66 Report of the Meetings for 1892. 



Halidon Hill is fally 13 miles from Duns, and it is not unlikely that 

 the lent^th of the march, as well as the strength of the Eneclish position, 

 contributed to the unfortunate issue of the battle. Elated by his victory, 

 Edward III. was not long in seeking to gain a permanent footing in the 

 southern parts of Scotland. By grants of lands, which he was pleased to 

 regard as forfeited by the death or treason of their Scottish owners, he 

 endeavoured at once to reward his immediate attendants for their 

 services, and to establish in the country a number of powerful vassals, 

 on whose fidelity he could rely. Duns was one of the manors which were 

 temporarily held by an English owner in this way. In the Calendar of 

 Documents, vol. ill., p. 213, we read: "Oct. 5, 1335. — The King signifies 

 to J, Archbishoi) of Canterbury, the Chancellor, that he has granted to 

 Thomas de Bradestan, for his long and faithful services at his side, the 

 manors of Duns and Cherneside, in the County of Berwick-on-Tweed, 

 which were Patrick de Dunbarre's, late Earl of March, and are forfeited 

 to the K. To be held by Thomas and his heirs for the j'early reddendo 

 of a sword at the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, in lieu of all services. 

 Commands letters in his favour. Berwick-on-Tweed." 



A.D. 1342. — The Church of Duns annexed as a prebend to the col- 

 legiate church of Dunbar, by Patrick, ninth Earl of Dunbar. 



In 1363, David II. confirmed a charter by Patrick, Earl of March and 

 Moray, in favour of Alexander de Reclynton, of the dominical lands of 

 Duns, and a husbandland called Bumusland (not identified) in the town 

 of Duns.* 



About 1372, an incursion of the English into the Eastern Borders was 

 checked at Duns by a somewhat whimsical expedient on the part of some 

 youths of the town and neighbourhood. Wyntoun describes the 

 occurrence in his own quaint fashion, in Book IX., Chapter II., of his 

 Orygynale Crnnykil ; but the prose narrative of the continuator of 

 Fordun is more intelligible and equally amusing. He says, " Sir Henry 

 Percy, Earl of Northumberland, unable to brook the disasters and 

 grievous harrying of the English, assembled his forces, to the number of 

 7000 men-at-arms, penetrated into Scotland, and overran the whole land 

 of the Earl of Dunbar, wasting it with fire and sword. Marching on 

 thence the first night as far as Dunse Park, he encamped there. Hither 

 came some cunning lads, varlets and youths of the country, with some of 

 their dependents, about midnight, with a fearful noise from a certain 

 instrument, which, in Scotland, is called Clochholg (according to some, 

 distended bladders with pebbles inside) and with horn trumpets ; and 

 they went up to the troop of horses and made such a fearful noise that 

 the horses were exceedingly terrified and bewildered, broke their 

 fastenings, bits, bridles, and reins, as seized with a panic, and leaving 

 their masters on foot in the said Park of Dunse, at once bolted off bodily 

 to English ground, and never came back again. But the Lord I'ercy and 

 his men, dazed with fear, and thinking the Scottish army was close upon 

 them, were awake, and on their feet, the whole night under arms and 



* Eegist. Mag. Sig., Vol. i., p. 30. 



