188 House OF THE MAXWELLS OF NITHSDALE. 
We know little of the character of this castle. In the MS. 
history of the Maxwell family it is stated that the Lord Maxwell 
built a castle in Dumfries with a bartizan about the same ; and an 
English officer reporting to his Government anent the defences of 
the town of Dumfries describes it as a fair house, battled, but not 
strong. 
Robert, sixth Lord Maxwell, died early at Dumfries, 13th 
September, 1552; and the seventh lord passed away at Hills 
Tower when only four years of age. 
John, eighth Lord Maxwell, afterwards created Earl of 
Morton, 1554-1593, early joined the ranks of the supporters of 
Queen Mary, and thereby became obnoxious to Queen Elizabeth, 
who in 1570 sent Lord Scrope with an army into Dumfries- 
shire, instructed to lay waste the estates of those who favoured 
the cause of the Scottish Queen. According to his report to 
Elizabeth, Scrope “took and cast down the castles of Caer- 
laverock, Hoddom, Dumfries, Tinwald, Cowhill, and sundry 
other gentlemen’s houses, dependers of the house of Maxwell, and 
having burned the town of Dumfries, returned with great spoil to 
England.”’ 
How long the castle remained dismantled is uncertain, but in 
1580 Lord Maxwell appears again to be resident there. 
This eighth lord was imbued with a strain of turbulence in his 
disposition, which frequently involved him in difficulties ; and his 
castle of Dumfries was threatened, and ultimately taken by the 
royal troops in consequence of his hostility and disobedience to 
the, Government. 
The Regent, the Earl of Morton, desired Lord Maxwell to 
depart from a claim which he had on that earldom, and being 
refused, he in 1577 deprived Maxwell of the Wardenship of the 
West Marches, and installed his rival, Johnstone of Annandale, in 
his place. After the execution of the Regent, Maxwell was re- 
stored to favour, and the Earldom of Morton was bestowed on 
him. Arran, the Chancellor, next, for personal reasons, 
attempted to curb the power of Lord Maxwell. On 26th 
February, 1585, it was ordained by the council that Lord Morton 
should be denounced his Majesty’s rebel for harbouring two of the 
name of Armstrong, and it was further ordained that he and all 
other keepers of the Castle of Caerlaverock, the Thrieve, the 
houses of Dumfries, Mearns, and Goatgellis, should be com- 
