CRICHTONS OF LIBRY.

The lands of Libri, Liberi, or Libry ("abode of lepers") lie on the west side of the Nith, in the parish of Kirkconnel, and included, when a separate property, Kelloside, Rig, Racks, &c. Libri is mentioned in a charter by King Robert the Bruce to Richard Edgar, grandson of Dunegal, lord of Strathnith, to whom the lands had belonged in the 12th century.

EDWARD CRICHTON of Liberie, and a son or grandson of Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, witnessed at the Church of Cumnok an attempted arrangement to redeem the lands of Cragenes and Holehouse, 10th November, 1548.

JOHN CRICHTON of Libere is witness to a charter of William, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, and Kinnoule, 15th August, 1549.

EDWARD CRICHTON.-In the Register of the Privy Seal there is a gift to him of the ward of the lands of Glengep, lying in the barony of Sanquhar, which belonged to the deceased William, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, 2nd January, 1551. He and William, his son and heir, are witnesses to a charter to Mr Robert Crichton, Rector of Sanquhar, 22nd January, 1554.

WILLIAM CRICHTON.-In Privy Seal Register there is recorded a gift of the pension of 100 merks to William Crichton, younger of Libere, and failing him by decease to Andrew and Robert, his brothers, dated July 11th,

1568. He also had gift of the escheat of John M'Naught, tenant in Moss Mark, in the Sheriffdom of Ayr, 19th May, 1583. He died at Pierston or Dreghorn, 9th September, 1597. His will was confirmed 25th June, 1599, cautioner being David Fullerton, brother to the laird of Dreghorn. William Crichton married Margaret Mure, and left issue William, John, and Susannah.

WILLIAM CRICHTON had a gift under the Privy Seal of the escheat of John M'Millan of Craigenputtock, May 18th, 1585. In 1605 Sir Robert Crichton of Cluny is caution for William Crichton not to harm Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn. In 1607 he was Sheriff deputy of Dumfries. Some little time before this the property must have been parted with, though in 1635, December 23rd, William Crichton of Libere witnesses the resignation of lands of Stronshalloch, in the barony of Glencairn.

ELIOCK.

THE CRICHTONS.

The estate of Eliock ("little rock "), with its fine old mansion-the only one now left in Uppermost Nithsdale-lies on the right bank of the Nith, about two miles south-east of the town of Sanquhar. It is beautifully wooded, and many of the trees are of great age and size. The mansion house is a plain but commodious building. Its position, however, is one of great beauty, commanding an extensive view of the surrounding country, and not without its strategic value in days when a secure holding was deemed of first importance. It is rendered exceedingly picturesque by a heavy mantling of ivy. That a great part of the edifice is of very considerable antiquity there can be little doubt, and in the wing facing the Nith is shown the room where, over three hundred and forty years ago, the famous "Admirable Crichton" first saw the light.

The old extent of the lands of Eliock was 40 solidatis, 40 den., terrarum, with fortalice, manor, &c., also 40 solidatis in Euchan, in the barony of Sanquhar.

Before 1450 the lands of Eliock belonged to Charteris of Amisfield, when Robert Crichton, of Sanquhar, first Lord, exchanged the lands of Long Niddry for them. The charter is dated 1463. He had charter of the barony of Sanquhar and Eliock, 21st October, 1464. According to the "New Peerage," published in 1785, John, son of the above Lord Robert, was the ancestor

of the Crichtons of Eliock and Cluny. Pitcairn (I. 232) mentions, 4th Feb., 1515-16, John Crichton in Eliock.

In 1551, Feb. 10, there is recorded in the Register of the Privy Seal a tack to MR ROBERT CRICHTON of the lands of Eliock which pertained to the deceased Lord William of Sanquhar. On May 30, 1558, there is a charter to Robert Crichton of Eliock and Elizabeth Stewart, his spouse, of the lands of Rossyochill, in the Sheriffdom of Perth. On Feb. 8, 1559, he was appointed Queen's Advocate. In 1562 he was presented by Robert Crichton, bishop of Dunkeld, a kinsman, with the estate of Cluny in Perthshire. Cluny was the property of the See of Dunkeld; but the chapter, anticipating a forfeiture by the Crown, consented to the alienation. On May 11, 1566, the bishop granted a charter in which James Crichton (afterwards known as the Admirable Crichton ") was designated the heir to the property; and this arrangement was confirmed by the next bishop on 22nd March, 1576. Among the witnesses to this latter charter was Patrick M'Crerick, burgess of Sanquhar. On 5th January, 1567, there is a gift to Mr Robert Crichton of Eliock of the escheat of Mr James Crichton of Cranstonriddle. In 1567, May 10, there is a charter to Mr Robert Crichton, Queen's Advocate, whom failing to James Crichton of Cranstonriddle of the lands of Drumally, in the lordship of Dunkeld. An upholder of the cause of the unfortunate Queen Mary, Robert Crichton was in June, 1568, escheated for rebellion, having appeared in arms in Her Majesty's defence against the Regent Murray at the battle of Langside. In 1571 he had a charter of the half of the forty shilling lands of Cranstonriddle and lands of Gatslack. On February 2, 1571, we find a confirmation of a charter made by Mr Robert