Transac 1 71 



science, was a monarch out of the ordinary Stewart groove. Out 

 of harmony with feudal surroundings, his disposition made it easy 

 for his turbulent brother, the Duke of Albany aided by the 

 rebellious Earl of Douglas, to raise a strong faction in support of 

 his ambitious claims. Albany pretended to the throne. Retiring 

 into England, he found there Edward IV. willing to render him 

 somewhat the same service as Edward III. had done to Edward 

 Baliol. War broke out between the two countiies. It was 

 suspended for a short while by a papal bull, but renewed 

 hostilities were daily expected when the Scottish Parliament met 

 in March, 1482. The proceedings for defence were energetic, and 

 the language was the same. " The Revare Edward calland him 

 King of Ingland," they said, was threatening the land, and 

 provision had to be made for " the resisting and aganestanding 

 of the saide Revare Edwarde quhilk schapis to invaid this realme 

 with grete armey and powere, baith be sey and land." The 

 whole body of the realm was therefore summoned to rally round 

 the King " to leyf and dee with his hienes in his defence." 

 Active measures were resolved upon.* Strict watch was to be 

 kept. The King himself was to maintain a force of 500 men ; 

 the clergy were to furnish 240 men ; otiier 240 wei'e to be upheld 

 at the cost of the barons; whilst the burghs' share was 120. This 

 little standing army was distributed over the borders — 500 in 

 Berwick, 300 in various places on the east march, 100 in 

 Hermitage, 100 in Lochmaben, 40 in Castlemilk, 20 in Bell's 

 Tower (at Kirkconnel), and 40 in Annan. " In Annand xl men." 

 Kirkpatrick of Closeburn was to be Captain of Lochmaben, and 

 Charteris of Amistield Captain of Castlemilk, Annan, and 

 Bell's Tower, "he to remaiue in ane of the thre placis and his twa 

 deputis in the tothir twa placis." The invasion expected did not 

 take place. Edward IV. died. But on the Magdalen day at Loch- 

 maben, 22nd July, 1484, Albany and Douglas, with their English 

 supports! resting on the slopes of Birrenswark, made a raid on 

 Annandale. After a hard battle, fought manfully from noon till 

 twilight, closing near Kirkconnel, the old Earl Douglas was a 

 prisoner, and Albany, a pretender like Edward Baliol, was 

 driven away again into England, an exile for the remainder of 

 his days. Douglas was captured by Alexander Kii'kpatrick 



*Acts of Parlianunt, Scotland, ii., 140 ; Le.sley''s Hisiork, 1436-1561, p. 47. 

 +The battle is described iu Godscroft (ed. 1743), 379, and Patrick 

 Andtrson's BIS. Ilhturie (Advocate's Library), 1., 40-41. 



