History and genealogy of the family of Wauchope of Niddrie-Merschell

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at least professed,* the judge sitting in judgment, and about a thousand persouns
in the Tolbuith, waiting upon the event, the candles were put furth about ellevin
houres at night, and Nidrie and his complices escaped out at the windowes of the
Tolbuith. Sir James Sandilands, Tutor of Calder, the chiefe man that assisted
him to break waird, was soone after familiar againe with the King, in his owne
chamber. But God in his justice, notwithstanding, pursued Nidrie, till he came
to an unhappie end. This enormitie was so vile and odious that the ministers
could not keepe silence."
Calderwood relates another slaughter committed by the young Laird of
Niddrie, during the King's absence in Denmark, in 1590, on occasion of his
marriage. Calderwood, of course, writes with a strong bias, but the deed seems
to have been of an unprovoked and audacious character : " Upon the 16th of
Januar the young Laird of Nidrie killed a gentleman depending upon the Abbot
of Holyrudhous, becaus he reproved him for striking of an officer of arms. Im-
mediatlie after the slaughter he went to Edinburgh, and had conference with
Bothwell.t This was the only slaughter that I heare of in the King's absence ;
but committed by the man who had escaped the hands of justice in an uncouth
maner, while the King was present."
Archibald Wauchope had been participant in deeds of this kind at a pretty
early period of life. In 1590 (25th December) he had a remission for the slaugh-
ter of Gilbert Home, by the kinsmen and friends of the deceased, on payment of
500 libs., committed by his servant, Joseph Keidpath, so far back as 1580, when
he must have been a very young man. The remission is as follows :
" Be it kend till all men be thir present lettres, we, Alexander Home, of the
Crocegait of Coldinghame, brother sone to umquhile Gilbert Home, and Kobert
and William Homeis, brother germans to the said umquhile Gilbert, and James
Home, his sone naturall, Home, servand to the gudeman of Manderstoun,
and we, takand the burding upone us for the said James, be ressoun of his mino-
ratie, and for the remanent kin, friendes, alliance, assistaries and partakaris of
the umquhile Gilbert, with advyse and consent of the noble and potent Lord,
Alexander Lord Home, Sir James Home of Caldenknowis, knycht, Williame
* Calderwood is Dot an impartial historian.
f ThiB was Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, who was raised to the peerage hy James VI., the
title and property having fallen to the Crown, after the affair of Carberry. Though a near relation of
James VI., he caused that monarch much trouble by his feuds and treasons. There seems to hare been
a strong band of mutual support between Bothwell and the family of Niddrie. In a case before the
Court, between Craigmillar and the Laird of Niddrie, in 1591, Bothwell, to save the latter, carried off
a principal witness, in the face of the judges, the King also being present.