No. I.
EXTRACTS FROM "THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSES OF DOUGLAS AND ANGUS. BY
MASTER DAVID HUME OF GODSCROFT." FOL. EDIT.
* * * And here indeed the course of the King's misfortunes begins to
make some halt and stay by thus much prosperous successe in his own
person; but more in the person of Sir James, by the reconquests of his
owne castles and countries. From hence he went into Douglasdale, where,
by the means of his father's old servant, Thomas Dickson, he took in
the Castle of Douglas, and not being able to keep it, he caused burn
it, contenting himself with this, that his enemies had one strength
fewer in that country than before. The manner of his taking of it is
said to have beene thus:--Sir James taking only with him two of his
servants, went to Thomas Dickson, of whom he was received with tears,
after he had revealed himself to him, for the good old man knew him not
at first, being in mean and homely apparel. There he kept him secretly
in a quiet chamber, and brought unto him such as had been trusty
servants to his father, not all at, once, but apart by one and one, for
fear of discoverie. Their advice was, that on Palm-Sunday, when the
English would come forth to the church, and his partners were
conveened, that then he should give the word, and cry the Douglas
slogan, and presently set upon them that should happen to be there, who
being despatched, the Castle might be taken easily. This being
concluded, and they come, so soon as the English were entered into the
church with palms in their hands, (according to the costume of that
day,) little suspecting or fearing any such thing, Sir James, according
to their appointment, cryed too soon (a Douglas, a Douglas!) which
being heard in the church, (this was Saint Bride's church of Douglas,)
Thomas Dickson, supposing he had beene hard at hand, drew out his
sword, and ran upon them, having none to second him but another man, so
that, oppressed by the number of his enemies, he was beaten downe and
slaine. In the meantime, Sir James being come, the English that were in
the chancel kept off the Scots, and having the advantage of the strait
and narrow entrie, defended themselves manfully. But Sir James
encouraging his men, not so much by words as by deeds and good example,
and having slain the boldest resisters, prevailed at last, and entring
the place, slew some twenty-six of their number, and took the rest,
about ten or twelve persons, intending by them to get the Castle upon
composition, or to enter with them when the gates should be opened to
let them in: but it needed not, for they of the Castle were so secure,
that there was none left to keep it save the porter and the cooke, who
knowing nothing of what had hapned at the church, which stood a large
quarter of a mile from thence, had left the gate wide open, the porter
standing without, and the cooke dressing the dinner within. They
entered without resistance, and meat being ready, and the cloth laid,
they shut the gates, and tooke their refection at good leasure.
Now that he had gotten the Castle into his hands, considering with
himselfe (as he was a man no lesse advised than valiant) that it was
hard for him to keep it, the English being as yet the stronger in that
countrey, who if they should besiege him, he knewe of no reliefe, he
thought better to carry away such things as be most easily transported,
gold, silver, and apparell, with ammunition and armour, whereof he had
greatest use and need, and to destroy the rest of the provision,
together with the Castle itselfe, then to diminish the number of his
followers for a garrison there where it could do no good. And so he
caused carrie the meale and malt, and other cornes and graine, into the
cellar, and laid altogether in one heape: then he took the prisoners
and slew them, to revenge the death of his trustie and valiant servant,
Thomas Dickson, mingling the victuals with their bloud, and burying
their carkasses in the heap of corne: after that he struck out the
heads of the barrells and puncheons, and let the drink runn through
all; and then he cast the carkasses of dead horses and other carrion
amongst it, throwing the salt above all, so as to make altogether
unuseful to the enemie; and this cellar is called yet the Douglas
Lairder. Last of all, he set the house on fire, and burnt all the
timber, and what else the fire could overcome, leaving nothing but the
scorched walls behind him. And this seemes to be the first taking of
the Castle of Douglas, for it is supposed that he took it twice. For
this service, and others done to Lord William his father, Sir James
gave unto Thomas Dickson the lands of Hisleside, which hath beene given
him before the Castle was taken as an encouragement to whet him on, and
not after, for he was slain in the church; which was both liberally and
wisely done of him, thus to hearten and draw men to his service by such
a noble beginning. The Castle being burnt, Sir James retired, and
parting his men into divers companies, so as they might be most secret,
he caused cure such as were wounded in the fight, and he himselfe kept
as close as he could, waiting ever for an occasion to enterprise
something against the enemie. So soone as he was gone, the Lord
Clifford being advertised of what had happened, came himselfe in person
to Douglas, and caused re-edifie and repair the Castle in a very short
time, unto which he also added a Tower, which is yet called Harries
Tower from him, and so returned into England, leaving one Thurswall to
be Captain thereof.--Pp. 26-28.
