200 A BORDER TOWER 



before the family of Haig had been a century in 

 possession 



' Tyde what may betyde, 

 Haig shall be Haig o' Bemersyde.' 1 



Of the great feudal families of Tweeddale many have 

 passed away Avenel, de Soulis, and Maxwell, de 

 Vipont, de Vesci and Comyn either they have died 

 out or acquired lands in other districts ; the powerful 

 religious houses also the Austin Canons of Jedburgh, 

 the Tironensian monks of Kelso, the Cistercians of 

 Melrose, and the Premonstratensians of sweet Dryburgh 

 have disappeared long ago; but still Haig is Haig 

 of Bemersyde. 



But if the race do not owe their preservation to its 

 greatness, neither has it to thank its indolence or 

 obscurity ; its history is an epitome of the vicissitudes 

 of landowners hi a country constantly on the aggressive 

 or defensive against a powerful neighbour. The fifth 

 owner of Bemersyde fought under Wallace at Stirling 

 Bridge ; the sixth followed Bruce to Bannockburn, and 

 afterwards met a soldier's death at Halidon Hill ; the 

 eighth laid down his life with the Douglas on the 

 moonlight slopes of Otterbourne ; the tenth was killed 

 at Piperdean; the twelfth and thirteenth fought on 

 opposite sides at Sauchieburn; the last mentioned, 

 William Haig, fell with the flower of Scottish chivalry 



1 Less complimentary is the paraphrase on this distich applied to 

 another Border family 



Whate'er betide, whate'er befa', 

 There'll aye be gowks at Purves Ha'.' 



