Waverley Novels — Volume 12

  APPENDIX.

  No. I.

  EXTRACTS FROM "THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSES OF DOUGLAS AND ANGUS. BYMASTER DAVID HUME OF GODSCROFT." FOL. EDIT.

  * * * And here indeed the course of the King's misfortunes begins tomake some halt and stay by thus much prosperous successe in his ownperson; but more in the person of Sir James, by the reconquests of hisowne castles and countries. From hence he went into Douglasdale, where,by the means of his father's old servant, Thomas Dickson, he took inthe Castle of Douglas, and not being able to keep it, he caused burnit, contenting himself with this, that his enemies had one strengthfewer in that country than before. The manner of his taking of it issaid to have beene thus:--Sir James taking only with him two of hisservants, 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 notat first, being in mean and homely apparel. There he kept him secretlyin a quiet chamber, and brought unto him such as had been trustyservants to his father, not all at, once, but apart by one and one, forfear of discoverie. Their advice was, that on Palm-Sunday, when theEnglish would come forth to the church, and his partners wereconveened, that then he should give the word, and cry the Douglasslogan, and presently set upon them that should happen to be there, whobeing despatched, the Castle might be taken easily. This beingconcluded, and they come, so soon as the English were entered into thechurch with palms in their hands, (according to the costume of thatday,) little suspecting or fearing any such thing, Sir James, accordingto their appointment, cryed too soon (a Douglas, a Douglas!) whichbeing heard in the church, (this was Saint Bride's church of Douglas,)Thomas Dickson, supposing he had beene hard at hand, drew out hissword, and ran upon them, having none to second him but another man, sothat, oppressed by the number of his enemies, he was beaten downe andslaine. In the meantime, Sir James being come, the English that were inthe chancel kept off the Scots, and having the advantage of the straitand narrow entrie, defended themselves manfully. But Sir Jamesencouraging his men, not so much by words as by deeds and good example,and having slain the boldest resisters, prevailed at last, and entringthe place, slew some twenty-six of their number, and took the rest,about ten or twelve persons, intending by them to get the Castle uponcomposition, or to enter with them when the gates should be opened tolet 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, whoknowing nothing of what had hapned at the church, which stood a largequarter of a mile from thence, had left the gate wide open, the porterstanding without, and the cooke dressing the dinner within. Theyentered 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 withhimselfe (as he was a man no lesse advised than valiant) that it washard for him to keep it, the English being as yet the stronger in thatcountrey, who if they should besiege him, he knewe of no reliefe, hethought better to carry away such things as be most easily transported,gold, silver, and apparell, with ammunition and armour, whereof he hadgreatest use and need, and to destroy the rest of the provision,together with the Castle itselfe, then to diminish the number of hisfollowers for a garrison there where it could do no good. And so hecaused carrie the meale and malt, and other cornes and graine, into thecellar, and laid altogether in one heape: then he took the prisonersand slew them, to revenge the death of his trustie and valiant servant,Thomas Dickson, mingling the victuals with their bloud, and buryingtheir carkasses in the heap of corne: after that he struck out theheads of the barrells and puncheons, and let the drink runn throughall; and then he cast the carkasses of dead horses and other carrionamongst it, throwing the salt above all, so as to make altogetherunuseful to the enemie; and this cellar is called yet the DouglasLairder. Last of all, he set the house on fire, and burnt all thetimber, and what else the fire could overcome, leaving nothing but thescorched walls behind him. And this seemes to be the first taking ofthe Castle of Douglas, for it is supposed that he took it twice. Forthis service, and others done to Lord William his father, Sir Jamesgave unto Thomas Dickson the lands of Hisleside, which hath beene givenhim before the Castle was taken as an encouragement to whet him on, andnot after, for he was slain in the church; which was both liberally andwisely done of him, thus to hearten and draw men to his service by sucha noble beginning. The Castle being burnt, Sir James retired, andparting 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 keptas close as he could, waiting ever for an occasion to enterprisesomething against the enemie. So soone as he was gone, the LordClifford being advertised of what had happened, came himselfe in personto Douglas, and caused re-edifie and repair the Castle in a very shorttime, unto which he also added a Tower, which is yet called HarriesTower from him, and so returned into England, leaving one Thurswall tobe Captain thereof.--Pp. 26-28.

