Black Agnes
Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar and March (c. 1312–1369), known as Black Agnes for her dark hair and eyes, and sallow complexion.
Father: Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray
Mother: Isabel Stewart
Spouse: Patrick Dunbar, 9th Earl of March
Father: Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray
Mother: Isabel Stewart
Spouse: Patrick Dunbar, 9th Earl of March
The Siege of Dunbar
13th January 1338 – 10th June 1338
On the 13th January 1338 William Montague, 1st Earl of Salisbury arrived at the gates of Dunbar Castle. At this time Patrick Dunbar, 9th Earl of March was off fighting with the Scottish army against the English. In charge of Dunbar Castle was Lady Agnes, who was left with only a few servants and guards.
The Earl of Salisbury must have thought that this was going to be an easy victory as the magority of the men were away fighting and it was just a women left in charge. However, when he ordered Lady Agnes to surrender she refused, and has been attributed as saying in response to the Earl's request:
"Of Scotland's King I haud my house,
He pays me meat and fee,
And I will keep my gude auld house,
While my house will keep me."
Salisbury began the siege with a bombardment by catapults, sending huge rocks crashing against the ramparts of Dunbar Castle. Lady Agnes responded by having her maids dress in their Sunday best; she then led them to the outer walls, where with their handkerchiefs they dusted away the damage from the bombardment. She would also taunt the English from her walls and criticise her garrison to make them fight harder.
Montague next assaulted the castle with his battering ram. Agnes dropped over the walls a huge boulder captured from an earlier English attack, smashing the assault machinery.
The Earl of Salisbury must have thought that this was going to be an easy victory as the magority of the men were away fighting and it was just a women left in charge. However, when he ordered Lady Agnes to surrender she refused, and has been attributed as saying in response to the Earl's request:
"Of Scotland's King I haud my house,
He pays me meat and fee,
And I will keep my gude auld house,
While my house will keep me."
Salisbury began the siege with a bombardment by catapults, sending huge rocks crashing against the ramparts of Dunbar Castle. Lady Agnes responded by having her maids dress in their Sunday best; she then led them to the outer walls, where with their handkerchiefs they dusted away the damage from the bombardment. She would also taunt the English from her walls and criticise her garrison to make them fight harder.
Montague next assaulted the castle with his battering ram. Agnes dropped over the walls a huge boulder captured from an earlier English attack, smashing the assault machinery.
Having completely surrounded Dunbar Castle with his forces, Salisbury thought he might
just starve out the defenders. Their supplies were running low and the Earl believed that Victory was a certainty. However, some of the townspeople of Dunbar were supportive to Lady Agnes' cause, and not opposed to ruining the English plan. On a dark and moonless night, several boats loaded with supplies made their way to the castle's seaward side – which was a blind spot and the Earl of Salisbury could not see what was happening. They relieved the famine with this delivery. The next morning, Lady Agnes had a fresh loaf of bread and some wine delivered to the Earl with her compliments, and loudly proclaimed the
gift to all within earshot. Another victory for Black Agnes' side!
At one point during the siege, the English, who had previously captured Agnes’s brother John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray, paraded him in front of the castle with a rope round his neck, threatening to hang him if she did not surrender. She told them to go ahead, as her brother John had no children and so therefore she would then inherit the Earldom of Moray. The Earl of Salisbury therefore decided that it would be pointless to kill John Randolph.
The siege continued for five months, with Black Agnes holding the upper hand and mocking the English at every turn. Finally, Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie - who had been roaming the Scottish countryside with a band of followers - heard about the gallant lady's little problem. He decided to aid the defenders.
Ramsay marched to the coast with forty men and acquired two boats. Under the cover of darkness, they made anchor just offshore from Castle Dunbar. Ramsay knew he could avoid detection and get into the castle via a half-submerged gate on the seaward side.
Once within the walls, he mustered the lady's forces and joined them with his own. Ramsay
led a surprise attack through the main gate, which sent the English scattering in all directions. Disheartened by this bold maneuver, and probably tired of listening to Black Agnes' mocking comments, the weary Earl accepted a truce. On June 10, 1338, he ordered his forces to withdraw, leaving Lady Agnes once more in sole possession of her castle. As he marched away, Salisbury supposedly composed a song about the lady who had defeated him.
On June 10, 1338, William Montague ordered his army to withdraw, leaving Lady Agnes in
sole possession of her castle. She is remembered in a ballad which attributes these words to
Montague:
'She makes a stir in tower and trench,
That brawling, boisterous, Scottish wench,
Came I early, came I late,
I found Agnes at the gate.'
just starve out the defenders. Their supplies were running low and the Earl believed that Victory was a certainty. However, some of the townspeople of Dunbar were supportive to Lady Agnes' cause, and not opposed to ruining the English plan. On a dark and moonless night, several boats loaded with supplies made their way to the castle's seaward side – which was a blind spot and the Earl of Salisbury could not see what was happening. They relieved the famine with this delivery. The next morning, Lady Agnes had a fresh loaf of bread and some wine delivered to the Earl with her compliments, and loudly proclaimed the
gift to all within earshot. Another victory for Black Agnes' side!
At one point during the siege, the English, who had previously captured Agnes’s brother John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray, paraded him in front of the castle with a rope round his neck, threatening to hang him if she did not surrender. She told them to go ahead, as her brother John had no children and so therefore she would then inherit the Earldom of Moray. The Earl of Salisbury therefore decided that it would be pointless to kill John Randolph.
The siege continued for five months, with Black Agnes holding the upper hand and mocking the English at every turn. Finally, Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie - who had been roaming the Scottish countryside with a band of followers - heard about the gallant lady's little problem. He decided to aid the defenders.
Ramsay marched to the coast with forty men and acquired two boats. Under the cover of darkness, they made anchor just offshore from Castle Dunbar. Ramsay knew he could avoid detection and get into the castle via a half-submerged gate on the seaward side.
Once within the walls, he mustered the lady's forces and joined them with his own. Ramsay
led a surprise attack through the main gate, which sent the English scattering in all directions. Disheartened by this bold maneuver, and probably tired of listening to Black Agnes' mocking comments, the weary Earl accepted a truce. On June 10, 1338, he ordered his forces to withdraw, leaving Lady Agnes once more in sole possession of her castle. As he marched away, Salisbury supposedly composed a song about the lady who had defeated him.
On June 10, 1338, William Montague ordered his army to withdraw, leaving Lady Agnes in
sole possession of her castle. She is remembered in a ballad which attributes these words to
Montague:
'She makes a stir in tower and trench,
That brawling, boisterous, Scottish wench,
Came I early, came I late,
I found Agnes at the gate.'