Border Papers volume 1: July 1584

241. Scottish Border Complaints. [July 5.]

The chief occasion of the present trouble is the Lord Scrope's refusal to keep meetings or make redress in the West March, "be the space almaist of sevin yeir by past"—whereby far greater enormities have been committed than Liddesdale can be charged with. In June 1583, the King caused the Laird of Cesfuird then keeper of Liddesdale, appoint a meeting for redress, which was "schott" by Lord Scrope's default.

"Sensyne, the taking of the Lard of Mangertoun furth of his awin hous," and divers others in Liddesdale, and the slaughter and outrages done on the poor inhabitants of Annand, Lord Scrope's deputies and officers and the captains and soldiers of Berwick being chief executors,—appear rather acts of public hostility than private attempts of thieves.

The steward of Burgh barony, in November 1583, came to the Barche which appertained to "umquhill Geordie Grahame of Renpatrik," and there took 40 ky and oxen, 6 horses and mares, six score sheep and "gait" and slew Davie Gask.

In January last, the hership of the Craig in Eskdaill, committed by Walter Grahame called Dikkis Wattie, and the Queen's own soldiers, the goods being 30 ky and oxen, 6 "naigis," 40 sheep and "gait," and whole insicht, and slaughter of a poor man.

The hership of the Yetbyr in Eskdaill, by the Queen's soldiers in February last, 1583, being 60 kye and oxen, 100 sheep, 7 horses and mares, and there slew two poor men and mutilated three others.

Latest, the taking of young James Stewart of Schillinghaw, the Laird of Frude, William Twedie of the Wra, and other gentlemen of Tweddell, "be a buschement of the Grahames, layed for thame xxiiij mylis within Scotland, and the ressett of the Bellis, Carlillis and thair complices in the West Marche of England, being his Majesteis rebellis, and geving up of traist with the wardane of the West Marche of Scotland in thair favour," has encouraged the lawless people on both sides, to break out, whereby the subjects of Scotland have received the far greater loss, as shall be found on trial.

1¼ pp. In a Scottish hand. Indorsed: "Complaints of attemptats comytted by the subjectes of our West Marche."

242. The King to the Laird of Cesford. [July [6].]

"Traist freind, we greit yow weill. Understanding alsweill be reportis of our awin bordoureris, as be frequent writtis and messages frome the Eist and Mydle Mearches foranent yow, the mony forayis and incursiounes committitt laitlie be sum of our disorderitt pepill of Tiviotdaill upoun the inhabitantis of the oppositt wairdanrie, and dowting greitlie lest your uvirsicht of it suld cary with it sum further misterie nor we can weill beleeve ye will let enter in your meaninge, we have thocht meitt to gif yow this advertischement of our intelligence thairof, desyring and commanding yow upoun the perrell of that thing ye hawe deireste, to put immediat ordour to it, alsweill be the redressing of sic insolence in tyme to cum, tending sa heichlie to the brek of amitie and peax upoun your part, as likwayis be appoincting schort and convenient dayis of meting betuix yow and your oppositt officiaris quhairin be dew redres to be maid be the attemptaris of the insolence, the parteis interessit may be refoundit of thair lose, according to the treateis, and the honour of our trustie and weilbelovit cosing the Lord Hunsdane, sa heichlie twichitt with sa lang patience and oursycht of revenge, and quhais guid offices to the intertenementt of peax and amitie upon the Bordour and particuler effectioun to our weill and preservatioun, deservis of ws fare utherwayis, may be reparit, to his dew satisfactioun and lyking. Assuring yow that in cace of failye, nocht onelie will we have occasioun to interprete your meaning in it to the worst, bot thairwith sall give ordour that the parteis dampnifeit be sic attemptis of lawles men subject to your chairge, salbe reparitt of the reddiest that pertenis to yow, salang as ye have quhairupoun in geir, or utherwayis. Bot trusting to your bettir resolutioun, we committ yow to God. Frome Falkland this [ ] of July 1584."

1 p. In contemporary Scottish official writing. Indorsed: "Copie of his Majesties lettre sent to Cesfurd."

