Border Papers volume 1: June 1585

Calendar of Border Papers: Volume 1, 1560-95. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.

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'Border Papers volume 1: June 1585', in Calendar of Border Papers: Volume 1, 1560-95, (London, 1894) pp. 184-186. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-border-papers/vol1/pp184-186 [accessed 24 March 2024]

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In this section

320. Scrope to Walsingham. [June 13.]

For the 300l. which I have already laid out on Captains Wodd and Caise and their soldiers lying on the March, I would heartily desire you for a warrant for 400l. to repay me and supply their expences as far as it will go. You may confer with Mr Robert Bowes, to whom I have written, and the warrant may best be directed to him for my present payment as soon as may be.

"Of late, Mr Davie Maxwell a speciall gentleman belonging the Lorde Maxwell, accompanied with a certayne nombre of gonners, had almost taken the castle of Lowghmaben, wherin the young Larde Johnston and his companye were, insomoche that they entred in at the uttergait, and came to the yron gaite, and the porter being come furthe, and all the dores oppen, they determyned to have entred into the castle, and taken them all, as they were lying in their beddes; but the porter seing them, putto a tregayt, (fn. 1) and showted Treason! and therupon the young larde and his company awaked, went upp to the walls and shott gunes, forcying the sayd Davie Maxwell to retyre and goe backe agayne, without any great harme done unto either partie, saving that Davie Maxwell and his company brent some howses."

Since my last, the Lord Maxwell has taken nothing in hand, which is the cause of my not writing, but I hear that some day this week he is "appurposed" to do something. I thank you hartily for your letter of the 5th. Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

pp. Addressed. Indorsed.

321. Scrope to Walsingham. [June 17.]

Yesterday in the afternoon, I received a letter from the Laird of Johnston, and send herewith copies thereof and of my answer. "I ame advertysed that the Lorde Maxwell upon Tewsday last (him self being present) toke the howse of Langholme, which was in the keaping of one of the Armstranges called Johns Christie, but of the Lorde Maxwells owen inherytance, and hath placed theirin gunners and men of his owen. I ame likewise crediblie made tunderstande, that the Lorde Maxwell with his force, came yeasterdaye mornynge to the Boneshawe one of the strongest howses of that border, belonging Edward Yrwen, and dyd beseig the same, wherat were kyld two or thre of the Lorde Maxwell people, and fowre hurte by those that hath and dothe kepe the howse. Yt ys thought that this mornynge the Lorde Maxwell will ryne a forrey and for the space of fyve dayes remove him self and his company from the sayd howse." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

Inclosed in the above:—

(1) (Johnston to Scrope.)

"Beinge returned from Courte to Lowghmabon this Tuesdaie at morne, and hering of my Lord Maxwell his procedinges to will the renderinge of the house of the Lowhmabon, and lykwise the seighing of the Bonshawes, for this cause I have taken the coumoditie to visett yowr lordshippe—lettinge your lordship understand, that concerne to your lordshipis commoninge and myne, I spake with his Majestie, who assured me, that his highnes ambassadour assured him, that her Majestie had derected her letter to your lordshipp to the effect of your lordshipps commoninge and myne. My verie good lord, seinge the house of the Bonshawes is in such extremitie at this present, and that by the dawnger of the goodmans barnes and freindes beinge therin, I may be so homelye with your lordshipp as to request your lordshipp for support in their releif, wherof I doubt not his Majestie would be verie glad of. And lykwise I will thinke my self to yowr lordshipp oblisset till I may requite your lordshipp with what other pleasure in me lieth. . . From Lowghmaben this xvth of June 1585." Johnston.

½ p. Copy by Scrope's clerk. Addressed. Indorsed.

(2) (Scrope to Johnston.)

"This afternune I have receyvedd your lettre of dait yesterday. . . Lard, for awnsweare therunto, as I ame verie gladd of your lordships home comynge and wilbe verie willinge and redie to concurr with your lordship in all good offices. . . so I doe assure you that hitherto I have receyved no direccion nor lettre at all from her Majestie,—other than such as I did accquaint you withall, that I hadd receiyved a longe tyme synce, to hould hand unto you for the prosecuting and punyshment of your fugitives and disobedientes conforme to the treaties; but for the folowing and proseqwting of those within the realme of Scotland, I have receyved none. Yet, Larde, I doe well assure you that the same shall never so sone come to my handes, but I shalbe redie with all convenience and furtherance to see her highnes direccion and good pleasure effectuallie performedd. . . Trustinge that in the meane season your lordship will with reason hould mee excused, not to entermedle or deale furder then my comyssion will extend, and so your lordship maie taike occasion to lett his highnes ambassador understand." Carlisle the xvjth of June 1585. H. Scropp.

