Black Agnes of Dunbar
The fortress of Dunbar was always a very
important one to the Scots. It commanded the
coast road from England across the Border to
Edinburgh, not only one of the best routes in itself,
but one which had the additional advantage to the
English that by following it they could keep in touch
with their ships. So it is not surprising that many
stirring events in history took place at this historic
town.
King Edward I. of England won a very important
victory at Dunbar during his first invasion of Scotland,
and to the place which had witnessed the triumph of the
father, his son, Edward II., fled for safety after his
defeat at Bannockburn, taking ship thence back to
England. In the time of Mary Queen of Scots the
fortress was held by Earl Bothwell; from here he
consented to the surrender of poor Mary, and here he
rested in safety before his final flight to Scandinavia.
Oliver Cromwell fought and won at Dunbar his desperate
battle with the Scottish Presbyterians, the fate of which
for some time hung in the balance. Cromwell
considered the place so valuable that he had new harbour
works made there, and a portion of his work, forming
part of the east pier of the present much larger harbour,
is still to be seen.
The last time that Dunbar resounded to the march
of an army bent on immediate fight was in 1745, when
the boastful English general, Sir John Cope, landed
here to engage the Highland followers of Prince Charles
Edward (called the "Young Pretender"). Prince
Charlie was at Edinburgh, and Dunbar Castle
commanded the road into England. Cope asserted that the
Highlanders would run away at the mere sight of his
army. He marched westward, but was surprised in the
early morning by his enemies when near Prestonpans.
In less than ten minutes it was the unprepared English
who were flying in disorder, utterly routed.
The foregoing is but a brief outline of the stormy
history of those grey and ruined battlements
overlooking the bleak North Sea at the southernmost point
of entrance to the noble Firth of Forth. The mention
of these stirring incidents, however, will serve to show
what a very important place Dunbar was, and that it
was necessary to Scottish safety that a strong hand
should have charge of its fortress. We are now to see
how at one of the most critical hours a woman was to
hold command, and to hold it worthily.
Early in the reign of King Edward III. of England
Scottish affairs were in some confusion. King Robert
Bruce had lately died, leaving a son, King David II.,
then only five years old. That great leader and friend
of Bruce, Randolph, Earl of Moray, was appointed
Guardian of Scotland, but he too soon died. Edward
III., anxious to interfere in Scottish affairs, agreed
to help Edward Balliol to make himself king of the
Scots. So an English army was again in Scotland, and
one of the places they were keenest to take was the
fortress of Dunbar.
The castle was a very strong one. It was built on a
chain of great rocks that stretched out to sea, and could
only be reached from land by one road, which was, of
course, strictly guarded. The lord of the castle was the
Earl of March (the word March in those days meant a
border-land), but he was away with the Scottish army,
and his wife was in charge of the castle. She was the
daughter of that brave Earl of Moray, Guardian of
Scotland, who has just been mentioned. The English
army was led by an experienced general, the Earl of
Salisbury, and he probably thought that he would not
have much trouble in overcoming "Black Agnes,"
as the dark-haired countess was called.
He soon discovered that she was of heroic mould,
however, for though he himself led the storming-parties,
she on her side, urging on her men in person, hurled back
his every attack. The Lady Agnes was quite fearless,
and treated the siege as if it were a pastime to be enjoyed.
When the English, with machines made for the purpose,
hurled heavy stones against the walls, Black Agnes
would call one of her maidens with a napkin to wipe off
the dust that they made! The biggest of all the English
war-machines was called a sow, and when it was brought
to the walls the countess cried out in rough jest that it
was surrounded by little pigs. At the same moment
a mass of rock, which she had caused to be loosened,
was hurled by her men on to the English, crushing their
sow and many soldiers with it.
At last there seemed a chance for the English. Near
midnight a Scot came into their camp, saying that he
was ready to betray the castle for a reward. The Earl
of Salisbury and some chosen knights rode carefully
forward, and found the gate open and the portcullis
raised, as the man had promised. But for all that, they
doubted if Black Agnes could so far relax her vigilance;
wherefore instead of the earl entering first, he sent
forward a retainer. His caution was soon justified,
for no sooner had this man passed the gate than the
portcullis fell. It was a trick to capture the earl,
but the Scots were disappointed this time.
The gallant English lord was loud in admiration of
the brave Scottish lady who was thus defying him.
Once when examining the defences with a lieutenant,
an arrow struck his companion dead. "The countess's
love-arrows pierce to the heart," said Salisbury, on his
return to the camp. Despite the courtly manner in
which the well-bred baron referred to the lady, however,
he did not relax his efforts to overcome her.
Salisbury's land forces had now surrounded the
castle on the land side, while his ships at sea completed
the blockade. The garrison was threatened with
starvation. Greater and greater became the privations
of the heroic defenders. The countess, no less brave
than ever, hoped on, though ground for hope grew less
and less. She could not bring herself to think of defeat,
and her brave, bright face still gave courage and
inspiration to all.
Meantime the story of the struggle and difficulties of
the defenders was raising up helpers, and Sir Alexander
Ramsay of Dalhousie got ready a light vessel filled with
provisions and manned by forty brave Scots, who only
waited for a dark night to make the attempt to steal
past the English fleet. They lay hidden by the Bass
Rock, a lofty islet at the mouth of the Firth of Forth,
some seven or eight miles from Dunbar, until one
starless night they stole very cautiously down the wild
coast-line of Haddingtonshire, sometimes all but bumping
into an English vessel in the dark. Fortune favours the
brave, and despite dangers and difficulties they got
safely at last to the castle, whose distant light had been
their guide. Be sure Black Agnes welcomed them!
This proved to be the turning-point of the long siege.
With fresh hope, the garrison made a sudden sally on the
English, driving back their advance guard, and after
five months of fierce but fruitless attempts, Salisbury
was compelled to withdraw his forces and admit defeat.
Nevertheless, the English were gallant enough to sing
their praises of this Scottish heroine; their minstrels
made songs in her honour, in one of which Salisbury
is made to say:—
Compiled From Sources In The Public Domain."Came I early, came I late,I found Black Agnes at the gate."
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