112 Death of De la Beaute. By George Muirhead. 



of Broomhouse, regarding the site of the grave, and he was so 

 good as to write to me as follows : — 



21, The Avenue, Colchester, 17th May, 1886. 

 My Dear Sir, — I have not any old family papers here with me, all I 

 have being locked np at Broomhouse, or in Edinburgh. I have written to 

 my mother regarding any old diaries or notes of which she may remember, 

 and also about De la Beaute's grave. I enclose a copy of an inscription 

 evidently intended to be placed on a pillar marking his grave. This 

 memorandum I found in my grand uncle, General Home's handwriting. 

 There is no pillar in " De la Bat's" field. The only one near, is the one near 

 the avenue at the top of the banks, at Broomhouse. This pillar, however, 

 I have always heard, marks General Home's favourite spot, and here he 

 wished to be buried I believe, and as far as I know, it has nothing to do 

 with De la Beaute. At the end of " De la Bat's" field, there was the morass 

 in which his horse stuck fast. I remember the last bit of it being drained 

 about 18 or 20 years ago. I also remember, though not distinctly, a heap 

 of stones near a ti'ee standing about the middle of the field. This may have 

 been the Cairn. The only person T know who would remember the Cairn, 

 is Mr Brown, who was tenant of Swallowdean, the farm on which " De la 

 Bat's " field is situate. He lives now at Auchencraw, and is a veiy old 

 man, but would no doubt be able to tell you the exact spot. 

 I remain, yours truly, 



(Signed) G. LOGAN HOME. 



COPY INSCRIPTION. 



" The Pillar above marks the grave of D' Arcie, Sieur de la Beaute, who 

 " had marched from Dunbar with some French troops to quell disputes on 

 " the borders, having been appointed' Warden, (though a foreigner), to the 

 " great disgust of the Borderers. He found Home of Wedderburu, with his 

 " clan and other friends, inarms before Langton Castle, in arrangement of 

 " a quarrel between the Laird of Langton and his Uncle. Wedderburu 

 " accused D' Arcie of having been accessory to the false charge against his 

 " chief Lord Home ; angry words produced blows — a battle ensued— those 

 " Mersemen who had joined D' Arcie oil his march, carae over to their 

 " countrymen. The French were defeated. D'Arcie flying towards Dunbar, 

 " bogged his horse in this morass ; being unable to extricate him, he dis- 

 " mounted and fled on foot, of course, "was soon overtaken, and fell by the 

 " hand of John Home, Wedderburn's brother. Wedderburn ordered the 

 " head to be struck off, which, attached to his saddle, he carried to Home 

 " Castle and fixed on the battlements. 



" Patrick Home, the Laird of Broomhouse, who was present, ordered the 

 " body to be buried, and a cairn to be raised over the grave. This trans- 

 '' action occurred in the year 1517. The inditer of this testimonial, to the 

 " patriotic spirit of his brave countrymen, has, during his boyhood, laid 

 " many a stone on " De la Bat's " grave. 

 R. I, P." 



