terrible countenance in weirfair."[1] The same writer adds that Robert II. conferred the lordship of Galloway on Archibald, "becaus he tuke grit trawell to purge the country of Englis blude."
Among the heirlooms preserved in Douglas Castle is a sword, said to have been given by King Robert as he lay dying to "good Sir James." The blade, very likely, is genuine, but the legend bitten into it with acid is certainly of later date, as attested not only by the characters, which are not earlier than the sixteenth century, but the reference to the number of distinguished subjects of the name of Douglas. The lines run as follows:
SO MONY GVID AS OF THE DOVGLAS BEINE,
OF ANE SVRNAME, WAS NEVER IN SCOTLAND SEINE.
I WIL YE CHARGE, EFTER THAT I DEPART,
TO HOLY GRAVFE, AND THAIR BVRY MY HART:
LET IT REMAIN EVER, BOTH TYME AND HOVR,
TO THE LAST DAY I SIE MY SAVIOVR.
SO I PROTEST IN TYME OF AL MY RINGE,
YE LYK SUBIECTIS HAD NEVER ONY KEING.
The royal arms of Scotland are graven on one side of the blade, surmounted with a crown; on the other side is represented a heart, towards which two hands point, over one of which are the letters, K. R. B. (King Robert Bruce), over the other, I. L. D. (James Lord Douglas).[2] It will be perceived
