Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

Ixxxii SIR JOHN JOUXSTONK, KNiCaiT, 16C7-1587.
niimths. A similar bond was giveu by Lovd ]\I;ix\vell to the ?il3\\\ ells of
TiiiwulJ and Portrack, wlio were, as we liave seen, allies to John Johustone.^
Side by side with these petly quarrels anioiiL; their dependants there
were causes of irritation between tlic priuciiial.-, arisinij out of the alleged
refusal by Lord [Maxwell to deliver to Johnstone certain papers connected
with- his ofike. Tiie latter at least complained that Lord Serope, the warden
on the Engli-h side, '• burdynnit" him to make delivery of persons accused
by Englishmen, there being as many or more accusations on tlie Scottish
side of which redress could not be got, as Lord Maxwell, late warden, had
all the papers in his possession. Lord Maxwell and his deputy were duly
charged by the privy council to produce these documents, They aj'peared
in aiis'.ver, and declared that the " bills " or accusations and other papers
had been offered to Johnstone and refused by him, antl further, that Lord
Maxwell had himself consigned them to the custody of the council. They
therefore claimed to be released from the penalties tlueatened against them.
The council first decided that the letters of charge had been properly executed,
because Maxwell had not delivered the papers within the time assigned to
him, br.t afterwards they released him and his dejuity.- This matter was
scarcely settled when another qu"stion was raised, this time by Lord
Sfaxwell, who petitioned_ to have tlie use of the house and fortalice of
Langholm. These had been taken from him by command of the council
and delivered over to the custody of Jolmstone as his successor in the
wardenry, but, as Lord Maxwell asserted, it served nothing for the use of
the new warden, as it remained uninhabited by him or his. Tlie key was
left nominally to the care of Lord Maxwell's servants, who, however, were
forbidden on piain of their lives to enter the buildirig without the king's
permission. In these circanistances Lord ilaxwell petitioned that as the
want of the house was prejudicial to himself and the district, and as being
unoccupied it might be seized by thieves from cither side of the border,
' UegLstercf Privy Cjuncil, vol. iii. l>i'..2S7, 30;.'. - //-/./. pp. 2S6, 2i', 297-?99.