878
fortress was surrendered to the king (c). Lennox, his sons, and Lord Lyle,
made their peace with the government, and obtained for themselves and their
followers a full pardon for their rebellious proceedings (d).
When the king obtained the surrender of Dumbarton castle, he purchased
from the Laird of Laucht a ship, which was repaired, equipped, and
victualled at Dumbarton. Dumbarton now became a naval station, and was
the only one on the west for the king's ships, which were favourite objects
of James IV. and James Y. In July 1494, James IV. made an expedition
by sea, from Dumbarton to Tarbert in Kintyre, where he was attended by
the nobles of the south and west (e). He now caused to be built at Dum-
barton a number of large row-barges, which occupied many men during
seven months. In May, the king with his ships and row-barges sailed from
Dumbarton on an expedition to the Western Islands, attended by many
nobles and barons, and carrying with them a number of guns and
gunners (g).
Matthew Earl of Lennox, who succeeded his father John in 1494, led
the men of Lennox to the fatal field of Flodden, where he and the Earl of
Argyll commanded the right wing of the Scottish army, and both the earls
with many of their followers were slain in this bloody field. The Earl of
Lennox was succeeded by his son John, who played an active part during
the turbulent minority of James V. In December 1514 the Earls of
Lennox and Glencairn, during a tempestuous night, took the castle of
Dumbarton, to which they obtained access by breaking open the lower
gate, when they turned out Lord Erskine, the governor (h). On the
chamberlain, Bothwell the master of household, Sir William Knolls the treasurer, the prior of
St. Andrews, the bishops of Glasgow and Galloway, Lord Oliphant and others had each a certain
number of men employed, for whom they received wages from the king's treasurer.    Treasurer's
Accounts.
(c) Id.
(d) The forfeiture of Lennox, his oldest son, and Lord Lyle was rescinded by an act of parliament
5th February 1489-90.   Acta Parl, ii. 217-218.    Another act on the 15th of February granted
a full remission to all those concerned in holding the castle of Dumbarton against the king.    Ib., 223.
On the 12th of February a remission was granted under the great seal to Matthew Stewart, the
oldest son, and to three other sons of Lennox, and to many other persons, for holding Dumbarton
castle against the king, and for treasonably burning the town of Dumbarton.    Andw. Stuart's Hist.
Stewarts, 193.
(e)  Treasurer's Accounts.                                   (g) Ibid.
(h) Lesley, 358; Orig. Letter of Sir James Inglis, 21st January 1515, Bibl. Cotton. Oalig.,
b. i. 22. On the 26th of October 1497 John Stirling, the son of John Stirling of Oraig-
bernard, and steward to the king, obtained a grant of the keeping of the castle of Dumbarton