243. Davison to Scrope. [July 6.]

On 24^th of last month I informed you how I had dealt with the King and Council touching the late Liddesdale attempts, and how I thought best, being indisposed in health, to deliver your and Sir John Forster's letters to Secretary Mateland. I heard nothing from him till yesterday, and enclose copy of his letter, which referred me for further answer to the Clerk Register, who "by mouth" told me that the King and Council, though they utterly misliked the Liddesdale incursions, blamed your lordship as chief occasion of them, and produced the "note of sondry greefes," a copy whereof I send you. Yet if her Majesty would give orders for redress, he said his master was willing to act accordingly, and orders should be directed from Court to his warden. I promised to advertise her Majesty and Council, also your lordship hereof. Edinburgh. Signed: W. Davison. "M^r Secretary doth putt me in hope dayly of my revocation."

1 p. A copy in Davison's writing. Indorsed: "6 July 1584. M. to my lorde Scroope." Inclosing No. 241.

244. Scrope to Davison. [July 11.]

I have your "freindlie lettres" and copy of the Scottish complaints against me—to which I have replied at some length, as you have not been so fully acquainted with my doings, as M^r Secretary and M^r Bowes. My answer may be shown if you think good, to the King or Council, for I will stand to it. I have also sent you an abstract of bills for Liddesdale, and have at least 200 more against them unredressed. I have provided a very proper horse for your own saddle, which I will send either to Edinburgh, or to any other place on your return, as directed. The bearer Thomas Davyson I commend to you as honest and trusty. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed: To Davison as the Queen's "agent in Scotland."

245. The Same to The Same. [July 12.]

I have sent my answers to the complaints against me from the King and Council, "by a Scottishman Thomas Davyson," with some bills against Liddesdale. For your further satisfaction, (which I do not commit to writing by the other messenger) M^r Secretary and M^r Bowes are well aware that my part in these matters is blameless, the Scottish rulers and officers being the cause,—so much so that her Majesty by M^r Secretary, has directed me, on any outrage being committed, to take revenge as I can, whereby I have been the bolder to give oversight—imparting thus much to you secretly, "having made other discourse" in the answers.

The horse I wrote of, "for pace and making, I trust will content you," and he shall be ready for you at Newcastle or elsewhere on your return.

Your friendly offer of hawks I heartily thank you for. "I am moste delighted with a Scottishe gooeshait hawke, tarselles gentle, and marlyons." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed: To Davison as the Queen's "ambassador in Scotland." Inclosed in the foregoing:—

(Scrope's Answers.)

1. He admits having refused redress for the West Marches till he got it for Liddesdale, and her Majesty approved his action.

2. He met Cesford at Kirsopfoot on 1 July 1583, but as he could get no redress for murders, &c., he deferred farther meeting.

3. Admits taking the Laird of Mangerton prisoner, which he was forced to do, for lack of other remedy. Neither himself, his deputy or captain was present at Annande, though some soldiers were with the countrymen. But it followed on a foray in Bewcastle, where the Liddesdale men took 100 kye and oxen from the Rutledges, and was caused by the last. A year ago, James Carr of Greneheadd, Cesford's deputy, took 80 prisoners in open foray, some of whose ransoms are yet unredressed. Cesford also demanded meetings at Gamelspethe, instead of Kirsopfoot the accustomed place, and put off justice for 5 years. Lord Scrope notwithstanding, offered to deliver two of the principal men of the Greymes viz., Walter Greyme and Robert Greyme of the Fauld, when he met the Laird of Johnston at Rookliefe, on receiving Will Armstrange alias Kynmont and Jocke his son, but was refused.

4. He thinks the steward of Burgh made that attack in revenge, and the man killed "was a notable common theefe."

5, 6, 7. He is ready to make answer for the things here charged (if they were done), on receiving redress for Liddesdale. Touching the Bells and Carlisles, it may be some of them have been within his bounds, yet divers fugitives and outlaws, as Hobb of the Comecrooke, Bessies Andrewe, Habbie Greyme of Peertree, and others, have been openly resetted in Liddesdale, and delivery refused by Cesford, and he thinks the one as meet to be answered as the other. To shew his good will, the Laird Johnston 4 years since had leave to enter his wardenry in search of rebels, and slew three of them on the water of Esk, which he could not have done without Scrope's oversight, while the latter has never had this favour at any Scotsman's hands since he first served her Majesty here.

