'There is a military tradition, that the old Scottish March was meant to express the words,
Mak abrig to the Bass."
'Tantallon was at length "dung down" and ruined by the Covenanters; its lord, the Marquis of Douglas, being a favourer of the royal cause. The castle and barony were sold in the beginning of the eighteenth century to President Dalrymple of North Berwick, by the then Marquis of Douglas.'—Scott
In 1888 , under the direction of Mr. Walter Dalrymple, son of the proprietor, certain closed stair-cases in the ruins were opened , and various excavations were made, with the purpose of discovering as fully as possible what the original character of the structure had been. These operations have added greatly to the interest of the ruin, which both by position and aspect is one of the most imposing in the country.
l. 432. 'A very ancient sword , in possession of Lord Douglas, bears, among a great deal of flourishing, two hands pointing to a heart which is placed betwixt them , and the date 1329, being the year in which Bruce charged the Good Lord Douglas to carry his heart to the Holy Land. The following lines ( the first couplet of which is quoted by Godscroft, as a popular saying in his time) are inscribed around the emblem:—
Of ane surname was ne'er in Scotland seine.
To holy grawe, and thair bury my hart ;
Let it remane ever Bothe Tyme And Howr,
To ye last day I sie my Saviour.
Ye lyk subject had never ony keing."
'This curious and valuable relic was nearly lost during the Civil War of 1745-6, being carried away from Douglas Castle by some of those in arms for Prince Charles. But great interest having been made by the Duke of Douglas among the chief partisans of the Stuart, it was at length restored.It resembles a Highland clay more, of the usual size, is of an excellent temper, and admirablypoised.'—Scott.
Stanza XVI.l.461. Scott quotes:
O Dowglas! Dowglas
Tender and trew.'—The Houlate.
