History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

HOUSE OF DOUGLAS.
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of Lancaster in Scotland, and that they say, that he used the
prisoners not cruelly but courteously, and that when he pas-
sed by the castles and forts of the country, he did only re-
quire of the captains and keepers of them, that his ensigns
might be set on the top of the wall, as a token of their sub-
mission, and that they were in his will: but seeing their own
authors deny him this honour, and say that he burnt the
towns, villiges and castles, even a great part of Edinburgh,
and Leith, we have small reason to contend with them for
itj and so we accept of it, and follow the Scottish man-
uscript.
Upon Henry's departure, because the Earl of March trou-
bled the country with frequent; rather than with great encur-
sious, the Earl Douglas, who had the government of Lothian
and the castle of Dunbar, went with an army into Northum-
berland, and wasted the country with great havock. At his
return he gave order that the barons and gentlemen should
choose some of their number to be captains, and allot unto
them a competent number to follow them, who might by
turns wait and be in readiness, either to resist the enemy, or
to make an inroad upon him in his own country, as they
should find occasion. The first turn fell to Thomas Hali-
burton Lord of Dirleton, who having entered England, and
got a great booty near unto Bamburgh, returned home safe.
But Patrick Hepburn of Hailes, (the younger) had not the
like success; for he going upon the like adventure, had indeed
taken a rich booty, but having staid a day longer than he
should, and had been advised by his friends, in the enemies
bounds, they gathered themselves together, 3nd following him,
overtook him at West-Nisbet in the Merse. There, after a
sharp encounter, the Scots had got the better cf the English,
and well nigh the victory, till George Dunbar, the Earl of
March's eldest son, coming in with 100 fresh horse, regained
the victory to the English, and slew the flower of the youth
of Lothian, together with their captain Patrick Hepburn.
The fight happened th,e 22d of June 1401, the place where-
of is yet Called the. Slaughter-hill.
This Patrick Hepburn was entirely beloved of the Earl