64 Rev. P. Mearns on Warh Castle. 



surprises, assaults, sieges, hlochades, surrenders, evacuations, 

 burnings, restorations, slaughters. These quickly recurring 

 events transformed the mount on which the castle stood into 

 a Golgotha, and gave a too truthful origin to the couplet 

 which still occurs on the Borders of the once rival king- 

 doms."* 



In 1460 the Scots, provoked by the sudden incursions of 

 its garrison, crossed the Tweed, and took the castle ; but it 

 was afterwards abandoned by them, and partially repaired 

 by the English — having become more important to them on 

 account of the loss of Roxburgh. It was again demolished 

 by the Scots before the battle of Flodden. It was afterwards 

 repaired by the Earl of Surrey; and well fortified in antici- 

 pation of the approach of the Duke of Albany, in 1523. The 

 assault by the duke was at first conducted with much spirit ; 

 but it was unsuccessful. David Home of Wedderbuin dis- 

 tinguished himself on the occasion. The following extract 

 from a MS. History of the Wedderburn Family, for which I 

 am indebted to David Milne Home, Esq., of Wedderburn, in 

 whose possession the History now is, possesses more than a 

 local interest : — 



" David Home was a man of singular bravery, and expert 

 in war ; and ever ready to undertake anything for the good of 

 his country, or against the Englisli. And in that expedition, 

 when the nobility refused to cross the river Tweed, and the 

 Regent {i. e. Duke of Albany,) was obliged to set down on 

 this side and batter the Castle of Wark, Wedderburn alone, 

 with his attendants, passed the river, and blocking up the 

 entrance to the castle, greatly molested the English. One 

 day, in a skirmish which he had in a valley overlooked by 

 the Fort, he distinguished himself so miich, and gave such 

 eminent proofs of valour, that he carried off the highest en- 

 comiums from the whole army. After his return, the king, 

 as a reward for his singular services and extraordinary be- 

 haviour, gave him permission to cariy as his crest, in all time 

 coming, a unicorn's head, gorged with an imperial crown, 

 being part of the Royal Bearings ; and the word ' Remem- 

 ber ' for his motto ; likewise a gold chain, which the king 

 himself had worn." 



George Buchanan, the celebrated historian, carried arms 

 in this expedition, and gives an interesting description of the 

 castle as it then stood. The Queen Regent, in 1557, assem- 



* Denham Tracts : Northumberland, p. 126. Richmond, Privatel)' printed, 

 1858. 



