ftout and valiant, and true to his friend; and that wee were forry our mafter could not be moved to fave his life. He voluntarily of himselfe faid, that he had lived long enough to do so many villanies as hee had done, and withall told us that he had layne with above forty mens wives, what in England what in Scotland; and that hee had killed seven Englishmen with his owne handes cruelly murthering them: that he had spent his whole time in whooring, drinking, ftealing, and taking deep revenge for flight offences. He seemed to be very pennitent, and much defired a minifter for the comfort of his foule. Wee promised him to let our master know his defire, who, wee knew, would prefently grant it. Wee tooke our leaves of him, and presently I tooke order that Mr. Selby, a very worthy honest preacher, should

go

go to him, and not ftirre from him till his execution the next morning: for after I had heard his own confeffion, I was refolved no conditions fhould fave his life; and fo tooke order that at the gates opening the next morning, hee fhould be carried to execution, which accordingly was performed "s. The next morning I had one from Sir Robert Car for a parley, who was within two miles staying for mee. I fent him word "I would meet him where he "pleased, but I would first know up

6 Until the death of Queen Elizabeth, the kingdom of England had not the benefit of an island. The neighbourhood of Scotland made England fenfible of many of the inconveniences that are felt by neighbouring kingdoms on the continent. Mr. Cary's Memoirs very circumftantially relate fome of the blackeft deeds of the moft turbulent borderers, of which this account of Giordie [George] Bourne is a moft confpicuous example.

" on

on what termes and conditions." Before his man was retourned he had heard, that in the morning very early Giordie Bourne had been executed. Many vowes he made of cruell revenge, and retourned home full of griefe and difdaine, and from that time forwards still plotted revenge. He knew the gentlemen of the country were altogether " SACKLESSE, and to make open roade upon the Marsh would but fhew his malice, and lay him open to the punishment due to fuch offences. But his practice was how to be revenged on mee or fome of mine.

66

66 SACKLESS. This is an obfolete term, scarce to be found in the modern dictionaries. In the Etymologicum Anglicanum Francifci Junii, it is rendered by the Latin word inculpaThe meaning of the fentence therefore muft be," He knew that the gentlemen of "the country were perfectly unblameable."

tus.

It was not long after that my brother and I had intelligence that there was a great match made at foote-ball, and the chiefe ryders were to be there. The place they were to meet at was Shelly, and that day we heard it, was the day for the meeting. Wee prefently called a counfaile, and after much dispute it was concluded, that the likelieft place he was to come to, was to kill the Scottes. And it was the more fufpected, for that my brother before my coming to the office, for cattaile ftolne out of the bounds, and as it were from under the walles of Barwick, being refused juftice (upon his complaint) or at least delaid, fent of the garrifon into Liddefdale, and killed there the chiefe offender which had done the wrong.

Upon this conclufion, there was order taken that both horfe and foote fhould

should lye in ambush in diverse parts of the boundes to defend the fcoutes, and to give a found blow to Sir Robert and his company. Before the horse and foote were fett out with directions what to do, it was almost darke night, and the gates ready to be lockt. Wee parted, and I was by my felfe coming to my house: God putt it into my minde, that it might well be, he meant destruction to my men that I had fent out to gather tithes for mee at Norham, and their rendevous was every night to lye and fup at an alehouse in Norham. I presently caused my page to take horse, and to ride as faft as his horfe could carry him, and to commaund my fervants (which were in all, eight) that presently upon his coming to them they should all change their lodging, and go ftreight to the castle, there to lye that night in strawe

and