Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

Ixxxiv SIR JOITX JOHNSTONi:, KMGJIT, 15G7-1587.
tlioiii to yov I'c tlie liillis in tnkynyiig of repentciis of tliai welcket and
viiprovydet slawclitci'." Fifthly, lliey olTcr (o pay tlie sum of four hundred
merks Scots. Sixthly, they ofVor, if the above be not suiiicient, to abide
llie judgnicnL of four Joliuitones and four Armstrongs, equally clioseu by
each party, and to fulfil their decision. Seventhly, they ofler to give to
tlie eldest son of the siaiu man a horse worth. one hundred mcrks or else
one luuidrcd merks in monc}-, as he prefers, and they conclude by expressing
an earnest desire that their offer.s may be accepted.'
A similar document was presented to John Johnstone some months later
by Edward Irving of Ixnischaw, George Grahame of liainpatrick, and John
Irving of Xnokhill, offering comjiensatiou on belialf of themselves and their
friends " for being on the feild at the vnhaTi])C sluuchtter " of tlie late "William
Johnstone in Hayhill, which thoy "sayrlie repent." The offers made are
for the most part identical in terms with those in the WTit already quoted,
but there are some differences. Thus their setorid offer is " to try oure
innocens and to acquite ws and all oui-is that nane of ws schot that vnhappie
sehot quhareby the said AYilliamc was slayne.nor bure the said Williamc
lia rankour in our haittis." Thirdly, they offer to surrender two of tlieir
number into the hands of the laird of Johnstone at Locliwood, to abide
such trial as he shall appoint "that nnnc scliot the sayde schot," but
if either be found culpable, their jainisliment is consented to without
prejudice to otlier oflers. The offer of five hundred merks money to the
widow and childrjn is made with a pi'omise of more if desired. They
conclude bj- eaine.^itly desiring the acceptance of the offer.- These writs
are of considerable interest as indicating the method of procedure in cases
where nu}iremeJitated slaughter had been committed.
Some other documents referring to this period of wardenry may also
be noticed. The first is an order of council directing Lord Paithven
' Ori;^in.nl, not dateil, in Ann.-iml.'ilc Clinrtcr-clK.^t.
2 OiTera, dated Febiuary l.JSl-'2, in Auri.-indalo t'Laiter-cIuat.