Agnews of Lochnaw

1440] THE FIRST HEREDITARY SHERIFF. 65
hill in connection with which a castle was early built which
commanded the roads from Galloway to the north-west, and was
for many generations either the jointure-house or the residence
of the elder sons of the house of Lochnaw. In these lands was
included the property then designated Croach (now Lochryan),
which was afterwards bestowed on a grandson of the sheriff, who
was the ancestor of the Agnews of Lochryan.
In 1427 the Lady of Lochnaw presented her husband with a
son and heir. One of the duties of a laird (or baron) in these
days may sound startling to modern ears ; for in this very year,
1427, it was ordained by statute —
" That ilk barronne within his baronie, in gang and time of
the year, chase and seek the quhelpes of the woolfes and gar
slaie them. And the baronne shall give to the man that slayis
the woolfe in his baronie and brings the barronne the head,
twa shillings. And when the barronne ordains to hunt and
chase the woolfe the tenants shall rise with the barronne under
the paine of ane wedder of ilk man." 1
About the year 1440 the good Duchess of Tourenne died at
Threave Castle, respected and beloved through all the province ;
her influence had always been exerted in the cause of mercy, and
as far as she had been able — living in rough times — she had
striven to mitigate the severities for which her husband and her
father-in-law had obtained an unenviable notoriety. Among the
long string of mourners who attended the Lady Superior of Gal-
loway to her grave, none more sincerely lamented her decease
than her former esquire, Agnew of Lochnaw. She was buried
in the chancel of the church of Lincluden College, where a
beautiful tomb was erected to her memory. Pennant visited
the spot in 1772, and thus describes it, mentioning also the
scandalous desecration to which it had been subjected : —
" Her effigy at full length lay on the stone, her head resting
on two cushions, but the figure is now mutilated, and her bones
till lately were scattered about in a most indecent manner by some
wretches who broke open the repository in search of treasure.
1 Act Par. James I.
F