Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

MEMOIRS
OF THE
JOHNSTONES OF JOIINSTOIn'E,
EARLS AND MARQUISES OF ANNANDALE,
1.
—
FROM THE TV/ELFTH CENTUEY.
John, rii;sx Kxowx Axcestoi; of tjje Jouxstoxe Family, Father
or Sir Gileei:t Joi.'XStoxf, Knigut.
c. 1 170-1 HM.
rrcvious writers od tJiis fauiil}' have generally comincucc.l tlicir Lislory
Y.illi Sir Joliude Johnstons, knight, and Gilbert de Johnstone, who flourishuil
ill Die tliirteciilh cenl'.irv, and gave their oaths of fealty, like the majority of
(iieir coiiHtryinf'n, to Iviiig Edward llic First of England, in the year I29C,
vheu that invader overran Bcothuid. But recent invesligalious v.hicli have
oeeu made iu connection with the present history of the Johnstone family
liave diselosed the fact that they flourished in Aunandale in the twelfth
centnry, or n],wards of one hundred years anterior to these two nieinhers of
the family who yielded their fealty to Edward in 1250. It is more satis-
factory to he "able to commence the history of a really heroic race with true
and knightly names, than with later members who were comptdled to .sub-
scribe tlie Icagman F.oll of the '•Hammer of Scotland."
The earliest-traced members of the Johnstone family appear in clKulcrs