120 DerEvoRGILLA BALIOL AND OLD BRIDGE OF DUMFRIES. 
now in the publishers’ hands. I will only outline the evidence 
under this head. Mr Moir Bryce’s book will be of great interest 
here, containing as it does much new matter regarding the Dum- 
fries establishment of the Friars. 
Devorgilla Baliol in the thirteenth century possessed the 
superiority of Galloway, which she had heired from her father 
Alan. Among her other good works she founded the large and 
beautiful pile of Sweetheart Abbey, compared with which any 
person of ordinary skill must be satisfied that the building of the 
bridge of Dumfries was of easy execution. She died in 1289, 
and her family having become extinct, King David II. in the 
month of September, 1367, granted and confirmed to Archibald 
Douglas the Grim, for his diligent and acceptable service, all the 
royal lands of Galloway, with all feudal pertinents, etc., he 
(Douglas) rendering, in the name of blenche farme, a white rose 
at our castle of Dumfries.* 
The connection of the Douglas family with the bridge is 
important. Two of their charters relative to the bridge customs 
are extant. The first is dated 16th January, 1425, and the 
second 27 years later, viz., the 4th January, 1452. I am 
indebted to the Town Clerks and their Council for liberty to use 
these charters, and the Curator of the Historical Department of 
the Register House kindly furnished me with translations, the 
text of which follows. 
The charters were as follows :— 
Grant by Margaret Duchess of Touraine, etc., of the toll 
exigible at the Bridge of Nith, to the Friars-Minors, Dumfries. 
Threave, 16th January, 1425-6. 
To all who shall see or hear this charter, Margaret Duchess 
of Touraine, Countess of Douglas, Lady of Galloway and Annan- 
dale, greeting in the Lord everlasting. Know ye, that we in our 
pure and simple widowhood, have given, granted, and by this our 
present charter, confirmed—for the salvation of the soul of the 
most serene prince, James, by the grace of God, illustrious King 
of Scots, for the salvation of the soul of our late most revered 
lord and spouse, Archibald Duke of Touraine, Earl of Douglas, 
Lord of Galloway and Annandale, of our soul and the soul of 
our late dearest son, Sir James Douglas, and for the salvation 
Dr Nelson—Dumfries Society’s Transactions, 1904-5, p. 399. 
