lineal male descendants of Walter Scott, the wild tutor of Buccleuch, are the lineal descendants of Napier of Merchiston, and bear his name and the honours of his family. From the Harden branch of Buccleuch springs Sir Walter Scott of Abbotsford.

The spot where the castle of Howpaslot stood was escaping from the memory of man, but a record of it is preserved in a very interesting letter written by the late Lord Napier, not long before he quitted Ettrick Forest, for ever.

"I have been," he writes, "to explore the site of old Howpaslot, and will attempt to describe the scene. At the head of Borthwick Water,-a wild and sparkling stream which rises at the confines of Roxburgh and Dumfries, and in the parish of Roberton,—at the head of this water, formed of many rills and little torrents issuing from the clefts of the mountains, and beside one of them assuming the larger dimensions of a burn, there is still to be seen a row of cottages and outhouses, of the architecture of former ages, perched on a rocky promontory, and commanding a view up and down several of these mountain streams. An ap

pearance of strength at once refers the origin of these humble dwellings to something of more importance, which is further indicated by an immense heap of ruins and lime rubbish, grown rank in the nettles, and encumbering the centre of the shepherd's garden. All this, and the remnants of a wall at the extremity of the slope, are signs that once the mighty of the borderland had here their tower of strength, with their gray pease and curly kail, and may be the red red rose of the single leaf blooming for a few weeks at the foot of it. Narrow paths leading along the different openings of

the hills are still visible, and more particularly that towards Teviot-head, and so to the land of the Southern, from whence no doubt many a head of nolt have travelled to sustain the rieving landlords of the tower. Tradition points out a spot, between the garden and the burn, where the remains of some of these moonlight marauders cease from strife; and the old shepherd remembers when, half a century bygone, the pointed ends of stones peering above the turf marked out the limits of their dark and narrow house. There are also to be discovered the foundations of an oblong building, like a chapel, which may very probably have been some place dedicated to the service of the church. The whole scene is wild, even grand, and here and there yet linger the remnants of that Forest which Sir Walter of Howpaslot aided to destroy.* But these are rapidly disappearing before the ravages of black-cattle, sheep, and time. The situation is well adapted to the enterprises

* The Tutor of Buccleuch was more or less of a maurader. By the records of the High Court of Justiciary, it appears, that upon the 21st November 1493, " Walter Scot of Howpaslot" was allowed to compound for treasonable bringing in William Scot, called Gyde, and other "traitors of Levyn," to the "Hereschip of Harehede." Item, for theftewously and treasonably resetting of Henry Scot, and other traitors of Levyn; item for the treasonable stouthrief of forty oxen and cows, and two hundred sheep, from the tenants of Harehede. Upon the 11th December 1510, Walter Scot of Howpaslot, the laird of Cranstoune, and thirty-four others, were convicted of destroying the woods in Ettrick-Forest, and fined in 3 pounds each; among the culprits were the Hoppringills of Smalham, Ker of Yare, John Murray the Sheriff, &c. Walter of Howpaslot, however, was not always the offending party. In the year 1494 James Turnbule, brother of the laird of Quithop, produced a remission before the High Court for art and part of the stouthrief of iron windows, (fenistrarum ferrarum) doors and crukis furth of the Tower of Howpaslot, pertaining to Walter Scot.

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of a border chief, whether upon his own neighbour or the southern foe, for it commands a ready passage into Ettrick and Eskdale, Ewesdale and Teviotdale, and all the districts connected therewith. I got a hearty welcome from the shepherd and his wife, and an excellent repast of sweet-milk, and bread and cheese; but not the least pleasing part of the picture was an artless browned-eyed lassie with the old man's cart driving in the winter's hay. In the corners and windows of the cottages I remarked several blocks of freestone, evidently the remains of the tower, and the gude-wife informed me that, within the last thirty years, many cart loads had been taken down the country for other buildings, and that she had broken up a great deal for scattering upon her floor. So much for departed strength. The situa tion of Howpaslot had escaped even the observation of the great border magician himself. And he, too, now sleeps with his ancestors! I attended his funeral, and perhaps my own name will thereby be handed down to latest posterity.'

