Burnett of Leys

the coat of arms of James Comyn Amherst Burnett of Leys, Chief of the Name and Arms of Burnett, Baron of Kilduthie.^[2]

Burnett of Leys is a Lowland Scottish family^{[lower-alpha 1]} from Deeside, near Banchory in Northeast Scotland. From the early 14th century to the mid 16th century the family occupied a lake dwelling on the Loch of Leys, and resided there or on land near the lake for over 200 years. It is from this lake that the family eventually acquired the designation "of Leys". Burnett of Leys is the chiefly branch of the House of Burnett.

Origins

The family's exact origin is pondered to this day, as the origin of the surname Burnett itself is unresolved. It has been suggested that Burnett is derived from the Old French burnete, brunette, which is a diminutive of brun meaning "brown", "dark brown". Another proposed origin of the name is from burnete, a high quality wool cloth originally dyed to a dark brown colour.^[3] There is also evidence which suggests that Burnett stems from the English surname of Burnard, a derivative of the Anglo-Saxon name "Beornheard".^[3] Spelling variations of the name in early documents show Burnet and Burnard/Bernard being used interchangeably for the same family and at times for the same person.^[3]

History

In this time The Burnards are seen to migrate north to the Scottish border country with a number of other Norman English families during the reign of David I.^[4] They soon move on to the Northeast of Scotland, where Alexander Burnard settled near Banchory. This Alexander Burnard is considered "The first of the Deeside Burnards, or Burnetts as they were later called".^[5] Alexander was an adherent of Robert the Bruce and for his services to the king he was rewarded in 1323 with land in Banchory and a position as the Royal Forester of Drum.^[5] He also received a charter of that king of the lands of Kilhenach, Clerech, and other lands in Aberdeenshire dated 28 March 1324.^[6] This was about the time the Burnard or Burnett family first took up residence on an artificial island called a crannog, on the Loch of Leys.^[7]

Crathes Castle, historic seat of the Burnett of Leys family.

The history of the family from this time onward is recorded in detail. During the next three centuries the Burnetts came to gain prominence in the area by making connections with the church, granting lands and other endowments.^[8] John Burnet "of Leyis", the fifth laird, was the first in this family to bear the distinction "of Leys" which from this time onward was applied both to the lands and to the family who held them.^[9] His son, Alexander Burnet of Leys was the first 'Baron of Leys' during the reigns of James II of Scotland, James III and James IV.^[10] In 1553, Alexander Burnet of Leys, the ninth lord of Leys began construction on Crathes Castle, which was finished by his great-grandson, another Alexander, the twelfth lord, in 1596.^[11] Crathes remained in the ownership of the Burnett family descendants for over 350 years, until 1952 when it was given to the National Trust for Scotland as part of Scotland's heritage.^[12]

Heraldic history

There were no known seals for Burnett of Leys before 1621.^[13] In 1550 Burnet of Burnetland (later Barns) appealed to the then Lord Lyon King of Arms to change his motto to that already in use by Burnett of Leys, Virescit vulnere virtus (strength draws vigor from an injury).^[14] Apparently successful, the Burnett of Leys lord then began using the motto Alterius non sit qui potest esse suus (he would not be another's who could be his). The earliest arms for Burnett of Leys was found on a carved panel dated to some thirteen years later showing the impaled arms of Burnett and Hamilton commemorating the marriage between Alexander Burnett (1529–1574) and Janet Hamilton.^[14] The arms of Burnett of Leys in 1553 used a shield, charged with three holly leaves and a hunting horn, blazoned: Argent, three holly leaves in chief vert and a hunting horn in base sable stringed Gules. The crest, a hand holding a knife shown pruning a vine had the motto: Alterius non sit qui potest esse suus (same meaning as above) or a variant: Alterius non sit qui suis esse potest (who can be his would not be another's).^[15] The next progression was that of Thomas Burnett of Leys, knighted in 1620, whose seal of Bore a shield with holly leaves and hunting horn, set within foliage decoration with his name and rank but no crest or motto.^[15] By 1627 and upon completion of Muchalls Castle, the impaled arms of Sir Thomas Burnet and his second wife Janet Moncreiffe now had supporters. On the dexter side was a huntsman in contemporary dress with a hunting horn suspended from his shoulder while the sinister supporter was a greyhound with a collar.^[16] In addition to the current motto, displayed beneath the supporters, was the motto above the hand, knife and crest, apparently ignoring the ruling of 1550 by the Lord Lyon Sir david Lindsay, the previous Burnett motto: Virescit vulnere virtus.^[16]

In 1672 the Scottish Parliament decided to record every coat of arms in Scotland, a project that took over twenty years to complete just the first volume.^[17] Appearing in folio 122 in the first volume were the arms of Sir Thomas Burnett, 3rd Baronet (1663–1714). This version had no supporters and only one motto: virescit vulnere virtus..^[17] In 1822 King George IV visited Scotland and encouraged by SirWalter Scott highland chiefs were to appear before the king in their appropriate tartan.^[17] Many of these chiefs had no idea what their tartan was and a Mr. Wilson, a weaver of Bannockburn near Stirling was quick to come up with numerous designs which was the start of the commercial tartan industry in Scotland.^[17] In a petition to the Lord Lyon, Sir Thomas, the head of an established lowland house decided the Burnetts should be considered highlanders, possibly to impress the king, and petitioned the Lord Lyon to change the huntsman supporter to a highlander with kilt. This achievement was recorded in Folio 33, in the fourth volume of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland (24 October 1838).^[17]

The next significant change came one hundred and twenty-nine years later when the current head of the House of Burnett, James Comyn Amherst Burnett of Leys, Baron of Kilduthie, petitioned the Lord Lyon to confirm him as heir of the undifferenced arms of Burnett of Leys.^[18] The third matriculation of the Burnett arms were granted to him on 22 May 1967 with changes: a silver shield with three holly leaves, black hunting horn decorated in gold with a red strap, and the crest is a hand with a knife pruning a vine. The crest sits on a red baronial chapean, symbolizing the baronies of Leys and Kilduthie. Above the crest is the established motto: Verescit vulnere virtus and the kilt of the highlander supporter is the official Burnet of Leys tartan.^[18] The two supporters stand on a compartment (in the form of a grassy mound) with a ribbon bearing the motto: Alterius non sit qui suus esse potest not used since 1550.^[18]

Following a meeting of Burnett kin in 1993 the title was formally changed to the House of Burnett.^[18] A fourth petition was made to the Lord Lyon for a Standard and a Pinsel recognizing the head of the house of Burnet which was duly granted.^[18]

The current Chief of the Name and Arms of Burnett, James C. A. Burnett, Baron of Kilduthie, arranged with the National Trust for Scotland for a room on the top floor of Crathes Castle to display items of interest for members of the Burnett family worldwide including armorial bearings.^[18]

See also

• Burnett Baronets
• Crathes Castle

Notes

References

External links

• Burnett, The Official Website