It grieved him sair that day, I trow,

Wi' Sir George Hearoune of Schipsydehouse;" Because we were not men enow,

They counted us not worth a louse.

Sir George was gentle, meek, and douse, But he was hail and het as fire;

And yet, for all his cracking crouse, '
He rewd the raid o' the Reidswire.

To deal with proud men is but pain;
For either must ye fight or flee,
Or else no answer make again,

But play the beast, and let them be.
It was na wonder he was hie,
Had Tindail, Reedsdail, 3 at his hand,
Wi' Cukdaill, Gladsdaill on the lee,
And Hebsrime, and Northumberland.
Yett was our meeting meek eneugh,

Begun wi' merriment and mowes,
And at the brae, aboon the heugh,

2

Abbey, Warden of the Middle Marches in 1561, was deputy-governor of Berwick, and governor of Balmborough Castle. He made a great figure on the Borders, and is said, on his monument at Balmborough church, to have possessed the office of Warden of the Mid Marches for thirty-seven years; indeed, if we can trust his successor, Carey, he retained the situation until he became rather unfit for its active duties. His family ended in the unfortunate Thomas Forster, one of the generals of the Northumbrian insurgents in 1715; and the estate, being forfeited, was purchased by his uncle, Lord Crewe, and devised for the support of his magnificent charity.

George Heron Miles of Chipchase Castle, probably the same who was slain at the Reidswire, was Sheriff of Northumberland, 13th Elizabeth.

a Cracking crouse-Talking big.

3 These are districts, or dales, on the English Border.

4 Mr. George Ellis suggests, with great probability, that this is a mistake, not for Hebburne, as the Editor stated in an earlier edition, but for Hexham, which, with its territory, formed a county independent of Northumberland, with which it is here ranked. 5 Rowes-Rolls.

6 [Dandrie, Dandy, and Dand, are corruptions of Andrew, familiar in the south of Scotland.]

7 The Fenwicks; a powerful and numerous Northumberland clan. The original seat of this ancient family was at Fenwick tower, long since ruinous; but, from the time of Henry IV., their principal mansion was Wallington. Sir John Fenwick, attainted and executed for treason in the reign of William III., represented the chieftain of this clan.

8 Raise-Rose. Raxed him-Stretched himself up. Marrows --Equals.

And cloke no cause for ill nor good;
The other, answering him as vainlie,
Began to reckon kin and blood :

He raise, and raxed him where he stood,
And bade him match him with his marrows;
Then Tindaill heard them reasun rude,
And they loot off a flight of arrows.9
Then was there nought but bow and speir,
And every man pull'd out a brand;
"A Schafton and a Fenwick" thare:

Gude Symington was slain frae hand.
The Scotsman cried on other to stand,
Frae time they saw John Robson slain-
What should they cry? the King's command
Could cause no cowards turn again.

Up rose the laird to red the cumber, 10

Which would not be for all his boast ;What could we doe with sic a numberFyve thousand men into a host ? Then Henry Purdie proved his cost," And very narrowlie had mischief'd him, And there we had our warden lost, Wert not the grit God he relieved him. Another throw the breiks him bair, ad t Whill flatlie to the ground he fell : Than thought I weel we had lost him there, Into my stomach it struck a knell! Yet up he raise, the treuth to tell ye, And laid about him dints full dour; His horsemen they raid sturdily, 150 de dad And stude about him in the stoure. Then raise the slogan with ane shout"Fy, Tindail, to it! Jedburgh's here!"

9 ["I have often thought, a fine subject for a Border painting occurs in the old ballad, called the Raid of the Reidswire, where the Wardens on either side having met on a day of truce, their armed followers, and the various tribes, mingled in a friendly manner on each side, till, from some accidental dispute, words grew high between the Wardens. Mutual insult followed. The English chief addressing the Scottish

Raise and rax'd him where he stood,

And bid him match him with his marrows.
Then Tynedale heard them reason rude,
And they let fly a flight of arrows.'

The two angry chieftains, especially Forster, drawing himself up in his pride and scorn, would make a good group, backed by the Tynedale men, bending and drawing their bows; on the sides you might have a group busied in their game, whom the alarm had not yet reached; another half disturbed; another, where they were mounting their horses, and taking to their weapons, with the wild character peculiar to the country."-Letter of Sir Walter Scott. December, 1814.]

