Gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

576
I N N E R W I C K.
Tom Trotter ; whereunto my lord's grace
overnight, for summons, sent Somerset, his
herald, toward whom iiii. or v. of his captain's
prikkers, with their gaddes ready charged,
did right hastily direct their course ; but
Trotter both honestly defended the herald,
and sharply rebuked his men ; and said for
the summons he would come speak with
my lord's grace himself; notwithstanding he
came not, but straight lockt up sixteen poor
souls, like the soldiers of Douglas, fast within
the house, took the keys with him, and com-
manding them they should defend the house,
and tarry within, (as they could not get out,)
till his return, which should be on the morrow,
with munition and relief, he with his prikkers
prikt quite his ways. Innerwick pertained to
the lord of Hambleton (Hamilton), and was
kept by his son and heir, (whom of custom
they call the master of Hamilton), and an viii.
more with him, gentlemen for the most part,
as we heard say. My lord's grace, at his com-
ing nigh, sent unto both these pyles, which,
upon summons, refusing to surrender, were
straight assailed. Thornton, by battery of iiii.
of our great peices of ordnance, and certain of
Sir Peter Mewtus hakbutters to watch the
loop-holes and windows on all sides, and In-
nerwick by a sort of the same hakbutters alone,
who so well bestirred them, that where these
keepers had - rammed up their outer doors, clay-
ed and stopped up their stairs within, and kept
themselves aloft for defiance of their house
about the battlements, the hakbutters gat in,
and fired them underneath ; whereby being
greatly troubled with smoke and smother, and
brought in desperation of defence, they called
pitifully over the walls to my lord's grace for
mercy ; who, notwithstanding their great ob-
stinacy, and the ensample other of the enemies
might have had by their punishment, of his no-
ble generosity, and by these words, making
half excuse for them, (Men may sometimes do
that hastily in a gere, whereof, after, they may
soon repent them), did take them to grace, and
therefore sent one straight to them. But ere
the messenger came, the hakbutterhad got up te
them, and killed eight of them aloft ; one leapt
over the walls, and running more than a fur-
long after, was slain without in water* All
this while, at Thornton, our assault and their
defence was stoutly continued ; but well per-
ceiving, how, on the one side, they were bat-
tered, aimed on the other, kept in with hak-
butters round about, and some of our men
within also, occupying all the house under
them, (for they had likewise shopt up them-
selves in the highest of their house,) and so to
do nothing inward or outward, neither by shoot-
ing of base, (whereof they had but one or two,)
nor tumbling of stones, (the things of their
chief annoyance,) whereby they might be able
any while to resist our power, or save them-
selves, they plucked in a banner that afore they
had set out in defiance, and puts over the walls
a white linen clout tied on a stick's end, crying
all with one tune for mercy ; but having an-
swer by the whole voice of the assailers, they
were traitors, and it was too late, they pluck-
ed in their stick, and sticked up the banner of
defiance again, shot of hurled stones, and did
what else they coidd, with great courage of
their side, and little hurt of ours. Yet, then,
after being assured by our earnesty, that we
had vowed the winning of their hold before
our departure, and then, that their obstinacy
could deserve no less than death, plucked in
their banner once again, and cried upon mercy ;
and being generally answered, nay, nay, look
never for it, for ye are arrant traitors ; then
made they a petition, that if they should needs
die, yet that my lord's grace would be so good
to them as they might be hanged, whereby
they might somewhat reconcile themselves to
Godward, and not die in malice with so great
danger of their souls ; a policy sure, in my
mind, though but of gross heddes, yet of a fine
device. Sir Miles Patrick being nigh about
this pyle at this time, and spying one in a
red doublet,- did guess he should be an Eng-
lishman, and therefore came and furthered this
petition to my lord's grace, the rather, which
then took effect. They came and humbled
themselves to his grace, whereupon, without
more hurt, they were commanded to the pro-
vost marshal. It is somewhat here to consi-
der, I know not whether the destiny or hap of
man's life, the more worthy men, the less of-
fenders, and more in the judge's grace, were
slain ; and the beggars, the obstinate rebels
that deserved nought but cruelty, were saved.
To say on now, the house was soon after so
blown with powder that more than one half
fell straight down to rubbish and dust ; the
rest stood all to be shaken with riftes and
chynkes. Innerwick was burned, and all the
houses of office and stalks of corn about them
both. While this was thus in hand, my lord's