Agnews of Lochnaw

1 62 8.] CHARGES AGAINST THE SHERIFF. ■ 263
" The Sheriff himself rode with the thief to Portpatrick and
received the three hundred merks from him with a stick of
Camlet he stole from Alex 1 '. Auld ; of which he delivered one
hundred merks to the owner, and detained the two hundred merks
thereof for himself, with the silver piece which is yet in his
house, and the stuffs and silk wares ; and he then let the thief
go free lest the just owners should come and follow their own
geir."
Another Information.
" The Sheriff apprehended a common thief, who dwelt in
the Merkstavie, on Craichlaw's land, who, having stolen plough-
crones, had them hid in peat pottis ; wherewith they apprehended
him, and took him to the place of Lochnaw, where they detained
him prisoner in iron fetters a whole month, and intromitted with
his whole goods. Thereafter, at the intercession of the Laird
Schennane, they let him go free, and detained his goods."
Another of the same.
" About the space of four years since, John Lawson, officer to
the Sheriff, apprehended M'llvaine in Culgroat, who was taken
in the red hand, took him to Lochnaw with his whole goods, and
kept the thief there a night or two. M'llvaine then, at the
Sheriff's direction, went back again to Culgroat, and brought
with him a cow and a stott ; carried them in the night to
Lochnaw ; and, at the Sheriff's direction, left the goods on the
green of Lochnaw, before the yett; which goods the Sheriff's
bowman intromitted with for the Sheriff's use ; and the Sheriff
let the thief go free, and gave him forty shillings Scots money to
take him away to Ireland."
Informations against his Son, and Depute.
" The Sheriff of Galloway is a seller of Justice, at the least
his eldest son, who is his Depute, by his knowledge and direction
is so, —
" Viz.— he took from Andrew Dunbar of Baldoon, for sitting
Sheriff upon the service of umquhile Thomas M'Kie's son, in
Wigtoun, as heir to his umquhile Father, twenty merks.