58 Tue CASTLE OF DUMFRIES. 
faithful John, the illustrious King of Scotland, to allow you to 
raise and collect freely and without hindrance the arrears of the 
aforesaid farm at the next term of St. Martin, wherein you were 
bound in your aforesaid agreement.’? And a month later :— 
Newcastle, 12 January, 1293. By letters patent, and closed, 
the burgesses of Dumfries are ordered to pay the arrears owed to 
the King, to Nicholas de Colle, Merchant of Luca, his assign, 
for the farm of the Burgh of Dumfries, the sum of eleven shillings 
and five pence. 
Little is recorded of the affairs of the Castle during the 
short reign of King John. The Scottish King in course of time 
alleged against Edward, that he had possessed himself of his, the 
Scottish Castles, by violence. Whether the Castle of Dumfries 
passed in this way we do not know, but Balliol resigned the realm 
and people of Scotland on 7th July, 1296, and went into captivity, 
and in the following month of August, Robert de Joneby held 
office as Sheriff of Dumfries for the English King. 
In the beginning of June of the following year, the King ap- 
pointed Sir Henry de Percy and Sir Robert de Clifford to arrest, 
imprison, and “ justify ’’ all disturbers of the peace of Scotland 
or their reseters, and commanded the Sheriff and others of Dum- 
fries to render them effectual aid. At this time Scotland, deserted 
by her natural leaders, bowed before the English power. But not 
for long. The patriot Wallace on September 11th of the same 
year (1297) overpowered the English at Stirling Bridge, and 
cleared the country of the invaders. This great achievement was, 
according to Henry the Minstrel, consummated at Dumfries, and 
the accuracy with which the Minstrel threads the intricate route, 
traversed by Wallace in pursuit of his foes, goes far to establish 
the trustworthiness of the story. Henry relates how Wallace, 
with a company of three hundred chosen men mounted on picked 
horses lightly harnessed, rode in pursuit, through Durisdeer, 
Morton, and Closeburn, to Dalswinton, where, in the woods, 
deadly strokes were dealt, and continuing the chase, passed near 
Lochar Moss and Lochmaben, to a place in the neighbourhood of 
Cockpool, where was fierce fighting. Some of the English were 
drowned, some slain upon the sand ; who escaped in England fled 
away. 
Wallace, after resting a night at Caerlaverock, blithely 
journeyed next morning to Dumfries, where he received the people 