  * * * * * * *

  He (Sir James Douglas) getting him again into Douglasdale, did use thisstratagem against Thurswall, Captain of the Castle, under the said LordClifford. He caused some of his folk drive away the cattle that fednear unto the Castle, and when the Captain of the garrison followed torescue, gave orders to his men to leave them and to flee away. Thus hedid often to make the Captain slight such frays, and to make himsecure, that he might not suspect any further end to be on it; whichwhen he had wrought sufficiently (as he thought), he laid some men inambuscado, and sent others away to drive such beasts as they shouldfind in the view of the Castle, as if they had been thieves androbbers, as they had done often before. The Captain hearing of it, andsupposing there was no greater danger now than had been before, issuedforth of the Castle, and followed after them with such haste that hismen (running who should be first) were disordered and out of theirranks. The drivers also fled as fast as they could till they had drawnthe Captain a little way beyond the place of ambuscado, which when theyperceived, rising quickly out of their covert, they set fiercely uponhim and his company, and so slew himself and chased his men back to theCastle, some of whom were overtaken and slain, others got into theCastle 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. Bythis means, and such other exploits, he so affrighted the enemy, thatit was counted a matter of such great jeopardy to keep this Castle,that it began to be called the adventurous (or hazardous) Castle ofDouglas: Whereupon Sir John Walton being in suit of an English lady,she wrote to him that when he had kept the adventurous Castle ofDouglas seven years, then, he might think himself worthy to be a suitorto her. Upon this occasion Walton took upon him the keeping of it, andsucceeded to Thurswall; but he ran the same fortune with the rest thatwere 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 withgrass, as though it had been corn, which they carried in the way towardLanark, the chief market town in that county: so hoping to draw forththe Captain by that bait, and either to take him or the Castle, or both.

  Neither was this expectation frustrate, for the Captain did bite, andcame forth to have taken this victual (as he supposed). But ere hecould reach these carriers, Sir James, with his company, had gottenbetween the Castle and him; and these disguised carriers, seeing theCaptain following after them, did quickly cast off their uppergarments, wherein they had masked themselves, and throwing off theirsacks, mounted themselves on horseback, and met the Captain with asharp encounter, he being so much the more amazed that it was unlookedfor: wherefore, when he saw these carriers metamorphosed into warriors,and ready to assault him, fearing (that which was) that there was sometrain laid for them, he turned about to have retired into the Castle;but there also he met with his enemies; between which two companies heand his followers were slain, so that none escaped; the Captainafterwards being searched, they found (as it is reported) hismistress's letters about h
im. Then he went and took in the Castle, butit is uncertain (say our writers) whether by force or composition; butit seems that the Constable, and those that were within, have yieldedit up without force; in regard that he used them so gently, which hewould not have done if he had taken it at utterance. For he sent themall safe home to the Lord Clifford, and gave them also provision andmoney for their entertainment by the way. The Castle, which he hadburnt only before, now he razeth, and casts down the walls thereof tothe ground. By these and the like proceedings, within a short while hefreed Douglasdale, Attrict Forest, and Jedward Forest, of the Englishgarrisons and subjection.--_Ibid_. p. 29.

  No. II.

