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

70
WAMFRAY
did not care to remain in the famine-stricken district, which his once troublesome
brother was now pledged to defend, so he retired to Stirling with his
second or third wife, Nicolas Douglas, the daughter of Drumlanrig, and bought
a house there. But Wamfray died in 1561, and his brother took steps to
reduce the power of his Barony with the aid of his second son, Robert, parson
of Lochmaben. The Reformation had emptied the Church benefices, and on
the Borders the patrons at once took possession of the tithes, and prevented
any Reformed priest from being instituted. Lady Wamfray, who owned the
liferent of the estate, had counted upon the Wamfray parsonage as her chief
means of living, but Robert sold it to Sir James Carruthers, a Roman priest,
and burned the tower in which she lived, seized the cattle, and "destroyed or
eat her corn." She asked for the Queen's protection from her " brother-in-law,
a great man having a clan of the country at his command," in 1 566, but in spite
of many appeals she continued to be oppressed.
Her family, the M'Clellans of Bombie, shared with Stewart of Garlies and
the Maxwells the superiority in Galloway ; but her father had been killed in a
street in Edinburgh by Douglas of Drumlanrig in 15 16, and Agnes Johnstoun,
probably a sister of the Chief, had married a M'Clellan, so, as Johnstoun had a
legal right to a part of Wamfray and the church patronage, his sister-in-law
could hardly expect her own brother's help. Her sons, Gilbert and John, were
both accused by the Privy Council of dispossessing their mother of houses at
Dumfries and in Wamfray. Perhaps they claimed them to prevent her enemies
turning her out.
Newbie was peaceably disposed, and possibly in agreement with his Chief
he took a lease of Dundoran in Wamfray, which once belonged to his mother's
family, in exchange for a holding on his own estate, where he planted his
brother-in-law, Gilbert of Wamfray, who also owned land at Kirtlebrig.
Newbie was obliged to support his share of 200 spearmen to guard the Border,
so could employ indigent younger sons. Gilbert's elder brother, James, was
dead in 1585, but it was not till 1591 that Gilbert was returned his heir at the
cost of £53, in the usual manner by twelve friends and kinsmen. Up to that
time he was a merchant, a most useful adjunct to a baronial property, and
carried on business with Edinburgh and Dumfries. His son, Edward, did the
same ; while his sons, Robert, James, and John (who witnessed Newbie's Will
in 1576) probably helped to look out for cruisers and danger signals, 1 which
could easily be seen from Newbie Castle standing on the very edge of the
Solway. Gilbert had another brother, William, who remained at Wamfray,
possibly more ; but prior to registers unless a younger son came before a law
court no record need exist of him.
In 1542 John of Newbie witnessed a resignation by the Laird in favour
of his son, James, and in 1549 he was one of four "proud and discreet men"
who witnessed a Charter for Agnes Hereis, eldest daughter and co-heir of Lord
Hereis. In 1550 he was one of the witnesses to the retour of Lord Maxwell.
1 The English Grahams robbed the townships of Newbie and Holmends in 1575.