Douglas the Hardy

Faside Castle today On 5 July 1291 Sir William Douglas, called the Hardy, swore homage and fealty to Edward I at the chapel of Thurston manor, near Innerwick in East Lothian. He is one of a long list of named Scottish prelates and nobles who did homage to the English king throughout July.

Douglas was the son of William Longleg, lord of Douglas and the manor of Fawdon in Northumberland. In 1268 the younger William was almost killed in a violent feud between his father and Gilbert Umfraville, Earl of Angus. While the future Edward I was besieging Montfortian rebels at Alnwick castle, Angus came to the English prince and accused Longleg of being a traitor. 

Edward insisted on enquiry before judgement, but Angus wasn't prepared to wait. He hired a gang of 'free lances' from Redesdale – ancestors of the Border Reivers – and sent them to attack Longleg and his family at Fawdon. The manor was pillaged and the entire family kidnapped and taken to Angus's castle at Harbottle. During the fight William the Hardy suffered a near-fatal injury to his neck: Ita quod fere amputaverunt caput ejus – So as to nearly cut off his head. His survival was a miracle, and may well have inspired his nickname of 'the Hardy'. 

Douglas pursued a violent career. In 1288 he was called upon by Sir Andrew Moray to imprison his uncle, Sir Hugh Abernethy, at Douglas castle. Abernethy had been party to the murder of Donnchadh III, Earl of Fife and one of the six Guardians of Scotland after the untimely death of Alexander III. He died in custody despite the efforts of Edward I to have him released.

About the same time Douglas's first wife, Elizabeth Stewart, died in childbirth. In need of a second wife, Douglas set his eye on Eleanor de Louvaine, recently widowed wife of William Ferrers of Groby. Eleanor's late husband had held five manors in Scotland, and Eleanor came north to collect the rents. While staying at the castle of Fa'side near Tranent, she was ambushed and abducted by Douglas, who spirited her away to Douglas castle.

The kidnapping of rich noblewomen was not uncommon. English barons such as John Giffard and his kinsman Osbert were guilty of it, while Simon de Montfort the younger had actually pursued Isabella de Forz, a wealthy heiress, all the way into Wales. The idea was to capture these women, take them off to some strong castle and force them to marry their abductors. 

Before he could induce Eleanor up the aisle, Douglas was captured and imprisoned by the Guardians. To the fury of King Edward, he was then released and permitted to wed his captive. In response Edward ordered the Sheriff of Northumberland to seize all Douglas lands and goods in England and the Guardians of Scotland to arrest Douglas and deliver him and Eleanor to the king. The Guardians did not respond, but by early 1290 Douglas had fallen into Edward's hands and was held prisoner at Knaresborough.

It seems Eleanor had no objection to her new husband. She and four other sureties or manucaptors posted bail to have him released; the sureties were her English cousins, including the Baron Hastings and Baron Segrave. Afterwards Douglas had his lands restored by the king, though Edward was still not happy about the affair and fined Eleanor £100. By way of payment some of her lands in Essex and Hertfordshire were briefly seized by the crown in 1296.