Arms. Quarterly, first and fourth argent, on a fess, sable, three mullets of six points pierced, or, and in the dexter chief an ermine spot, for Grimston, second and third argent, three buffalo's horns sable, stringed gules, for Forrester.

Crest. On a wreath, a stag's head couped, proper, attired, or. Supporters. The dexter a stag, reguardant, proper, attired, as the crest. The sinister a gryphon, reguardant, or.

Motto. MEDIOCRIA FIRMA.

Chief Seats. Gorhambury in the county of Hertford, twentytwo miles from London; and Messing-Hall, otherwise Baynard'sCastle, near Colchester in Essex, forty-four miles from London.

His Lordship was adjudged by a final decree of the house of lords, in 1769, to be son and heir of Sir John Stewart, of Gran. tully, Bart. by LADY JANE DOUGLAS, sister of the last Duke of Douglas, and nephew and heir to the said Duke, who died in 1761; on which his dukedom became extinct; and his marquisate and other titles devolved on his next heir male, the Duke of Hamilton. (See title BRANDON, vol. i. p. 511).

"If a long train of illustrious ancestors," says Douglas in his peerage, "distinguished by the highest titles, and connected with the most august and noble families, in Europe, can make any name remarkable and great, there is no subject can plead a higher claim than the Douglas; but it is the least part of the glory of this family, that it has been honoured with alliances by marriage, into the first rank of nobility in Scotland, England, and France, even with crowned heads, having matched eleven times with the royal house of Scotland, and once with that of England: that besides the honours conferred on them by their own sovereigns, they have been Dukes of Turenne, Counts of Longueville, and Marshals of France. They were more distinguished by their virtue and merit than by their titles and opulency, and the lustre of their actions outshone the splendour of their birth, Hence we see them leading the van of our armies in Scotland; supporting, by their valour, the kingdom and crown of France, tottering on the head of Charles VII. when reduced to the last extremity by the bravery of the English; raising the siege of Danbrick, for which they had the highest honours conferred upon them; conquering

the Saracens in Spain; with many other acts of military glory, that have made this family renowned through all the corners of Europe, for which we must refer to our historians.”

WILLIAM DE DOUGLAS, was created Dominus de Dougias, by King Malcolm Canmore, 1057.

son,

His son, Sir JOHN, dying about 1145, was succeeded by his

Sir WILLIAM, whose son,

ARCHIBALD, was a man of vast estate, and in great favour with King Alexander II., he died about 1240. His son,

Sir WILLIAM, died 1276. His son,

HUGH, distinguished himself at the battle of Largis, under King Alexander III and conquered Haco, King of Norway, who had invaded Scotland, 1263.

His brother and heir, WILLIAM, was called William the Hardy he was the companion of the valorous exploits of Sir William Wallace; was governor of Berwick, 1295; and would never swear fealty to the English, who took him prisoner, and kept him seven years in captivity, in which situation he died in England, 1303. His son,

JAMES, Lord Douglas, called The Good, was one of the most eminent heroes of his time, and laid the foundation of the future greatness of the house of Douglas. "The Saxon families,” says Walter Scott, who fled from the exterminating sword of the conqueror, with many of the Normans themselves, whom discontent and intestine feuds had driven into exile, began to rise into eminence on the Scotish borders. They brought with them arts both of peace and war, unknown in Scotland; and among their descendants we soon number the most powerful border chiefs. Such, during the reign of the last Alexander, were Patrick, Earl of March, and Lord Soulis, renowned in tradition; and such were also the powerful Comyns, who early acquired the principal way upon the Scotish marches. In the civil wars betwixt Bruce and Baliol, all those powerful chieftains espoused the unsuccessful party. They were forfeited and exiled; and upon their ruins was founded the formidable house of Douglas. The borders, from sea to sea, were now at the devotion of a succession of mighty chiefs, whose exorbitant power threatened to put a new dynasty upon the Scotish throne. It is not my intention," he adds, "to trace the dazzling career of this race of heroes, whose exploits were alike formidable to the English, and

