The Broken Cross

Unnamed castle
supposedly owned by the Hay family

The Broken Cross: A Legend of Douglas tells the tale of Lady Edith Douglas who had been betrothed ...
to the heir Of Hay, —a Border chief,
a 'youthful friend' of her father, the Earl of Douglas. She had, however, persuaded her father to dissolve the tie because Hay was
profligate, fierce, wild, and rude.

Hay ambushes Edith as she makes her way through the woods, and as she refuses to agree to the marriage, kills her with his dagger. The Earl, accompanied 'young Buccleugh' pursues Hay and his band of men, eventually arriving at a castle on the River Tweed which he attacks.

But soon the smouldering fire,
That latent burned within the ample hold,
On sudden from its narrow windows gushed,
And slowly gnawing through the roof-supports,
Downwards at length, with hideous crash they fell.
Far into heaven the fiery billows surged,
And, as the scorching torrent past them rushed,
The stifled foe, within the vortex sucked,
Were headlong drawn into that liquid hell.
But ere the roof had sunk, a female form
By a long cord they lowered from the wall.
Scarce had she reached midway, when from a loop,
A sudden rush of flame struck the frail cord,
And downward, headlong to the rocky ground
The damsel fell, to instantaneous death.
The Earl beheld,—and in that shattered corse,
He knew the young companion of his child,
Who oft around their hearth, in playful mood,
Had wiled the tedious winter hours away.
" This is the hand of heaven! the curse of war!"
He muttered, as he slowly turned aside,
To hide the manly tear that glistened there.
Softly the generous Douglas' men have raised
That mangled form, and to a neighbouring cot
They bear her thence.

The Broken Cross: A Legend of Douglas was published in 1859 with, in the same volume, the Chronicles of the Black Douglases as an Appendix. The book revolves around the story of the Douglas family, one of the most powerful and influential families in Scotland during the Middle Ages. The first part, a novel, focusing on the legend of the broken cross, which is said to have prophesised the downfall of the Douglas family. The second part of the book is an appendix that covers the history of the Black Douglases, a branch of the family that was known for their military prowess and political influence. The book is a fascinating account of the power struggles, battles, and intrigues that shaped the history of Scotland during the Middle Ages. It provides a detailed insight into the life and times of the Douglas family, and their impact on Scottish history.

It is claimed that it was written by Herbert Reid, however he died in 1950, aged 81. The author is unknown, but the book's inscription to the Countess of Home is initialed R.L.

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