Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

ST,AU(;liri:U OF." -MICIKLK SYM AKMISTKAXG," l"'-'?; xxxiii
cnteivd into an alliance willi Uie hnvluss clan ol' Aimsti-ong, an'.l }iiiw
incited them to annoy Joliii.stona aw nuicli as possible. There was alveaiiy
a fcuJ between the clans of JohnsLoiie and Avinslroui:, wliicli had been
inteusilkd by the slaughler of "Meiklc Syin Armisirang," in 1527, by
John Juliustoiic. of Juhnstonc liiniself and his accomplices. In the early
part of the folio wing year the Karl of Angus, then chaucolloi of Scotland,
made a wardeii raid upon Liddesdalc to punish the Armstrong.s, but was
compelled to retire, as the Xcrvs refused to assist him. The earl then
])rocuvcd royal Ictiers outlawing the Arnistro))gs, but Lord iMaxwcU declincl
to allow tlie king's pn-oclamation to be executed in his wardeiiry. j\'ot only
did Maxwell thus prevent the arrest of marauders, but, according to a letter
from Lord Dacre, he " caused the said Armistranges to make a roodo upon
the lard of Johnston, his oune sister son, who is atdcilely fedc with tlieim for
the killing of IMikill bym Armisirang; where they killed thre of his friends,
and the Lord ^Maxwell hyraself laye in a bushemeut to manteigne theim, pur-
posely to have killed the saidc lard of Johnston if he had pursued fheni."^
It was no doubt in retaliation for Lord ilaxwell's conduct that in June
of this year, 1.j2S, John Joh))stoiie made an attack upon the lands of
J^rumcow or Duucow, in the parish of Ivirkmahoe, burning and despoiling
thenr of goods arid cattle. The lands were the property of .the crown, but
had been gifted to Lord ilaxwcll two years before, and their destruction
Vi'as intended to hurt his interest. Liit the fact that the lands were crown
property led to a charge of treason, not against Johnstone, but against the
Earl of Angus, who with his broLlicr and uncle were at tnis time dismissed
from the royal favour. Li the summons against the earl it was alleged tliat
it was at his instigation, and because Johnstone was bound in scrv'ice to him,
that the lands were harried, and that the earl had given assistance in the
matter. This charge was, however, indigiuintly denied, the earl's advocate
declaring before the parliament that the eavl knew nothing of Johnstone's
' Stnte r.ijiers of Henry vui., vol. iv. p. 492 ; LuvJ Dacie to Wolscy, 2nd Ajiril 1.5-2S.