10 Red the cumber-Quell the tumult.

11 Cost-Signifies loss or risk.

1 The gathering word peculiar to a certain name, or set of people, was termed slogan or slughorn, and was always repeated at an onset, as well as on many other occasions, as appears from the following passage of an old author, whom this custom seems to have offended-for he complains "That, whereas, alweys, both in al tounes of war, and in al campes of armies, quietnes and stilnes without nois is principally in the night, after the watch is set, observed (I need not reason why.) Yet, our northern prikkers, the Borderers, notwithstanding, with great enormitie,

I trow he was not half sae stout,

But anis his stomach was asteir.'

With gun and genzie, bow and speir,
Men might see mony a cracked crown!
But up amang the merchant geir,
They were as busy as we were down.

The swallow taill frae tackles flew, 3
Five hundredth flain4 into a flight.
But we had pestelets enew,

And shot among them as we might.
With help of God the game gaed right,
Fra time the foremost of them fell;

Then ower the know, without goodnight,
They ran with mony a shout and yell.
But after they had turned backs,

Yet Tindail men they turn'd again,
And had not been the merchant packs,5
There had been mae of Scotland slain.
But, Jesu! if the folks were fain
To put the bussing on their thies;

And so they fled, wi' a' their main,
Down ower the brae, like clogged bees.
Sir Francis Russel ta'en was there,

And hurt, as we hear men rehearse ; Proud Wallinton 7 was wounded sair,

Albeit he be a Fennick fierce.

But if ye wald a souldier search,
Among them a' were ta'en that night,
Was nane sae wordie to put in verse,
As Collingwood, that courteous knight.
Young Henry Schafton,' he is hurt;
A souldier shot him wi' a bow;
Scotland has cause to mak great sturt,

For laiming of the Laird of Mow. 10
The Laird's Wat did weel indeed;
His friends stood stoutlie by himsell,
With little Gladstain, gude in need,
For Gretein" kend na gude be ill.
The Sheriffe wanted not gude will,
Howbeit he might not fight so fast;
Beanjeddart, Hundlie, and Hunthill, "
Three, on they laid weel at the last.
Except the horsemen of the guard,
If I could put men to availe,

12

None stoutlier stood out for their laird, Nor did the lads of Liddisdail.

But little harness had we there ;
But auld Badreule 13 had on a jack,
And did right weel, I you declare,

With all his Trumbills at his back.

(as thought me,) and not unlyke (to be playn) unto a masterless hounde houyling in a hie wey, when he hath lost him he wayted upon, sum hoopying, sum whistelyng, and most with crying, a Berwyke! a Berwyke! a Fenwyke! a Fenwyke! a Bulmer! a Bulmer! or so ootherwise as their captein's names wear, never linnde those troublous and dangerous noyses all the night long. They sayd they did it to fynd out their captein and fellowes; but if the soldiours of our oother countries and sheres had used the same maner, in that case we shoold have oftymes had the state of our campe more lyke the outrage of a dissolute huntyng, than the quiet of a wel ordred army."-PATTEN'S Account of Somerset's Expedition. p. 76.-Apud DALYELL'S Fragments. Honest Patten proceeds, with great prolixity, to prove, that this was a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance; and, like Fluellen, declares, “that such idle pribble-prabbles were contrary to all the good customs and disciplines of war." Nevertheless, the custom of crying the slogan, or ensenzie, is often alluded to in all our ancient histories and poems. It was usually the name of the clan, or place of rendezvous, or leader. In 4555, the English, led by Thomas of Rosslyne, and William Moubray, assaulted Aberdeen. The former was mortally wounded in the onset; and, as his followers were pressing forward, shouting “Rosslyne! Rosslyne!" "Cry Moubray," said the expiring chieftain; "Rosslyne is gone!" The Highland clans had also their appropriate slogans. The Macdonalds cried Frich, (heather;) the Macphersons, Craig-Ubh; the Grants, Craig-Elachie; and the Macfarlanes, Loch-Sloy.

1 But, etc.-Till once his anger was set up.,

* Genzie-Engine of war.

3 The Scots, on this occasion, seem to have had chiefly firearms; the English retaining still their partiality for their ancient weapon, the longbow. It also appears, by a letter from the Duke of Norfolk to Cecil, that the English Borderers were unskilful in fire-arms, or, as he says, "our countrymen be not so commyng with shots as I woolde wishe."-See MURDIN'S State Papers, vol. i. p. 319.

4 Flain—Arrows; hitherto absurdly printed slain.

5 The ballad-maker here ascribes the victory to the real cause; for the English Borderers dispersing to plunder the merchandise, gave the opposite party time to recover from their surprise. It seems to have been usual for travelling merchants to attend Border

meetings, although one would have thought the kind of company usually assembled there might have deterred them.

