596 ARTILLERY UNDER THE STUART KINGS, 1424-1625. 
occasion in arms against his father, whose forces were much inferior 
in numbers to the insurrectionists. The King’s defeat was followed 
by his flight and his subsequent assassination, and James IV. reigned 
in his stead. 
In 1489, James IV. proceeded to the siege of Dumbarton, which 
was at that time held by a rebellious Scottish baron. It was on this 
occasion that the monster Flemish gun, which now overlooks Edinburgh 
from the Castle battery, first came into notice. 
“ Mons Meg,” as this ancient gun has long been styled, was then 
simply known as “ Mons,” which was the name of the Flemish town 
where it was cast, and under date of 10 July, 1489, appears the 
following entry in the Treasurer’s books :— 
“ Item given to the gunners to drink-silver when they cartit 
Mons, by the King’s command, 13 shillings.” 1 2 
When James sat down before Norham, in 1497, Mons was conveyed 
to the siege at no small expense. Under date of 24 July, 1497, we 
find this entry :— 
“Item to pynouris to bere ye trees to be Mons new cradill to 
her at St. Leonards quhare sche lay, III sh. VI d.” 3 
And again, 28 July, 1497 :— 
“Item for XIII stane of irne to mak graith to Monsis new 
cradill .... XXX sh. IIII d.” 
“ Item to VII wrights for twa daysis and a half ya maid Monsis 
cradill, XXIII sh. IIII d.” 
“ Item for XXIII li of talloun (tallow) to Mons.” 
“ Item for VIII elne of canwas to be Mons claiths to cover 
her.” 
“ Item for mare talloun to Mons.” 
“Item to Sir Thomas Galbraith for paynting of Monsis claiths, 
XHIIsh.” 
“Item to the Minstralis that playit before Mons doune the 
gait, XIIII sh.” 3 
James possessed an able master-gunner in the person of Kobert 
Borthwick, who was described in a royal charter as “ magnalium 
nostrorum fundator et fabricator.” And when the Scottish army 
marched into England, in August 1513, Borthwick acted as master of 
t$ie ordnance to the train of artillery which was said to be “ superior 
to that which had been brought into the field by any former monarch 
of Scotland.” Unfortunately for James, he had no genius for war 
and was too proud and obstinate to take the advice of those who had. 
A splendid opportunity presented itself shortly before the two rival 
armies met on Flodden field. The Scots, from their coign of vantage 
on Flodden hill, could have played with their artillery on the advancing 
1 Tytler’s “ History of Scotland,” Vol. IV. (Appx.), p. 361. 
2 I bid. 
3 Ibid., “ Muckle Meg |” was captured with other ordnance in December 1650 by Cromwell 
when he took Edinburgh Castle. 
