Anniversary Address. 33 



the following year, when it was settled that she should receive 

 a grant of " the castle of Ermytage and the valley of Liddel" 

 for her life, with remainder, if she married an Englishman, to 

 the offspring, if any, of such marriage; failing which they were 

 to revert to the crown, thus ignoring the children of her late 

 husband altogether. Meantime she was to receive an English 

 garrison and an English governor selected by the commis- 

 sioners, and to restore the original grant made to her husband, 

 receiving in return an indenture in the terms now concluded, 

 upon which the nephew and daughter of her late husband, 

 who were detained as hostages, were to be delivered up * 



In less than a year afterwards she married Lord Dacre's 

 brother, Hugo de Dacre, equerry (valettus) to king Edward, 

 who thereupon appointed him keeper of the castle, renewing 

 the grant in their joint names. f 



This arrangement continued for about three years, when in 

 1358 we find Lord William (now created earl) Douglas in 

 possession ; for on the 6th June in that year king Edward 

 issued a commission to Thomas Musgrove, Thomas Gray, 

 and William Heron to inquire whether the castle of Hermi- 

 tage had been taken by William de Douglas during the period 

 of a truce that had been agreed upon.J Redpath adds, that 

 by 1884 he had recovered all the Border strengths except 

 Roxburgh. § He died the same year, and was succeeded by 

 his eldest son, James 2nd earl, in the Douglas estates, while 

 his second son George inherited the Angus title and property 

 in right of his mother. 



The Border possessions appear to have gone to the Angus 

 branch soon afterwards ; for although eail James is styled 

 " Lord of Lydalysdale " in 1380-1, during his father's life 

 time, it is certain that Jed and Ettrick forests, Bonjedworth, 

 the lordship of Liddel, the sheriffdom and keeping of Rox- 

 burgh castle, &c, are all included in a charter granted by 



* Rot. Scot I. 771-2. The instrument is dated 8th Oct., 1354. 

 t Rot. Scot I. 779, dated 1st July, 1355. 

 % Rot. Scot I. 826. 

 § P. 354. 

 B.N.C. — VOL. VII. NO. I. E 



