First recorded in the Vestiarium Scoticum which was supposedly based on an ancient manuscript now known to have been forged. The original illustration shows the four main stripes in a very dark shade of blue. There is no evidence of a Hamilton tartan prior to the publication of this spectacular work. The authors, the Sobieski Stuart brothers, enjoyed a popular following amongst the Scottish gentry of the period and it is probable that the design can be attributed to Charles Edward Stuart (Allan Hay) .