Salt-foot controversy

38 PEDIGREE OF THE
monly called " the Black Douglas," and married
into that family. From his bravery in heading
a party, which stormed the castle of Alnwick in
Northumberland, he obtained the sirname of " Aln-
wickster.*
An 1385 (according to the traditional accounts
of the family) when Scotland was invaded by King
Richard II., Allan, although then past sixty, com-
manded a chosen body of men, consisting of his
own tenants of Daldowie, and others levied in the
neighbourhood of Ruthglen, and was marching to
join the army, then assembling on the borders,
under the Earl of Douglas,f when he encountered,
at a place named Morningside, in the moor of
M'Morren, a detachment of English horse, which,
on account of foraging or plunder, was scouring the
country. After a severe conflict, the enemy were
routed, but he himself was killed in the action.
His remains were deposited in the Chapel of Beu-
skaig, close by Morningside, a Religious House,
dependent on the Abbey of Aberbrothic, the Abbot
of which was Lord of the district4 He was suc-
ceeded by his son, who became
* M. S. Hist of the family.
I Froissart, L. II. Ch. 149, 150. The English army on this
occasion consisted of 60,000 men. The Scotch (says Hume)
pretended not to make resistance against such a force j but as
soon as they entered Scotland, by Berwick, on the east, the
Scotch and French, to the number of 30,000, invaded Cumber-
land and Westmoreland on the west. — Hist. Vol. III. p. 12, 13.
X The ruins of the Religious House existed till within the last
40 vears.