4 pp. Written by Scrope's clerk. Indorsed: "The Lorde Scroppes aunswere to the complaintis of the Scottes."

246. Scrope to Walsingham. [July 13.]

"On Thursdaye last, the Larde Johnston is retourned home, being advaunced by the King and made lieutenante of the West Marches, Nyddesdale, and Gallowaye, and also lieutenaunte of Liddesdale and the west parte of Tyvyotedale, and is made also provoste of Drumfrese, which thing never any warden hath had before him. On Thursdaye next he intendeth to kepe courte at Lowghmaben, where he myndeth to have thassemblye of all his freindes, and that daye sevenight following to holde courte of justice there for the border causes, at which courte I looke not that all his borderers will appeare. Howbeyt he is this same daye in tryesting with them abowt the same, whereof you shall be advertised as occasion shall serve. I have thought good also to advertise yow, that of a trueth thErle of Morton made offre unto the King, that forasmuche as he had understanding that the noble men of Scotlande being presentlie banyshed into this realme, with their complices, sholde all come hither to Carlisle, and contynue within the same, he wolde with the nomber of two hundred footmen and one hundred horsemen, together with the forces of the West Marches of Scotlande, take upon him to laye abowt this citie, and compasse yt in suche sorte, as the King with his forces might come to beseidge yt and have the same and all his rebelles at his pleasure. And the King demaunding at the Larde Johnston, if he thought yt might be so done? he answered that he tooke yt to be to harde a pece of worke to be dealt in. This thing maye seame to you verie strange, but I assure you I have the same from a gentleman to whome the King himselff imparted yt.

The King hath drawen certein articles against the ministers, chardging them that whatsoever they have gone abowt synce the Road of Ruthen, hath tended onelie to rebellyon and treason against his owne parson, whereunto he hath willed the burgesses of Edenburghe to subscribe—who have refused so to doe, and therefore the King hath taken displeasure with them."

I thank you for obtaining my lords' letters of thanks to the gentlemen, who are thereby greatly encouraged. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

"Postscript.—All these matters of Scotlande are delyvered to me by a gentleman of good credit who hath been with the Larde Johnston in his being abroad with the King."

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

247. Scrope to Walsingham. [July 14.]

"Having by my lettres of yesterday advertised you of thadvauncement of the Larde Johnston emongest others, to the office of provoste of Drumfreise, which alwayes before this tyme hath ben in the disposicion and choise of the Lorde Maxwell, with thassent of the burgesses, so farre as I can learne—the said Larde Johnston having assembled a great number of his freindes and also of the surnames of the countrye, with whome he had tryest for other causes, it was thought that he had determyned yesterdaye with those nombers to have entred into the towne, and taken possession of the provostshippe. Upon the which conjecture, thErle of Morton assembled all his freindes and partakers to have made resistance unto him, if he had enterprised the same. Whereof the Larde Johnston having understanding, is not a litle greyved, and thereby intendeth to worke thErle all the displeasure he can with the King." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

½ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

248. Account of The Treasurer of Berwick. [July 16.]

"[Breif declaracion] of thaccompte of Robert Bowes esquier threasourour there, determined for one whoale yere, endinge at the feaste of S^t Michaell tharchaungell anno regni domine Elizabethe nune regine vicesimo, as followethe."

Extracts.

Among the allowances and payments are,—the "preacher and watche," 123l.; "keaper of the poaste boate, and two typstaves newly erected," 39l. 3s. 4d.; fee of Robert Vernon esquier surveyor of the victualles," 365l.; "the rente of the threasorour his house," 26l. 13s. 4d.

3 pp. Indorsed: "xvj^to Julij 1584. . . . togither with his peticions."

249. Scrope To Davison. [July 24.]

I have received your letter by Thomas Davyson, and thank you for the news therein. As for the promise by Arrane and the Secretary, for redress for Liddesdale, if the like is had from me—" I doe lyke verie well to heare of yt, and so have I ben answered these foure yeares—but the effect wold please me better, whereof I have no hope." For the Liddesdales on Tuesday last again spoiled and raised fire in Bewcastle, which I fear will cause reprisals, though I have given strict orders against them.

I send by the bearer my servant "Eares Richie," a handsome hobbye for your own saddle, trusting he will please you. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed: To Davison as the Queen's "agent in Scotland." Indorsed.