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fix fonnes, as able men as the borders had. This old man and his fonnes had not fo few as two hundred at their commaunds, that were ever ready to ride with them to all 5 actions at their beck.

The high parts of the Marsh towards Scotland were put in a mighty fear, and the chiefe of them, for themselves and the reft, petition'd to mee, and did affure mee, that unless I did take fome course with them by the end of that fummer, there was none of the inhabitants durft or would ftay in their

8 The frequent excurfions of the borderers (indeed on both fides) gave occafion to an enigmatical proverb, according to the style of thofe times, If they come they come not, and if they come not they come. Meaning that if their herds were intercepted by thofe free-booters, then their cattle did not come home as usual at night, but if the free-booters did not come, then the cattle furely returned.. dwellings

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dwellings the next winter, but they would fly the countrey, and leave their houfes and lands to the fury of the out-lawes. Upon this complaint, I called the gentlemen of the countrey together, and acquainted them with the misery that the highest parts of the March towards Scotland were likely to endure if there were not timely prevention to avoid it, and defired them to give mee their beft advice what course were fitt to be taken. They all fhewed themselves willing to give mee their best counfailes, and most of them were of opinion, that I was not well advised to refufe the hundred horfe that my Lord Euers had, and that now my best way was fpeedily to acquaint the Queene and Counfaile with the neceffity of having more foldiers, and that there could not be lefs than a hundred horfe fent downe for the de

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fence of the countrey, befides the forty that I had already in pay, and that there was nothing but force of foldiers could keep them in awe; and to let the Counfaile plainly understand, that the Marsh of themselves were not able to fubfift whenever the winter and long nights came in, unleffe present cure and remedy were provided for them. I defired them to advise better of it, and to fee if they could find out any other meanes to prevent their mifcheivous intentions, without putting the Queene or countrey to any further charge ". They all refolved there was no fecond meanes. Then I told them my intention what I meant to do,

86

86 Another inftance of well judged parfimony, joined to a fpirit, incapable of being alarmed by the threatened approaches of danger.

which was,

"That myselfe with my two deputyes, and the forty horfe "that I was allowed, would with what "speed wee could make ourselves ready "to go up to the waftes, and there we "would entrench ourselves, and lye as near as wee could to the outlawes; "and if there were any brave spirits

among them that would go with us, "they should be very welcome, and "fare and lye as well as myfelfe; and "I did not doubt before the summer "ended, to do fomething that should "abate the pride of these out-lawes." Those that were unwilling to hazard themselves liked not this motion. They faid that in fo doing, I might keep the country in quiet the time I lay there, but when the winter approached I could stay there no longer, and that was the theeves time to do all their mischiefe. But there were divers young gentlemen

gentlemen that offer'd to go with mee, fome with three, fome with four horses, and to stay with me fo long as I would there continue. I tooke a lift of all thofe that offer'd to go with mee, and found that with myfelf, my officers, the gentlemen and our fervants, wee fhould be about two hundred good men and horse: a competent number as I thought for such a service.

The day and place was appointed for our meeting in the waftes; and by the help of the 87 foote of Liddesdale and Rifdale, wee had foone built a pretty fort, and within it we had all cabines made to lye in, and every one brought beds or matreffes to lye on.

87 Soldiers maintained by the fovereigns of each kingdom, and placed in the feveral caftles upon the borders, not only to fecure the limits, but to fupprefs the riders.

There

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