Thk Raid at Dumfries on Lammas Kven. 85 



law may nocht sytt thair wpone becauss ze manifest antl 

 schawls zr self pertie [a party to one side] and pretendis to 

 be Jugis till our fee and heritagis of the blud of Drumfreis, 

 and correctioun of the saniyn, the quhilk correctioun our 

 predecessoris and we hais wsitt all tymes bigane and neuer 

 naine sheref of Drumfries attour the mynd of man ; Heirfor Shr 

 notaris, in the name and of the behalf of the haill comunitee 

 of this burgh of Drumfreis, I excep eganis [take exception 

 to] the said Sheref and his depute that heir is present, and 

 declynis tham as Jugis in this mater and actioun of bluyd, 

 and impugnis all process lede or to be lede be thaim or ony 

 ane of thaim in this actioun of bluyd, And appelis till our 

 Souerane lord the Kyng for the causs and correctioun of the 

 said Sheref deput maid of before, and protestis quhat euer 

 the said sheref or his deput that heir is present, or any 

 wtheris of his deputis, dois in the conlrar of \vs and our 

 fredome turne ws or or freedome to naine prejudice [what- 

 ever they do in our dispite shall not prejudice us or the free- 

 dom of our burgh] considerane we are and ay or predecessors 

 hais bein in ws and possessioun of the correctioun of the said 

 l)luyd, And that we may have remeid of law of all process 

 lede or to be lede in the said actioun of bluyd at or souerane 

 lord the Kingis hand as our immediat superior, "i^* 



This dignified and forceful utterance of the Provost still 

 rings to-day with the note of a man determined to uphold the 

 rights of his burgh. 



Wc may be sure the drawing of weapons did not long 

 follow the retiral of the Provost. Hartwood might attempt 

 to proceed with his court, and the conflict may have com- 

 menced with an effort to eject him from the Tolbooth. In 

 the street were gathered with Lord Maxwell a large body. of 

 men, Maxwells, Fergussons, Grahams, Johnstones, Scotts, 

 and Moffats. It is not clearly stated, but it is likely enough, 

 that the over-lords of these men were also present. .\t any- 

 rate, subsequently embroiled in the matter were Sir William 

 Douglas of I)rumlanrig,20 Lord Carlyle of Torthorald, John 



iSii vide Appendix IV. 



20 Sir William Douglas, 5th of Drumlanrig, was infoft in 1492. 



