Border Papers volume 1: May 1585

311. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 1. 1585.]

Since my last of 27^th ultimo, "the yong Larde Johnston and his freindes have come to the towne of Dunkowe being thErle of Mortons heritadge, and there setting in fyer have brent some parte of the same towne, to the reskewe whereof the Maxwelles and their complices came, and drove the Johnstons from thence, slewe one man and hurte dyverse. And for a further revendge thErle of Morton him selff in propre person, with a good nombre both of horsemen and footmen, with dromme, and banners displayed, dyd burne the towne of Brommell inhabited by the Johnstons their tenauntes and servauntes, and spoyled the towne of Thornythwate, being also the Johnstons boundes. And the same daye at the same tyme, Robert Maxwell brother to thErle, with a great nomber of the Armestranges, Batysons, Litles, Carrudders, and other the surnames of the Borders, runne a forraye six myles to the water of Dryeffe and Dryefdale, perteyning speciallie to the Johnstons, and there made great spoyle bothe of nolte and sheepe and brent somme parte of the towne of Lockerbye, and somme other onsettes thereabout—all which was done without resistance or contradiccion of any parson." Now the Earl himself has taken action, more will take his part and encourage him. The forces appointed to assemble at Pebles on Monday next, to march to the Border, are stayed till a later day. It is reported that Johnston comes home to-morrow or next day, with 200 or 300 soldiers, "shotte" and horsemen, but hereof is no certainty. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

312. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 8.]

"Synce my last lettres, thErle of Morton with his forcies came to a stone howse of his owne called Kirkonell, inhabited by one Willye Irwyn sonne to Edward of Boneshawe, thincking to have recovered the same into his owne handes and possession again. And lyeing abowt the same xxiiij^tie houres, with the losse of two of his men being slayne, and three horses, he retyred with his companye to Annande, and there reposed them selves and tooke their ease for xxiiij^tie houres. And even yesterdaye, the said Erle him selff and his said forcies have comme to Lockerbye and beseiged two stone houses of two of the principalles of the Johnstons, wherein were certein persons which kept the same, and stoode at their defence and killed one of thErles goonniers; but in thend therle having woonne the said howses by force, dyd furthwith hang foure of them being Johnstons, over the walles of the said howses, and reserved ten moe alyve, whome he caryed with him as prysoners to Drumfreise—who notwithstanding stande in no securitie of their lyves, but remayne at his pleasure; and besydes brent all the rest of the howses thereabowt and spoyled their goodes." Johnston is not yet returned but daily expected with some supply. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

313. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 12.]

Being directed by the Council's letter of 27^th ultimo, to enquire, along with some other justices well affected in religion, as to any recusants in this wardenry who refuse to come to church to divine service, and to search the houses of such already convicted, for armour and weapons, and disarm them till they conform—I find only two, "namelie one Andrewe Hilton, whom I have sent to Yorke, whose howse being searched, there was no armour or weapons founde at all. Thother is named Parcyvall Kirkbryde a vagarant parson, having no howse of his owne of aboad;" of whom and any other suspected persons, I shall use my utmost endeavour to enquire. "Towching the contentes of your owne lettres of the vij^th of this instante, I have sent one to thErle to learne his presente state, for that the Larde Johnston is now comme home with somme men of warre, and this daye is mustring his freindes, and it is thought he will hastelie pursue him. His messadge whome I sent to thErle is, as of my selff having compassion upon his distresse by reason of his former concurrencie with me in justice when he was warden, to offre him such oversight within myne office for his escape if he shalbe so forced, in such secrete sorte as I maye make him. And for conference with Sir John Forster abowt this cause—if the matter shall not otherwise sodenlie fall owt this waye—I shall with convenient expedicion dispatche one of myne owne of credit and sufficiencie, to considre with him of the best waye and meane where he maye be or remayne with moste safetie and secrecie, and thereof will advertise you." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

Postscript.—If Johnston asks assistance, I shall make him such general answer as you prescribe.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

314. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 13.]

