Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

ex SIU JAMES JOHXSTONK OF JOHNSTONE, KNKJIIT, 15S7-1G0S.
The year 15SS was nolalile in tlie Lislory of tlie Scottish Borders.
It vra? the year of the Spanish iiivasiou of I'^nghmd by tlie Armada, and
John Maxwell, Earl of ^Morton, who had been in Spain, returned to
Dumfries witli the oi.iject of assisting the Spaniards. So much was this
latter circumstance apprehended that King James, during the months
of Jlay and June, visited Dumfries to prevent anj- formidable insurrec-
tion. Lord Maxwell was taken pri.souer by Sir "William Stewart, brother
of the ex-chancellor, James Stewart, Earl of Arran. William ilaxwell, Lord
Heiries, brother-in-law of James Johnstone of Johnstone, who was v.-arden of
the Y\'est JIarch, was unable to prevent the imminence of danger*. Tlie
king, while still in Edinburgh, by proclamation at Ilolyrood-honse, 2 2d
May, intimated that on account of the dangerous proceedings of certain
of tlie "West ]\rarches tending to alter religion, he was resolved to go thither
in person, and warned earls, barons, and others to meet him at Dumfries on
the 29th of May. On 30th May, the day after he arrived there, he ordered
by proclamation the castles of Lochmaben, Langholm, Thrieve, and Carlavc-
rock to be delivered to the proper ofllcers. In other proclamations he states
that he fonnd greater contempt, rebellion, and disobedience than he antici-
pated in the West March. He here, however, refers mainly to wappinscliaw-
iugs, meetings, and musterings at Lochmaben, and brev.'iug ale and carryiiig
the same to Lochmaben for the camp there. "Lochmaben was the only place
that stood out for Lord Maxwell. It yielded on the 9th of June, M'hen
David Maxwell, the captain, and five others, were hanged for resistance.
The king left Dumfries in the end of June, prumising to return in October.^
This second visit did not take place, but towards the end of that month, as a
reward of the loyalty and services of James Johnstone during these troubles.
King James appointed him to keep the castle and fortalice of Lochmaben to
the king's use and behoof, and not to remove himself nor his servants from it
" vnto the tyme he ressaue e.xpres command thairto out of our awin mouth, not-
* Register of the Privy C'ouncD, vol. iv. pp. 285, 292.