"*

It is a singular circumstance, that while the foregoing pages were in the progress of printing, an old soldier, who had not the slightest idea that any notice of the family of Scott was about to be published, addressed a letter to me, requesting professional advice relative to a legal claim upon the property of Davington, which he hoped to recover. This correspondent, who signs himself William Scott, turns out to be the lineal heir-male of the eldest branch of Howpaslot and Thirlestane. His letter, which he permits me to add to these anecdotes of his family, speaks for itself, and so much shall be extracted as, by an extraordinary coincidence, happens to

* Letter to the author, dated Thirlestane, 15th October 1832.

bear, though unconsciously to the writer of it, directly upon the subject in hand. It is dated, "Lennoxtown near Longtown, Cumberland, 19th May 1835," and informs me as follows:

In

"I served in the 90th Regiment from 11th May 1794 to 10th December 1817, a period of twenty-three years and nine months, the whole time with Major-General Mark Napier, who, I presume, is your relation.* the year 1833, the late and much to be lamented the Right Honourable William John Lord Napier of Merchiston, Thirlestane, &c. took much pains and trouble to find out if there was in existence any of the lineal descendants of the original Scotts of Thirlestane, Howpaisley, &c. and where to be found. Upon this rumour in the country I wrote to his Lordship, who was then in London, sending him my genealogy up to Robert Scott of Davington, my great-grandfather. His Lordship immediately acknowledged my letter in a manly and disinterested manner, subscribing himself a 'faithful kinsman,' and requesting to continue the correspondence, and to give him all the information in my power of the family of Davington, as the representative of the original Scotts of Thirlestane was to be found in that family. He frankly said he was well aware he belonged to the younger branch, as Patrick of Tanlawhill and Sir Robert were cousins-german. I am lineally descended from Sir Robert Scott and Catherine Jardine of Jardine Hall, from father to son. It is Sir Robert's second marriage I mean. Scott of Harden's daughter was Sir Robert's first wife, and their son, the heir of Thirlestane, was murdered, for which my progenitor

*The author's paternal uncle; a Scott of Thirlestane, who had thus unconsciously commanded his chief for so long a period.

was sorely blamed (I mean Catherine Jardine) for being concerned in that crime; that was the beginning of all the misery and poverty that has since befallen her unfortunate but innocent offspring, and the long lawsuit between my great-grandfather Robert Scott of Davington and Sir Francis Scott of Thirlestane gave the finishing stroke. Sir Francis was Patrick's son, and grandfather to the first Lord Napier, Sir William's son.*.... You will see by this time I am not a grammar scholar, and have not the art of putting much into small compass.† . . . . I have also to inform you there is only myself and my younger brother's son to be found of the lineal line of the Scotts of Davington. I have no lawful son; my nephew has been married ten years, and has no children, nor likely to have, so our lineal line in him will be most likely extinct. I informed his Lordship of these particulars, finding his Lordship's family next in succession. His Lordship not being aware he should be hurried off to India so suddenly, desired me to meet him at Thirlestane, where he expected to return in a month. I shall quote his own words: He says, 'You are an old soldier and I am an old sailor, and we will talk things over very well.' Agreeable to his Lordship's instructions, I went to Thirlestane; he only remained one night; I missed him. His successor pointed you out for me to apply to. I delayed, thinking his Lordship would either return or renew the correspondence,-that hope is for ever destroyed, and I believe I am now deprived of my best earthly friend. So, Sir, I have to request you will be so

* i. e. First Lord Napier of the family of Scott.

+ I have taken no further liberty with the letter than to leave out some details, not applicable to the present subject, and to make some trifling alterations in the orthography.