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

68 MARGARET CRICHTON
The sasine feuing the lands of Arkilton, in Eskdale, to Ninian or Ringan
Armstrong, who lived in Wauchope Castle in 1537, makes over to him "houses,
woods, plains, moors, mills, and their sequels, fowlings, huntings, fishings, peats,
coals, rabbits, pigeons, pigeon cotes, quarries of stone and lime, etc., to be held
for ever of the grantor William Johnstoun of Graitney."
In the different deeds on the subject, it is referred to as having belonged to
William's predecessors, and his great-grandson, Edward of Seafield (Wyldcotray),
was one of the witnesses of its transfer to Mr Eliot in 1628. Also that in 1598
it passed from William's descendants. He probably parted with the copyhold
to raise money for the purchase of Newbie.
In 1544 letters under the Privy Seal grant to William "the non-entries
of Graitney with the mill thereof, and all rents since the decease of Johnstoun,
his father, or any other last possessor thereof for all time to come."
Then came the fiercest English invasion of the century, when Graitney was
laid waste, but perhaps in pity to his dependents he surrendered the day after
the fall of Annan, and saved Newbie Tower, and further destruction in the
neighbourhood.
The Graitney and Newbie estates were more compact and nearly as large
as those of Johnstoun, and valued for the Crown dues at only £6 less. William
mortgaged Robgill and Stapleton to Christopher Irving, and leased Sarkbrig,
Conheath, and Graitney Hill to Richard Irving, probably when he was in great
need after the English invasion, as it appears that at that date no rents were
drawn from Newbie for eleven years.
From the time William was outlawed for submitting to the English he
disappears, and probably retired a few miles to the north. Some of the Charters
connected with him are signed by himself, others with " his hand at the pen,"
the ordinary way of signing at that time, the pen being guided by the notary.
He was dead in 1565 ; and appears to have married after 15 17, as in that year
Sir John Charteris became surety for Ninian Crichton of Sanquhar in his
wardship of Margaret Crichton. Her father was Sir Robert, 1 who is known in
the Marquis of Bute's pedigree (Crichton being his ancestor) as the second Lord
Crichton. It was a connection of which John, the eldest son of William and
Margaret, was evidently proud, as he gave three of his sons, Robert, Edward
and Abraham, regular Crichton names. Margaret was living when John
Johnstoun, the second Baron Newbie, was returned the eldest lawful heir to his
father and mother in 1565, as she had a liferent on the estate. The witnesses
to the retour are John Carruthers of Holmends (Newbie's father-in-law), John
Kennedy of Halleath, Robert French of Frenchland, William Maxwell of He,
Adam Carlile of Bridekirk, Edward Irving of Bonshaw, Herbert Maxwell in
Cavers, John Maxwell there, Robert Johnstoun of Newton, George Carruthers,
junior of Holmends, Herbert de Powdene, John Johnstoun in Malinshaw, Adam
1 His wife was the daughter of Murray of Cockpool, and his mother, Lady Marion Stewart,
daughter of the Earl of Lennox. His father seems to have married a second time, as in 1527
" Dame Marion Maxwell, who had the great tierce of Lord Crichton's lands," dies, and
Elizabeth Murray, his relict, claims them, opposed by Ninian Crichton.