# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Johnstone, William (d.1721)

​JOHNSTONE, WILLIAM, third Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, and first Marquis of Annandale (d. 1721), was the eldest son of James, second earl of Annandale and Hartfell, by Lady Henrietta Douglas, fourth daughter of William, first marquis of Douglas [q. v.] He was educated at the university of Glasgow, and succeeded his father in the earldom in 1672, being then under age. He was on specially intimate terms with the Duke of Monmouth, who in 1685 sent for him to intercede with the king on his behalf. According to Balcarres, Annandale came to London at the time of the revolution, intending to support James II, but, finding how things were going, took the oath to join the prince (Memoirs of the Revolution, p. 10). When, however, it came to the pinch, he remained inactive, pretending illness. On William's arrival in London he was therefore ‘put into a messenger's hands’ for several days, which so displeased him that he again ​rejoined the royalist party (ib. p. 11). His hesitating action in Edinburgh after the arrival of Dundee helped to frustrate the proposed convention of King James's friends at Stirling (ib. p. 31). On the failure of the attempt to make a diversion in favour of James, he adhered to the revolution settlement, but being disappointed in his expectations took part in the formation of the malcontent party known as the ‘Club,’ which strenuously opposed the measures of the government in parliament. His troop of horse, however, served with Mackay's forces against Dundee in the summer of 1689. On 15 Oct. 1690 he, Lord Ross, and Sir James Montgomery, contrary to William's express command, came to London, and laid before him a vindication entitled ‘The late Proceedings and Votes of the Parliament of Scotland, contained in an Address delivered to the King, signed by the plurality of the members thereof, stated and vindicated.’ By this action, according to Annandale, they soon saw that they had totally lost the king's favour (Leven and Melville Papers, p. 512). Annandale and Montgomery had already been coquetting with the Jacobites, and they now concerted the ‘Montgomery plot’ for King James's restoration. Annandale revealed the plot to Balcarres and asked his co-operation (Memoirs, p. 55). Though Annandale had two troops of horse in the army, with which Mackay advanced against Dundee, he himself retired in July to the borders of England (Leven and Melville Papers, p. 463). The dispersion of Dundee's forces (Burnet, Own Time, ed. 1838, p. 560) and the bad prospects of Jacobitism induced the conspirators to abandon the plot. Annandale went south to Bath, pretending ill-health (ib. p. 560), and Montgomery, dreading discoveries, revealed the design to Melville. Annandale was thereupon summoned from Bath. Montgomery deputed Robert Ferguson (d. 1714) [q. v.] the plotter to assure him that nothing had been discovered. Nevertheless Annandale resolved to throw himself on the mercy of Mary, William being in Ireland. He was promised pardon on condition that he should (1) make a free and full discovery of all the plots against the government; (2) give in writing the names of all accessory or guilty persons; and (3) make no discovery to any other person of what he had done (‘Annandale's conditions from the Queen, August 1690,’ in Leven and Melville Papers, pp. 505–6). The person chiefly implicated by Annandale's confession was Neville Payne (‘Ane Account of what Annandale remembers in relation to Navill Pain's going to Scotland,’ ib. pp. 512–13). Annandale confessed that he had received a patent from King James creating him marquis, and a commission to be governor of Edinburgh Castle, as well as a commission to his brother to be lieutenant-colonel of the troop of guards (ib. p. 582). He, however, contrived to produce the impression that he had been indiscreet rather than traitorous, and professed to have been led astray by Montgomery. After a short imprisonment in the Tower of London, he not only obtained a full pardon but was received into considerable favour. Nevertheless there may be some truth in the statement of Lockhart that ‘the Revolutionary party only employed him as the Indians worship the Devil, out of fear’ (Papers, i. 138). On 23 Nov. 1693 Annandale was created an extraordinary lord of session, which office he held till his death. He was also appointed one of the lords of the treasury, and was president of the parliament of 1695, at which the report of the commission appointed to inquire into the massacre of Glencoe was considered. He had himself sat on the commission, and in the management of the deliberations regarding it displayed great tact and prudence. In recognition of his services he received a pension from the king, to which an addition was made in 1700. This appears to have been done with the view of confirming his loyalty, but the affair gave umbrage to many, and Queensberry expressed the opinion that ‘no motives would bind him’ (Carstares, State Papers, p. 564). Annandale was appointed lord high commissioner to the general assembly of the kirk in 1701, and on 24 June of the same year was advanced to the dignity of Marquis of Annandale, Earl of Hartfell, Viscount of Annand, Lord Johnstone of Lochwood, Lochmaben, Moffatdale, and Evandale.
