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

CORRIE 95
only respited in 1599 " for burning the Church of Lochmaben," and for joining
with Matthew Moffat in the slaughter of Alexander Baillie, Westraw was a
Commissioner for regulating the Borders in 1600, with six Protestant colleagues,
besides his relatives, the Lairds of Johnstoun, Newbie, and Graitney, and various
Maxwells. In 1605 he was outlawed again, and in the Edinburgh Tolbooth, for
rescuing some Lockerbie Johnstouns from a force under Sir John Maxwell of
Pook, who, with three of his attendants, was killed. Westraw and some of the
Warn fray and Poldean Johnstouns who had assisted him were released on
the Laird's security, signed by Patrick Porteus and Edward Johnstoun of
Ryehill.
This bond shows the strength of the ties of clanship at a time when the
Crown was trying hard to dissolve them, for the Laird was actually suing
Westraw for not carrying out the contract he had made when he married the
Laird's sister—to rent the Johnstoun lands in Mid-Annandale. Probably Angus,
now his patron and counsellor, advised him against it, exposed as these lands
were to attacks from Maxwell and his allies. Maxwell himself had been lately
sent to Clydesdale. Angus also supported Westraw's petition in 1607 to the
Privy Council, setting forth that Lord Herries, his brother Edward, Lord Max-
well, Sir Robert Maxwell, his brother, and others threatened the petitioner's
life. Maxwell and Herries were ordered to find caution for ^2000.
Carmichael was equally threatened in Eskdale by the Armstrongs. In 1605
he sold Glendining to Westraw (Chapter IV.), who had difficulty in paying for
it ; but
being near Dunskellie, he was able to renew friendly relations with the
Laird ; and by favour of the Crown or of the Laird's widow became one of the
curators to his six-years-old heir.
Johnstoun had been loaded with fines and his lands sequestrated when, to
quote the Privy Council, he was given the burden of the Wardenship in 1596,
with the King's command to arrest every " dissolute and unruly person." He
held it for three years, when it was conferred on Carmichael over his head,
possibly owing to the lay-abbot of Salsit's complaint about his violent
ejection from the Abbey lands by some of Johnstoun's followers. When re-
appointed he got himself returned heir to the Barony of Corrie, and to the
advowson of its Church, by the dependents of his own name and some of his
neighbours—William of Elsieshields, Robert Johnstoun of Raecieuch, Robert
French of Frenchland, Robert Moffat of Granton, Ninian Johnstoun of Poldean,
Christopher Carruthers of Dormont, Andrew Johnstoun of Lockerbie, James
Johnstoun of Hesliebrae, John Carlile of Boytath, Symon Johnstoun of
Woodheid, Wilkin Johnstoun in Templand, Robert Johnstoun of Newton,
Robert Johnstoun, younger of Wamfray, John Irving de Luce, and John
Graham of Dryff. Nothing is said in the retour about any possessor of Corrie
since his great-grandfather, who held it in ward during the outlawry of James
Johnstoun of Corrie ; and, as neither Elphinstone, Westraw, Graitney, Newbie,
nor the Laird of Wamfray witnessed it, the retour seems to have been unjust to
the sons of George Johnstoun of Corrie, who was still alive, even if Walter
Johnstoun, Laird of Corrie, was dead, which is probable, and had left no sons.