Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

• SIK
JAMES KESTORED TO HIS HONOURS, 1 GOO. cxxxix
and honour, ordaining him to be lield an honest and faithful man." ' As the
seutcuce declaring Sir James Johnstone infamous had been publislied at the
cross of Edinburgh, so, four days after the passing of the act which practically
reduced that sentence, he was, witli equal publicity, formally rcstoied to his
honours at the cross of Edinburgh by the proclamation of a herald and four
trumpeters.^ Soon after this Johnstone was one of thirty-nine persons,
including the three wardens of tlic marches. Maxwells, Armstrongs, and
otliers, summoned to meet the king and council at Falldaud on 11th
August, to advise regarding the disorders on the Borders. They were to be
held responsible for any crime committed during their absence.^ There is
no record of a meeting of council on 11th August. But at a meeting held
two days later, the subject of the "\^'"est ]\Iarch was fully entered upon and
means de^"ised for establishing better rule, as well as encouragements given
to tlie warden and others within the wardenry, all as set forth in the act of
council in which they were embodied. Two matters embraced in the
birsiness of this meeting specially aficcted Sir James Johnstone. By one of
these, the last provision in the act, Johnstone and other si.x persons named
were, with a suflicient company, ordained to repair to and dwell in the houses
designed in the act, the better to resist and oppose the thieves in the country.
Lord Herries was to reside in Hoddam or Lockerbie. Sir James Douglas was to
dwell in the Eos or the Nuke. Sir James Johnstone had no place assigned
to him, but he was to take up his residence " in some plaice quhar the Lord
Herries, in cais he be wardane, sail appoint." * It will be seen that Lord
Herries did not continue to be warden.
The other business of the council in vrhich Sir James was specially inter-
ested was his appointment as warden of the West March. Lord Herries had
been in possession of the office for about two mouths, and his tenure of it was
1 2Sth June ICOO. R.-gistor of the Privy = 2Sth July ICOO. RegistT of tbe Privy
Council, vol. vi. pp. l^l-lCa. Council, vol. vi. pp. 136-138.
= Birrell's Diary ['2.1 July IGOO], p. 46. ' Foid. pp. 152-155.