On the accession of Queen Anne he was made lord privy seal, which office he held from 6 May 1702 to 15 Dec. of the same year. From 15 May 1702 to 28 Feb. 1706 he was lord president of the privy council. He was created a knight of the Thistle on the revival of that order by Queen Anne in 1704. About this time he was thus described by Macky: ‘He was often out and in the ministry during the king's reign; is extremely carried away by his private interest; hath good sense, with a manly expression, but not much to be trusted; makes as fine a figure in the parliament-house as he does in his person, being tall, lusty, and well-shaped, with a very black complexion’ (Memoirs, p. 185). From 9 March to 29 Sept. 1705 he was joint secretary of state along with Lord Melville. When the proposal for a treaty of union came before the Scottish parliament, Annandale pressed that the protestant succession to the throne should ​first be decided on, and being overruled in this ‘was so highly offended that he concurred no more in the councils of those who gave the other advice’ (Burnet, Own Time, p. 780). He was thereupon deprived of the office of secretary of state. Lockhart says that he opposed the union on account of being turned out of the secretary's office, and was therefore ‘much caressed, but little trusted by the cavaliers’ (Papers, p. 138). In any case his opposition to the union was extreme. It was he who drew up the protest against the third article, appointing both kingdoms to be represented by one and the same parliament. On 13 Feb. 1707 he was chosen one of the Scottish representative peers. At the general election of 1708 he was not returned, but he and three other non-elected peers petitioned the House of Lords on account of informalities in the election, and after a long debate Annandale was substituted for the Marquis of Lothian. Annandale was again chosen in 1710 and 1715. In 1711 he was commissioner to the general assembly of the church of Scotland. On the accession of George I he was, 24 Sept. 1714, appointed keeper of the great seal, and a few days afterwards a privy councillor. On the outbreak of the rebellion in 1715 he was, on 19 Aug., constituted lord-lieutenant of the counties of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Peebles. Simon Fraser, lord Lovat, having on his way north been placed under a guard at Dumfries, desired his credentials to be laid before Annandale. The latter arrived at Dumfries just as news came that the rebels were approaching. Annandale, who had given Lovat a courteous welcome, obtained his assistance in barricading the town, and the insurgents passed on to Lochmaben (Major Fraser's Narrative, ed. Fergusson, ii. 30–41). Annandale died at Bath on 14 Feb. 1721. By his first wife, Sophia, only daughter and heiress of John Fairholm of Craigiehall, Linlithgowshire, he had three sons (James, second marquis, d 1730, John, who died young, and Lord William Johnstone, 1695–1721) and two daughters, of whom the elder, Henrietta, married Charles Hope [q. v.] of Hopetoun, created Earl of Hopetoun in 1703, and the younger, Mary, died in infancy. Johnstone's first wife died 13 Dec. 1716, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where there is a monument by Gibbs. By his second wife, Charlotte Van Lore, only child of John Vanden Bempde of Pall Mall, London, he had two sons, George, third marquis (1720–1792), and John, who died young. A portrait of Annandale by Sir Godfrey Kneller has been engraved by Smith.
[Balcarres's Memoirs (Bannatyne Club); Leven and Melville Papers (Bannatyne Club); Carstares's State Papers; Lockhart of Carnwath's Memoirs; Burnet's Own Time; Macaulay's Hist. of Engl. ii. 27, 55, 215, 225; Macky's Secret Memoirs; Douglas's Scottish Peerage, ed. Wood, i. 74–6; Brunton and Haig's Senators of the College of Justice, pp. 448–51.]
T. F. H.