  [Extracts from THE BRUCE.--"Liber compositus per Magistrum JohannemBarber Archidiaeonum Abyrdonensem, de gestis, bellis, et vertutibus,Domini Roberti Brwyes, Regis Scocie illustrissimi, et de conquesturegni Scocie per eundem, et de Domino Jacobo de Douglas."--Edited byJohn 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 towin. The quhethir he yarnyt to begyn Till bring purposs till ending;For gud help is in gud begynnyng, For gud begynning, and hardy, Gyff itbe folwit wittily, May ger oftsyss unlikly thing Cum to full conabillending. Swa did it here: but he wes wyss And saw he mycht, on nakynwyss, Werray his fa with evyn mycht; Tharfur he thocht to wyrk withslycht. And in Dowglas daile, his countre, Upon an evymiyng entryt he.And than a man wonnyt tharby. That was off freyndis weill mychty, Andryche of moble, and off cateill; And had bene till his fadyr leyll; Andtill him selff in his yowthed. He haid done mony a thankfull deid. ThomDicson wes his name perlay. Till him he send; and gan him pray, That hewald cum all anerly For to spek with him priuely. And he but daungertill him gais: Bot fra he tauld him quhat he wais, He gret for joy, andfor pite; And him rycht till his houss had he; Quhar in a chambrepriuely He held him, and his cumpany, That nane had off him persaving.Off mete, and drynk, and othyr thing, That mycht thuim eyss, thai hadplente. Sa wrocht he thorow sutelte, That all the lele men off thatland, That with his fadyr war duelland, This gud man gert cum, ane andane, And mak him manrent cuir ilkane; And he him selff fyrst homagemaid. Dowglas in part gret glaidschip haid, That the gud men off hiscuntre Wald swagate till him bundyn be. He speryt the conwyne off theland, 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 Inhiddillis, and in priwete, Till Palme Sonday, that wes ner hand, Thethrid day eftyr folowand. For than the folk off that countre Assemblytat the kyrk wald be; And thai, that in the castell wer, Wald als bethar, thar palmys to ber, As folk that had na dreid off ill; For thaithoucht 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 andbar, And a flaill, as he a thresscher war. Undyr the mantill nocht forthi He suld be armyt priuely. And quhen the men off his countre, Thatsuld all boune befor him be, His ensenye mycht her hym cry. Then suldthai, full enforcely, Rycht ymyddys the kyrk assaill The Ingliss menwith hard bataill Swa that nane mycht eschap them fra; For thar throwchtrowyt thai to ta The castell, that besid wes ner And quhen this, thatI tell you her, Wes diuisyt and undertane, Ilkane till his howss hameis 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, Andtha that in the castell war Ischyt owt, bath les and mar, And wentthair palmys for to her; Owtane a cuk and a porter. James off Dowglasoff thair cummyng, And quhat thai war, had witting; And sped him tillthe 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 thecastell, That war all innouth the chancell, Quhen he "Dowglas!" swa heyherd cry, Drew owt his swerd; and fellely Ruschyt amang thaim to andfra. Bot ane or twa, for owtyn ma, Than in hy war left lyand QuhillDowglas come rycht at hand. And then enforcyt on thaim the cry. Botthai the chansell sturdely Held, and thaim defendyt wele, Till offthair men war slayne sumdell. Bot the Dowglace sa weill him bar, Thatall the men, that with him war, Had comfort off his wele doyng; And hehim sparyt nakyn thing. Bot provyt swa his force in fycht, That throwhis worschip, and his mycht, His men sa keynly helpyt than, That thaithe chansell on thaim wan. Than dang thai on swa hardyly, That inschort tyme men mycht se ly The twa part dede, or then deand. The lavewar sesyt sone in hand, Swa that off thretty levyt nane, That thai newar slayne ilkan, or tane.

