains prolong,
Maidens singing trip along,

Vocal valley, mountain, sea!

Scion of an ancient line!

Weal or woe, the task be thine

Boldly tread the path divine,
Leading on to liberty!

Pure thy soaring high desires,
Strive to emulate thy sires,

Keeping bright the holy fires

Pointing heav'nward, God, to Thee!

CHAPTER XXIII

GUTHRIE CASTLE.

Hail! Castle Guthrie's turrets high
Upshooting dark against the sky,

That grim old loop-holed stately tower,
The fit abode of feudal power.

LEAVING the princely mansion of Kinnaird, the first place of historic importance we reach, as we retrace our steps through the beautiful vale of Guthrie, is Guthrie Castle, the chief seat of the ancient family of that ilk.

The lands of Lour, situated in the barony and parish of Inverarity, were erected into a barony by Alexander III., and before the year 1464, they became the property of George first Earl of Rothes. On the 18th October of that year, the earl granted a charter of the barony of Lour, the lands of Muirtown, and half of the lands of Carrate, with the superiority of the barony, all in the shire of Forfar, in favour of Sir David Guthrie of Kincaldrum, Treasurer to James II. To much the same age as Redcastle, which was occupied down to about the close of the sixteenth century, probably belongs the tower or older portion of Guthrie Castle. Sir David Guthrie of Kincaldrum and Lour, acquired the barony of Guthrie from the Earl of Crawford, about the year 1465, and became the founder of the family of that ilk. The new dormitory of the Abbey Church, Arbroath, was erected about 1470, during the time of Abbot Guthrie.

The barony of Guthrie was probably Crown property when William the Lion granted the church and its patronage to the Abbey of Arbroath. Sir David Guthrie, when he

acquired the barony, purchased the church and patronage of Guthrie from the Abbey of Arbroath, and erected it into a Collegiate Church, with a provost and three canons, to which number his son added five. Sir David Guthrie was designed in the charters of King James III., in the public records, first, Captain of the King's Guard, afterwards Comptroller, then Register, and afterwards, Lord Treasurer, and last of all, Lord Justice General of Scotland. He was the son of Alexander Guthrie, laird of Kincaldrum, and brother to Abbot Richard of Arbroath, and appears to have been the most illustrious of his family. His grandson James was the parent of James Guthrie, the famous martyr who was executed at the Grassmarket of Edinburgh in 1651.

The celebrated William Guthrie, minister of Fenwick, author of the "Christian's Great Interest," was a son of the laird of Pitforthy, a collateral branch of the Guthrie family. He was born at Pitforthy in 1620, and died October 10, 1655. His ashes repose in the south aisle of the Cathedral of William Guthrie, the historian of a later date, was

a member of the same family.

In the charter by Sir John Erskine of Dun to Walter of Ogilvy, of the lands of Carcarry, 18th March 1400, occurs the name of John de Guthry. In the year 1506 the Abbot and Convent of Arbroath, granted to Thomas, Lord of Innermeith and Baron of Inverkeilor, by an indenture made between them, the free use of that haven for fishing purposes during his lifetime. To this document, Alexander Guthrie of that ilk, subscribes his name and designation as a witness. In the same year Sir Alexander Guthrie of that ilk, adhibits his name to the retour of the service of James, Lord Ogilvy, as heir of his father, Lord Ogilvy, in the lands and mill of the Kirkton of Kynnell. Andrew Guthrie of that ilk, subscribes his name to the retour of the service of James, Lord Ogilvy of Airlie, as heir to James, Lord Ogilvy, his uncle, in the lands of Brekko and Ballischan, 31st August 1558.

"Deidlie feuds" continued to rage for generations between

the Gardynes and their neighbour and rival, Guthrie of that In 1578, Patrick Gardyne of that ilk, fell by the hand of William Guthrie. Ten years afterwards, doubtless out of revenge for the death of their chief, the Gardynes attacked and killed the head of the family of Guthrie; and according to the charge preferred against them, the deed was committed "beside the place of Innerpeffer, vponne sett purpois provisioune, auld feid and foirthocht fellony." These disastrous feuds became so serious, that the king was called upon to interpose his authority between them; and not long thereafter, the estates of both families were reduced and broken up, those of Guthrie passing into the hands of Bishop Guthrie of Moray, who was descended from John Guthrie of Hilltown, fourth son of Sir Alexander Guthrie.

It is

Guthrie anciently spelt Guthery, Guthre, and Guthryhas been a name of distinction in Scotland as far back as the records of the country extend. It is believed that the family of Guthrie is the most ancient of the County of Angus. matter of undoubted fact, that they were men of rank and property long before the time of James II. of Scotland, and that many of the house were distinguished by their talents, enterprise and valour. Sir Alexander Guthrie, with one of his sons and three brothers-in-law, fell at Flodden Field. is true Sir David Guthrie of Kincaldrum acquired the lands of Guthrie in 1465, but the family, as will afterwards appear, were men of eminence and distinction centuries before that era. The Kincaldrum, or more properly the Brigton Guthries, where the ancestors of the writer have resided for centuries, are the most ancient of the clan, all the other direct or collateral branches having originally sprung from this the most ancient stock of which we have any record.

It

Guthrie Castle, the principal residence of the chief of the family of that name is of great antiquity. Sir David Guthrie, already mentioned, obtained warrant under the great seal to build the present Castle in 1468, but the old Castle was in existence centuries before that period. It is still in good preservation