Back to the border (2)

John de St John’s appointment as warden of the Scottish west march in 1300 seems to have put his predecessor’s nose out of joint. This was Sir Robert Clifford, who had served as warden from 25 November 1298 until August 1299. Clifford was ordered to remain in service with thirty men-at-arms under St John, but had to be persuaded to stick around. He was paid a considerable sum of 500 marks for his service from January-June 1300, and allowed to lodge at the new houses he had built in the pele at Lochmaben.

Clifford was also permitted to leave if he had business elsewhere, but only with St John’s permission, and if he left enough men behind to guard the pele. This was no good from Edward I’s perspective: he needed men in Scotland who wanted to serve, not those who had to be forced.

Arms of Clifford

Thus, on 5 January, St John’s men were ordered to muster at Carlisle and “hold themselves in readiness”. What happened next has to be picked out of some very obscure accounts. On 14 February, at Westminster, the king gave offerings in his chapel “because of good rumours in Scotland”. This presumably relates to the actions of St John; the very next day he was ordered to keep at the king’s wages twenty or thirty men-at-arms and as many Irish hobelars as he needed.

On 1 March the new English offensive in Galloway was officially launched. Again a certain lack of enthusiasm can be detected. St John was ordered to “distrain, punish and amerce [fine] all persons who do not obey the summons of the said John to come to the defence of the marches and go against the enemy”. Despite his problems, St John got some results. On 11 March offerings were made in the chapel at Berwick for more “good rumours heard from Scotland”. This probably relates to the capture of Dumfries castle, which on 24 March was granted by the king to Sir John Dolive.

Otherwise it is difficult to know what St John got up to. On 22 April one of his messengers arrived at Westminster “hastily from parts of Scotland”. Perhaps he brought not-so-good rumours, but then a week later another messenger arrived “to reassure the king of the state of the march”.