6 This gentleman was son to the Earl of Bedford, and Warden of the East Marches. He was, at this time, chamberlain of Berwick. He was afterwards killed in a fray of a similar nature, at a Border meeting between the same Sir John Forster, (father-in-law to Russell) and Thomas Ker of Fairnihurst, A. D. 1585.

7 Fenwick of Wallington, a powerful Northumbrian chief.

8 Sir Cuthbert Collingwood of Esslington, Sheriff of Northumberland, the 10th and 20th of Elizabeth. [The late gallant Admiral Lord Collingwood was of this family.] Besides these gentlemen, James Ogle, and many other Northumbrians of note, were made prisoners. Sir George Heron, of Chipchase and Ford, was slain, to the great regret of both parties, being a man highly esteemed by the Scots as well as the English. When the prisoners were brought to Morton, at Dalkeith, and among other presents, received from him some Scottish falcons, one of his train observed, that the English were nobly treated, since they got live hawks for dead herons.-GODSCROFT.

9 The Shaftoes are an ancient family settled at Bavington, in Northumberland, since the time of Edward I.; of which Sir Cuthbert Shaftoe, Sheriff of Northumberland in 1795, is the present representative.

To An ancient family on the Borders. The lands of Mowe are situated upon the river Bowmont, in Roxburghshire. The family is now represented by William Molle, Esq. of Mains, who has restored the ancient spelling of the name. The Laird of Mowe here mentioned, was the only gentleman of note killed in the skirmish on the Scottish side.

I Graden, a family of Kers.

12 Douglas of Beanjeddart, an ancient branch of the house of Cavers, possessing property near the junction of the Jed and Teviot. Hundlie. Rutherford of Hundlie, or Hundalee, situated, on the Jed above Jedburgh. Hunthill.-The old tower of Hunthill was situated about a mile above Jedburgh. It was the patrimony of an ancient family of Rutherfords. I suppose the person, here meant, to be the same who is renowned in tradition by the name of the Cock of Hunthill. His sons were executed for Marchtreason, or Border-theft, along with the Lairds of Corbet, Greenhead, and Overton, A. D. 4588.-JOHNSTONE'S History, p. 129. 13 Sir Audrew Turnbull of Bedrule, upon Rule Water. This

Gude Edderstane' was not to lack, Nor Kirktoun, Newton, noble men!" Thir's all the specials I of speake, By others that I could not ken. 3 Who did invent that day of play,

We need not fear to find him soon; For Sir John Forster, I dare well say, Made us this noisome afternoon. Not that I speak preceislie out, That he supposed it would be perril;

But pride, and breaking out of feuid, Garr'd Tindaill lads begin the quarrel. 4

KINMONT WILLIE.

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

In the following rude strains, our forefathers commemorated one of the last and most gallant achievements performed upon the Border. The Editor, in place of the extract from Bishop Spottiswoode's History of the Church, is enabled, from a manuscript of the period, the property of Mr. Campbell of Shawfield, to give a more minute detail of this celebrated exploit. The MS. contains many curious articles relating to the Highlands and Borders, arranged in a miscellaneous order. They appear to have been a collection made for the purpose of assisting Archbishop Spottiswoode in compiling his work.

"RELATION OF THE MANER OF SURPRIZEING OF THE CASTELL of CAIRLELL, BY THE LORD OF BUCCLEUGH, IN THE LATER END OF Q. ELIZABETH'S REIGNE. (ANNO 1596.)

"Thair was for the tyme Warden of the West Marches of England, for the Queene, the Lord Scroope; and for the King, the Lord of Buccleugh had the charge of Liddisdail; the deputies of these two officers having met at a day at trewis, as the custome was, (when either the Wardens, in regard of their princes service, or thair ain private distractionnes, could not meitt thameselffis, or the matteris to be redressit was bot ordinarie,) the place of thair

old laird was so notorious a thief, that the principal gentlemen of the clans of Hume and Kerr refused to sign a bond of alliance, to which he, with the Turnbulls and Rutherfords, was a party; alleging that their proposed allies had stolen Hume of Wedderburn's cattle. The authority of Morton, however, compelled them to digest the affront. The debate (and a curious one it is) may be seen at length in GODSCROFT, vol. i. p. 221. The Rutherfords became more lawless after having been deprived of the countenance of the court, for slaying the nephew of Forman, Archbishop of St. Andrews, who had attempted to carry off the heiress of Rutherford. This lady was afterwards married to James Stuart of Traquair, son to James, Earl of Buchan, according to a papal bull, dated 9th November, 1504. By this lady a great estate in Teviotdale fell to the family of Traquair, which was sold by James, Earl of Traquair, Lord High-Treasurer of Scotland, in consequence of the pecuniary difficulties to which he was reduced, by his loyal exertions in favour of Charles I.

