65
charge of a keeper, as under the more peaceful rule of a sheriff (s). When
Robert I. conferred Annandale, and other estates within Dumfries-shire, on
his nephew, Thomas Randolph, it is doubtful whether he made him sheriff of
Dumfries. It is, however, certain, that John, Earl of Murray, the successor
of Randolph, was, by David II., made commendator of the sheriffdom of
Dumfries (t). Whatever this office were, the Earl of Murray probably held
it through his life, during an age when rights were readily assumed but
very tardily laid down.
We are now arrived in our progress at the epoch when the sheriffship of
this great district became hereditary. When Sir William Douglas, the
natural son of Archibald, lord of Galloway, by marrying the lady Giles, the
daughter of Robert II., acquired with her the lordship of Nithsdale, with
the office of sheriff of Dumfries (u). The lord of Nithsdale was killed at
Dantzic, in 1390, when he left Giles, his only daughter and heir, who was
called in the encomiastic language of a simple age, the fair maid of Niths-
dale. This distinguished lady and efficient sheriff, married Henry Sinclair,
the Earl of Orkney ; and by him left a son, William, Earl of Orkney, who
inherited Nithsdale and the sheriffship of Dumfries (v). But he was in-
duced, in August 1455, to resign both to James II. for the Earldom of
Caithness (w).
The sheriffdom of Dumfries was soon transferred to other hands. James II.
seems to have conferred it on Sir Robert Chrichton of Sanquhar (a).
His son, Robert, obtained, in 1464, from James III., a confirmation of the
(s) On the 12th. of June, 1334, Edward Baliol transferred to Edward III. all the rights which
he could claim to the town, castle, and sheriffdom of Dumfries. Rym., iv. 616. Edward imme-
diately appointed Peter Tilliol to be the sheriff of Dumfries, and the keeper of the king's
castle in that town. Ib., 617. In 1347, Edward nominated "William de Dacres sheriff of Dum-
fries. Rotuli Scotiæ, i. 686. He soon after committed the sheriffdom of Dumfries to Adainar de
Atheles. Ib., 706.
(t) Robertson's Index, 57. If this notice be correct, this commendator ship, which was probably
intended to convey the profits rather than the power, such a grant may be deemed very un-
common.
(u) Godscroft, 109 ; Hay's Vindication, 23.
(v) Id.; the Adl. Sutherland case, 45.                                    (w) Id.
(x) Crawf. MS. Notes, 522. Robert Crichton " Vicecomes de Nithsdale," was appointed one
of the conservators of the truce with England, which was agreed on at Coventry, on the 11th
June, 1457. Rym., xi. 397. In 1459, he was again called sheriff of Nithsdale, when he was
appointed one of the conservators of the truce which was then made at Newcastle. Ib., 434.
His successors were uniformly designated sheriffs of Dumfries, which in that age meant the
same as sheriff of Nithsdale ; Dumfries being the shire town, and Nithsdale the district of his
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