Ferrets and sparrows

The truce between the English and Scots in August 1300 gave both sides a chance to rest and recover. We don’t really know what the Guardians did, but the English took the opportunity to stuff their existing garrisons in Scotland with munitions. The logic was to secure the gains made in 1300 and then use them as a springboard for the next campaign after the truce expired in May 1301.

The details of victualling give an exact picture of the English position in Scotland at the turn of the century. They had royal garrisons at Berwick, Jedburgh, Roxburgh, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Lochmaben and Caerlaverock. In addition there were three castles - Hermitage, Dirleton and Dunbar - held by Scottish landholders loyal to King Edward. This meant the king held most of the strongpoints below the Forth, with the exception of Stirling and the castles in the barony of Renfrew; specifically Bothwell and Inverkip. North of the Forth was ‘Free Scotland’, the heartlands held by the Guardians.

To take a random example, Dumfries was supplied with the following:

9 bulls and cows, 14 sheep, 73 quarters and 4 bushels of oats, 70 gallons of wine, unidentified quantities of bread, ale, fish, chickens, almonds and various spices.

Etc. However, Edward wanted to rule Scotland, not just maintain garrisons. For that he needed to set up a working administration that was seen to enforce the law and raise taxes. In 1300, for the first time since he got involved in Scotland, there is an account of revenues raised on behalf of the king. From 30 September Sir John Kingston, sheriff of Edinbugh, collected revenue from the following:

Farms: North Berwick, Tyninghame, Haddington, the town of Edinburgh, Lasswade, Aberlady, Easter Pencaitland, East Niddry and Lowood.

Tolls: Town of Edinburgh.

Tenth (a tax on movables): Inveresk, Lasswade, Roslyn, Aberlady, Ballencrieff and Carrington.

All told, Kingston collected the fair-sized sum of £66 8 shillings and three pence, and a further sum of £25 15s 5d from the farms of Tranent and Seton, the sale of hides and sale of goods belonging to felons in Carrington. Among Kingston’s purchases were ‘sparrows’ and ‘ferrets of Dirleton’. At this point the mind starts to boggle a little bit.