the fir Archibald Douglas whom I have often mentioned as a gallant knight, and one much feared by the Englifh, was a baflard. • When they had finifhed the bufinefs which had brought them to Melrofe, they departed; each to his own country ; and thofe who had prifoners carried them with them, or ranfomed them before they left Melrofe. In this matter, the Englifli found the Scots very courteous and accommodating, which pleafed them much, as | learnt at the caftle of the count de Foix. from John de Châteauneuf, who had been made pri-foner under the banner of the earl of March and • Dunbar : he praifed the earl exceedingly for his generofity in allowing him to fix his ranfom at' his pleafure. Thus did thefe men at arms feparate, having very foon and handfomely fettled the amount of the ranfoms for their prifoners, who by degrees returned to their homes. It was told me, and I believe it, that the Scots gained two hundred thoufand francs from ' the ranfoms, and that never fince the battle of Bannockburn, when the Bruce, fir William Douglas, fir Robert de Verfy bon fable ; 3. or, a feffe cheque, azure and argent, furmount-ed of a bend fable, charged with five buckles, or; 4. argent, three pyles gutes, over all, in I fhield of pretence argent, a heart, gules, enfigned with an imperial crown, or, on a chief azure, three mollets of the firft, fupported on the dexter with a favage, wreathed about the loins with laurel, and on the finifter by a flag proper : creft, a falamander, vomiting ire : motto, Jamais arrière, all within a compartment of takes im-paled.* 284 and