In June 1600 Sir John Cranstoun of that Ilk was indicted for harbouring traitors who were his kinsmen and only on the intervention of the king did he obtain a stay of the proceedings against him. In August 1600 Sir John's brother, Thomas Cranstoun was executed in Perth for his involvement in the Gowrie Conspiracy, which intended to kidnap James VI of Scotland. However, later in 1609, Sir John Cranstoun of Morristoun who was captain of the Guard to James VI, was raised to the peerage and given the title Lord Cranstoun. At about the same time, William Cranstoun, a staunch Presbyterian who was minister of Kettle in Fife, resisted attempts by the king to bring bishops into the Scottish Church. As a result the minister fell into disfavour with the authorities and the king's commissioners ordered him to stop preaching but he did not and was formally put to the horn and declared an outlaw.