98 The Raid at Dumi-ries on Lammas Evex. 



the said burgh bot alleg-it that his grantshr wes ane sleuthfull 

 man and pretermittit it." Not an over-respectful attitude to 

 the ancestor who had won for the family its chief honours ! 

 The Council suspended both parties from holding- courts of 

 blood in Dumfries until July 28th, when the case was again 

 to come before them.'^^ 



It was the 17th of November, however, before anything 

 further was done. Lord Crichton then produced his infeft- 

 ment of the sheriffship of Dumfries, dated 20th August, 1484; 

 Master Walter Laing, " forspekar " for the burgh, produced 

 the King's letters discharging Crichton from holding courts, 

 dated 25th March, 1509, and " NicoU Makbraar alderman of 

 Drumfreiss " desired that his protestations should be shown 

 anent the matter. ^^ 



The affair is postponed once again, and it is the 21st of 

 March, 151 1, before it emerges. Then Maister James Henry- 

 son asked that note should be made that Lord Crichton pro- 

 duced a confirmation of the gift of the Sheriffship of date 6th 

 November, 1452. ^^ Qn the 27th of March following Maister 

 Walter Laing protests for the burgh that the Lords should 

 only consider the " vse of blude wtin the sade burgh," and 

 Lord Crichton protested that the Lords " myt procede efter 

 the forme of ther avn grant maid of befor," evidently in his 

 favour. 55 Then again the King's influence appears. My 

 Lord Treasurer asserted that " or souerane lord had entress 

 [interest] therintill and protestit that he myt be admitted for 

 or souerane and protested gif the lordis procedit forther it 

 suld not hurt the King." A little later " My lord thesaurar 

 in or Souerane lordis name askit ane note that Maister Walter 

 Laing and Johne Ramsay as procuratoris for the tovne balzeis 

 and commonte of Drumfress be ane sufficient procuratory 

 under the common sele. " He then asserted that the burgh 

 had been in use of " sittin of blude " within the town and 

 produced the Instrument of Transumpt " of certane rolmentis 



52 MS. Acta Dom., VoL XX., fol. 208-9. 



53 Op. cit., VoL XXI., fol. 27. 



54 Op. cit., Vol. XXII., foL 81. 



55 Op. cit., Vol. XXII., fol. 96. 



