Sir W. Elliot on Denholm and its Vici7iity. 311 



certain dues -which he collected on the transactions of the 

 market. At the mart fair the people laid in their stock of 

 salted provision for the Avinter, and both were used for hiring 

 purposes and for the settlement of local dealings of all kinds. 

 The name of an old trader who used to pitch his booth on 

 the green at such seasons still survives in juvenile tradition 

 as "Tammy Tudhope the toy-man!" The close of the fair 

 was celebrated by a bonfire called the Boughabale or "pile of 

 boughs," a custom derived from the sun-worship prevalent 

 among our Saxon ancestors, of which many traces still remain 

 in practices hardly yet obsolete on St. John's Eve and on 

 special occasions.* The practice long survived the fairs and 

 only ceased altogether when the green was enclosed. 



The cross stood near the site of Leyden's monument and was 

 still perfect in my younger days, but some twenty years ago, the 

 feuars requiring a water-trough for their cows, ruthlessly con- 

 verted it to that purpose. It was a low stone of circular form, 

 like that still extant at Cavers, surmounted by a small cross. 



Two neighbouring families of note are intimately connected 

 with Denholm — those of Cavers and Minto. 



The Douglases of Cavers are descended from James second 

 earl of Douglas, who was killed at the Battle of Otterburn. 

 He left no legitimate male issue by his marriage in 1371 with 

 Margaret daughter of Robert II., but he had two natural 

 sons, William, the founder of the illustrious house ot Queens- 

 berry ; and Archibald, progenitor of the family of Cavers. f 

 Archibald is said to have carried his father's pennon at the 

 battle of Otterburn, but his name is nowhere specially men- 

 tioned as having been present on that day. The trophies, 

 however, still preserved at Cavers (and this day exhibited to 

 us by his lineal descendant,) leave no room to doubt that he 

 must have taken part in the fight. ij: These consist first of a 



* See some curious illustrations of this superstition in Notes and Queries, 3rd 

 series, vol. ix., pp. 175, 263, 285, 354, 478, 516. 



f According to most authorities, James, successor in the earldom, was also 

 illegitimate. Archibald the Grim, 3rd earl, is said to have been a natural son of 

 the good Sir James. (Doug. Peer, by Wood, vol I., p. 426, also II., p. 745. 

 "White's Otterburn, p. 93). But Godscroft maintains that this Archibald the Grim, 

 lord of Galloway, was the lawful brother of earl James. (Hist, of the Ho. of 

 Douglas, pp. 73, 79, and 111). 



J Froissart's narrative, which is by far the most animated and circumstantial 

 states that when earl Douglas was found by his friends mortally wounded on the 

 field, his squires, Hart and Glendinning, were lying dead and his chaplain, Lun- 

 die, sore hurt, beside him. His banner also was stricken down, and David Camp- 

 bell, the squire who bore it, slain. Froissart, Book III., ch. 128. Godscroft, 

 p. 100. Archibald of Cavers probably fought as a knight, for his own pennon 

 was borne on the field by one of his retainers named Staward, whose family, now 

 Staverts, long continued on the property. White's Otterb., 131. 



2s 