1 p. Copy by Scrope's clerk. Addressed. Indorsed.

322. Sir John Selby to Walsingham. [June 23.]

"I have recived this day advertisement out of Schotland that the castle of Edinbrough haith bene twise charged to be surrendred to the Maister of Gray, and that my Lord of Arraine, my lady his wife, and all his brethern are commaunded from Court, with straight inhibition not to come within xij myles therof, but to remaine continually at Dirlton. The Lady Arraine had builded a barras on the Castle hill, that none should approch neare the same, which the people of the towne did fourthwith overthrow. The ambassadour of Denmark had presence on Sonday last, being the xxth of this instant, in Dunfermling. He demaunded the Isles of Orcknay and Schetlant for the somme thay were ingaged. Awnswered for the present, that the tyme of ther redeaming was expired. The King spake with hym secreatly, and his finall awnswer differred till the next moneth at St Andrewes, his Majestie excusing this delay by the great trouble in his countrey, wherthrough the greatest part of his nobilitie were absent from Court." Twisell. Signed: Jhon Selby.

½ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

323. Forster to Walsingham. [June 24.]

Sending him such news as he has received from Berwick from Robert Kervell in the afternoon. Also that on Tuesday last the 22d he met the Laird of Farnyhirst, where some Scottish gentlemen informed him that the hatred between Arran and the Master of Gray "is not so earnest as yt is reported"—hoping there is no dissimulation towards her Majesty in these matters. At my house nigh Alnwick. Signed: John Forster.

½ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

324. Sir John Selby to Walsingham. [June 26. 1585.]

The report in my last regarding Arran and the castle of Edinburgh is now doubted, though the certainty is yet unknown here. "The continuall expectation of his fall, the sundry preparatifes against hym by many of the counsell and nobilitie, togither with divers advertisementes to me at one tyme, agreing in one, and verified by the commone brute, moved me to writ to your honour as I did, —the deputy wardene of the East Marches of Schotland especially affirming the same at our meating for doing justice to the subjectes of both realmes, who refused to proceade any furder at that tyme, bicause of the alteration in Court, till all thinges were setled againe, and reported to me particulerly whatsoever I had bene advertised of before, even in the same maner as I signified it to your honour. And that whereof I marvell most, iij dayes being now past since the first newes, the truth is yet doubted of, by reason as it should seame of the scarcitie of messangers from the Court, which is beyond the water, and of the vehemence of the plague in Edinbrough, and other places nigh adjoyning, none being suffred to come from thence into these partes, and since the first brute none came hither from her Majesties ambassadour. . . . That which causeth me most to doubt of it is, that th'ambassadour haith not of late dispatched any pacquett to the Court, being assured that he would not suffer a matter of that moment to overpasse uncertified." From my house at Twisell. Signed: Jhon Selbye.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

325. Munitions for Carlisle. [June 27.]

Indenture between Lord Scrope and Sir Symon Musgrave having charge of her Majesty's ordnance in the north, attesting the receipt by the former out of the Queen's store at Newcastle into the storehouse at Carlisle, under a warrant by the Privy Council of 11 August 1584, of these parcels in a schedule annexed thereto subscribed by Sir Francis Walsingham, viz.—"cannon shott, 30; "sacer shott," 100; "fawcon shott, 500;" fine corn powder, half a last; cannon corn powder, 1 last; "matche," 1000 weight; 2 chests of bows containing 100; 2 chests of arrows containing 100 "sheaffes"; bow strings, 10 "grosse"; "morespikes," 36; light horsemen staves, 100; "callevers furnished with flaskes, twoche boxes and tases," 100; "mowles" for callevers, 16; saltpeter, 5 cwt.; "sulpher," 3 cwt.; "sholves and spades," 7 dozen; "gyn roope," 1 coil of 186 lb. weight; horse harnesses, 36; "faire carts," 6; "handbaskyttes" 4 doz. and 6; iron, 1 ton; copper plate for ladles, 50 lb. weight; "straikes" for great ordnance, 10 "tyers;" "straike nailes," 1200; "firdales," 6; lead, 1 fodder; "elme planckes for great ordenaunce," 30; naves, 20 pair; "spookes," 120; "fellowes," 120; "oken tymber," 10 tons; "ashe tymber," 4 tons; "drye fattes," 2; barrells for shot, saltpeter and sulpher and "straike nailes," 6; "hair clothes" to cover the powder, 2; "wayne roope," 2 dozen "fawdomes;" "carte roope," 20 "fawdome"; and "trases," 24.

1 p. Contemporary copy. Indorsed.

Footnotes

  • 1. i.e. Closed the wooden gate.