ed by the town of Haddington, as commissioners of the burgh, to meet other burgesses, to consult together, and treat for the liberation of the king. At this meeting it was agreed that the exorbitant sum should be paid, and the king was released. From the impoverished state of the country, considerable difficulty arose in liquidating the ransom, in which Haddington bore her share; but until the death of David II., which occurred at Edinburgh in 1370, she appears to have suffered repose from the miseries of war.

David was succeeded by his nephew Robert II., the Steward of Scotland. The beginning of his reign was soon stained by those bloody inroads, which the two rival nations were continually urging against each other. Edward III. had now buried his victories in the winding-sheet of his race, when some new and enormous taxes being imposed, roused the vassals of England into rebellion, and carried them to seek redress at the very foot of the throne of the youthful monarch.* Their vengeance was particularly directed against John Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the king's uncle, whom they regarded as the chief author of these oppressions. They laid in ashes his palace of the Savoy; and he might have fallen a sacrifice to their fury, had he not been absent on a mission to Scotland. During these violent proceedings, the duke, who was warden of the northern marches, visited Berwick, for the purpose of effecting a peace with that country; and retired to Haddington, where he remained for some time, and from thence was conducted by the Earls of Douglas and Murray to the castle of Holyrood, where he was magnificently entertained, and enjoyed the cheer of Scottish hospitality, till the disturbances in his own country were quelled, and he could return home in safety.†

On the expiry of the truce, which lasted for three years, the Scots renewed hostilities, and, in the depth of a cold and stormy winter, retook the castle of Lochmaben, which had been long in possession of the English. Alarmed at the vigorous activity of an energetic people, the English turned their attention to the security of Roxburgh, and, to strengthen the castle against a siege, despatched the Baron of Graystock with troops, and a long train of waggons and beasts of burden, laden with provisions and arms, for the use of the garrison. This was too valuable prey to be

• Richard II. † Major, 115. Fordun xiv. 46.

overlooked. He was intercepted by the Earl of March, who, after a desperate conflict, routed the party, and made the Baron prisoner, with many others. Graystock was courteously conducted to the castle of Dunbar, where he was sumptuously entertained by his noble host, and had the mortification to see himself served with the rich plate, and regaled with the choice wines, which he was entrusted to convey to his friends at Roxburgh.

Enraged at the successful skirmishes of the Scots, about Easter, Richard II., accompanied by the Duke of Lancaster, advanced through Northumberland, with an army of thirty-thousand men, and entering Scotland by the eastern marches, proceeded through Lothian, destroying the towns and villages on their way, till they reached Edinburgh, while a fleet accompanied their progress by sea, and safely anchored in the Firth of Forth. The brutal soldiery were anxious to plunder and burn the city of Edinburgh ; but the duke had now an opportunity of evincing his gratitude for the hospitable reception he had once met with in Holyrood's towers, and the metropolis was saved.

The fiery battle of Otterburn was fought by the Scots under Douglas, and the English under Percy, on the 5th August, 1388. The soldiers of East Lothian were commanded by the Earls of March and Moray, and amongst these were the Lindsays, Hepburns, Setons, and Haliburtons, and the flower of the county. It was here where the younger Percy, surnamed Hotspur, (in allusion to his ardent valour,) and afterwards immortalized by Shakspeare, particularly distinguished himself. In the eveningthe Scots were carelessly encamped, and most of the warriors had laid aside their armour. The Earls of Douglas, March, and Moray, had sat down to supper in the commander's tent, when they were suddenly roused by the trumpets of the English. Douglas, in the confusion of the moment, tarried not to array himself in complete armour, but rushed fearlessly to the combat, in order if possible to break the first attack of the enemy, and but for the bravery of Patrick Hepburn of Hailes and his son, he would have been taken prisoner by the impetuous Hotspur. The darkness of the night awhile parted the combatants, till the battle was renewed by moonlight.

A very important matter at that period, when both warriors and their steeds were housed in cases of steel. It is recorded that more than one year was employed in making the armour of Douglas and his esquire.

