248 OCTOBER 



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 vicis- 

 situdes of landowners in 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 at Flodden in 1513. In 

 those rare intervals when slaying was slack in their 

 own country, the sons of the house sought soldier's 

 fortune on the Continent. Young James Haig, an 

 officer in garrison at Utrecht in 1626, writes home 

 to his brother, begging for some decent clothes, and 

 explaining that the dilapidated state of his wardrobe 

 interferes sorely against his promotion : 



' Zou. sail take a view of my mother's lettar, where I 

 intreited her ernestlie to send me over cloathes, in so much 

 I doe expect a Collar of my colonell ; and to that I be 

 into ffashion I am ashamed to presoum in the samen. 

 Wharby I entreit zou, my dear brother, to show her credit 



