Abbotsford Club > Historical memoirs of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a portion of the reign of King James the Sixth

PREFATORY NOTICE. xiii
" Apud Linlitltqic, xi\ Septcmhris Ixxxxix".
" [Sederunt. Rex. Hanimiltoiiii. Angus. Levingftoun. Neubottlo.
Thefauiarius. Secretariii!;. Clericus Jiilliciarie. Advocatus.
CoUeelor. Clericus Regillii. Coinpotum Rotulator. Ceffurde.
Carmichaell. Spott.]
" The quliilk day, in pretence of the Kingis Maieftie and Lordis of
Secreit Counfall, compeirit perfonaUie Williame Lord Hereis, and
promeiil and tuke vpoun him to niak his haill men, tennentis, and fer-
uandis, anfuerable and obedient to iuftice, alfuele be redres of com-
plenaris as be plegeing, conforme to the lawis, Generall Band, and adlis
of Parliament. In confideratioun quhairof, and that Williame Erll of
Angus, Lieutennent and Wardane of the Well Marche, declairit and
teftifeit, in prefence of his Maieflie and Counfall, that the faid Lord
Hereis had alwayis fchawne him felff obedient, his Maieflie and the
faidis Lordis, flreithis and relevis the faid Lord Hereis furth of his pre-
fent warde within the Caftell of Thomptalloun, and grantis him libertie
and licence to departe and pas hame at his plefour. Lyke as his Maieftie
and the faidis Lordis hes ftatute and ordanit, that the vtheris landiflordis
quha ar prefentlie wardit, in default of making the lyke obedience, fall
nawayis be fett at libertie quhill thai mak thair men obedient and an-
fuerable, be plegeing and redres of complenaris, as accordis."
The deadly feuds which unhappily disgraced Scotland, especi-
ally during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, were remarkably
prevalent in the Border counties, and were handed down as heir-
looms from one generation to another. One of the most fatal of
these occurred between the Maxwells and the Johnstones, with
whose broils, and the slaughters arising out of similar quarrels be-
tween other clans, the Criminal Records of this country abound.*
A brief entry which occurs in the Privy Council Records,! will
* See Pitcairn's Ancient Criminal Trials, Arnot, and Maclaurin, passim.
t Acta Seer. Cone. March 7, 1600.