Strathendrick, and its inhabitants from early times

THE GALBKAITHS OF CULCREUCI1 173
the said Johnne nor na uther privat persoun, bot onlie to the said schireff and
his deputis." John Buchanan, the defender, did not appear.
"In 1598 the King, his Nobility, Council, and Estates, considering the proude
rebellioun, defectioun, and disobedience of the inhabitants of Kintyre and utheris
pairtes of the Illis and Hielandis of this realme," resolved that an expedition, under
the King in person, should proceed thither to compel obedience, and certain land-
holders and others were summoned to meet his majesty at Dunbarton upon the
20th August to take part in the enterprise. 1
The laird of Culcreuch, who was among those summoned, disobeyed, and a
short entry in the Register of the Privy Seal shows the consequences, 14th Feb.
1598-99 :
" Gift to Andrew Galbraith of Thornedarroch of the escheat of Robert Gal-
braith of Kilcreuch, at the horn, for his absence from the late Raid to the North." 2
He was apparently now suffering from the money difficulties which ended in
the loss of the estates, for there is another entry in the same Register dated 31st
January 1600 to this effect:
"Gift to Robert Leckie of Kipdarroch of the escheat of Robert Galbraith of
Culcreuch, for debt." 3
After this date, indeed, he was in constant trouble. For some reason, now
unknown, he had a quarrel with the Fleshers of both Edinburgh and Leith, and
on the 5th July 1602 had to find caution in ^1000 not to harm John Dickson
and nineteen other fleshers, burgesses of Edinburgh ; and William Allaster and five
other fleshers at Leith. 4
On the 27th January 1603, on the complaint of John Buchanan, writer to the
signet, of a violent assault, he was "warded" in Edinburgh Castle "till relieved."
The complaint bore that Robert Galbraith of Culcreuch had conceived malice
against him (John Buchanan, W.S.) because of the honest discharge of his duty to
certain of his clients with whom Galbraith had plea, and upon the 14th inst.,
while both were at supper in the house of Mr. Johnne Dalzell, "the said com-
plenair being sittand at table in a familiar and sociall maner, and decentlie
behaveing himselff in all respectis," Galbraith, without warning, " cruellie straik
and woundit" him in his head, to the great effusion of his blood and peril of his
life, and would have slain him but for his own " bitter defence " and the help
of those at table. 5
On the 4th February of the same year he was obliged to find caution in
2000 merks, with Robert Stirling of Letter as surety, not to harm John Stewart
of Roseland. G
l Seg. P. C. of Scot., Vol. v., p. 466. 2 Peg. Sec. Sig., Vol. lxx., p. 170.
3 Ibid., Vol. lxxi., p. 131. i Seg. P. C. of Scot., Vol. VI., p. 736.
5 Ibid., Vol. VI., p. 530, 531. 6 Ibid., Vol. VI., p. 774.