Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

Ixxvi SIK JOirX JOHNSTONE, KNICHT, 1507-1087.
JolmstoiHj liiinsolf appears to liave atteiidcd before tlie privy council, and
ill reply to its deei'jion.s lie promised (1) to enter before the council so niany
pledges of his frieiuls and serv.ints as had [;oiie home without leave ; (2) to
produce the ])ersoiis accused at the next " day of trew ;" and (3) to cause all
Ills friends in Annandalo not already plcdi^'ed to enter under jiledge to the
(government. Lord Maxwell, who was also present, tlien joined with Johnstone
iu an attempt at settling thf'ir difierences, hy each naming so nmny persons
from among their friends, who slioiild 7neet together and endeavour to com-
j'ose tlie C[uarrel. Meanwliile Loth jiarties promised to keep good rule iu the
district, and safo-conduet to and from the stewartry courts was secured to the
Jolnrstones.^
Besides the threatened Cjuarrel v.itli Lord Afaxwell, Johnstone at this time
got into difficulties with the regent and council, wlio ordered liim, to be placed
in ward until he presented certain reemberr, of his clan before them for
justice. lie ap)])arently remained in custody until the end of February
loT.'H, when the Earl of Glencairn and three others became securities for
him lo the amount of £10,000 Scots of penalty." Li the followijig year, John-
stone himself joined with Archibald, I'.arl of Angus, then lieutenant-general on
the borders, in a surety for the appearance of the same culprits.^ A year
later he aud Lord Maxwell again appeared on opposite sides in a question
before the council alfectiiig the warden's procedure. Lord ^Maxwell as v,-arden
had, on 31sL JJarch 1575, at a meeting at Gretnakiik, accused a servant of
Johnstone's in terns of a " bill " or complaint presented by an Englishman,
for the sum of £17 sterling. Johnstone took the part of liis servant, and com-
plained to the council of wrongful accusation. Lord Jfaxv-ell declared that
the alleged culprit, Jok Irving of the Steelhill, was rightly accused, aud offered
• Kegister of the Privy Couuci!, vol. ii. Setuii, Sir .lames Balfour nf rittendveich, aud
!>]>. 421--12.'J. Sir Jaiiu-s (.'ockburn of .Scialing.
- /.W. pp. -lil, 434. The S'lrctics were
\Vi!!iam, Lar! of Cllcncaiiii, Gci.rgc, Lord ^ llid. \\ 404.