Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

APPOINTED WARDKX OF TIIK V/KST MA!;C1I£S, 15V'J Ix.XNiii
it sliould be restoi'dl to him to lie used for t];e better pieservaliou of tiio
iioigliboiuliood. Jolin=toiic was personally piosciit at the hearing of tlds
jictilioii, and, no doubt with his consent, it was directed that I\ja.\\ve]l should
liave tlie use of tlic h.ousc, on condition that it be given up l-o the warden
wlieuevev he required it, who in turn should restore it to tlie owner when
not needed for official jnirposes.^
In his capacit}' a? warden and also as chief of a clan, Johnstone liad to
deal with C|ue3tions of compensation and reparation to surviving nienibers of
families or liouseholds wliose liead liad been killed. Thus some time appar-
ently ijot long after his apjioiritmcut as warden, one of his ehinsnien, Simon
Johnstone of Smallgills had been slain by certain Armstrongs, ^'^ho made
olTers of compensation to the injured relatives, as the unhajipy event appears
til have been unpremeditated. The offers are addressed, on the outside—
"To tlie, lycht lionorabill the lard of Jhoiiston, lord varden of the west
niarsches, and to the barncs of wniquhyll Symont Jhonston of Sinallgylls, and to
James Jlionston in Capellgyl!, and to the rest of your brother, your kyn, frcyndis,
alliaus, your parte and parttakaris,"
and they are made b}'
"Arche Armestrang, Ryngon Armcstraiig, Farge Armestraug, bretlier, with
tlifi assent and consent of our hell bretlier and bretlier soncs, aud kyn, freynds,
allians, our ])arte and parttakaris, for the sodfiid and vnpro''ydyt slawchler of
V. iiipqwhy]] Symont Jhonston of Sraallgylles."
They ofler, first, "full repcntens to the Lord our God " for the murder,
beseeching his mercy that they never attempt the like hereafter. Secondly,
tliey oiler " to be fathar to his boirnes and bretlier to his brether," in all
their affairs. I'iiirdly, they offer to be bouml in manrenl service for ever
to Johnstone and bis house. Fourtlily, tliey offer to con.ie to the church
of J[ofI\\t, or any other place convenient, ' in our lyneng clathes, kueleng
vpone our kneyes, \\ith our sordes dravue in oui handis, and sail delyvar
1 r.euister of the Privy CouucU, vul. iii. ii].. ;{01, 300.