button to main menu  Clarke's Survey of the Lakes, 1787

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Page 157:-
"[ac]cordingly, and our traytors whatsoever in this behalf offending, conform to their demerits, to chastise and punish.
"And also the said plaints, pleas, and debates, to hear, discuss, and duly to end and determine, according to the law and custom of the parts of the marches and dominions aforesaid.
"And also, at the costs of our liege subjects of those parts, by their own assent and good will, as heretofore hath been reasonably done, to set and appoint watchmen and others to explore and give notice to us, and our faithful subjects, for the defence of us and our realm, against the hostile incursions of our enemies of Scotland, if any shall be made against us, our realm, or our faithful subjects.
"And for the safety and defence of our town and castle of Berwick, and our city of Carlisle, so often as any assault or siege of the said town and castle or city shall be proposed or made by the Scots or any other our enemies, all fencible men, between the ages of sixteen and sixty, within the said Marches, to cause to be mustered; and all men at arms, armed billmen, and archers, every of them according to their estate, degree, and condition, to be armed and defended with fit and competent armour; and to be marshalled in thousands, hundreds, and twenties; and the same so arrayed and appointed to be holden and kept, so as all men at arms, armed billmen and archers, be ready and prepared to march to the defence and safe keeping of our town and castle of Berwick, or our city of Carlisle aforesaid; so often as any peril, assault, or siege, by the incursions of our enemies, shall happen to be; and to be compelled, upon summons or warning of the said Lord Warden or his deputy, in our name and behalf, to proceed, march, and be led, remain and continue, for the defence of our marches aforesaid, and our realm and faithful subjects; and the rescue, defence, and safe custody of the town, castle, and city aforesaid, by imprisonment of their bodies, and by other ways and means as to the said Lord Warden or his deputy respectively shall seem expedient.
"And we give and grant to the said Lord Scroope and his deputy or deputies in this behalf, full power and authority for us, and in our name, to appoint, conclude, and agree upon abstinences of war between us, our lieges and subjects, and the governors, ministers, and subjects of the realm of Scotland, from week to week, from two weeks to two weeks, from three weeks to three weeks, and from month or months to month or months.
"And furthermore, that the said Lord Scroope may be the better enabled to execute the said office, and every thing thereunto belonging, we will, and by these presents do give and grant to the said Lord Scroope, power and authority to name and assign, make, ordain, and substitute under him, in the said office of wardenship, two deputies or substitutes, and also two other officers under him called Warden-Serjeants; and also all and all manner of other ministers and officers under him necessary and expedient to the said office, or for the exercise of the same; and all and singular the premisses in his place and stead to be done and executed, which by the keepers or wardens of the West Marches aforesaid from time to time have been accustomed to be done, as to him shall be thought expedient: Ratifying and confirming hereby all and every thing by the said Lord Scroope, his deputies or substitutes, in form aforesaid to be done in the premisses or any part thereof.
"To have and to hold, occupy and enjoy, the office of keeper and wardenship aforesaid, and all and singular the premisses above expressed and specified, with their appurtenances, liberties, commodities, advantages, profits, and all other appendages, to the said Lord Scroope, his deputy or deputies, substitute or substitutes, in as ample a manner and form in all things, as any other person or persons before this time have had or received, from the feast of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary last past so long as it shall please us.
"And further, we grant to the said Lord Scroope, for the exercise of the office of wardenship aforesaid, so long as in that office he shall remain, the fee and wages of 600 marks by the year, for himself and for his two deputies aforesaid under him in the said office of the West Marches aforesaid; that is to say, for either of them by the year, Ten Pounds; and also for the said two officers called Warden-Serjeants of the West Marches, for either of them yearly Forty Shillings during our pleasure aforesaid; to be paid at the feast of St Michael the Archangel, and the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, by equal portions, out of our treasury, at the receipt of our Exchequer at Westminster, by the hands of the Treasurer and Chamberlain there for the time being.
"And further, we command all and singular our ministers, lieges, and subjects whatsoever, that in the execution of all and every the premisses to the aforesaid Lord Scroope, and also to his deputies and ministers whatsoever, from time to time, they be helping, obedient, and conforming in all things as appertaineth.
"In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters to be made patent: witness ourself at Westminster, the 6th day of April, in the fifth year of our reign."
From the above, and others such like, we may trace another custom amongst us; the warden-serjeants having a very small pay, viz. forty shillings a year, an aid was granted them of corn out of several townships, which to this day is paid, by the name of Serjeant's Oats; in some places it is paid to the Lord of the Manor, in others not.
The aforesaid Robert de Clifford continued sole Warden of the Marches till he was
slain
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