The History of Galloway, from the earliest period to the present time. (A large description of Galloway, by A. Symson.)

Front matter

TlIE HISTORY OF GALLOWAY, PROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME. IN TWO VOLUMES. Elluetratffc tottl) mw*< VOL. I. KIRKCUDBRIGHT; FEINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN NICHOLSON. MDCCCXLL TO THE HEADER. Some years ago, the Publisher solicited the Rev William Mackenzie to write a History of Galloway to be printed at the Publisher's press in Kirkcudbright. Mr Mackenzie kindly undertook this labour, on condition of being supplied with the necessary books, and having at his disposal those documents which the Publisher had collected for the execution of the work. With the assistance of these and other material during its progress the History has been prepared ; ami it is now presented to the public in the hope that an attempt to preserve some facts connected with Galloway will meet with indulgence, if iiot with approbation.

It was necessary for the Publisher to enter into an extensive correspondence with several noblemen, and with many gentlemen and clergymen connected with the district —to all of whom he returns his most grateful thanks for the kindness and promptitude with which, TO THE READER. they answered his applications, and supplied him not only with books and manuscripts, but with some important historical facts, as well as numerous interesting anecdotes, re lating both to individuals and to families. — To Mr Train, in particular, the well known friend and correspondent of Sir Walter Scott, he is under deep obligations for the valuable information he gave, and for the warm interest he took in the work, from its commencement to its conclusion. He desires also to make every acknowledgement to his liberal and in dulgent subscribers, without whose generous support, the work would have been neither undertaken nor accomplished.

The History may not be executed to the entire satisfaction of the learned or of the fastidious reader ; but, if it shall be the means of awakening curiosity and of calling forth an abler production, the labour it has cost will not be looked upon as fruitless. Al though the principal object has been a simple, perspicuous, and faithful narrative, facts may have been sometimes misconceived, and consequently misrepresented. Amid the contradictory statements and conflicting o pinions with which the materials for history abound, it is always difficult, and sometimes TO THE READER. IV impossible to ascertain truth ; but those books have been most carefully consulted, which* from the character of their authors, are allow ed to be the most worthy of credit. To those who are familiar with the general history of this country, many of the following statements may appear unnecesary ; but had the facts relating exclusively to Galloway been told in the narrowest compass, events would have appeared disconnected, unin teresting, and, perhaps, even unintelligible. — To those who may censure the narrative as not sufficiently ample, want of space must plead the apology ; besides it was thought su perfluous to enter with more fulness into sub jects on which Andrew Symson, and Dr. Thomas Murray have exhausted research.

Chapter I

p. 1. Early History of Galloway involved in obscurity...Ex tent...Internal condition. ...Coveied with wood... .Animals.... Aborigines. ..Celtae, or Celts... Ireland peopled from Gallo way.... People of Galloway and Ireland originally spoke the same language... Gaelic spoken in Galloway when Buchanan wrote... The province occupied by two tribes, the Novautes and Selgovae... Primitive inhabitants... Wore little clothing... Capable of bearing cold, hunger, and fatigue ...Ignorant... Possessed courage. ..Proud, vain, and unreasonable... Had numerous forts. ..Sometimes retired to caves... Their armouries... Mode of fighting. ..Ignorant of Agriculture... Houses... Towns ....Clothing.. .Food. . Intemperate... Religion.. .Druidism... Sa. cred groves... Druidical remains ..Mode of Sepulture...Tu muli.

CHAPTER H. p. 44. The Romans under Julius Caesar invade Britain... An army marches from Galloway to oppose them... Romans retire to the Continent. ..Another invasion... Caesar again withdraws from Britain ..A third invasion of Britain by the Romans... Agri. cola appointed Governor of Britain... Fortifies the Isthmus be tween the Friths of Forth and Clyde... Invades Galloway... Reaches the margin of the Urr... Arrives on the east side of the Dee. ..Encamps at Whinnyligget, in the parish of Kirkcud bright... Forms another encampment at Bombie, in the same a CONTENTS. parish Takes Caerbantorigum... Roman relics found in his line of march... Crosses the Dee into the country of the No vantes...Forms two encampments near Gateh >use of Fleet... A Roman post beside Whithorn... A spear discovered near the site of the ancient Rerigonium...

