Agnews of Lochnaw

360 THE NINTH HEREDITARY SHERIFF. [1665.
them to elect representatives to a Convention of Estates, and the
Sheriff was thereupon persuaded to emerge from his retirement
and take his accustomed part in public afiairs.
The technical difference between a Convention of Estates
and a Parliament was, that at the former the Estates were
simply called upon as a body to decide on such matters as were
specially brought before them by the Government ; whereas, at
a Parliament, it Avas competent to every member of the Estates,
subject to certain rules, to propose any subject for discussion.
Sir David Dunbar of Baldoon was returned as the Sheriff's
colleague, a man particularly obnoxious to the viceroy, whose
name appeared prominently on the list of exceptions to the
indemnity, with the fine attached of four thousand eight hundred
pounds. The result of this election did not argue much confi-
dence in the Government as far as Galloway was concerned.
The Convention assembled at Edinburgh the 2d of August
1665 ; during its sittings the representatives for Galloway en-
deavoured to get Wigtown and the western shires valued at a
lower rate than the eastern ; and they were so far successful ■
that it was enacted that —
" Anent the high rate of their retours . . . the pound
lands of the whole temporal lands within the said Shires shall
be taxed and pay as if they were merk lands."
This was a relief to the extent of about one-third, the exact
proportion being as thirteen and one-third is to twenty.
Meanwhile Government were bent on coercing Scotchmen
into Episcopacy ; and the first visible effect of their efforts
was the rising in the Pentland Hills. Among those concerned
in this unfortunate affair was the Sheriff's son-in-law, the young
Laird of Monreith. Increased severity was now the order of the
day, and Sir James Tumour and Sir William Bannatyne harried
" the ancient province" with their dragoons during the remainder
of the year.
In this stormy aspect of affairs an election again took place
for a Convention of Estates summoned to meet at Edinburgh
on the 9th January 1667. The Sheriff and William Maxwell