An ancient family of Rutherfords; I believe, indeed, the most

meiting was at the Dayholme of Kershoup, quhaire a burne divides England from Scotland, and Liddisdaill from Bewcastle. Thair met for the Lord of Buccleugh, Robert Scott of Hanyng; and for the Lord Scroope, Mr. Salkeld, a gentleman of that west wardanrie, that was his deputie for the tyme. Thair was mutuall truce taken, and intimation be sound of trumpett, and proclamation in thair Majesties names, to the trouppes on both sydes, befoir thair meiting, as the custome was: wherefore the meitings war called dayes of trewis, seeing thairthrow pairties on baithe sydes, that otherwise were under deidlie feid and quarrel, did usuallie, in peace and assurance, meit and doe thair busines, one besyde another, and conversed mutuallie and in assurance with such as they had occasion withall; upon the truce taken, the officers or deputies keipt thair meitting, made mutuall redress of such wrongs as had occurred before that tyme, and sunderit in verie good termes, ether partie returning homewards. Be the way it is to be remembered, that the tenor of such trewis as usuallie were taken betuixt the wardaines or thair deputies in the princes names buir, That upon paine of death presently to be executed, all persones whatsoever that came to these meitings, sould be saife fra any proceiding or present occasioun, from the tyme of meiting of the wardens or thair deputies, till the nixt day at the sun rysing; within such space it wes presupposed that every persone that came thair might be returned to thair houses; for other wayes, where at theiff meitings ther war usuallie manie pairties that war under feid and quarrall ane with another, the strongest syde might have taken advantage of the weakness of the other, if the grudge had beine betuixt the wardanes; or the strongest of the particular pairties of ether syde might, seing the weiknes of the other there, in his returne homewards towards his hous, fra the great troupe had sunderit, upon any intelligence, have taken the occasioun of revenge by putting himselfe in his way. Now this treuce, being thus wayes parted, and the busines done by the deputies that they met for, there was one called Williame Armstronge of Kyninmouth, Scottisman, and a Borderer, in companie with the Scottish deputie, whom against some of the English had quarell,

ancient now extant. The family is represented by John Rutherford, Esq. of Edgerstane. His seat is about three miles distant from the field of battle.

Kirktoun. The parish of Kirktoun belonged, I believe, about this time, to a branch of the Cavers family; but Kirkton of Stewartfield is mentioned in the list of Border clans in 1597. Newton.This is probably Grinyslaw of Little Newton, mentioned in the said roll of Border clans.

3 Thir's-These are. By-Besides.

4 In addition to what has been said of the ferocity of the Redesdale and Tynedale men, may be noticed a by-law of the incorporated Merchant-adventurers of Newcastle, in 4564, which, alleging evil repute of these districts for thefts and felonies, enacts, that no apprentices shall be taken "proceeding from such leude and wicked progenitors." This law, though in desuetude, subsisted until 1774.

5 [Thomas, Lord Scroope, of Bolton, was appointed Warden of these Marches in 1596.]

