possession of the estate, and John who in 1619 was served heir to his father Robert Leighton in the south or sunny side of the estate-the north or shady side being then in other hands1-is the last of the family found mentioned in connexion with the property. This Robert is supposed to be nephew to the celebrated Dr. Alexander Leighton,2 of whom we shall hear more in the next chapter, and who was the father of the celebrated Archbishop of Glasgow. John Leighton, or Lichton, is the last of the name who appears to have had any connexion with Usan, and Sir John Carnegie of Craig, third son to the first Earl of Southesk, had a charter of a portion of Ulishaven from his father in 1618. In 1672 the Lord Treasurer Maitland, taking advantage of the confidence reposed in him by James VII, appropriated to himself large possessions in almost all parts of the kingdom, and added to these the barony of Usan, of which he and his heirs had power to dispose at pleasure. Of the old "tour and fortalice" of Usan mentioned in his charter, there is now no trace. The Leightons of Usan1 thus suffered from storms as adverse to their destiny as those that beat upon their rocky coast; no trace of their mansion-house or their resting-place even survives in the district; subsequent proprietors are Ing. Spec. Forfar, Nos. 118-22. 2 Jervise, p. 267. * Douglas Peerage, ii. 514: Acta. Parl. viii. 122. 4 In the "House of Carnegie of Southesk," the following members of the family are mentioned, having been jurors : Duncan Lychtoune of Ulishaven (Feb. 20, 1409). Walter Leighton of do. Walter Leighton of do. (March 5, 1506). (April 29, 1514). (April 13, 1532). In the Record of the Convention of Royal Burghs, Robert Leighton appears as Commissioner for Montrose between 1575 and 1591 (vol. i. pp. 41, 121, 229, 244, 353) and Patrick Leighton between 1612 and 1630 (ii. 377; iii. 217, 305, 310, 321, 324). The name is still not an unknown one in Montrose. commemorated in their burying-ground at St. Skeoch's or St. Mary's churchyards, but in neither of these nor in the old churchyard of Inchbrayoch, is there any monument to be found belonging to this old family, although it is almost certain that the place of family sepulture must have been in one of the three churchyards, probably in Inchbrayoch as the Rev. Robert Scott, Minister of Craig, thinks. The present mansion-house is long subsequent to the time of the Leightons and is comparatively modern; the old one was near the present lodge, but not even a stone of it remains on the site. The well of the old house is still used, and not far from the lodge is an ancient ash tree with a great spreading root and a wide-spreading head, described to the writer by the gardener as the "grandfather of all the ash trees on the estate." It bears indications of extreme age, and could only have reached its present height, colossal in relation to all the surrounding trees, by being protected in its early stage from the violent sea-winds. West of the tree all is cultivated land, and east of it and between it and the present lodge, probably stood the old house of Usan-north of which again was the stately garden. On no other hypothesis but on that of protection-unique protection— can the height and massiveness of the ash tree be explained on this stormy coast, and its great age is beyond doubt. When the good Robert Leighton visited the house which his fathers occupied for nearly four centuries, this ash tree in its early stage may have met his eyes on the lawn at the west side of the house, while the neighbouring ruined chapels, with the dust of the hamlets and his forefathers sleeping around them, must have uttered much to his reverent heart. While there was much in the tradition around the old place of which he might be justly proud, the untimely effects of violence, the variability of human things and the turmoil which self-will produced could not fail to suggest many of those thoughts that afterwards pervaded his writings in such a vein. But another and an eternal voice would also speak out, which he so often heard and so well obeyed— "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me."1 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER I. (1539) Oct. 31.