The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border

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  Carmichael was our warden then.—­P. 157. v. 2.

Sir John Carmichael was a favourite of the resent Morton, by whom he was appointed warden of the middle marches, in preference to the border chieftains.  With the like policy, the regent married Archibald Carmichael, the warden’s brother, to the heiress of Edrom, in the Merse, much contrary to the inclination of the lady and her friends.  In like manner, he compelled another heiress, Jane Sleigh, of Cumlege, to marry Archibald, brother to Auchinleck of Auchiuleck, one of his dependants.  By such arbitrary practices, Morton meant to strengthen his authority on the borders; instead of which, he hastened his fall, by giving disgust to his kinsman the Earl of Angus, and his other friends, who had been established in the country for ages.—­Godscroft, Vol.  II.  Pages 238. 246.  Sir John Carmichael, the warden, was murdered 16th June, 1600, by a party of borderers, at a place called Raesknows, near Lochmaben, whither he was going to hold a court of justice.  Two of the ring-leaders in the slaughter, Thomas Armstrong, called Ringan’s Tarn, and Adam Scott, called the Pecket, were tried at Edinburgh, at the instance of Carmichael of Edrom.  They were condemned to have their right hands struck off, thereafter to be hanged, and their bodies gibbeted on the Borough Moor; which sentence was executed, 14th November, 1601.  “This Pecket, (saith Birrel in his Diary), was ane of the maist notalrie thieftes that ever raid:”  he calls his name Steill, which appears, from the record, to be a mistake.  Four years afterwards, an Armstrong, called Sandy of Rowanburn, and several others of that tribe, were executed for this and other excesses.—­Books of Adjournal of these dates.

  And the Laird’s Wat, that worthie man.—­P. 157. v. 2.

The chief, who led out the sirname of Scott upon this occasion, was (saith Satchells) Walter Scott of Ancrum, a natural son of Walter of Buccleuch.  The laird of Buccleuch was then a minor.  The ballad seems to have been popular in Satchells’ days, for he quotes it literally.  He must, however, have been mistaken in this particular; for the family of Scott of Ancrum, in all our books of genealogy, deduce their descent from the Scotts of Balwearie in Fife, whom they represent.  The first of this family, settled in Roxburghshire, is stated in Douglas’ Baronage to have been Patrick Scott, who purchased the lands of Ancrum, in the reign of James VI.  He therefore could not be the Laird’s Wat of the ballad; indeed, from the list of border families in 1597, Ker appears to have been proprietor of Ancrum at the date of the ballad.  It is plainly written in the MS. the Laird’s Wat, i.e., the Laird’s son Wat; notwithstanding which, it has always hitherto been printed the Laird Wat.  If Douglas be accurate in his genealogy, the person meant must be the young laird of Buccleuch, afterwards distinguished for his surprise of Carlisle Castle.—­See Kinmont Willie.  I am the more confirmed in this opinion, because Kerr of Ancrum was at this time a fugitive, for slaying one of the Rutherfords, and the tower of Ancrum given in keeping to the Turnbulls, his hereditary enemies.  His mother, however, a daughter of Home of Wedderburn, contrived to turn out the Turnbulls, and possess herself of the place by surprise.—­Godscroft, Vol.  II. p. 250.

  The Armestranges, that aye hae been.—­P. 158. v. 1.

This clan are here mentioned as not being hail, or whole, because they were outlawed or broken men.  Indeed, many of them had become Englishmen, as the phrase then went.  Accordingly, we find, from Paton, that forty of them, under the laird of Mangertoun, joined Somerset upon his expedition into Scotland.—­Paton, in Dalyell’s Fragments, p. 1.  There was an old alliance betwixt the Elliots and Armstrongs, here alluded to.  For the enterprises of the Armstrongs, against their native country, when under English assurance, see Murdin’s State Papers, Vol.  I. p. 43.  From which it appears, that, by command of Sir Ralph Evers, this clan ravaged almost the whole west border of Scotland.

  The sheriffe brought the Douglas down.—­P. 158. v. 2,

Douglas of Cavers, hereditary sheriff of Teviotdale, descended from Black Archibald, who carried the standard of his father, the Earl of Douglas, at the battle of Otterbourne.—­See the Ballad of that name.

