Douglas book > Angus memoirs

BEGINNING OF THE BREACH WITH THE DUKE. 479
Castle, on the south side of Edinburgh. Alter the death of the Marchioness,
Lady Jane set up house for herself, and for the greater part of the next
ten years lived at Drumsheugh House, in the western district of that
city. It was while Lady Jane was thus residing alone, and about two
years after her mother's death that the change came over the feelings of
the Duke towards his sister. This fact requires to he explained in justice
to the memory of Lady Jane, and it was so well done by the eminent
counsel for Lady Jane's son Archibald, in the competition for the Douglas
estates, that we may be excused for adopting the words of the memorial
which was submitted to the Court of Session in 17G6 : —
"About the year 1725 the Duke was suspected of having committed a
rash action, which made it necessary for him to live in retirement ; and, from
that period, for many years, he continued to lead a solitary life in the castle
of Douglas, where few people had access to him, and where he became a prey
to designing and interested persons. Lady Jane lived in Edinburgh with
her mother the Marchioness, and seldom had occasion to meet with her
brother. In 1738 (the Marchioness being then dead), an incident happened
which produced a misunderstanding between them. The Duke, in a fit of
passion, had beat one of his dependants ; and, as this made a noise in the
country, and revived in some degree the former story then almost forgot, it
was given out and believed, that an information had been lodged against him
to government. 1 Lady Jane heard soon after that he had thought of leaving
his retirement to pay a visit in Edinburgh. She wrote to him by express,
begging him to delay his journey, and signifying an apprehension that he
might be put to trouble if he appeared in publick at that time. This letter,
though well intended, gave offence to the Duke. He prosecuted his journey
1 As already noticed in the Memoir of the tion. But many of these are obviously
Duke of Douglas, stories of his eccentric exaggerated,
character have been handed down by tradi-