BonsHAw TOWER. 167 
which was looked upon as offering the chief barrier to the con- 
quest of the kingdom of Scotland. The chieftains and proprietors 
were obliged to submit, as they were overpowered by numbers. 
Christopher Irving of Bonshaw and Cuthbert Irving of Robgill 
continued in arms with those who offered patriotic resistance. In 
order to avoid submitting to the English, and in hopes of saving 
Bonshaw, which he could not defend successfully, he made it 
over to his son Edward (Instrument of Sasine in favour of Edward 
Irving of Bonshaw, dated June 3rd, 1544, deed amongst the family 
papers). But the English took Bonshaw and plundered and 
burned it, and devastated all the Irving lands about the Kirtle. 
In a letter to council of King Henry VITI., dated 9th Septem- 
ber, 1544, Lord Wharton, describing one of these invasions of the 
year, says that the troops in their return burned Bonshaw, Robgill, 
etc., and all the peile towers, steds, and corn in their way. 
In the way of this burning, I may say that the Tower was 
several times pillaged and burned, but it simply meant the destruc- 
tion of the roof and contents of the place, but not the place itself, 
as in those days they had no means of rapidly destroying a 
strongly-built stone building. I think it was Jedburgh that in the 
days of the Bruce they determined to destroy the fortifications to 
prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy, and it took a large 
force of men over three years, and then they had not quite com- 
pleted it. 
In February, 1548, was the battle of Dalswinton, where 
Christopher Irving of Bonshaw commanded the Scottish Light 
Horsemen. The Light Horsemen defeated the English and 
charged through them, but a flank attack later on was disastrous, 
and ended in defeat of the Scots ; 600 being slain or drowned in 
the Nith, and several principal Barons being taken prisoners. 
Among these prisoners was Christopher Irrewing of Bonshaw. 
Christopher Irving of Bonshaw died 1555. His son Edward, 
to whom he had made over Bonshaw in the time of the English 
domination, succeeded him. This Edward Irving was a great 
and successful warrior. 
Having made peace with England in 1550, which lasted to 
the end of the century, the Border clans started their old feuds 
and fought amongst themselves. An old heredity feud had long 
existed between the Irvings of Bonshaw and the Bells and 
Carlyles. But the greatest of their feuds was with the Maxwells, 
