Notice of Stone Cannon Balls, by David Milne Home. 161 



"24tli July. — License was giffen to tlie toune of Dundee, to 

 remane at liame, fra the liost at this time, for the soume of 450 

 crowns of gold, giffen be thaim to the furth bringing of the 

 King's artillery." 



To obtain the full sum necessary to defray the king's expenses 

 in sending artillery to Norham, it is mentioned by Mr Dickson, 

 (from entries in the State Accounts) that the king had to sell a 

 certain ffreat chain of gold, and other personal ornaments. He 

 appears also to have sent the hat round among the nobility, as 

 in the State Accounts credit is given for many donations towards 

 the raid ; one of £100 being from David Home, of Wedderburn. 



It appears that much expense was incurred in equipping 

 Mons Meg for joining in the expedition. One hundred workmen 

 and five carpenters and smiths were hired by Sir Eobert Ker, 

 the master of the artillery, to pass with Mons alone, i.e. to attend 

 to her exclusively. 



It will be seen also from the entries in July, 1497 (annexed 

 hereto), that a cradil or carriage was made for Mons, and canvas 

 to cover her—aa well as tows or ropes to draw her. 



At this time Mons was in Edinburgh Castle. After her cradil 

 was made, she was drawn doune the gait — that is, the Canongate, 

 to the Abbey of Holyrood, where the rest of the artillery pro- 

 bably was collected. It had been made a public ceremony, as 

 there is a payment to the Minstrels that playit hefore Mons, doune 

 the Gate. 



The first attempt to start Mons for the Borders was unsuccess- 

 ful. For, as Mr Dickson observes, "the great gun broke down 

 before the outskirts of the town were x^assed." Accordingly 

 there is an entry on 24th July for carrying trees to be Mons new 

 cradil, to her at St. Leonards, where she lay. 



This mishap delayed the setting out of the expedition. The 

 extracts show, that on the 6th August six horses were employed 

 to draw Meg to " Norem." 



Mr Dickson says that the King, impatient of the delay, had 

 started for the Borders on the 2Gth July, and repaired to Mel- 

 rose, where there was to be a general gathering of troops. He 

 probably started from Edinburgh on the 1 9th July ; for on that 

 day there is an entry of a payment to a woman who brought 

 strawberries to the King at Bryden, which is a village in Mid 

 Lothian, on the way between Edinburgh and Melrose. 



U 



