The family of Burnett of Leys, with collateral - Electric Scotland

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THE FAMILY OF BURNETT OF LEYS.
" Leys, in the Countie of Marre and Kingdome of Scotland. As doth appeare
" by the last visitation of Norffolke and other proofes. In testimony hereof I
"have subscribed theise presents, the 3oth June, 1640.
"WM. LE-NEUE, Clarencieux,
" King of Arms."
The pedigree of Duncan Burnett, obtained from the same source, the Records
of the College of Arms, London, is also curious.
" Alexander Burnett of Lees, in Marre, in Scotland, son and heir of Alexander,
"mar. the dau. of Lumesdaine, in Marre, in Scotland, Gen., and had issue
"
Alexander, son and heir. Alexander Burnet of Lees afsd, gen., son and heir of
"Alexander, mar. Katheren, dau. of Robt. Arbuthnot of little fiddes, in Com.
"
Merneis, in Scotland, gen., and had issue, Alexander, sonne and heir, Robt.,
" second son ; Thomas, third son ; Gylbert, fourth son ; Dunkyn, fifth son ;
" John, sixth son ; Janett, mar. to Gilbert Keith of Awhurst in Scotland ;
"
Margarett, Elspet, mar. to Gilbert Skeyne of Marre, in Scotland.
" Dunkyne Burnet, of the County and Cyty of Norwich, Doctor of Phisicke,
" ffyft son of Alexander, mar. Jane, dau. of Robt. Marsham of Little Melton, in
" Com. Norff., gen., and had issue, Robt., obejt ; Mary,
sole dau. and heir."
Of the modern matriculations of arms in the Lyon Register by cadets of the
family, the most important is that of the late Dr. George Burnett, Lyon King of
Arms, and author of this work. In 1870 he registered the arms of Leys in the
ist and 4th quarters, and those of Craigmyle in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, a
mullet sable in the centre for difference, which he bore impaled by the official
coat of Lyon King of Arms.
" THE LEYS HUNTING HORN," sometimes called the Leys tenure horn.
As the horn figures prominently in the family coat of arms, some description
of this curious piece of antiquity may not be out of place here.
The illustration is from a sketch by Mr. A. C. Fraser, and shews the horn full
size. It is made of ivory, fluted, with four bands of gilt round it, the two centre
ones containing a carbuncle and three pieces of transparent crystal.
Attached to
it is a scarf or baldric of green silk, tasseled, apparently of the time of Charles II.
There is no documentary history of the horn, nor any allusion to it in any of the
Charters. All that is known of it is that it has been from time immemorial in the
possession of the family, and is believed to be a badge of office as forrester or a
horn of service.
Cornage or the service of a horn was amongst the various methods in use for
the conveyance of land in England as far back as the reign of Edward the