* * * * * * *
He (Sir James Douglas) getting him again into Douglasdale, did use this
stratagem against Thurswall, Captain of the Castle, under the said Lord
Clifford. He caused some of his folk drive away the cattle that fed
near unto the Castle, and when the Captain of the garrison followed to
rescue, gave orders to his men to leave them and to flee away. Thus he
did often to make the Captain slight such frays, and to make him
secure, that he might not suspect any further end to be on it; which
when he had wrought sufficiently (as he thought), he laid some men in
ambuscado, and sent others away to drive such beasts as they should
find in the view of the Castle, as if they had been thieves and
robbers, as they had done often before. The Captain hearing of it, and
supposing there was no greater danger now than had been before, issued
forth of the Castle, and followed after them with such haste that his
men (running who should be first) were disordered and out of their
ranks. The drivers also fled as fast as they could till they had drawn
the Captain a little way beyond the place of ambuscado, which when they
perceived, rising quickly out of their covert, they set fiercely upon
him and his company, and so slew himself and chased his men back to the
Castle, some of whom were overtaken and slain, others got into the
Castle and so were saved. Sir James, not being able to force the house,
took what booty he could get without in the fields, and so departed. By
this means, and such other exploits, he so affrighted the enemy, that
it was counted a matter of such great jeopardy to keep this Castle,
that it began to be called the adventurous (or hazardous) Castle of
Douglas: Whereupon Sir John Walton being in suit of an English lady,
she wrote to him that when he had kept the adventurous Castle of
Douglas seven years, then, he might think himself worthy to be a suitor
to her. Upon this occasion Walton took upon him the keeping of it, and
succeeded to Thurswall; but he ran the same fortune with the rest that
were before him.
For, Sir James having first dressed an ambuscado near unto the place,
he made fourteen of his men take so many sacks, and fill them with
grass, as though it had been corn, which they carried in the way toward
Lanark, the chief market town in that county: so hoping to draw forth
the Captain by that bait, and either to take him or the Castle, or both.
Neither was this expectation frustrate, for the Captain did bite, and
came forth to have taken this victual (as he supposed). But ere he
could reach these carriers, Sir James, with his company, had gotten
between the Castle and him; and these disguised carriers, seeing the
Captain following after them, did quickly cast off their upper
garments, wherein they had masked themselves, and throwing off their
sacks, mounted themselves on horseback, and met the Captain with a
sharp encounter, he being so much the more amazed that it was unlooked
for: wherefore, when he saw these carriers metamorphosed into warriors,
and ready to assault him, fearing (that which was) that there was some
train laid for them, he turned about to have retired into the Castle;
but there also he met with his enemies; between which two companies he
and his followers were slain, so that none escaped; the Captain
afterwards being searched, they found (as it is reported) his
mistress's letters about him. Then he went and took in the Castle, but
it is uncertain (say our writers) whether by force or composition; but
it seems that the Constable, and those that were within, have yielded
it up without force; in regard that he used them so gently, which he
would not have done if he had taken it at utterance. For he sent them
all safe home to the Lord Clifford, and gave them also provision and
money for their entertainment by the way. The Castle, which he had
burnt only before, now he razeth, and casts down the walls thereof to
the ground. By these and the like proceedings, within a short while he
freed Douglasdale, Attrict Forest, and Jedward Forest, of the English
garrisons and subjection.--_Ibid_. p. 29.
No. II.
[Extracts from THE BRUCE.--"Liber compositus per Magistrum Johannem
Barber Archidiaeonum Abyrdonensem, de gestis, bellis, et vertutibus,
Domini Roberti Brwyes, Regis Scocie illustrissimi, et de conquestu
regni Scocie per eundem, et de Domino Jacobo de Douglas."--Edited by
John Jamieson, D.D. F.R.S.F. &c. &c. Edinburgh, 1820.]
Now takis James his waige Towart Dowglas, his heretage, With twa yemen,
for his owtyn ma; That wes a symple stuff to ta, A land or a castell to
win. The quhethir he yarnyt to begyn Till bring purposs till ending;
For gud help is in gud begynnyng, For gud begynning, and hardy, Gyff it
be folwit wittily, May ger oftsyss unlikly thing Cum to full conabill
ending. Swa did it here: but he wes wyss And saw he mycht, on nakyn
wyss, Werray his fa with evyn mycht; Tharfur he thocht to wyrk with
slycht. And in Dowglas daile, his countre, Upon an evymiyng entryt he.
