Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

THE SCOTTISH BOllDEH. 287
castle, intended apparently for receiving the end of a beam or
joist, a boy, seeking for birds' nests, found a very curious an-
tique silver ring, embossed with hearts, the well-known cog-
nisance of the Douglas family, placed interchangeably with
quatre-foils all round the circle. The workmanship has an uncommonly
rude and ancient appearance, and warrants our believing
that it may have belonged to one of the Earls of An-
gus, who carried the heart and quatre-foils * in their arms.
They parted with the castle and lordship of Liddesdale, in
exchange for that of Both well, in the beginning of the 16th
century. This ring is now in the editor's possession, by the
obliging gift of Mr John BaUantyne, of the house of Ballan-
tyne and Company, so distinguished for typography.
* Some heralds say, that they carried cinque-foils, others trefoils ;
but all agree they bore some such distinction to mark their cadency
from the elder branch of Douglas.