General Notes

REFN: 2802AN
Alias:<ALIA> "The Black" "The /Good"/
REFN: P2803
Killed in battle with the Moors in Spain on August 25, 1330 while carryi
ng the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land.Sir James "The Goo
d" or "The Black Douglas", Lord of Douglas
Sir James, son of William "le Hardi", continued his father's fight for Sco
ttish independence at the siDe of Robert the Bruce. He fought with Bru
ce at Methven in 1306 then led a raid on Douglas Castle, his Douglasdale E
state, which had been confiscated by the English. Disguised as peasants, S
ir James and his men surprised and defeated the English garrison in the ba
ttle which has become known as the "Douglas Larder". Once again disguisi
ng his men, this time as oxen, he attacked and captured Roxburgh Castle. H
is stealthy and effective means of combat are remembered in a children's b
edtime song,
Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye,
Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,
The Black Douglas shall no get ye.
Sir James also played a major role in the defeat of the English Army at t
he Battle of Bannockburn and was one of the signatories of the Declarati
on of Arbroath, at Arbroath Abbey, in 1320. On the death of Bruce in 132
9, Sir James was entrusted with the Monarch's heart in order to car
ry it on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was killed fighting the Moo
rs in Spain while on this pilgrimage in 1330.
Sir James "The Good" or "The Black Douglas", Lord of Douglas
Sir James, son of William "le Hardi", continued his father's fight for Sco
ttish independence at the siDe of Robert the Bruce. He fought with Bru
ce at Methven in 1306 then led a raid on Douglas Castle, his Douglasdale E
state, which had been confiscated by the English. Disguised as peasants, S
ir James and his men surprised and defeated the English garrison in the ba
ttle which has become known as the "Douglas Larder". Once again disguisi
ng his men, this time as oxen, he attacked and captured Roxburgh Castle. H
is stealthy and effective means of combat are remembered in a children's b
edtime song,
Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye,
Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,
The Black Douglas shall no get ye.
Sir James also played a major role in the defeat of the English Army at t
he Battle of Bannockburn and was one of the signatories of the Declarati
on of Arbroath, at Arbroath Abbey, in 1320. On the death of Bruce in 132
9, Sir James was entrusted with the Monarch's heart in order to car
ry it on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was killed fighting the Moo
rs in Spain while on this pilgrimage in 1330.
Sir James' body and Bruce's heart were returned to Scotland and laid to re
st at St. Bride's Church and Melrose Abbey, respectively.
Lord Douglas; 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar ; "The Good Sir James" ; Kno
wn to the Scots as "good Sir James" and to the English as "the Black Dougl
as", along with Wallace and Bruce, one of the three great heroes of Scotti
sh Independence.
http://www.scotclans.org/history/other/douglas_james.htm
includes a major article on this man.
"... the "good Sir James,' the friend of Robert Bruce, the most illustrio
us member of the Douglas family, and one of the noblest of the band of her
oes who vindicated the freedom and independence of Scotland against the En
glish arms. The romantic incidents in the career of this famous warrior a
nd patriot would fill a volume. On the imprisonment of his father he retir
ed to France, where he spent three years, 'exercising himself in all virtu
ous exercise,' says Godscroft, and 'profited so well that he became the mo
st compleat and best-accomplished young nobleman in the country or elsewhe
re.' On the death of his father young Douglas returned to Scotland. His pa
ternal estate having been bestowed by King Edward on Lord Clifford, he w
as received into the household of Lamberton, Bishop of St. Andrews, with w
hom he 'counted kin' through his mother. He was residing there when Robe
rt Bruce assumed the crown in 1305-6, a