  James off Dowglas, quhen this wes done, The presoneris has he tanealsone; 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, Thatlevyt in the castell war, That war but twa for owtyn mar, Fyve men orsex befor send he, That fand all opyn the entre; And entryt, and theporter tuk Rycht at the gate, and syne the cuk. With that Dowglas cometo the gat, And entryt in for owtyn debate; And fand the mete all readygrathit, With burdys set, and clathis layit. The gaitis then he gertsper, And sat, and eyt all at layser. Syne all the gudis turssyt thaiThat thaim thocht thai mycht haiff away; And namly wapnys, and armyng,Siluer, and tresour, and clethyng. Vyctallis, that, mycht nocht tursytbe, On this manner destroyit he. All the vrctalis, owtane salt, Alsquheyt, and flour, and meill, and malt In the wyne sellar gert hebring; And samyn on the flur all flyng. And the presoneris that he hadtane Rycht thar in gert he heid ilkane; Syne off the townnys he hedisoutstrak: A foule melle thar gane he mak. For meile, and malt, andbluid, and wyne Ran all to gidder in a mellyne, That was unsemly for tose. 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, Andded horss, and sordid the well. And brynt all, owtakyn stane; And isforth, with his menye, gayne Till his resett; for him thoucht weill,Giff he had haldyn the caslell, It had bene assegyt raith; And that himthoucht to mekill waith. For he ne had hop of reskewyng. And it is toperalous thing In castell assegyt to be, Quhar want is off thir thingisthre; Victaill, or men with their armyng, Or than gud hop off rescuyng.And for he dred thir thingis suld faile, He chesyt furthwart totrawaill, Quhar he mycht at his larges be; And swa dryve furth hisdestane.

  On this wise wes the castell tan, And slayne that war tharin ilkan. TheDowglas syne all his menye Gert in ser placis depertyt be; For men suldwyt quhar thai war, That yeid depertyt her and thar. Thim that warwoundyt gert he ly In till hiddillis, all priuely; And gert gud leechistill thaim bring Quhill that thai war in till heling. And him selff,with a few menye, Quhile ane, quhile twa and quhile thre, And umqumllall him allane. In hiddillis throw the land is gane. Sa dred he Inglismen his mycht, That he durst nocht wele cum in sycht. For thai war thattyme 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, Tobig the castell up agayne. Thar for, as man of mekill mayne, Heassemblit grret cumpany, And till Dowglas he went in hy. And biggyt wpthe castell swyth; And maid it rycht stalwart and styth And put tharinvictallis and men Ane off the Thyrwallys then He left behind himCapitane, And syne till Ingland went agayne. Book IV. v. 255-460.

  Bot yeit than Janvss of Dowglas In Dowglas Daile travailland was; Orellys weill ner hand tharby, In hyddillys sumdeill priuely. For he waldse his gouernyng, That had the castell in keping: And gert mak monyjuperty, To se quhethyr he wald ische blythly. And quhen he persavytthat he Wald blythly ische with his menye, He maid a gadringr priuelyOff thaim that war on his party; That war sa fele, that thai durst fychWith Thyrwall, and all the mycht Off thaim that in the castell war. Heschupe him in the nycht so far To Sandylandis: and thar ner by He himenbuschyt priuely, And send a few a trane to ma; That sone in themornyng gan ga, And tuk catell, that wes the castell by, And synewithdrew thaim hastely Towart thaim that enbuschit war. Than Thyrwall,for owtyn mar, Gert arme his men, forowtyn baid; Aud ischyt with allthe men he haid: And foiowyt fast eftir the cry. He wes armyt at poyntc
lenly, Owtane [that] his hede wes bar. Than, with the men that withhim war, The catell folowit he gud speid, Rycht as a man that had nadreid, Till that he gat off thaim a sycht. Than prekyt thai with allthar mycht, Folowand thaim owt off aray And thai sped thaim fleand,quhill thai Fer by thair buschement war past: And Thyrwall ay chassytfast. And than thai that enbuschyt war Ischyt till him, bath les andmar And rayssyt sudanly the cry. And thai that saw sa sudanly That folkcome egyrly prikand Rycht betuix thairn and thair warank, Thai war into full gret effray. And, for thai war owt off aray, Sum off thaimfled, and some abad. And Dowglas, that thar with him had A gret mengye,full egrely Assaylyt, and scalyt thaim hastyly: And in schort tymeourraid thaim swa, That weile nane eschapyt thaim fra. Thyrwall, thatwes thair capitane, Wes thar in the bargane slane: And off his men themast party. The lave fled full effraytly. Book V. v. 10-60