Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

clxxvi JA.MKS JOIIXSTONE, FIRST EARL OF IIARTFELL, lCOS-1653.
1G29, James Jolmstone entertained the lairds of Elphinstone and Laniingtou
to dinner at Tranent, attended cluirch there, visited the Earl of Wintouu at
Seton, and spent tlie night at Elphinstone. He and his wife, who apparently
^\•as with him, lodged, when in Edinhnrgh, in the liouse of John Jolmstone.
In the accounts of his expenses frequent references occur to payments to
the poor folk " at yonr honours closeheidde." He often entertained friends
to supper, not in Jiis own apartments, hut in one or other of the taverns of
the town, and the lairds of Lamington and Lag and the Master of Herries
were his frequent companions.
Johnstone was desirous ahout this time to be appointed to some such
official post about the Borders as his predecessors had held, so as to maintain
the prestige of the family, and he solicited to this end the assistance of his
friend, Sir Eobert Kerr, with tlie king. Sir Eobert applauding his desire,
and promising to watch for an' opportunity to further it, reminded him that
he had still yoiith on his side, and encouraged him to proceed with patience
and industry, though cautiously.*
Johnstone was occasionally, either singly or conjointly with others,
employed in judicial or justiciary work, a few instances of which may be
mentioned. On Ith ilarch 1G24 he received a commission superscribed by
the king to be justice for the trial of Thomas Henderson in Corrie, who was
charged with the theft of sheep.- In April 1G30 he was requested by
"William Graham, seventh Earl of ilenteitli, then justice-general of Scotland,
in his Majesty's name, to attend a justice-court to be held on the 20th at
Jedburiih. Not only were malefactors to be dealt with, but measures were
to be taken for preserving the quiet of the country, and this required the
personal presence of the noblemen and gentlemen of that quarter of the
kingdom, whereof writes the earl, "yow ar ane speciall."^ Upon another
' Vol. ii. of this work, p. 20.
* Original Commission in Aiiiiandolc Charter-cLest.
' Vol. ii. of this work, p. 30.