And than a man wonnyt tharby. That was off freyndis weill mychty, And
ryche of moble, and off cateill; And had bene till his fadyr leyll; And
till him selff in his yowthed. He haid done mony a thankfull deid. Thom
Dicson wes his name perlay. Till him he send; and gan him pray, That he
wald cum all anerly For to spek with him priuely. And he but daunger
till him gais: Bot fra he tauld him quhat he wais, He gret for joy, and
for pite; And him rycht till his houss had he; Quhar in a chambre
priuely He held him, and his cumpany, That nane had off him persaving.
Off mete, and drynk, and othyr thing, That mycht thuim eyss, thai had
plente. Sa wrocht he thorow sutelte, That all the lele men off that
land, That with his fadyr war duelland, This gud man gert cum, ane and
ane, And mak him manrent cuir ilkane; And he him selff fyrst homage
maid. Dowglas in part gret glaidschip haid, That the gud men off his
cuntre Wald swagate till him bundyn be. He speryt the conwyne off the
land, And quha the castell had in hand. And thai him tauld all halily;
And syne amang them priuely Thai ordanyt, that he still suld be In
hiddillis, and in priwete, Till Palme Sonday, that wes ner hand, The
thrid day eftyr folowand. For than the folk off that countre Assemblyt
at the kyrk wald be; And thai, that in the castell wer, Wald als be
thar, thar palmys to ber, As folk that had na dreid off ill; For thai
thoucht all wes at thair will. Than suld he cum with his twa men. Bot,
for that men suld nocht him ken, He suld ane mantill haiff auld and
bar, And a flaill, as he a thresscher war. Undyr the mantill nocht for
thi He suld be armyt priuely. And quhen the men off his countre, That
suld all boune befor him be, His ensenye mycht her hym cry. Then suld
thai, full enforcely, Rycht ymyddys the kyrk assaill The Ingliss men
with hard bataill Swa that nane mycht eschap them fra; For thar throwch
trowyt thai to ta The castell, that besid wes ner And quhen this, that
I tell you her, Wes diuisyt and undertane, Ilkane till his howss hame
is gane; And held this spek in priuete, Till the day off thar assembly.
The folk upon the Sonounday Held to Saynct Bridis kyrk thair way, And
tha that in the castell war Ischyt owt, bath les and mar, And went
thair palmys for to her; Owtane a cuk and a porter. James off Dowglas
off thair cummyng, And quhat thai war, had witting; And sped him till
the kyrk in hy Bot or he come, too hastily Ane off his criyt, "Dowglas!
Dowglas!" Thomas Dicson, that nerrest was Till thaim that war off the
castell, That war all innouth the chancell, Quhen he "Dowglas!" swa hey
herd cry, Drew owt his swerd; and fellely Ruschyt amang thaim to and
fra. Bot ane or twa, for owtyn ma, Than in hy war left lyand Quhill
Dowglas come rycht at hand. And then enforcyt on thaim the cry. Bot
thai the chansell sturdely Held, and thaim defendyt wele, Till off
thair men war slayne sumdell. Bot the Dowglace sa weill him bar, That
all the men, that with him war, Had comfort off his wele doyng; And he
him sparyt nakyn thing. Bot provyt swa his force in fycht, That throw
his worschip, and his mycht, His men sa keynly helpyt than, That thai
the chansell on thaim wan. Than dang thai on swa hardyly, That in
schort tyme men mycht se ly The twa part dede, or then deand. The lave
war sesyt sone in hand, Swa that off thretty levyt nane, That thai ne
war slayne ilkan, or tane.
