Genealogical account of the family of Edmonstone of Duntreath

94 NOTES TO GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF
continues Calderwood, ' was one William Lyn. He repented, but too late, of his calum-
nies, and confessed his wicked purpose to the King, but the King relented nothing of his
rigour, or of his forfeiture of their lands. His anger against the Douglas was implacable.'
This dreadful tragedy took place in July 1537. 1
In 1567 Captain Blackater, James Edmondstoune, and others were tried, tortured,
and executed for having been concerned in the murder of Lord Darnley. Who this
James Edmondstoune was does not appear. There was no proof of their guilt brought
forward, but that was not necessary in those wicked times. 2
John Edmondstoune was appointed one of the Association to protect King James
about this time, but this was the son, for the father died in 1565, as is shown by a precept
oiclare constat, declaring John to have succeeded to his father John of that Ilk. During
his father's lifetime this gentleman had been summoned to Parliament.
In the year 1567, being now styled Sir John of that Ilk, he, with sundry peers, at the
head of which were the Regent Murray and the Earl of Huntly, signed a bond of associa-
tion to protect King James on his mother's abdication. This bond is dated Edinburgh,
1567. In 1587 Sir John was proclaimed a rebel, with others ; — what was the occasion,
however, or the result of this proclamation, does not appear ; but in 1589 we find him
engaged in a breach of the peace, by attacking Archibald Wauchope, the young Laird of
Niddry, who had been concerned in the slaughter of the Laird of Shireffhall, and his
brother John Giffard. 3 The affair was brought to trial, and Lord Hume, Sir John
Edmondstoune, and others, were the pursuers of Wauchope, who, in the meanwhile, escaped.
Whether it was upon this occasion or any other, but in 1591 we find David Edmondstoune
of Woolmet (a cadet of the family) and James Lawson of Humbie bound for Sir John
Edmondstoune of that Ilk, that he himself, and all he is obliged to answer for by the laws
of realm, shall keep the King's peace under the penalty of ,£5000. This is dated November
1 3, 1 591. Sir John married Agnes, daughter of Sir Walter Kerr of Cessford, grand-
father to the first Earl of Roxburgh. I presume this is the ' old Lady Edmonstoune ' who
is stated in Pitcairn's Criminal Trials to have been one who consulted Agnes Simpson, a
witch, in 1 591.
Sir John Edmondstoune died in 1592, and was succeeded by his son Andrew.
This gentleman mortgaged the estate of Ednionstone in 1612 to Master Thomas
Hope, Advocate. He married Mary Gordon, and was succeeded by his son John, who
was knighted, as there is an inquest de tutela of Dominus Johannes Edmonstoun de
eodem miles, of James Edmonstoune of Newtoun, the son of Andrew de eodem, dated
July 9, 1619 ; and there is a general retour of Sir John Edmeston of that Ilk as heir of
Andrew his father, dated December 21, 1625. In the following year he finally disposed
of the estate of Edmonstoune to Mr. James Raith, Advocate. He married Janet Lawson,
and was succeeded by his son Andrew. There is a special retour of him as heir to his
1 Calderwood, History of the Kirk, vol. i. 3 Calderwood, History of the Kirk of Scotland,
2 Keith, History of the Church and State in Scot- vol. v. p. 56.
land, vol, ii. p. 652.