Agnews of Lochnaw

1395] THE BLACK DOUGLAS AT LOCHNAW. 53
illegitimate son, William Douglas, who thereupon designed him-
self Lord of Leswalt, 1 and Constable of Lochnaw, and soon after
assumed the style of Sheriff of Wigtown. 2
1 Chalmers says, " During the reign of James I. William Douglas of Leswalt
was Sheriff of Wigtown and Constable of the Castle of Lochnaw." "In March
1424, William Douglas, Vicecomes, witnessed a charter of Archibald Earl o
Douglas."
" William Douglas held the lands of Lochnaw and the constableship of the
Castle thereof, both of which he transferred to Andrew Agnew in 1426."
" This Douglas was probably of a bastard family."— Caledonia.
We have in our possession the last-named deed, and it is singular that in it
William Douglas does not style himself Sheriff, but simply lord of Leswalt. The
Duchess of Tourenne granted him other lands, but she does not style him " Vice-
comes," but simply of Leswalt. The king confirmed both these transactions, but
in neither of the official deeds terms him anything but William Douglas of Les-
walt. Hence the "Vicecomes," in witnessing a deed of his powerful kinsman,
was obviously pure assumption.
2 Art. Agnew. — "His successors, for their faithful services, got the gift of
being heritable bailies of Lesswade, Munbrick, and Drumastoun, which are dis-
tinct jurisdictions within the shire of Wigtown, but were sore opprest by the
Earls of Douglas, who demolished the Castle of Lochnaw." — Nisbet
" It seems they were obnoxious to the Earls of Douglas, who at last entirely
demolished their Castle of Lochnaw." — Play fair.