Roman remains found on his western line of march... Passes the winter in Galloway. ..Defeats the Caledonians at the foot of the Grampians... Recalled from Britain and soon dies...Galdus said to have been slain in Galloway, in an engagement withthe Romans, and inter red at Cairn holy... Roman army much diminished by defeats in Galloway. ..Romans reduced to a state of despondency.... Adrian builds a wall of defence against the Maeatae, from the Tyne to the Solway ...Galloway again subdued. .Roman road through the Stewartry.. Origin of the word Pict... Applied to the people of Galloway... Origin of the word Scot... The Scots from Ireland... The country of the Maetae formed into a Roman province, called Valentia... Battle on the banks of the Cree...Maximus leaves a part of his army in Galloway to over. awe the inhabitants, ..Maximus again marches into Galloway....

The Scots and forces-of Galleway defeated on the banks of the Dood... Fergus, the Scottish ruler, enters Galloway, laying it waste on every side... Maximianus, also, ravages it... The PictB* Dyke through Galloway. ..Rome relinquishes its British pro. vinces... Galloway during the Roman period, a kind of debate able land... Advantages derived from the Romans... Introduc. lion or diffusion of Christianity ...St. Niuian buried at Whit lioi n. j

Chapter III

p. 121, The Saxons land in Britain... Establish seven kingdoms,.. The Selgovae, aud Novantes, fcc. form themselves into a community ...Arthur penetrates into Galloway, and is said to have erected a .palace in it... Anglo-Saxons obtain ascendency in the district ...The Cruithne of Ireland form a settlement in it... The Danes infest Galloway. ..Galloway yields to the sway of Keii. aeth.

Chapter IV

p, 147. Manners, laws, tec, of the Irish colonists... The Duke of Normandy invades England „Many families in Galloway found. ed by Saxon and Norman refugees... Magnus, King of Norway lands at the Mull of Galloway. ..Earl David obtains the so vereignty of Galloway. ..Coin of home manufacture appears in the district. ..Uljjric and Dovenald... Galwegians. &c, defeat the Bpglish at Clitherow... Battle of the Standard,. .Galwegians CONTENTS. III compose the first line and commence the action. ..Their chiefs killed. ..The Galwegians flee.. .Fergus succeeds Ulgric and Dovenald in the Lordship of Galloway... Fergus dies in the Abbey of Holyrood... His residence in Locb.Fergus... Fergus succeeded by Uchtred and Gilbert... Galwegians enter England under William. ..Retire. ..Rise in arms against the King...Uch tred attacked by his elder brother, and murdered...

William invades Galloway....Gilb2rt dies. ..Roland succeeds. ..Duncan, son of Gilbert, obtains Carrick. ...Marjory, Countess of Carrick, marriea Robert Bruce. ..Alan succeeds Rolaud.... Galloway, in some measure, subject to England.... Alan makes a descent on the Isle of Man, tic... Marches into England.

Chapter V

p. 184. Alan's daughters succeed him.. ..The Galwegians rebel.. .Are defeated.... Dervorgille inherits her sister's property. ..Becomes a widow ...Erects monasteries and builds the old Bridge of Dum. fries. ...Robert Bruco, a competitor for the crown of Scotland „..The ca«tles of Kirkcudbright and Wigtown given up to the English.. .Baliol, Lord of Galloway, declared King by Edward .. Baliol resigns the crown.. .Henry de Percy appointed keeper of Galloway. ...Wallace marches into it.. ..Takes Cruggleton Castle. . Elected Regent.. ..Edward enters Galloway.. ..Reaches Kirkcudbright. ...At Girthon.. ..Sends a detachment to Wig. town... Agrees to a truce. ..Returns to England... Edward again invades Scotland.. .Bruce kills Comyn at Dumfries.. ..Sir James Douglas joins Bruce. ..Bruce crowned.

Chapter VI

p. 227. Domestic state of Galloway. .Agriculture.. .Raiment. ..House* .. .Castles... .Abbeys... .Employments... .Armour... .Slavery Trade. ..Fairs. ..Clergy. ..Courts .Reign of Robert Bruce.... Defeated ...Retires to an island near Ireland, to pass the winter Lands in Carrick. ..Bruce's brothers, Thomas and Alexander, defeated by M'Dowall at Lochryan. ...Put to death at Carlisle... Bruce pursued by blood hounds... Opposes a party of hostile Galwegians at a ford. ...The Earl of Pembroke and John of Lorn arrive in Galloway to attack him... He escapes ....Assailed by three assassins whom he slew.... Receives refresh ment from a widow whose sons join himrand alterwards receive a grant of land... The battle of Gleutroul. ..The Eu. glish defeated at Loudou-hill. ..Edward I. dies. ..Bruce's pro spects brighten...

