Publications of the Clan Lindsay Society - Electric Scotland

THE HOUSE OF FAIUOIRTM. 86
himself* installed in De Quincy's oflice of Hij^di Constable
of Scotland, and in possession of the whole inherited
estate of the Lady Helena, to the exclusion of his
wife's sisters. So it came about that at the death of
Alexander III., Galloway was in the hands of the
Balliols and the Comyns. Thu wars that anjse at that
time over the disputed succession to the crown, and in
defence of the national independence, brought about
the downfall of both these families, and put their
Scottish estates at the dis[)(jsal of King Robert Bruce,
who bestowed the Lordshi}) oi' Galloway upon his
brother Edward, and after his death without legitimate
issue, renewed the grant in favour of Alexander, a
natural son of Edward. Alexander Bruce fell at Ilalidon
Hill, and Galloway reverted to the Crown, then in the
nominal possession of Edward Balliol, who was soon,
however, finally ousted from the kingdom. On the
re-establishment of settled government, and after the
accession of Bobert II., that king conferred upon
Archibald the Grim, a natural son of the Good Sir
James Douglas, the Lordship of Galloway, with the
district between the Nith and the Cree. This part of
the old province, what had been the heritage of the
Lady Devorgilla, was administered by a steward,
and to this day is known as the Stewartry ; while
Western Galloway was under the jurisdiction of the
king's sheriff, and was and still is distinguished as the
Shire. The Shire, as a separate fief, was granted to
Sir Malcolm Fleming, who was created Earl of Wigtown
; but his son Thomas sold the earldom and the
territory belonging thereto to Douglas, Lord of Gal-
loway, and the several parts of the province were once