Michael Forbes Tweedie. Published 1902.
PREFACE
Oh . . . that mine adversary had written a book."
This history, which has been nearly twenty years in making, was originally intended solely for the members of the family, but as time went on the hope grew that it might also be of interest to others as a picture of the inhabitants of the Scottish Lowlands, whose manners and customs formed so distinctive a feature of the country and who played such a prominent part in its story.
As it is actually written, however, for the family only, I have not hesitated to make frequent extracts from other authors, notably from the late Professor John Veitch, with whom I had a pleasant correspondence concerning this work. I feel that the highest tribute I can pay to him, the greatest authority on Scottish Border history, is to quote from him. He, himself, kindly said that my name and the ancient relations between our two families were more than sufficient apology, and I have, as well, since received kind permission to the same effect from his publishers, Messrs. Blackwood &; Sons, of Edinburgh. I also gratefully acknowledge the kindness of Mr. R. M. Hay and Mr. F. S. Hay in allowing access to the ancient documents in the Charter room at Duns Castle, and for enabling photographs to be made of them; and I have as well to express my thanks to the many other persons who have assisted me at the cost of much time and trouble to themselves.
For the sake of convenience I have adopted the general spelling of the name as Tweedie, as being the more usual, at all events in Scotland ; it is, however, found in the ancient documents in every conceivable form, Tuedy, Twyddie, Tweedy, Tweedie, Twedy, Twedie, Tweidie, and many other ways, and except by reason of custom and usage in any particular branch, no one form is more correct or authentic than another. Whenever, however, this custom and usage exists, I have adhered to it.
In spite of the care I have spent on the work, I am only too well aware of its many imperfections, for which I ask the indulgence of the reader. Perhaps, some day, when the index and printing of the Public Records of Scotland are completed, some one may be found to complete this story.
I would add that the pedigrees in the Appendix are not given in any pride of descent, but to place on record the information that has developed itself in the course of the work. Genealogical details are, perhaps, of more than ordinary interest in this case, because not only is the surname borne by a very limited number of people, but it is of such a purely local character that it always denotes, if not actual kinship, at least a definite connection with the district of Tweeddale, which is, beyond all doubt, the source whence all Tweedies come.
MICHAEL FORBES TWEEDIE.
RAWLINSON, 1902.
With the kind permission of his descendants, this information is reproduced from the book privately published in 1902 by Michael Forbes Tweedie. This highly regarded book includes many references to the original sources of the information, extracts from parish registers and some detailed family trees.
Copies of the book are known to be in the British Library, Edinburgh Central Library and the New York Public Library.
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