Proceeds to Galloway and massacres the followers of M'Dowall and other hostile inhabitants.... Edward Bruce advances into Galloway. ..Gains a victory at Craig. CONTENTS. IV nell, and another at Grainy-ford... Vanquishes and reduces nearly all Galloway... Again defeats his enemies... Expels the English and takes thirteen castles.. ..Ed ward Bruce made Lord of Galloway and Earl of Carrick,... Robert takes Buittle castle, which remained in the hands of the English.. ..Battle of Bannockburn ...English attack the right wing, commanded by the Lord of Galloway... Bruce victorious... Edward Bruce and Sir James Douglas enter England, and burn several towns...Fa mine... The present Quei-n of Britain descended from the ancient Lords of Galloway. ..Edward Bruce sails to Ireland... Killed in battle. ..Lordship of Galloway Reverts to the crown,... Alexander Bruce, Edward's natural son, receives it. ..Robert's death... His grants of land.

Chapter VII

p. 293. Robert I. succeeded by his son David... Randolph Regent .. Dispenses justice in the town of Wigtown... Edward Baliol as serts his claim to the crown... Acknowledges the King of Eng. land his superior Lord....Crowned.„Obliged to fly... The Lord of Galloway falls at Halidon-hill, where the Scots were defeated.. ..The English King and Bali ,1 pass through Galloway, ravaging the country as for as Glasgow.,.. The Scols under David defeated near Durham. ..David made a prisoner, to. gether with the Earl of Wigtown.. Edward Baliol takes up his residence in Buittle castle. ..Domineers in that quarter..,. Surrenders his kingdom... .David liberated. ...Archibald Douglas receives the eastern portion of Galloway. ..Acquires the Earl. dom of Wigtown. ..Famine. ..Pestilence. ..Robert Stewart a. scends the throne.,..

Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, goes ambassador to France... The Lord of Galloway ravages England. ..William Douglas, illegitimate son of the Lord of Galloway, makes descents on Ireland and the Isle of Man... The Earl of Douglas falls in the battle of Otlerburn, and the Lord of Galloway obtains his title.. .Builds the castle of Thrieve ., Procures the marriage of his daughter to the Duke of Rothsay, heir apparent to the crown... Dies at an advanced age....Suc ceeded by his son Archibald ..The Lord of Galloway, with ten thousand men, marches into England. ..Douglas taken piisoner ....Douglas again taken piisoner at Shrewsbury.. Liberated... Douglas's son, the Earl of Wigtown, proceeds to France to assist the French King, and obtains the Lordship of Longue ville...The Lord of Galloway follows, and is made Duke of Touraine....

Falls iu battle.. .Douglas succeeded by his son Archibald, third Lord of Galloway of that name.., .Douglas imprisoned by the King.. ..Released. ...Douglas dies,...VVilliam Douglas succeeds his father.... Young Douglas and his brother, V CONTENTS. invited lo attend Parliament. ..Dine in the castle with the King. ..Beheaded... William succeeded by James, Earl of Avon dale, as Earl of Douglas, and Margaret, William's sister, becomes Countess of Galloway. ..James dies at Abercorn, aud his son, William, succeeds... Marries Margaret, the Fair Maid of Gall loway...Tho Farl ofOtmond defeats the English at the river Sark... Sometimes attended by 5,000 men... Douglas sets out to visit France and Italy... The King, accompanied by a strong military force, marches into Galloway,. ..Razes the castle of Douglas to the ground ...Douglas returns and is again received into favour. ..Forms a league with the Earls of Crawford and Ross. ..Herries of Terregles, taken prisoner by Douglas and executed... Douglas beheads the Tutor of Bombie. ..Invited by the King to Stirling castle... Slain in the castle,

Chapter VIII

, p, 371/ James Douglas, the Earl's eldest brother, declared his successor... His adherents pioclaim the King a perjured traitor, and burn Stirling ..A reconciliation takes place between the King and Douglas. ..James Douglas mairies the Countess of Galloway, his brother's widow ..The Lord of Galloway again rebels ...Defeated. ...His properly forfeited.... The King visits the town of Kirkcudbright.. ..The Lordship of Galloway annexed to the crown... Kirkcudbright created a royal burgh... Queen Margaret of England at the Monastery of Lincluden...The young King of Scotland ar.d his mother visit her. ..Henry of England takes refuge in Kirkcudbright... Margaret sails from Kirkcudbright to France. ..James grants the Lordship of Gallowav to the Queen. ..Undertakes a pilgrimage to Whithorn. ..The Earl of Douglas makes an inroad into Scotland, and is taken prisoner...

