REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1899 47 



of the Reformation we read of priests who had the double 

 vicarage of Selkirk and Auld Roxburgh. 



Although for the next century and a half there is no 

 specific mention of Selkirk Castle, there is record of several 

 courts or parliaments held at Selkirk by the king, from which 

 we may safely conclude that the royal residence continued 

 to exist. Strangely enough, it is to English documents we 

 are indebted for nearly all farther information. In 1300 

 Sir Aylmer de Valence was declared responsible to Edward 

 I. for provisioning the Castle of Selkirk, and next year 

 an English army of several thousands received its pay at 

 Selkirk, after having been reviewed at Midlem. A silver 

 penny of Edward I., found not long ago in a garden, may 

 have been part of this army's pay, spent on the spot, as 

 the way of soldiers is. 



Early in 1302 Edward T., then at Roxburgh, appointed 

 Sir Alex, de Balliol and Sir Robert Hastang to superintend 

 the work for erecting the fortress of Selkirk ; and so rapidly 

 was it pushed forward that by September the following 

 report was sent to the king: — "The Tower of the Fortress 

 of Selkirk is finished except the roof from default of plunk 

 (probably lead) ; a postern is made out of same to the west, 

 faced with stone; a drawbridge and portcullis with a good 

 bretasche above, the stonework of said bridge being half 

 finished. And 14 perches (77 yards) of pele are made from 

 one part of the tower to the other, leaving 43 perches (236^ 

 yards) of pele yet to make. The stonework of the chief gate 

 of the fortress is raised above ground to the drawbridge." 

 For provisioning this castle there were sent from Berwick : — 

 "60 qurs wheat, 10 casks wine, 120 qrs malt, 160 qurs 

 oats, 10 qurs salt, 20 qurs beans and pease, 20 crossbows, 

 5000 arrows, and 60 qurs sea-coal." 



All these preparations, however, appear to have been of 

 little avail, for early in 1304 we find Balliol receiving King 

 Edward's pardon for the loss of the pele of Selkirk, for 