James off Dowglas, quhen this wes done, The presoneris has he tane
alsone; And, with thaim off his cumpany, Towart the castell went in hy,
Or noyiss, or cry, suld ryss. And for he wald thaim sone suppriss, That
levyt in the castell war, That war but twa for owtyn mar, Fyve men or
sex befor send he, That fand all opyn the entre; And entryt, and the
porter tuk Rycht at the gate, and syne the cuk. With that Dowglas come
to the gat, And entryt in for owtyn debate; And fand the mete all ready
grathit, With burdys set, and clathis layit. The gaitis then he gert
sper, And sat, and eyt all at layser. Syne all the gudis turssyt thai
That thaim thocht thai mycht haiff away; And namly wapnys, and armyng,
Siluer, and tresour, and clethyng. Vyctallis, that, mycht nocht tursyt
be, On this manner destroyit he. All the vrctalis, owtane salt, Als
quheyt, and flour, and meill, and malt In the wyne sellar gert he
bring; And samyn on the flur all flyng. And the presoneris that he had
tane Rycht thar in gert he heid ilkane; Syne off the townnys he hedis
outstrak: A foule melle thar gane he mak. For meile, and malt, and
bluid, and wyne Ran all to gidder in a mellyne, That was unsemly for to
se. Tharfor the men of that countre, For swa fele thar mellyt wer,
Callit it the "Dowglas Lardner." Syne tuk he salt, as Ic hard tell, And
ded horss, and sordid the well. And brynt all, owtakyn stane; And is
forth, with his menye, gayne Till his resett; for him thoucht weill,
Giff he had haldyn the caslell, It had bene assegyt raith; And that him
thoucht to mekill waith. For he ne had hop of reskewyng. And it is to
peralous thing In castell assegyt to be, Quhar want is off thir thingis
thre; Victaill, or men with their armyng, Or than gud hop off rescuyng.
And for he dred thir thingis suld faile, He chesyt furthwart to
trawaill, Quhar he mycht at his larges be; And swa dryve furth his
destane.
On this wise wes the castell tan, And slayne that war tharin ilkan. The
Dowglas syne all his menye Gert in ser placis depertyt be; For men suld
wyt quhar thai war, That yeid depertyt her and thar. Thim that war
woundyt gert he ly In till hiddillis, all priuely; And gert gud leechis
till thaim bring Quhill that thai war in till heling. And him selff,
with a few menye, Quhile ane, quhile twa and quhile thre, And umqumll
all him allane. In hiddillis throw the land is gane. Sa dred he Inglis
men his mycht, That he durst nocht wele cum in sycht. For thai war that
tyme all weldand As maist lordis, our all the land.
Bot tythandis, that scalis sone, Off this deid that Dowglas has done,
Come to the Cliffurd his ere, in hy, That for his tynsaill wes sary;
And menyt his men that thai had slayne, And syne has to purpos tane, To
big the castell up agayne. Thar for, as man of mekill mayne, He
assemblit grret cumpany, And till Dowglas he went in hy. And biggyt wp
the castell swyth; And maid it rycht stalwart and styth And put tharin
victallis and men Ane off the Thyrwallys then He left behind him
Capitane, And syne till Ingland went agayne.
Book IV. v. 255-460.
Bot yeit than Janvss of Dowglas In Dowglas Daile travailland was; Or
ellys weill ner hand tharby, In hyddillys sumdeill priuely. For he wald
se his gouernyng, That had the castell in keping: And gert mak mony
juperty, To se quhethyr he wald ische blythly. And quhen he persavyt
that he Wald blythly ische with his menye, He maid a gadringr priuely
Off thaim that war on his party; That war sa fele, that thai durst fych
With Thyrwall, and all the mycht Off thaim that in the castell war. He
schupe him in the nycht so far To Sandylandis: and thar ner by He him
enbuschyt priuely, And send a few a trane to ma; That sone in the
mornyng gan ga, And tuk catell, that wes the castell by, And syne
withdrew thaim hastely Towart thaim that enbuschit war. Than Thyrwall,
for owtyn mar, Gert arme his men, forowtyn baid; Aud ischyt with all
the men he haid: And foiowyt fast eftir the cry. He wes armyt at poynt
clenly, Owtane [that] his hede wes bar. Than, with the men that with
him war, The catell folowit he gud speid, Rycht as a man that had na
dreid, Till that he gat off thaim a sycht. Than prekyt thai with all
thar mycht, Folowand thaim owt off aray And thai sped thaim fleand,
quhill thai Fer by thair buschement war past: And Thyrwall ay chassyt
fast. And than thai that enbuschyt war Ischyt till him, bath les and
mar And rayssyt sudanly the cry. And thai that saw sa sudanly That folk
come egyrly prikand Rycht betuix thairn and thair warank, Thai war in
to full gret effray. And, for thai war owt off aray, Sum off thaim
fled, and some abad. And Dowglas, that thar with him had A gret mengye,
full egrely Assaylyt, and scalyt thaim hastyly: And in schort tyme
ourraid thaim swa, That weile nane eschapyt thaim fra. Thyrwall, that
wes thair capitane, Wes thar in the bargane slane: And off his men the
mast party. The lave fled full effraytly.
Book V. v. 10-60