Tue CAstLeE oF DumrriEs. a3 
repaired, or enlarged, a few years earlier. In 1265 one Master 
Peter, a mason, was paid £20 forward at the Castle of Dumfries. 
It may be noted also that the Friars’ Minors are mentioned in 
the accounts of this same year. 
But Alexander III. is dead, and Margaret, the child queen, 
the golden age of peace is ended, and our castle stands revealed 
in military guise in the custody, for the first time, of English 
wardens. 
‘‘Quhen Alysander oure King was dede 
That Scotland led in love and le, 
Away was sons of Ale and Brede, 
Of wyne and wax, of gamyn and glee, 
Oure gold was changed into lede. 
Chryst, born into Virgynte, 
Succor Scotland and remede, 
That stad is in perplexeyte.”’ 
Edward I., desirous of effecting a union of England and 
Scotland, betrothed his son Prince Edward, with the consent of 
the Scottish Guardians, to the Princess Margaret, heir to the 
Crown of Scotland, but the death of the young queen frustrated 
this peace-promoting arrangement. The King, resolutely adhering 
to his purpose, preferred a claim to the Crown of Scotland, when 
he should chose to assume it, and meantime caused himself to be 
recognised Lord Paramount of the Kingdom. Assuming to ad- 
judicate between the several claimants of the vacant throne, the 
English King demanded the surrender to him of all the Castles 
of Scotland, pending his decision; and on the 11th June, 1291, 
transfer was made accordingly. Next year, on the 19th Novem- 
ber, Baliol having been adjudged the rightful heir, the Governors 
of Castles, in obedience to orders, surrendered to the new King. 
During this interval of nearly eighteen months, the Castle of 
Dumfries, grouped with those of Kirkcudbright and Wigtown, was 
in the custody of English Wardens. 
Relative to this period of the affairs of the Castle, we have 
certain writs and receipts dealing with the wages of the wardens. 
The usual wage of the warden was a mark a day ; frequently pay- 
ment was in arrear, and consequently the receipts do not follow 
in the order of the periods of office of the several custodians. 
Sir William de Boyville, first in the list of wardens, was an 
Englishman. His name occurs in an Inquisition held at Car- 
