Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

THE FAMILY OF EDMONSTONE.
93
1482 John Edmondstoune of that Ilk was appointed captain of the border castles of Cess-
ford, Edgerton, and Ormiston, 1 at the time of the invasion of the English under Richard,
Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard the Third, with the Duke of Albany and a band
of rebel nobles.
In 1499 there is a solemn transaction whereby John Edmondstoune of that Ilk pro-
mises that he will not sell nor put away any more of his lands from John, his son and
heir, and the heirs of the said John's marriage with Isabel Home. It would seem, however,
that this John died before his father without leaving male issue, for there is a procuratory
of resignation by John Edmondstoune of the lands of Edmonstone to his son David Ed-
mondstoune, in Holy Orders, Rector of Fawls, under the reservation of John, the resigner's
life-rent, dated September 1499. It would seem that James, the younger brother of David,
had the estate of Ednam apportioned to him, as there is a special retour dated ' Montem
placiti,' Moothill of Inveresk (where judicial procedures were held in the open air) before
William, Lord Borthwick, James, Master of Morton, etc., as baillies of the regality of
Dunfermline, on the part of Alexander, Archbishop of St. Andrews, Commendator of
Dunfermline, by which James Edmundstoune of Ednam is infeft in the lands of Edmon-
stone as heir to his brother David. It is dated January 20, 1512.
There is a precept of sasine of a week later by the same Archbishop of the lands of
Edmonstone as above.
In a legal transaction, dated 1 507, James Edmondstoune of Ednam is designated as
a Knight.
It seems likely that Sir James fell with his superior, Alexander, Archbishop of St.
Andrews (natural son of James the Fourth, a very young man), at the battle of Flodden,
for, as the battle occurred in September 1513, in February 1513 (which would now be
1 5 14, as the year was then calculated as commencing in March), there is a precept of
saisin, dated Dumferline, stating that John was the son and heir of James, who had died
in possession of the lands of Edmonstone.
This John married Euphemia, daughter of Wauchope of Niddry, by whom he had
three sons : John, who succeeded him ; James, and Patrick. He appears to have taken
part in that remarkable and frightful case, namely, the trial of Lady Janet Douglas, sister
to the Earl of Angus, widow of Lord Glammis, and wife of Archibald Campbell of
Kepneith, who, together with her husband and son, was accused of attempting the life of
James the Fifth by poison and witchcraft. John Edmondstoune of that Ilk, together
with the Earl of Atholl and Buchan, and others, was on the Assize, and the unfortunate
lady was condemned to be burnt alive. ' Her death,' says Calderwood, ' was much
lamented, for her nobility, her youth, her beauty, her courage at her suffering, but most of
all because it was judged that hatred against her banished brother, rather than guiltiness
of any crime committed, had brought her to that end.' Her husband was killed by falling
from the walls of the castle of Edinburgh while trying to escape. The son was detained
in prison during the King's life, and afterwards restored to his patrimony. ' The accuser,'
1 Black Acts, folio 66.