east-lothian-1924/05-033

Transcription

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION.

and a definite limit should be fixed for each expedition. John Halyburton
of Dirleton commanded the first expedition, and, keeping strictly to the pro-
gramme drawn up, returned safely from a successful exercise of destruction.
The second effort was under the athletic Patrick Hepburn, junior of Hailes,
but overstaying his allotted time, Hepburn was overtaken by March with his
Scots and Northumbrians at Nesbit Moor in Berwickshire on June 22, 1402,
where Hepburn's column was badly beaten, and he himself slain with many
more. Among the captives, who included the very flower of Lothian chivalry
(quasi flos militiae magnae partis Laudoniae) were John and Thomas Halyburton
Robert Lauder of the Bass, and the brothers John and William Cockburn. ¹
March again is said to have been responsible for the tactics which crushed the Scots
at Homildon Hill, near Berwick, on September 14 of the same year, where a long
roll of captives included such East Lothian gentlemen as William Sinclair of Herd-
manston, Patrick Dunbar of Biel, Alexander Home of Douglas and Walter Bickerton
of Luffness. As a consequence of this disaster several holds on the Scottish side of
the border fell into English hands, among them Innerwick in East Lothian, which,
however, was recaptured by the Regent Albany in the summer of the following year,
who levelled it to the ground (ad terram prostravit ; but cf. No. 87). The
rancorous activities of March, however, were now diverted by the rising of
the Percies against Henry IV. ; he found England increasingly uncomfortable
and in 1409, by the mediation of Walter Halyburton of Dirleton, made his
peace with the Regent Albany and was restored to the earldom of Dunbar
and March, with the loss of his Dumfriesshire lands to the Earl of Douglas
in compensation for Dunbar Castle. (cf. further p. 27).
About the middle of the sixteenth century East Lothian and the town of
Haddington in particular became the stage of the last English aggressive
effort upon Scotland. The battle of Pinkie Cleuch had occurred on September
10, 1547, and on the march to that position the Duke of Somerset had caused
to be destroyed the fortalices of Dunglass, Thornton and Innerwick (cf.
No. 87). Thence the English army passed on by Dunbar, where the castle
send " divers shottes " among them, ² camped for the night near Tantallon, crossed
the Tyne at Linton Bridge, observed Hailes and continued by Beneston over the
Garleton Hills to Longniddry and Prestonpans. Falside tower (No. 193) suffered
destruction. After the victory the English army returned by Soutra and Lauder,
leaving garrisons, however, in Broughty Castle, on the Firth of Tay, which had
been handed over by Lord Gray, and Inchcolm, and also retaining the castles of
Roxburgh and Hume.
Early in the following year active operations against Scotland were resumed,
and English columns penetrated the country simultaneously on the west and
east marches. Many of the East Lothian gentlemen were " assured " to the
English side, including the lairds of Ormiston (Cockburn), Longniddry (Hugh
Douglas), Coalston (Broun), " Trayborne " (i.e. Trabroun), Humbie (Keith) and
Whittinghame (Douglas). But of these only Ormiston persevered to the end ;
by the late summer it had found that the rest of the Lothian gentlemen were
but doubtful friends to the invader. ³ Lord Grey of Wilton, Governor of Berwick,

1 Scotich. Lib. xv. cap. xiii.
2 Patten's Expedicion into Scotlande p. 37.
3 Scottish Papers i. No. 299 and passim.

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