TOWN AND CASTLE OF DUNBAR. 53 



But such the stamp and sport of destiny ; 



Power hath its dawn, and zenith, and decay j 



Earth has no more : the forest's stateliest tree 



Sheds but its numbered leaves, then wastes away. 



The loftiest mound of man's prosperity. 



The tombs of Egypt piled on Pharaoh's clay — 



Back to the earth, by heaven's dread law impelled, 



Behold them crumbling like the dust they held. — Heliotrope. 



These general features we shall briefly particularize as we proceed. Crossing 

 the Lothian frontier at Oldhamstocks, the first important objects on the coast 

 are the ancient town and castle of Dunbar, the latter of which, from the 

 prominent station given to it in history, is entitled to take precedence of every 

 other in the county. The town W£is erected by royal charter anno 1369, and 

 during a period of four hundred years has experienced every vicissitude of 

 peace and war. It has been the scene of stirring exploits, sieges, and priva- 

 tions, which have won the partial ear of posterity. The castle dates from a 

 much more remote era, and is mentioned as having been burnt by the Scottish 

 monarch, Kenneth, in 858. For many centuries it was justly considered as 

 one of the keys of the Lowlands, in the security of which that of the kingdom 

 was involved. On the approach of the English army, in 1333, it was dismantled, 

 as a safe measure of policy, by Patrick, earl of Dunbar, but again restored, 

 at the expense of that nobleman, by command of Edward III. and garrisoned by 

 EngHsh troops. 



Of the various epochs in its history, that to which national partiality more 

 particularly reverts, is the romantic bravery exhibited in its defence by the 

 heroic countess of March, commonly distinguished by the name of Black 

 Agnes, and in whose veins the blood of the immortal Bruce flowed uncontami- 

 nated. The siege, directed by the earl of Salisbury, was vigorously commenced, 

 and apparently under favourable circumstances, as the governor himself was 

 unavoidably absent in his country's service. His lady, however, far from mani- 

 festing the weakness of her sex, took his place in the defence, and, by patriotic 

 exhortation, personal example, and contempt of danger, obtained entire ascen- 

 dency over the minds of the garrison. When the battering engines had 

 commenced operations, and stones were hurled against the battlements, the 

 countess, in ridicule of the besiegers, ordered one of her female attendants to 

 wipe off the dust with her handkerchief, gaily observing, that it was scarcely 

 handsome on the part of Salisbury to throw dust in a lady's eyes. 



Determined, however, to carry the siege, the earl had recourse to an enormous 

 engine — resembling the ancient Testudo — filled with men ; and, in the hope of 



p 



