Kirkpatrick of Closeburn

30 KIRKPATRICK
11. Sir Thomas succeeded his father, and by the Parliament which sat at Edin-
burgh, 2nd April, 1481, was made keeper of Lochmaben Castle. This Castle was for-
merly a noble building, situated upon a peninsula projecting into one of the four
lakes, which are in the neighbourhood of the royal Burgh, and was the residence of
Robert Bruce while Lord of Annandale. Accordingly, it was always held to be
a royal fortress, the keeping of which, according to the custom of the times, was
granted to some powerful Lord, with an allotment of lands and fishings for the
defence and maintenance of the place.
He sat in that Parliament of King James the Third, which commenced 29th
January, 1487, and continued till 5th May, and in that beginning 1st October in the
same year. (Carmichael Tracts.)
He resettled his Barony of Closeburn, his Barony of Bridburgh, his lands of
Auchinleck, &c. by Resignation into the hands of King James the Third, and new
Confirmation Charter to him and Maria de Maxwell his spouse, which Maria was
daughter of Herbert second Lord Maxwell, by Isobel daughter of William Lord Seton.
(See Douglas Peerage.)
Alexander Kirkpatrick, brother of Sir Thomas, received the Barony of Kirkmichael
from the King, as a reward for taking prisoner at the battle of Burnswark, James the
ninth and last Earl of Douglas, 1484. This Earl, weary of exile and anxious to revisit
his native land, made a vow that on St. Magdalen's day he would lay his offering upon
the high altar at Lochmaben, of which Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick was then keeper.
Accompanied by the Earl of Albany he entered Scotland in a warlike guise, but the
Borderers flocked together to oppose him, and he was defeated at Burnswark in
Dumfriesshire. Whoever should kill or take captive the Earl, was to receive a thousand
merks aud an estate of a thousand merks yearly rent. Alexander Kirkpatrick made the
Douglas a prisoner with his own hand. The Earl desired to be carried to the King,
saying to Kirkpatrick, ' Thou art well intitled to profit by my misfortune, for thou wert
ever true to me while I was true to myself.' But the young man burst into tears, and
offered to conduct his captive to England. The Earl refused his proft'er, and only desired
that he might not be given up to the King, till his conqueror had made sure of his