Volume I Part 26 (1/2)
”That whereas alweys, both in al tounes of war, and in al campes of armies, quietnes and stilnes without nois is princ.i.p.ally 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, a.s.saulted 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 a.s.sembled 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 n.o.bly treated, since they got live _hawks_ for dead _herons_.--_G.o.dscroft_.
_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 Roxburghs.h.i.+re. 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 _c.o.c.k 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 princ.i.p.al 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 _G.o.dscroft_, Vol. I. p.