as was alledgeit, who, being sunderit from that de- | putie, and ryding homewards, his way coming down Liddisdail, the which was at that pairt dyvidit from England by a river easilie passable, called Liddell, and the Inglish deputie halding his way down the Inglish syde, and within a myle of the utheris way, those who had the quarrell against hym, (as afterwards the deputie of England for his excuse did pretend,) seing him ryding on his ways bot with three or four in companie, and lyming for na harme, as that day fell, they brake a chace of more than 200 men out of the English trayne, chases the said Wm. of Kininmonth more than 3 or 4 myles, comes to him, and takes him prisoner, brings him back to the deputie, thinking to doe good service by the seizing of such an offendar, causit brek the truce, himself carried him away with him prisoner to the castell of Cairlell. Whereupon, seeing the samyne was done to the plaine breache of the trewes, the Lord of Buccleugh, as the Kingis officer, did wreat unto Mr. Salkeld, the deputie of England, immediatlie in absence of the Lord Scroop, for the redress thairof. Mr. Salkeld by his anser did excuise himselfe, and refer the maitter to the Lord Scroop, warden, who for the tyme was at a hous of his owin in the countrey. The Lord Scroop thereupon was written unto in the samyne sence by the Lord of Buccleugh, to wit, for the setting the prisoner at libertie without condition or bond, seing he was unlawfullie taken, and consequentlie to the tuitch of the king. It was ansered, that he could do nothing ther anent, seing it was so hapned, and be reason that the prisoner was such a malefactor, without the privitie of the Quene and counsall of England: so as his anser tending to the delay of the matter, the Lord Buccleugh being loath to informe the Kinge of the maitter least the samyn might have bred some mistaking between the princes, he made tryell for Mr. Robert Bowis, then resident ambassador for the Queen in Scotland; who, upon his desire and informatioun, wrote furiouslie unto the Lord Scroope for the redress of the maitter, and that the maitter sould come to no farther hearing. Nothing was done nor anserit till a purpose nevertheless, nether upon the Kingis his masters awin instance towards the warden, by the ambassador of England first, and afterwards to the Queen of England by his Majesties selfe. Whereupon the Lord of Buccleugh, being the Kings officer, and fynding his Majesties honour tuitched so apparentlie to the world, he did resolve himselfe to seik the reliefe of the prisoner by the meanes whereby it was performeit, and that with such foirsight and regaird as could be, that through any rigorous circumstance of the actioun, in regaird of the place quhairin he was keipit, the samyne sould breid no greater jarr betuixt the princes then mearlie that which was to grow from the simple reliefe of a prisoner unlawfullie taken. And for such purpose the Lord of Buccleugh, upon intelligence that the Castle of Cairleill, where the prisoner was keept, was surpriseable, and of the meanes, by sending some persons of trust to

view a postern gaitt, and to measure the height of the wall very closely, he did immediately draw togither 200 horse, assured the place of meeting ane hour before sunset at the toure of Mortoune, the which is 10 myles from Cairleill, and upon the water of Sark, in the Debateable Land, quhair he had preparatioun of ledders for scaleing the castle wall, and other instruments of iron for breking through the wall and foirceing of gaites, if neid had beine. The troupe being assembled at the place, he marcheth forwards, and entreth English ground within six miles of Cairleill, and passeth the water of Esk, quhair the Grahames did inhabite, at the falling of the night. Fra he entred English ground, the order was thus: ther was sent some few horsmen before, all the way, to discover, and they were seconded by 40 or 50 horse in case of any encounter; there was nixt them the ledders carrying two and two upon a horse, and horses carrying the other instruments mentionate befoir; and, last of all, himselfe with the reste of the troupe. He marched on in this order, and passeth the water of Eden about two hours before day, at the Stoniebank beneath Carleill brig, the water being at the tyme, threugh raines that had fallen, weill thick; he comes to the Sacray, a plaine place under the toune and castell, and halts upon the syde of a litle water or burne that they call Caday. There he makes about 80 men to light from their horses, took the ledders to be set to the wall, and assayes, whilst the sentinels warns the top of the wall above thame, looking over, and crying and speaking ane to another; but that it happened to fall to be very dark in the hindnight, and a litle mistie. The ledders proved too short thro' the error of thame quha had bene sent to measure the wall, and could not reach the top of the wall; and then order was given to make use of the other instruments that were caried, for opening the wall a little, hard by the posterne, the which being set in the way, the Lord of Buccleugh seing the mater was likelie to succeed well, and that no discoverie was, did retier himselfe for the suretie of thame that he had. set on the castell against the forceing of the toun, and so pat himselfe and the horsemen betwixt the posterne of the castell and the nixt port of the toune, upon the plaine field, to assure the retreat of his awin from the castell againe, wha were sent also in such competent number as was knowne to be able to master thame that was within, upon their entrie; qula did thereupon. also correspond upon the first sound of the trumpet, with a cry and noyse, the more to confirme his awne that ware gone upon the castell, and to terrifie both castell and toune by ane imaginatioun of a greater force. They enter the castell, the first of thame single, by the overture that was made, and than brake oppen immediatelie the posterne with such instruments as was fitt to mak passage to the greater number. Thair did occur to theme, at their firste entrie, allannerlie the watchmen or sentinells, and some others after upon the alarm, with the weapons they had. Bot after they were put back and scat

