Douglas book > Angus memoirs

242 ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS, SIXTH EARL OF ANGUS.
return to Scotland and occupy his own lands in spite of all his enemies.
None would oppose him, he confidently affirmed, unless they had the king
with them. Lassells, who knew that it was the intention of the King of
England to shelter the Earl, at once granted the request. 1
As already remarked, a partition of the lands of the Douglases had been
made in view of the predetermined decision, and on the day of forfeiture
the king granted a large number of charters of these lands in larger or
smaller portions. 2 On the 8th of September all those who had participated
in the Dousdas lands were instructed to brino- their charters to the kine; to be
sealed and signed. This was duly done, after which the king handed them
to a page to keep. On the writs being asked for, James demanded of his
council if he could not revoke what he had done. An answer was given in
the affirmative, whereupon, calling for a notary, the king formally revoked all
he had done, and commanded the expectant barons to go and chase Angus out
of Scotland, and then they would receive their charters. 3 This was the day
after that on which the host should have left Edinburgh for the Douglas lands
in the Lothians, but the royal expedition did not take place owing to disagree-
ment among the lords. The dispersion of the troops then assembled, though
ostensibly on the ground that it was harvest-time and that the king was unwilling
to destroy the grain, was currently rumoured to have arisen from fear of Angus.
Driven to bay, and having nothing more to lose than what had been,
1 State Papers, Henry VIII., vol. iv. p. 510. king reserved Tantallon and the superiority
2 Ibid. pp. 509, 513. Among the more con- of Angus for himself. Lord Home, it is said,
siderable donatees was the Earl of Argyll, was offered all the Earl's lands in the Merse,
who received the lordship of Abernethy ; but declined the gift, on account of which the
while the Earl of Arran obtained Bothwell ; king threatened to pay him a visit when in
the Earl of Murray, Bonele ; Lord Maxwell, that district. See also for smaller grants,
Crawford- Douglas and Dunsyre; Sir James Registrum Magni Sigilli, vol. iii. Nos. 635-
Hamilton and the Sheriff of Ayr obtained 657.
Douglasdale ; the Laird of Buccleuch, Jed- 3 State Papers, Henry vtii., vol. iv. pp. 510,
burgh Forest; Mark Ker, Preston. The 511.