The Scottish spearmen were about giving way to the English, when John Swinton, a brave knight, instead of pushing forward with his spear, raised it aloft, and, with herculean strength, smashed the shafts of the foremost columns of the enemy. He

did this with such effect, that that panic, so fatal in battle, was instantly created, and gave the victory to the Scots. This victory, however, was bought at a high price. The gallant Douglas, who had rushed carelessly to the fight, for want of defensive armour in the most vulnerable parts, fell mortally wounded in the head and neck,—when, as a mark of true affection and bravery after this great man fell, his body was gallantly defended by his chaplain, William of North Berwick.* In this battle extraordinary feats of valour were performed on both sides. The two Percys were taken prisoners; and, according to Harding, Hotspur was led to Dunbar.†

The affable treatment of illustrious prisoners in that barbaric age, must frequently have led to private friendships: hence we find the fiery youth, now the prisoner of the Earl of Dunbar, in conjunction with him some years afterwards, carrying destruction into East Lothian, at the head of the Northumbrian yeomanry. This tergiversation of the Earl from his country, was occasioned by the non-fulfilment of a matrimonial engagement. Next to the Stewarts, the Douglases and Dunbars were the most potent lords in Scotland. From the family of the latter, the king wished to provide a wife for his son and heir, the young Duke of Rothsay, and the Earl of Dunbar, proud of such an alliance, agreed to pay a high dowery with his daughter Elisabeth. The lady was al-. ready betrothed, and the consummation of the nuptials fixed, when the Earl of Douglas, jealous of the advantages which this marriage promised to a family, that already rivalled his own, protested against the espousals, till they should be sanctioned by parliament; and, during the delay, by his intrigues at court, he succeeded in seducing the minds of the king and the prince from the intended marriage; and, with the bribe of a heavier dowery, saw his daughter Marjory exalted to the princely coronet of Rothsay. Another incident occurred, which fanned the earl's revenge. During his absence in England, he intrusted the custody of the

castle of Dunbar to his nephew, Robert Maitland of Ledingtoun,* who either from the dread of the indignation of his royal master, or treachery, surrendered the fortress to young Douglas. In vain did the earl profess, that he had visited England under a passport for the transaction of private business,-the Douglases and the Stewarts knew too well, how " to turn occurrence to their own advantage," and the government would listen to no compromise. The wavering chief no longer hesitated to take arms against his country, while his vassals and kinsmen keenly espoused his cause. These, issuing in small predatory bands, annoyed the burgesses and peasantry in a more harassing manner than if they had been at once subjected to the wasting career of a great army. Descending from the Lammermoors, the Earl of Dunbar, accompanied by Henry Hotspur, at the head of 2000 men, entered Lothian, by Pople, and advancing to the river Tyne, laid siege to the ancient castle of Hailes, which gallantly withstood their assault. Foiled in this attack, they applied the torch to the villages of Hailes and Traprene, and thence penetrated to Haddington with terrible devastation. They appear to have returned by the village of Merkhill, which they also burned, and encamped at Prestonkirk on the northern side of the river. Young Douglas, who had mustered his forces at Edinburgh, suddenly came upon "the spoil encumber'd foe." Their booty and baggage were left behind; and this bloody inroad ended in a precipitate retreat, in which the fugitives were successfully pursued to the gates of Berwick.t

CHAPTER IV.

"On Lander's dreary flat,

Princes and favourites long grew tame,
And trembled at the homely name

Of Archibald Bell-thre-Cat."-SCOTT.

HENRY IV. ROBERT III.-JAMES III.-CAMP AT LETHINGTON. BELL-THE-CAT. - JAMES IV.-PROGRESS OF QUEEN MARGARET.- - BATTLE OF FLODden. THE REGENCY OF ALBANY. EARL OF HOME. JAMES V.-TANTALLON CASTLE.

INSTIGATED by these mighty and defeated chiefs, Henry IV. of England, who was now firmly seated on the usurped throne of Richard, was easily persuaded to invade Scotland, in order that his superiority might be acknowledged and secured. From Newcastle he sent letters to the king and prelates of Scotland, requiring them to meet him at Edinburgh, on the 23d August; and, in the event of his knights or squires finding any difficulty in delivering the packets to whom they were addressed, they were commanded to issue proclamations to the same effect at Edinburgh and other public places of the kingdom. Henry proceeded to Berwick with a large army, while his fleet, coasting along the shore, sailed into the Forth with supplies. As Kelso is mentioned among the places where the proclamations were to be made, it seems probable that he entered Lothian by the southern marches of Lammermoor; for he arrived at Haddington, on the 15th August, 1400, where he remained three days, and was accommodated with apartments in the nunnery, for which he bounteously rewarded the holy sisterhood; and, as if desirous to propitiate his enemies by his piety, celebrated the assumption of the Virgin Mary in her churches.* Contrary to the practice of late invasions, the monasteries and other religious edifices were held sacred from the violations of the soldiery, and both the petty baron and lowly clown, who sought protection, did not seek it in vain.

Bower, xv. 2.