The story of the Mouswald sisters, Janet and Marion, who were made wards of the Douglases after their father died in 1548 in a border raid against the English. This led to the maltreatment and death of the younger sister, poor Lady Marion Carruthers. Marion was a strong willed young lady who wass broken by Douglas and on 25 September 1570 she threw herself from the ramparts of Comlongon Castle. Although put down to suicide, there are those at the time who firmly believe that James Douglas of Drumlanrig who wanted all of the lands of Mouswald for himself, had her murdered for his own gain.
The Mouswald Tragedy, by James Hall, Dec 1983. (Courtesy of Mouswald Hall)
v1 Sir Symon Carruthers a bold Knight tae see,
had twa bonnie dochters but nae son had he,
In battle he fought sae calm and sae brave,
from English invaders, his country to save.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a.
v2. His twa bonnie dochters they pleaded fu’ sair
O father, O father, gang fectin nae mair
But Sir Symon to no one would bow his proud head
Ill defend my fine lands ’till the day I am dead
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a.’
v3 Ah! but sad was the day his lassies were tol,
Their father was dead, brave Symin the bold
Their grief it wqas bitter now orphaned were they
O who will protect us, young Janet did say.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v4. But no far away was a man wi a scheme
To gain Symons lands was James Douglas’s dream
To Carruthers twa dochters he now offered aid
the accepted in kind, but nae titles conveyed
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v5. Douglas Drumlanrig, now carefully planned
to gain Mouswald House and all of the land.
But Janet and Marion paid Maxwell respect
and gave him possesion, their house to protect
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v6. Charles Murray o’ Cockpool, an uncle was he
Looked after the sisters as well as might be
but janet she soon looed roon’ for aman
Tom Rorison o’ Barndannoch won her fair hand.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v7. Now Rorison and Douglas get freeenly were they
and over young Janet had very strong sway
At Drumlanrig the Douglas made Janet to sign
At last, quo’ Sir James Half o’ Mouswald is mine.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v8. Then Douglas on Marion brought pressure to bear
but determined, she held to the lands she was heir
Janets lands, yae have gotten sae easy and free
But nae green grass of Mousweald ye’ll hae oot o’ me.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
V9. Black Douglas waxed angry his temper wis sair
He cursed and he stamped and he tore at his hair
Ill keep you imprisoned, nae daylicht ye’ll see
Until a’ yer lands are signed ower tae me.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
V10. Sir James knew fu’ weel that many a man
Sought after young Marions elegant hand,
John McMath, she declined for her suitors were many
Lord Bothwick, he tried but she wouldn’t have any.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
V11. Sir James paid the Bothwicks in guid Scottish gold
A’ suitors frae Marion to strongly withhold
The Douglas was ward for her marriage as well
The poor broken lass was living through hell
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v12. To save her inheritance she sought to convey
her lands to her Uncle; stern Douglas’s sway.
But Douglas refused such conveyance to pass
And finally broke the stout heart of the lass.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v13. E’en Janet went against her ain kin
She sided wi Douglas a’ Mouswald tae win.
So Marion with nobody now on side,
To Comlongan Castle, went tae reside.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v14. Not long did she live with grief and dispair
Her oppressors in greed had little to care
and on a dark night from Comlongans’s grey bower
she leapt to her death from the old lookout tower.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
V15. Her body lat broken, asll smashed on the ground
Her lands they became forfeit back to the Crown
then cam’ Douglas and in the King’s name
Tae the rest o Fair Mouswald, laid dubious claim.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
v16. Poor Marion she died for her stoutness of heart
In Douglas black schemes she nerr had a part,
But the legend says her brave memory shows
For on the place where she fell, gree grass never grows.
Ch. Wi the Kye in the fields, and the barley an a’
O the brave lands o Mouswald, Are fairest of a’.
After the marriage of Janet to Thomas Roryson of Bardannoch, who had entered into a bond of fealty to Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig in 1544, no time was lost in getting Janet to turn over the deeds of the lands of Mouswald to Douglas himself. This seemed to have been the plan all along.
