Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

XC Sli; JOHN JOIIXSTOXK, KNJGIIT. loG7-15S7.
Geui-t;e Douglas of I'mkliijad, but \\;i5 now if\ulvid in Jolnistoiie's favour.
This favour was bestowed upon John.slouc a day or two after he had
been suiuuioucd to attend the king at St. Andiew.s. lUiiing liis temporary
absence from lii.? v.ardonry an incident occurred Vvhich drcv.- from him a
complaint to the privy council, lie narrated the terms of his accepting
.otlke, with an allnwance for a garrison of horsemen, though he had received
little of it. lierL:niir,dt.nl tlie council tl'at he had jireferred the king's service
and the quietnes,i of the country to hi.s own private gain, and assured them
that at, " lairgi; and sumptuous charges " he had reduced his troublesome district
to such obedience tliat he could cause all men within bis wardenry "to make
answer and redres bayih to Scoiland and I'.ngkuid for onio attemptatis
commiltit be tliame." Xotwithstauding this, ho\vc%er, taking advantage of his
absence, James Douglas, the laird of Druuilaurig, and Jlr. liobert Douglas,
provost of- Lincludeu, with a company of their friends and servants, and a
following of Cai-lyles, Irvings, outlawed Scots, English borderers and others,
"broken men" whom the laird of Drundaniig had " interteneit " for the last
lialf year, to the numbei' of fifty men, h;id n;ade an attack on the house of
lionshaw, belonging to Edward living, a connection of the warden, who had
I'laced there a number of Lells and Irvings to be kept in custody "as
notorious offendc'Uris, rebellis and dissobedicnt personis." The Douglases
forcibly entered the; house and liberated these persons, whom they carried to
the towji of ])umfries and the college of Lincluden, where they still remained,
while the chief marauders with their outlaw conipanions leturned hoiiie to
Drumlanrig. The council summoned the Douglases, w iio admitted that
some of the persons liberated were at Drumlanrig. The laird of Drumlanrig
was ordered into custody in Edinburgh Castle, while the provost of Lincluden
was warded in Slackness, to remain until those who had been released
were produced before the council or the warden.^
' Register of the Privy Council, vol. iii. jvp. ap|in.hcn.sioii of (Jie persons «lio liail thus
6117, COS : 20th October 15.S3. On 1st March violently been set at liberty. [IHd. p. b'oS.]
KiS-l. .-» proclamation was issued for the