Confined in the Abbey of Lindores...The nobles rise against James HI. ..Collect an army and engage the royal forces... The Galwegians in the second line. ...The insurgents are victorious... James flees and is assassinated. ..Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, appointed ruler of Galloway, and keeper of Thrieve castle... Both. well appoints Gordon of Lochinvar bailie of Kirk- Andrews. ..The Earl of Douglas dies.. .James IV. often repaiis to Whithorn. .Vi sits Kirkcudbright... Sir John Dunbar of Mochrum made Steward of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and keeper of Thrieve castle .. Killed by Alexander Gordon younger of Lochinvar... A feud between the Gordons and Dunbars...The Abbot of Tongland attempts to fly ; but falls and breaks his thigh bone. ..The King and Queen make a pilgrimage to Whithorn, the journey lasting thirty one days...

The Earlof Derby, King of Man, makes a de. scent upon Galloway. ..Cutlar M Culloch retaliates on the Lie of Man. ..James again visits the town of Kirkcudbright... Con. stitutes Whithorn a loyal burgh. ..Many Galloway proprietors b CONTENTS. VI sal! in the battle of Flodden... Lord Maxwell procures the Stewardship of Kirkcudbi ight, and the keeping of Thrieve castle ...Gavin Dunbar, prior of Whithorn, conducts the education of the young King... The Regent Albany lands at Kirkcudbright ...Gavin Dunbar appointed Archbishop of Glasgow... A feud Between Maclellan of Bombie and Gordon of Lochinvar. ..Gaviir Dunbar made Lord High Chancellor... Lord Herries, Lord Maxwell, and the Bishop of Galloway appointed Senators of the Collige of Justice... Galloway, the cradle of the Reforma: tion...Gaviir Dunbar and Lord Maxwell included in the Re gency ...Lord Maxwell ambassador to France... The Eail of Cassillis and Loid Maxwell made prisoners at 3olway Moss.

Chapter IX

p. 458. David Painter sent ambassador to the French Court...Max. well's castles stormed by the Scottish Regent. ..Gordon of Loch invar killed in the battle of Pinkie... Kirkcudbright summoned to submit to the English. ..Besieged. ..The Tutor of Bombie? attacks the besiegeis...The English return to Duinfries. .. Andrew Durie, Bishop of Galloway, sent to France to negotiate a marriage between the Queen of Scotland and the Dauphin of Fiance ..David Painter sent to France to negotiate a peace be tween England and Scotland. ..The Bishop of Galloway, the Eail of Cassillis, and Lord Maxwell accompany the Queen Dowager to France ..The Earl of Cassillis nominated Lord- Treasurer... Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar appointed justi ciary of Galloway... Alexander Gordon, sou of the Master of Huntly, nominated Bishop of Gallon ay...

Embraces Protestant opinions... Lord Maxwell thrown into prison... Paiish Schools enjoined.. The Bishop of Galloway, Earl of Morton, Master of Maxwell, with the Barons of Garlies and Lochiuvar, signed the First Book of Discipline... Cassillis; Morton, the Master of Maxwell, and the Laird of Drumlanrig, members of the Regency ...Knox appointed commissioner to visit the churches in Gal loway and Kyle... Has a conserei.ee with the Master of Max; well, &c The Prior of Whithorn offcis a imputation... Mary grants the Friars' church at' Kirkcudbright to Le used as a parish chuich... Morton, Cassillis, and Sir Alexander Stewart, at the royal marriage... Knox directed to visit, preach, and plant Kirks in the south of Scotland... Prior of VI hithorn assists at the baptism of James VI... The Earl of Cassilis, Lord Herries and Gordon of Lochinvar, sat in Bothwell's jury.. .Lord Herries dissuades the Queen from marrying Darnly...

Bothwell's lands in Galloway forfeited... The bond in favour of the young King signed by many Galloway proprietors. ..Bishop Gordon accused of negligence, before the General Assembly... Bond in savour of. the Queen, signed by many Lords and gentlemen of Galloway „ CONTENTS. VII Mary defeated at Largside ..Flies to Galloway.... Sleeps at Corra house... Visits Terregles, Hazlefield, and the Abbey of Dundrennan... Takes an open boat and sails to England,