122 Scottish Parliament and Sanquhar Representation. 



and Stewart, laid hold of the two disturbers of the peace, and 

 cast them into the Tolbooth. The two men presented a petition 

 to the Privy Council protesting against the treatment they had 

 received. The Magistrates had to defend themselves before the 

 Council, and the matter ended by the men being liberated, three 

 others becoming security in 1000 merks that they would appear 

 if called upon. 



In the Parliament of 1644 Sanquhar is noted among the 

 " absent Burrows." In the Parliament of January, 1645, however, 

 the Burgh was again represented by one of her own sons, John 

 Dicksone, who belonged to a family which had been resident in 

 the locality for at least 350 years. Dicksone must have resigned 

 his office or have died soon after the meeting of Parliament, for 

 in July, 1645, we find the Burgh represented by Wm. Creichtoune, 

 who continued member up to the year 1648. He was a member 

 of the family of Crichtons of Carco and was an ancestor of the 

 famous Abraham Crichton whose ghost kept the Sanquharians in 

 alarm after his decease. Wm. Crichton was evidently a man of 

 some note, and in 1647 when the country was engaged in the 

 disastrous civil war he was chosen as one of the " committee of 

 warre of the shire." In the minute of appointment he is styled 

 " Burgess of Sanquhar," so that while he was of the family of 

 Carco he was not laird, otherwise he would have been styled so. 

 After the execution of Charles I. the Scottish Parliament did 

 not meet again until 1661. During the interval the English 

 Parliament continued to meet, and it would appear that on several 

 occasions Scottish members sat with the English. In 1655 we 

 are informed that the Commissioners for Sanquhar were the 

 "Baylies for the time being and Ninian Dalyell Burgess," which 

 probably means that they possessed the right to nominate a mem- 

 ber to sit at Westminster. In 1656 and again in 1659 the Com- 

 missioners are the " Provost and Bailiffs for the time being, by 

 order of Cromwell Lord Protector." With the return and restora- 

 tion of King Charles II. came the Restoration of our Ancient 

 Parliament, and in 1661 Johne Williamson took his seat as the 

 Commissioner from Sanquhar. The Williamsons are an old 

 Sanquhar family, and at one time possessed the lands of Castle 

 Robert (now Corsebank) in the parish of Kirkconnel. John 

 Williamson, the Burgh Member, was the third son of James, who 

 died at Castle Robert in November, 1637. At the time he repre- 



