x MEMOIR OF SIR J. G. DALYELL. 



in his claim to the crown of Scotland. At an advanced age he participat- 

 ed in the wars with the neighbouring country, and, in conjunction with 

 other leaders, entered the English frontier in 1296. 



The Scots then assaulted Carlisle, and set the town on fire, but were 

 compelled to a speedy retreat by the vigour and courage of the inhabit- 

 ants. King Edward the First, in return, levied an army, and invaded 

 the eastern parts of Scotland. He captured the town of Berwick, and 

 cruelly put the inhabitants to the sword : a fierce contest between the 

 Scottish and English armies soon ensued, when the former was utterly 

 vanquished, and its principal leaders sought refuge in the castle of Dun- 

 bar. The castle, however, was immediately obliged to surrender at dis- 

 cretion, and, according to common report, the Earl of Menteth was put 

 to death by Edward, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. 



This Earl of Menteth had two sons. His eldest son, Alexander, Earl 

 of Menteth, succeeded his father. Alexander was married and had three 

 sons, 1st, Alan, who succeeded and died without issue, 2d, Murdac, who 

 succeeded and died without issue, 3d, John, who carried on the male 

 line of the family. Alexander Earl of Menteth, died about 1306. Sir 

 John Menteth is first designed " fratcr Comitis de Menteth," and after- 

 wards, " custos comitatns de Menteth." Sir John has been accused of 

 delivering Sir William Wallace into the hands of the English, a fact which, 

 like many others in ancient Scottish history, yet remains to be proved, 

 and which his conduct, subsequently to the death of Wallace, tends to in- 

 validate ; for although he held the government of Dunbarton Castle, un- 

 der Edward, he strenuously adhered to the interests of Robert Bruce, and 

 was, in 1306, and at other periods, employed by him in various public mis- 

 sions. Lord Hailes, an acute and intelligent historian, seems to think it 

 probable that Wallace, after being taken, was confined in Dunbarton Castle, 

 and thence delivered up to the English. Sir John was one of those who 

 subscribed the celebrated letter to the Pope in 1320, asserting the inde- 

 pendence of Scotland. He assisted at the coronation of Robert the First, 

 and obtained from that king certain lands for providing a galley of twenty- 

 six oars. Sir John had three sons, 1st, Sir Walter, 2d, Sir John, and, 

 3d, Alexander. Sir John Menteth died before 1333, and was succeeded 

 by his eldest son Sir Walter, who had four sons, 1st, Sir Alexander, 



