272 REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1898 



In 1587, a new grant of it was made by James VI. to Francis 

 Stewart, wtio was also created Earl of Bothwell. This Francis 

 Stewart was a grandson of James V., his father being a natural 

 son of that king, and his mother a sister of Queen Mary's Both- 

 well. Though a favourite with James VI. and so handsomely 

 provided for, he engaged in a succession of conspiracies which 

 led in the end to his exile. He had married the widow of Sir 

 Walter Scott of Buccleuch, and to the son of this latter, who was 

 known as Sir Walter Scott of Branxholm, Liddisdale was 

 finally granted on the forfeiture and flight of Bothwell. It has 

 remained with the Buccleuchs ever since. After the Union of 

 the Crowns in 1603, the Borders became more settled, and 

 Hermitage Castle, being abandoned as a place of defence, was 

 allowed to fall into decay. Its troubled history is an epitome of 

 the history of the district. 



On returning to Newcastletou, the party continued their drive 

 in the opposite direction for about two-thirds of a mile, in order 

 to examine an old cross which stands in a field near to the main 

 road. The cross is protected by a strong railing, and is sunk 

 into a pedestal about eighteen inches high. It is 8 feet 4 inches 

 in height of itself ; and has been hewn out of one block except 

 the part above the arms. In shape, it is a plain Latin Cross, 

 but the arras have both been shortened by breakage. Careful 

 examination with a strong light and some scraping away of the 

 moss, revealed on its south face, first a shield on which is a bent 

 arm, the heraldic distinction of the Armstrongs ; then across the 

 arms I H S in Gothic lettering ; lower down the letters M A, 

 and lower still the letters A A or possibly A M. Along the shaft 

 also is traced the shape of a two-handed sword. Tradition says 

 that the cross was raised in memory of an Armstrong of Manger- 

 ton (Mangerton Tower stands almost opposite on the other side 

 of the Liddle,) who was foully done to death by Lord de Soulis, 

 and was buried in the old churchyard of Ettleton, some 400 yards 

 up the hill. It is locally known as The Cross, but in the Border 

 Minstrelsy the place is called Langraw, while the New Statistical 

 Account gives it as Milnholm. Chambers in his '' Picture of 

 Scotland," published in 1827, says that it was then commonly 

 known as Mangerton's Cross. 



On returning to the hotel, the botanists were met. 



