John Masterton (-1678)
of Easter Grange
John Masterton appears in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland as a member of a commission to try suspected witches.
Genealogy
John Masterton was probably the eldest son of Adam Masterton of Easter Grange (c1580-1666). He married Christina Murray. John is a member of one of the oldest (if not the oldest) of the branches of Mastertons. Fuller details of the extended family of John Masterton are given in the following link.
Register of the Privy Council of Scotland
Third Series Volume II, 1665-69
8 September 1666.
"Charles etc. Forsameikle as Elspeth Guild, Margret Cowie, Agnes Brown, Cristian May, Margret Horne, Grissell Anderson and Margret Dobie are apprehendit and imprisoned in the tolbuith of Torriburn as suspect guilty of the cryme of witchcraft, and to the effect the trueth of the said matter may be made manifest, wee, with advyce of the Lords of our Privy Councill, give and grant full power and commission to Sir George Preston of Valeyfeild, Sir James Lumsden, younger of Innergelly; Jon Mastertoun of Eistgrange; Jon Sanders of Gogers, William Broune of Kegey, David Mitchell, elder, chalmerlan to the Earle of Kincardin, or any thrie of them, the said Sir George Prestoun being alwayes one of the number, to meitt at such tymes and places as they shall think most expedient, to affix and hold courts, creat clerks, etc., to call ane assyse, etc., and in the saids courts to call the fornamit persons and putt them to the tryall and knowledge of ane assyse, and, if they shall be found guilty upon voluntar confessions of renuncing their baptisme or entering into paction with the divell or that otherwayes malifices be legally and judicially proven against them, that then and in that case and in otherwayes they cause the sentence of death to be pronunced and execute upon them. Subscribitur, Hamilton, Linlithgow, Tunidale, Bellinden, Jon Gilmour, Jo. Nisbet, Culchart, Ch. Maitland, Ro. Moray.
The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland
Third Series, Volume II
P Hume Brown (ed)
1665-69
p. 192
HM General Register House
Edinburgh, 1909