  Wi’ Cranstane, Gladstain, good at need.—­P. 158. v. 2.

Cranstoun of that ilk, ancestor to Lord Cranstoun; and Gladstain of Gladstains.

  Wi a’ the Trumbills, stronge and stout;
  The Rutherfoords, with grit renown.—­P. 158. v. 2.

These were ancient and powerful border clans, residing chiefly upon the river Jed.  Hence, they naturally convoyed the town of Jedburgh out.  Although notorious freebooters, they were specially patronised by Morton, who, by their means, endeavoured to counterpoise the power of Buccleuch and Ferniherst, during the civil wars attached to the queen’s faction.

The following fragment of an old ballad is quoted in a letter from an aged gentleman of this name, residing at New-York, to a friend in Scotland: 

    “Bauld Rutherfurd, he was fow stout, Wi’ a’ his nine sons
    him round about; He led the town o’ Jedburgh out, All bravely
    fought that day.”

  Wi’ Sir John Forster for their guyde.—­P. 158. v. 3.

This gentleman is called, erroneously, in some copies of this ballad, Sir George.  He was warden of the mid-marches of England.

  Wi’ Sir George Henroune of Schipsydehouse.—­P. 159. v. 1.

Sir George Heron of Chipchase-house, whose character is contrasted with that of the English warden.

  Had Tindaill, Reedsdaill at his hand.—­P. 159. v. 2.

These are districts, or dales, on the English border.  Hebsrime seems to be an error in the MS. for Hebburn upon the Till.

  Five hundred Fennicks in a flock.—­P. 159. v. 3.

The Fenwicks; a powerful and numerous Northumberland clan.

  Then raise the slogan with ane shout.—­P. 161. v. 3.

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 much 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, (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 hoopyng, sum whistelyng, and most with crying, a Berwyke! a Berwyke! a Fenwyke! a Fenwyke! a Bulmer! a Bulmer! or so ootherwise as theyr captein’s names wear, never linnde those troublous and daungerous 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 1335, 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 Lock-Sloy.

  The swallow taill frae tackles flew.—­P. 162. v. 2.

The Scots, on this occasion, seem to have had chiefly fire-arms; the English retaining still their partiality for their ancient weapon, the long-bow.  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.

  And had not been the merchant packs.—­P. 162. v. 3.

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.

  Sir Francis Russel ta’en was there.—­P, 163. v. 1.

This gentleman was son to the Earl of Bedford.  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.

  Proud Wallinton was wounded sair.—­P. 163. v. 1.

Fenwick of Wallinton, a powerful Northumbrian chief.

  As Collingwood, that courteous knight.—­P. 163. v. 1.

Sir Cuthbert Collingwood.  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.

  Young Henry Schufton,—­P. 163. v. 2.

The name of this gentleman does not appear in the MS. in the Advocates’ Library, but is restored from a copy in single sheet, printed early in the last century.

  For laiming of the laird of Mow.—­P. 163. v. 2.

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.

  For Gretein kend net gude be ill.—­P. 163. v. 2;

Graden, a family of Kerrs.

  Beanjeddart, Hundlie, and Hunthill.—­P. 163. v. 3.

Douglas of Beanjeddart, an ancient branch of the house of Cavers, possessing property near the junction of the Jed and Tiviot.

Hundlie,—­Rutherford of Hundlie, or Hundalee, situated on the Jed, above Jedhurgh.

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 march-treason, or border-theft, along with the lairds of Corbet, Greenhead, and Overton, A.D. 1588.—­Johnston’s History, p. 129.

  But auld Badreule had on a jack.—­P. 164. v. 1.

Sir Andrew Turnbull of Bedrule, upon Rule Water.  This 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 Tiviotdale 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.

  Gude Ederstane was not to lack.—­P. 164. v. 1.

An ancient family of Rutherfords; I believe, indeed, the most ancient now extant.  The family is represented by Major Rutherford of Edgerstane.  His seat is about three miles distant from the field of battle.

  Nor Kirktoun, Newtoun, noble men!—­P. 164. v. 1.

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.

Newtoun.—­This is probably Grinyslaw of Little Newtoun, mentioned in the said roll of border clans.