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force, and so long a while, that we could not but thinke they must needs get them out, or smoother within; and forasmuch as we found not that they dyd the tone, we thought it for certain thei wear sure of the toother." PATTEN's Account of Somerset's expedition into Scotland, apud DALZEL's Frag

ments.

Southern ravage.-Verse 3, p. 77.

From the following fragment of a letter from the earl of Northumberland to king Henry VIII. preserved among the Cotton MSS. Calig. B. vii. 179, the reader may estimate the nature of the dreadful war which was occasionally waged upon the Borders, sharpened by mutual cruelties, and the personal hatred of the wardens or leaders.

Some Scottish barons, says the earl, had threatened to come within "three miles of my pore house of Werkworthe, wher I lye, and gif me light to put on my clothes at mydnyght; and alsoo the said Marke Carr said there opynly, that seyng they had a governor on the marches of Scotland, as well as they haid in Ingland, he shulde kepe your highnes instructions, gyffyn unto your garyson, for making of any dayforrey; for he and his friends wolde burne enough on the nyght, lettyng your counsaill here defyne a notable acte at theyre pleasures.

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Upon whiche, in your highnes' name, I comaun det dewe watche to be kepte on your marchies, for comyng in of any Scots. Neutheless, upon Thursday at nyght last, came thyrty light horsemen into a litill village of myne, called Whitell, having not past sex howses, lying toward Ryddisdaill, upon Shilbotellmore, and ther wold have fyred the said how ses, but ther was noo fyre to get ther, and they forgate to brynge any withe theyme; and tok a wyf, being great withe chylde, in the said towne, and said to hyr, Wher we can not gyve the lard light, yet we shall doo this in spyte of hym; and gave hyr iii mortall wounds upon the heid, and another in the right side, with a dagger; whereuppon the said wyf is dede, and the chylde in hyr bely is loste. Beseching your most gracious highnes to reduce unto your gracious memory this wylfull and shamefull murder, done within this your highnes' realme, notwithstanding all the inhabitants thereabout rose unto the said fray, and gave warnynge by becons unto the contrey afore theyme, and yet the Scottsmen dyde escape; and uppon certeyne knowledge to my brother Clyfforthe and me, had by credable persons of Scotland, this abomynable act not only to be done by dyverse of the Mershe, but also the afore named per sons of Tyvidaill, and consented to, as by aparaunce, by the erle of Murey, upon Friday at nyght last, let

yp c of the best horsemen of Glendaill, with a part of your highnes' subjects at Berwyke, together with George Dowglas, whoo came into Ingland agayne, in the dawning of the day; but before theyre retorne, they dyd mar the erle of Murey's provisions at Coldingham; for they dyd not only burne the said towne of Coldingham, with all the corne thereunto belonging, which is estemed werthc cii marke sterling; but alsoo burned twa townes nye adioning thereunto, called Barnerdergets and the Black Hill, and toke xxiiii persons, lx horse, with cc hed of cataill, whiche nowe, as I am informed, hathe not only bene a staye of the said erle of Murey's not comyng to the bordur as yet, but also, that none inlande man will adventure theyre selfs uppon the marches. And as for the tax that shulde have bene grauntyd for finding of the said iii hundred men, is utterly denyed. Upon whiche the king of Scotland departed from Edynburgh to Stirling, and as yet ther doth remayn. And alsoo I, by the advice of my brother Clyfforthe, have devysed that within this iiii nyghts, Godde wylling, Kelsey, in lyke case, shal be burnet, with all the corne in the said town; and then they shall have noo place to lye any garyson in, nygh unto the bordurs. And as I shall atteigne further knawledge, I shall not fail to satisfye your hignes, according to my most bounden dutie. And for this burnyng of

Kelsey is devysed to be done secretly, by Tyndaill and Rydisdale. And thus the holy Trynite and

your most Royal estate, with long lyf and as muche increase of honour as your most noble heart can desire. At Werkworth, the xxiith day of Oct." (1522.)

Wat Tinlinn.-Verse 4, p. 77.

Wat

This person was, in my younger days, the theme of many a fire-side tale. He was retainer of the Buccleuch family, and held for his border-service a small tower on the frontiers of Liddesdale. was by profession a sutor, but, by inclination and practice, an archer and warrior. Upon one occasion, the captain of Bewcastle, military governor of that wild district of Cumberland, is said to have made an incursion into Scotland, in which he was defeated, and forced to fly. Wat Tinlinn pursued him closely through a dangerous morass: the captain, however, gained the firm ground; and seeing Tinlinn dismounted, and floundering in the bog, used these words of insult, "Sutor Wat you cannot sew your boots; the heels risp, and the seams rive."* "If I cannot sew," retorted Tinlinn, discharging a shaft which nailed the captain's thigh to his saddle, "If I cannot sew, I can yerk."

Risp-creak, Rive-tear.

Yerk-to twitch, as shoemakers do, in securing the stitches of their work.

Bilhope Stag-Verse 5, p. 78.

There is an old rhyme which thus celebrates the places in Liddesdale, remarkable for game.

Bilhope braes for bucks and raes,
And Carit haughs for swine,
And Tarras for the good bulltrout,

If he be ta'en in time.

The bucks and roes, as well as the wild swine, are now extinct; but the good bulltrout is still famous.

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Of silver broach and bracelet proud-Ver. 5, p. 78.

As the Borderers were indifferent about the furniture of their habitations, so much exposed to be burned and plundered, they were proportionally anx jous to display splendor in decorating and ornament❤ ing their females. See LESLEY de Moribus Limite

neorum.

Belted Will Howard Ver. 6, p. 79.

Lord William Howard, third son of Thomas, duke of Norfolk, succeeded to Naworth Castle, and a large domain annexed to it, in right of his wife Elizabeth, sister of George Lord Dacre, who died without heirs male, in the 11th of queen Elizabeth. By a poetical anachronism, he is introduced into the

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