190 JULY 



burnt the castle to the ground. This grisly affair 

 was remembered as the ' Douglas Larder ; ' for, says 

 Barbour 



{ Mele and malt and blud and wyn 

 Kan all togidder in a mellyn, 

 That was unsemly for to se : 

 Tharfor the men of that cuntre, 

 For sic thingis thar mellit l wer, 

 Callit it the Douglas lardener. 5 



This took place on March 19th, and de Clifford 

 was busy all that summer in rebuilding the castle. 

 Sir John de Wanton was placed in command, 

 having been made constable at his own request. 

 He loved a lady, it seems, who was not unkind, but 

 would only consent to ' name the day ' after he had 

 proved himself ' ane gud bacheler ' by holding this 

 terrible fortress for a whole year no light task, 

 considering how closely its rightful owner kept his 

 eye on it. Lanark Fair took place early in October 

 of the same year in which the Douglas Larder had 

 been enacted. Douglas deemed it high time to 

 beat up the English quarters again. He laid a 

 strong ambush near the castle, and, choosing four- 

 teen stout fellows, caused them to pull country 



i Mingled. 



