I have been hunting the ghost of Thomas de Musgrave, my 22 Great Grandfather. What caught my attention was the Battle of Melrose. Most of the history I find is how Clan Douglas tells of the event. In the end Sir Thomas, Baron Musgrave and his son Thomas are taken prisoner.
Melrose is a small town in Roxburghshire Scotland. It is part of what is called the Scottish Borders. During Sir Thomas life time (1302 - 1385) it included Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire in what is now Scotland and Westmorland, Cumberland and Northumberland in what is now England. Sir Thomas and all his kin were from Westmorland, Northumberland and Cumberland areas. He was Governor of Berwickshire which is in Northumberland.
The town of Berwick has a strategic location with the rivers Forth and Tweed as well as a seaport. Being on the edge of all three created a very wealthy town and because of that it was considered a prize and was raided, besieged and changed hands between Scotland and England often. King Richard I "The Lion Heart" once sold the town to Scotland to raise money for his Crusade. An arm, belonging to William Wallace was displayed in Berwick after he was hung, drawn and quartered in 1305. (Remember dear cousin Andrew de Harcla was also quartered and displayed across the Empire).
In 1378 a nephew, Alexander Ramsey, of Archibald Douglas, also known as Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas invaded and seized Castle Berwick by surprise with 50 men. The attack came at night; where under cover of darkness they scaled the walls startling the sleepy men garrisoned there. A few of the men escaped and made their way to the town of Berwik waking Sir Thomas who immediately set siege to the castle. Douglas then massed an army of 500 and marched to the aid of his nephew gathering more men on his way. As the Douglas approached his spies reported back that Sir Thomas had over 10,000 men with siege engines, archers, heavy horse and ships blockading the river.
Douglas retreated toward Melrose, but Sir Thomas with an escort of 300 lances and 300 archers reached Melrose first. Capturing two of Sir Thomas squires The Douglas discovered Sir Thomas' occupation of the town and planned an attack. Men who held cornage to Sir Thomas outside of Melrose reported to him the plans of Douglas' attack on Melrose. Wanting to spare the town Sir Thomas rallied his men and went out to meet The Douglas in the field. During the battle Sir Thomas was knocked form his horse and forced to yield or die, he was in his 70s. Sir Thomas yielded and was taken prisoner along with his son and several other nobles.
The surviving English went back to Berwick where news of the battle, imprisonment and ransoms of the local Lords outraged the citizens and other neighboring Lords They took a direct path to quick retaliation. Castle Berwick was again under siege with ferocity. Once breached every Scotsman, except for The Douglas' nephew Ramsey was slain. He was to be used as bargaining chip for the release of Sir Thomas and the Lords.
Sir Thomas, 1st Baron Musgrave is 19th Great Grandfather to Princes William and Harry of England as well as Prime Minister of England, David Cameron's 22 Great Grand Father.
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