tered, the rest that was within doors heiring the noyse of the trumpet within, and that the castell was entered, and the noyse of others without, both the Lord Scroope himselfe and his deputy Salkeld being thair with the garrisone and his awin retinew, did keip thamselffis close. The prisoner was taken out of the hous quhair he was keiped, the which was knowne to the Lord of Buccleuch, his sending a woman upon pretext the day befoir to visite the prisoner, quha reporting quhat place he was keiped in, ther lacked not persones enough thaire that knew all the rewmes thaire, and so went directlie after the rencounter with the watchmen, and sum other with them that came to the alarum to the place, and brought him furth, and so be the posterne gat away; some other prisoners were brought out that were taken in the rancounter, the which were presentlie returned into the castell againe by the Lord of Buccleugh, and any uther spoylle or butting also hinderit, that not so much as any uther doore that was opin within the castell was entered but that quhair the prisoner was, the which was broken up; nor uther that was shut so much as knocket at, tho' they that enterit might have taken prisoners the warden and all the prisoners that was there, and made prey of the haill guids, seing they war maisters of the castell; such was the reguard of the Lord of Buccleughe, and the strict order that he gave, being present himselfe, that he walde not have any circumstance to fall out in that action, in sua farr as it could have bene eschewed, that could have given the least cause of offence either to the King his master or to the late Queen. By which bringing furth of the prisoner the toun and castell was in a great fear and alarum, and was a putting of thameselffis in armes; drums war beatting, belles ringing, and bealles put on the top of the castell to warne the countrie. The day was brokin, and so the interpryse having so weill succeidit, the Lord of Buccleugh, after that these [that] went upon the castell, and the prisoner, were reteired and horsed, marched close by the Sarkage againe to the river at the Stainiebank; where upon the alarum in the castell and toune, some were assembled in the farre syde in the passage; and so having to that tyme retiered himselfe close and without any noyse from the castell, he causit sound up his trumpet befoir he tuik the river, it being both mistie and dark, though the day was brokin, to the end both to encourage his owne, and to let thame that war abyding him upon the passage know that he luikit for and was [ready] to receave any charge that they sould offer him; quhairupon they made choyse to luik to him and give him way, and not adventure upon so doubtfull ane event with him, wha behoved to reteire him homewards, and not living thaire, if he could choyse, after such an useage of his hoist. So having past the river, the day began to grow light, and he did reteire himselfe in order

throw the Grahames of Esk and Levin, and came back to Scottis ground at about two hours after sunrysing, and so homewards."

The consequences of the enterprise are thus mentioned by Spottiswoode :

"This fell out the 13th of April, 1596. The Queen of England, having notice sent her of what was done, stormed not a little. One of her chief castles surprised, a prisoner taken forth of the hands of the warden, and carried away, so far within England, she esteemed a great affront. The lieger, Mr. Bowes, in a frequent convention kept at Edinburgh, the 22d of May, did, as he was charged, in a long oration, aggravate the heinousness of the fact, concluding that peace could not longer continue betwixt the two realms, unless Bacleuch were delivered in England, to be punished at the Queen's pleasure. Bacleuch compearing, and charged with the fact, made answer,-That he went not into England with intention to assault any of the Queen's houses, or to do wrong to any of her subjects, but only to relieve a subject of Scotland unlawfully taken, and more unlawfully detained; that, in the time of a general assurance, in a day of truce, he was taken prisoner against all order, neither did he attempt his relief till redress was refused; and that he had carried the business in such a moderate manner, as no hostility was committed, nor the least wrong offered to any within the castle; yet was he content, according to the ancient treaties observed betwixt the two realms, when as mutual injuries were alleged, to be tried by the commissioners that it should please their Majesties to appoint, and submit himself to that which they should decern.'-The convention, esteeming the answer reasonable, did acquaint the ambassador therewith, and offered to send commissioners to the Borders, with all diligence, to treat with such as the Queen should be pleased to appoint for her part.

"But she, not satisfied with the answer, refused to appoint any commissioners; whereupon the council of England did renew the complaint in July thereafter; and the business being of new agitated, it was resolved of as before, and that the same should be remitted to the trial of commissioners; the King protesting, 'that he might, with great reason, crave the delivery of Lord Scroope, for the injury committed by his deputy, it being less favourable to take a prisoner, than relieve him that is unlawfully taken; yet, for the continuing of peace, he would forbear to do it, and omit nothing, on his part, that could be desired, either in equity, or by the laws of friendship.'—The Borders, in the meantime, making daily incursions one upon another, filled all their parts with trouble, the English being continually put to the worse; neither were they made quiet, till, for satisfying the Queen, the Laird of Bacleuch was first committed in St. Andrews, and afterwards entered in England, where