to their sovereign." "a This James, Lord Douglas, was a constant adherent to King Robert Bruce. In June 1314, he commanded the left wing of the Scotish army, at the battle of Bannockburn. He was warden of the marches towards England. He it was who undertook a journey to Jerusalem with King Robert's heart, in conformity to a vow made by that monarch; in which service he fell; for having interred the heart at the Holy Sepulchre, he joined the King of Arragon against the infidels, and was killed in Spain, August 31st, 1331, after having been thirteen times victorious against the Turks and Saracens. For this service he had added to his armorial bearing, argent, a man's heart, gules, ensigned with an imperial crown, proper. He died without legitimate issue; but his natural son is said to have been progenitor of some considerable families of the name in France.

His brother and heir, HUGH, an inactive man, was succeeded by his nephew,

WILLIAM, (son of Archibald, his brother, who lost his life in the service of his country, at the battle of Halidon-hill, 1333.) This William was created Earl of Douglas, 1346. In 1356, he was at the battle of Poictiers, where he narrowly escaped being taken prisoner by the Black Prince." Upon the death of David II." Pinkerton says, " he unexpectedly claimed the crown, as uniting in himself the dubious pretensions of Comyn, and the solid title of Baliol, Yet the claim was no sooner made than withdrawn. Our elder historians assert that the strong interests of the Earls of Dunbar and Murray, and the yet stronger of Sir Robert Erskine, keeper of the castles of Dunbarton, Edinburgh, and Stirling, appearing decided for the Steward, induced Douglas to resign his expectation; while the historians of the house of Douglas ascribe the desertion of the claim to its own friends." He was, in 1373, appointed custos marchiarum, with power to settle all debates between the Douglases and Percies of Northumberland he died 1384.

Genealogists give him three wives, by each of whom he had

a son.

First, Margaret, sister and sole heir of Thomas, Earl of Mar, by whom he had

James, son and heir.

Secondly, Margaret, daughter of Patrick, Earl of March, by whom they say he had

a Minstrelsy of Scotch Bord. vol. i. p. 6.

Archibald the Grim, third Earl, but whom Sir David Dalrymple contends to have been an usurper.

Thirdly, Margaret, daughter and heir of Thomas Stuart, Earl of Angus, by whom he had

George, first Earl of Angus of that name.

JAMES, Second Earl of Douglas, was that memorable warrior, who fell in the celebrated battle of Otterburn, on July 31st, 1388. "I die, like my forefathers," said the expiring hero, “in a field of battle, and not on a bed of sickness. Conceal my death, defend my standard, and avenge my fall! It is an old prophecy, that a dead man shall gain a field, and I hope it will be accomplished this night."

ARCHIBALD the Grim, (his half-brother, according to most authors,) succeeded as third Earl of Douglas; he died 1400, and was succeeded by his son

ARCHIBALD, fourth Earl; he was a man of distinguished valour, and had the command of the Scotch forces sent to the assistance of France against the English, for which Charles VII. invested him with the duchy of Turenne, and made him Marshal of France. He fell in the battle of Vernoil, August 7th, 1425. His son, ARCHIBALD, was fifth Earl. "There cannot," says Pinkerton," be a stronger proof of the ignorance of our early writers, concerning the reign of James II. than their assertion that the powerful Earl of Douglas was neglected, while it is known from authentic records, that he held the high office of lieutenantgeneral of the kingdom, and even summoned a parliament. He died 1439, and was succeeded by his son, a youth, whose years did not exceed fourteen, and were too immature to support the dignities of his father."

This son was WILLIAM, sixth Earl. "The power of the house of Douglas," according to Pinkerton, " had arisen to a formidable height, and was, during this reign, to contend with the royal authorities. Galloway, Annandale, and other extensive territories in Scotland, the duchy of Touraine and lordship of Longueville in France, rendered to the chief of that family revenues perhaps equivalent to those of the Scotish monarch. The young Earl, now in his sixteenth year, possessed the impetuous spirit. and haughtiness, natural to his age and fortunes. His highest

b See a minute and interesting account of this battle in Pinkerton's very valuable and recondite History of Scotland. See also the ballads and notes in Perey's Reliques, and Scott's Minstrelsy.