History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

CAPTURE OF ANNAN 63
wrote to the Protector: " Laird Johnstoun is a good example on these marches,
for when his house was won and all his goods taken, he requested to be
sworn in the King's service." It seems more likely that he was speaking
of the Laird of Graitney and Newbie, whose Barony was not devastated
till Lennox and Wharton invaded Scotland, and whose sturdy followers had
obliged those commanders to go round by Langholm, and wait to close
upon them and their Chief at .Annan when the rest of the county was
subdued.
Johnstoun of Lochwood was not released from an English prison till peace
was made in 1550; and of him Wharton had written to the Protector: " I have
despatched both my sons and my son-in-law Mr Musgrave and other gentlemen
with light horsemen to make a foray in Nithsdale near Dumfries, and the part
of Annandale not yet won. The)- have burnt nine or ten towns, and brought
away prisoners, and spoil of goods with no hurt. Since I last wrote 500
lairds and gentlemen have come in, and I have in all 2400 Scottish horse.
I have removed Laird Johnston from Carlisle to my house at Wharton.
All his men have refused him ; his own brothers and others have taken oath
and given hostages for their service. The)' aie a great band of proper men,
and do good service." l
In Bell's M.S., preserved in the Carlisle Cathedral Library, there is a
list of chiefs and their men who submitted to the English at Annan when
it was burnt. It differs slightly from the lists preserved in the State papers
of Edward VI., as do those lists from each other, both as to names and the
number of followers. In one the Lairds of Wamfray and Elsieshields are
omitted, and the Graitney Johnstouns mentioned twice. In another Lord
Carlile is mentioned twice, with a different number of followers. William
Johnstoun, brother to the Laird, and his three brothers are mentioned with
235 men under them. George Johnstoun (the Laird of Graitney) and
those under him. Another list says the Laird of Newbie and Graitney
surrendered with 122 men. George Johnstoun, called the Laird of Graitney,
was a son of William of Newbie. 8
In the next session of Parliament in Edinburgh, June 12, 1548, those chiefs
who had taken an oath of fidelity to Edward VI. were declared guilty of high
treason and outlawed. "William Kirkpatrick of Kirkmichae! ; John Jardine
of Aplegirth ; John Carruthers of Holmends ; of Ros; the Lairds of Knok,
of Grantoun, of Gillisbe ; Grahame of Thornik ; Gawyne Johnstoun of Kirkton ;
Johnstoun of Craigeburn James Johnstoun of Cottis ;
; of Newbie; Michael,
Lord Carlile ; Carruthers of Mouswald ; Cuthbert Irvine of Robgill ; of
Cowquhate ; Cuthbert Johnstoun of Lockerbie ; James, sometime Abbot of
1 Wharton wrote to Somerset of "the Abbot of Salsit and other chiefs of that name.
. . . I have found the best sort of Scot. ... I trust yet to cause those Johnstons
to be with others a scourge to the Maxwells." (March 13, 1548).
2 Ben Jonson (1573?- 1637) believed that his grandfather was a Johnstoun of Annandale,
but took sen-ice under Henry VIII. ; probably he was a prisoner of war. Ben's father was born
at Carlisle, lost his property and was imprisoned in Mary's reign, took Holy Orders, and died
a month before the poet was born. But Johnson is found very early in England.