Border Raids and Reivers   By: Robert Borland (-1912)

BORDER RAIDS AND REIVERS

BY ROBERT BORLAND

MINISTER OF YARROW

DALBEATTIE: THOMAS FRASER. MDCCCXCVIII.

PRINTED AT THE COURIER AND HERALD OFFICES, DUMFRIES, FOR THOMAS FRASER, DALBEATTIE.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE xv.

I.

THE AULD ENEMY. PAGE.

Extent of Border reiving Plunder and reprisal All classes implicated Double dose of original sin Victims of an evil fate Invasions Threatened annexation of Scotland Edward's twofold policy Sacking of Berwick Feeling of hostility produced Edward visits Scone and carries off Scottish Sceptre and Crown Douglas and Edward Bruce Borderers animated by a spirit of revenge 1 14

II.

PERCY'S PENNON.

Battle of Otterburn Chief combatants How the encounter was brought about Destruction of the Abbeys Meeting of the Scots at Aberdeen Scottish army assembles at Yetholm Method of attack determined upon Earl Douglas marches through Northumberland Ravages Durham Returns to Newcastle Hotspur and Douglas Otterburn Preparations for battle The English assault The Douglas slain Hotspur taken prisoner Humanity of Borderers 15 32

III.

POOR AND LAWLESS.

Condition of Scotland Ancient monasteries Description of country by Æneas Sylvius Ignorance of the people Laws cannot be enforced The Barons supreme Law against harbouring thieves Every man's hand against his neighbour Pledges demanded Banished north of the Forth Scottish Borderers forbidden to marry daughters of "broken men" in England No respect paid to the law Execrable murders committed Without religion Hand fasting 33 54

IV.

RAIDS AND FORAYS.

Invasions constantly occurring Many lives sacrificed How the reivers conducted their expeditions Leslie's account Tracked by bloodhounds Froissart's description of Borderers Invasion by Earl of Hertford Raid by Sir Ralph Eure Battle of Ancrum Moor Lord Dacre's devastations Borderers retaliate Horrid cruelties practised Raid of the Reidswire Indignation of English Queen Morton's concessions 55 80

V.

WARDENS OF THE MARCHES.

Generally officers of high rank Scottish King limited in his choice Wardens invested with arbitrary powers Bonds of alliance Of little or no value Ignored when convenient Wardens well remunerated Duties pertaining to the office 81 96

VI.

THE DAY OF TRUCE.

Arrangements for dealing with offenders Of a primitive character Prisoners could not be detained in custody Often took "leg bail" Day of Truce every month Date and place made known by proclamation The meeting of the Wardens Regulations for conduct of business Administering the oath Three ways of trying cases Bogus bills Value of goods Bills "fouled" or "cleared" The hot trod Baughling Lord Russell shot Foster's explanations 97 115

VII.

THE DEADLY FEUD.

Origin of the expression Feuds of everyday occurrence Occasioned by trifling circumstances Inherited Made the administration of the law difficult Feud betwixt the Kers and Scotts How occasioned The Maxwells and Johnstones A disastrous feud Battle of Dryfe Sands Murder of Johnstone Lord Maxwell imprisoned Returns to the Borders Betrayed by Earl of Caithness Beheaded in Edinburgh Ker of Cessford slain Pursuit of his murderers How feuds staunched Bonds of Assurance Marriage Pilgrimage Assythment 116 135

VIII.

THE THIEVES DAUNTONED.

The "Family Tree" Man's first right The King connives at Border reiving The Wardens often indifferent The King's visit to Dumfries Tytler's account of what transpired The Turnbulls of Rule Water punished The Earl of Mar in Hawick Lack of trees and halters Queen Mary at Jedburgh The Earl of Bothwell John Elliot of Park The Queen visits Hermitage Struck down with fever The suppression of Liddesdale Buccleuch and Ferniherst Mangerton destroyed The whole district given to the flames Geordie Bourne Found guilty of March treason Executed Milder measures The Tower of Netherby Cary's success 136 154