"Synce the dispatche of my lettres of yesterdaye by my servaunte Henrie Tyrrell, . . . even yesternight after xj of the clocke, the Larde Johnston came hither unto me in secrete maner, requyring of me such ayde and assistance as I might in any wise make unto him in this accion betwene him and thErle of Morton. Whereunto I answered in generall termes, that I knewe hir Majestie to have a speciall care over the King and state of that realme, and had gyven me in chardge to joyne with him so farre furth as by the treatyes or custome of the Borders I ought to doe, the which I wolde be redye to performe as he sholde requyer me. Whereof he seamed verie well to allowe, yet proceded he further with me to let him have some supplye both of horsemen and footmen in Scotlande to pursewe thErle and others in that accion—whereunto I answered, I could not doe yt, for that I had no such commission. Wherewith he rested satisfyed, and yet seamed as thoughe the King wolde wryte to her Majestie for that purpose, whose direccion I tolde him I was redye to obeye." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

Postscript.—The Laird Johnston told me the King had assigned to him 200 "shotte" and 100 horsemen, and if not sufficient, then "Coronell" Steward should come forward with the army.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

315. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 17.]

I received your letter of the 12^th yesternight, and another to the Laird of Carmighell, which I have sent to him, signifying your pleasure that I should pay him 40l. He has already more than a week ago withdrawn from the Border further into the country, awaiting your orders.

Touching affairs between Morton and Johnston, you may partly understand by the enclosed from a friend. "If they shall mete indede, yt is certein the one syde will repent the matche." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

½ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

316. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 23.]

"I am advertised that the Larde of Johnston ys secretlye departed to Courte, to obteyne of the Kynges Majestie moore ayde, by a lieutenaunte, for that of him selfe he ys not able to deale with the Lorde Maxwell and his partye. I here also that the infeccion of the plague is verye sore and whote abowte and in the towne of Edenburghe."

I pray you to remember my warrant for payment of the soldiers here, and commend to her Majesty the good service of this bearer "Henrye Lighe." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

¼ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

317. Scrope to Walsingham. [May 28.]

"Upon Wedinsday last, the Lorde Maxwell dyd assemble and call togeather theise noblemen to a place called the Colledg (fn. 1) a myle distant from the towne of Drumfreyes, namely, the Lorde Herries, the Larde of Loughenver, the Sherieff of Gallowaye, the Larde of Garlishe, and the Larde of Bombye, with the resydewe of the lardes and barrons of that countrie, and their had with them speciall conference all that daye. And therafter, about twolfe of clocke of the sayd night, the sayd Lorde Maxwell with the nombre of seventen hundreth men, foit and horse, toke his jornaye from Drumfreyes directlie to the towne of Moffett belonging the Larde Johnston, being xviij^t myle distant, and there put furthe his horsemen and rune a forraye of the circuyt and compasse of sixten myle, brent thre hundreth howses, browght awaye a thowsand nolt, two thowsand sheipp, one hundreth horse and naiges, and great store of howshold stuff, most part perteyning the Larde Johnston and his frendes. And therafter without any resistance, retorned with his force to the towne of Lowghmaben, where he and they encamped and layd yeasternight being Thursdaye. And at the same instant the young Larde Johnston with Capten Cranxton and others lying in the castle of Lowghmaben, not past a quarter of a myle from the sayd towne. And for the towne of Lowghmaben, for that yt ys the Kinges, I doe not heare of any great harme that he wold suffer to be don to yt. I ame advertised that the Lorde Maxwell hath taken a rynner of the Larde Johnstons, and intercepted certayne lettres, wherof as I shall farther understande the certayntie, I shall not faile (God willing) to gyve you notice." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

318. Sir John Selby to Hunsdon. [May 30.]

"There is now presently a great assembly of noble men at Aberdene to the nomber of viij earles, besides lardes and barrons, as the Earles of Huntley, Atholl, Crawfourd, Cateness, Sunderland, Rotheis, Marshall and Erroll, who as it is thought intende some great alteration—purposing in all the north partes to doe as Maxwell haith done on the West Border. . . Concerning Maistres Jhonson, I have traveled what I cane, yet have learned litle, bicause the plague being some what vehement at Edinbrough, stayeth in a maner all intercourse." Twisell. Signed: Jhon Selbye.

¼ p. Addressed to Hunsdon: "L. Governor of Berwick, L. Wardene of the East Marches of England," &c. Indorsed.

319. Woddryngton to Walsingham. [May 31.]

"Your last pacquett datted the xiiij^th of Maij, I receaved the xix^th of the same, and the inclosed directed to the Master of Gray, and the Larde of Duncreth, according to your honours direction I did presently with speed send them accordingly. The which was delivered to the handes of the Master Gray, he attended there iij daies before he had his aunswer, and then was commanded by the Master of Gray to retyre home and within vj or vij daies he wold retourne an aunswer; but as yet I have receaved none from them, being the cause of my slacknes in writtinge." Berwick. Signed: Henry Woddryngton.

¼ p. Addressed. Indorsed.