-Remiftion to Thomas Lichtoune of Vllishavin, for the Slaughter of Andrew Tait, &c. (Apud Falkland). Pitcairn's Criminal Trials (vol. i. part ii. p. 252.) (1549) May 29, John Lichtoune, of Vllishaven, denounced rebel, and put to the horn, as fugitive from the law, for the Murder of the faid Helen Striueling, his mother, and Jonet Sawlie, her servant, (Helen Striueling is described in the previous paragraph as "Lady Ullishavin, spouse of James Stratoune")—the "said Helen and Jonet her fervant being pregnant at the time of the said Murder (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials vol. i. part ii. p. 344.) (1550) May 10.-James Schoriswod and twelve others found caution to underly the law, on Jul. 8, for the cruel Slaughter and Murder of Helen Striueling Lady Ullifhavin, and Jonet Saule her servant (Ibid. p. 350.) (1561) Dec. 1.-James Schoriswod delatit for arte and parte of be crewell Slauchter of vmqHelene Stirling, Lady Ulleshevene. Prulocutouris for be pannel, Mr. George Strang, James Crawmond of Aldbar. The quhilk day comperit in jugement James Stratoune, and James Lychtoune, Parsone of Dunloppy; and þai being requirit be be said James Schorifwood, gyf þai wald perfew him of his lyfe for be faid Slauchter? Anfuerit, þat þai wald perfew him for be famyn. And bairupon be faid James Schoirifwod afkit ane Act of Court and instrumentis, and protestit þat he said Parsone fuld tyne his benefice conforme to þe lawis. Thomas Guthre of Kynbach protestit for his dampnage and skayth sustenit be him bat infafar as he was chargit be be Letteris to underly be law, and bat no party comperit to persew him, that he mycht recouer be samyn, ovther vpone be officiar executour of 1 Cf. Sermons before Scottish Parliament. be Letteris or party: and þair upoune afkit inftrumentis. (Ibid. P. 411.) Oct. 28, 1591... Lichtane of Vsane, Johnne L., Archibald and Alexander Ogiluy and Johnne Smith his feruandis, George Ogiluy sone to Alexander O. of Drummis, now feruand to James Lord Ogiluy, Williame and . . . O. sonis to Johnne O. of Quheich, . . . O. brother to Innerquharritie, (and sundry others, fervants to the Lairds of Teiling and Balfour, &c.) were charged, "that quhair vpoun the xvj day of August, last past or thairby," they "with convocatioun of his Maiefteis liegis, to the nowmer of thre fcoir perfonis or thairby, all bodin is feir of weir with jakkis, fpeiris, haequebutis,piftolettis and vtheris waponis, INVASIUE, prohibite to be worne be the lawis of this realme and actis of Parliament, off the speciall caufing, fending, hounding oute, command, &c. of the faid Lord, come vpoun vmqle Robert Campbell in Milhorne, Williame of Soutarhous, Thomas C. portionar of Kethik and Johnne C. of Muretoun, and maift cruellie and vnmercifullie murdreift and flew thame, vpoune fett purpois, prouifioun and foirthocht fellouny, in hie and proude contemptioune of his Maieftie, and encouragement of vtheris to committ the like shamefull and cruell flauchteris, heireftir," &c.-The Letters raised were at the inftance of "the wyffis, bairnis and remanent kin and friendes " of the deceased persone, chargingthe above parties to appear before the King and Council: and they not obeying the charge, were ordained to be denounced rebels, etc." Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. part i. p. 264). CHAPTER II DR. ALEXANDER LEIGHTON "Conscience reverenced and obeyed, WORDSWORTH. "Whatever fault we may find with many of their beliefs, we have a right to be proud of our Pilgrim and Puritan fathers among the clergy. They were ready to do and suffer anything for their faith, and a faith which breeds heroes is better than an unbelief which leaves nothing worth being a hero for."-OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. Α' His per LEXANDER LEIGHTON, the father of the Archbishop, was born presumably at Usan, and evidently suffered from the fallen fortunes of the house. sonality is sufficiently distinct, but the course of his life is not very well known. He was born about 1568, and studied at St. Andrews, where he graduated probably in 1587. He himself distinctly states in his petition to the High Court of Parliament in 1640 that he was a graduate of St. Andrews. In the list of students who subscribed the Articles of Religion in St. Leonard's College in 1586, there is a name resembling “ Alexander Leighton," but the signature is very obscure. It is said that he was professor of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh in 1611, the year of his son's birth, but there is lack of evidence for this. There is an undated petition' from Leighton, not earlier than 1606, and not later than 1612, addressed to Adam Newton, Dean of Durham and tutor to Prince Henry. In it he asks for a 1 Harl. MSS., 7004, Art. 71. 1 |