Historical account of the noble family of Kennedy, Marquess of Ailsa and Earl of Cassilis

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treasurer of Scotland for a few months in 1599, but was glad to
be relieved from the office on payment of 40,000 merks. It was
during this EarFs life that most of the events occurred narrated
in the History of the Kennedys, and which occasioned the death
of young Gilbert Kennedy of Bargany at Brockloch, near Lady
Course, Maybole, on 11th December 1601, and of Sir Thomas
Kennedy of Culzean, by the Mures of Auchendrain, and Bar-
gany'' s brother, Thomas Kennedy of Drummurchie.* He mar-
ried Jean, daughter of James, fourth Lord Fleming, widow of
John, Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, a lady a great deal older
than himself, and against the wish of all his friends. They had
the lands called the Free Forest of Buchan, a dispensation was granted for
holding the service in Edinburgh, because " it was hazardous that such should
proceed before the said steward and his deputies in the burgh of Kirkcudbright,
by reason of the feud subsisting between the Earl, his tutor, and their friends,
on the one part, and Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar, Knight, on the other part —
the latter, with his friends and partakers, having lately committed divers
slaughters, mutilations, and other injuries upon the Earl's friends and depend-
ents, as was clearly known to the Lords of Session."
* It seems to have been in consequence of his uncle's death, and the desire
of vengeance upon Auchindrain, that the Earl was led to write the following ex-
traordinary letter to his brother Hugh, the Master of Cassillis, to induce him to
take the Laird of Auchindrain's life : —
" We, Johne, Earle of Cassillis, Lord Kennedy, <fec, bindis and oblissis ws,
that howsovne our broder, Hew Kennedy of Brounstoun, with his complices,
taikis the Laird of Auchindraneis lyf, that we shall mak guid and thankfull pay-
ment to him and thame of the soume of tuelff hundreth merkis zeirlie, together
with corne to sex horsis, ay and quhill (until) we ressaue (receive) thame in
househald with our self : beginning the first payment immediatlie after thair
committing of the said deid. Attour howsovne we ressaue them in househald,
we sail pay to the twa serving gentillmen the feis yeirlie as our awin houshald
servandis. And heirto we obliss ws vpon our honour. Subscryvit with our hand
at Maybole theferd day of September 1602."
" Johne, Erle of Cassillis."
Lord Cassillis' father and Sir Thomas Kennedy were cousins-german of
Bargany 's father, and the latter had been one of the Earl's curators, whilst
Auchindrain's eldest son was married to Sir Thomas Kennedy's daughter.