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The Scots made the like depredations; whereupon the Lord
Wharton, deputy-warden, appointed watches in several parts
of Cumberland, and obliged the inhabitants to keep watch day
and night: He erected watch-towers on several eminences,
which are yet standing: The Scots did not then come in
armies, but ten or twenty together, and robbed the little
farm-houses only of their furniture, so that it was not
necessary to fire the beacons and give the general alarm;
and indeed the beacons were almost totally destroyed, (no
one now remains but at Penrith,) for the wanton youths would
set fire in two or three of them, which caused a general
muster, (the rest being fired also,) so that an act of
parliament was passed to make the firing of beacons felony.
In the year 1593, the young Lord Scroope, (who had succeeded
his father in the wardenship) proposed divers matters to be
considered upon by the gentlemen of the West Marches of
England, for anempst Scotland, which were as follows:
'First, Forasmuch as it is conjectured that divers
disorders grow, and infinite outrages are committed upon her
Majesty's * good subjects on the frontiers, and more
inwards in the county of Cumberland, as well by the remiss
dealings of the officers and negligence of the watches and
watchers, as by the servants, tenants, and dependers of
divers gentlemen, freeholders, and heads of sirnames, on and
near the frontier; and likewise by trifles, assurances, and
alliances between the English and Scots on the borders;
which sort of people, besides their own filcheries, do (as
it is thought) to the great oppression of others, either
guide or accompany Scotsmen in their day or night roads, for
stealth from her Majesty's subjects, and to share the
Englishmen's goods between them and the Scots; or at least,
if they lay not the plot, do willingly and wittingly
tolerate and suffer the Scots to pass and repass by them and
through their strengths, for and with Englishmen's goods,
without causing a hue and cry, fray or following of the
thieves, in such sort as they are bound to do, both by the
statute laws and ancient custom and constitutions of the
borders, and by the common curtesy of good neighbourhood
they should: In reformation whereof, first, it should
be considered and resolved what course can be taken with the
head and under officers under the Lord Warden's commandment,
to assure the bringing in of any offenders within their
charge, unto the Lord Warden at his Lordship's direction.
'Secondly, Whether it will not be convenient that the
order for watches resolved by the late Lord Scroope, Sir
John Foster, and Sir Simon Musgrave, be now again renewed,
and with severity observed: namely, that whereas any goods
should pass through any of the watches, without hue and cry
made by them of the watch, those said watches should answer
the goods so driven and carried throughout, or within the
precinct or compass of time.
'Thirdly, Whether it will not be very needful duly to
put the statute for hues and cries in execution, in such
sort, that whosoever shall be proved by the Lord Warden not
to have risen and followed the fray according to the same
law; the same person or persons presently to answer and
satisfy for the goods rieved or taken away; and
consideration to be had, how the penalty of the same statute
may best and most readily be levied for the relief of the
party damnified.
'Fourthly, It would fall in consideration how the
marriage between the English and the Scottish nations in
those frontiers may be from henceforth restrained, and
heretofore hath been enacted, though too remissly executed;
and what bonds and assurances can be taken of all such as
are already allied, for their misdemeanor towards the rest
of her Majesty's subjects, and for like good behaviour of
all their branches, servants and dependants.
'Fifthly, It would moreover be considered, what bonds
or security can be taken of every particular gentleman,
freeholder, and head of surnames, so to become answerable
for their servants, tenants, and followers or dependants, as
they either bring in unto the Lord Warden, and upon his
Lordship's call, such servants, tenants, followers, and
dependants, as have, or suspected to have committed any
transgressions against the March or common laws, for to
abide a trial according to their demerits; or failing
thereof, to satisfy the party offended for his harm done by
any of the abovesaid persons so belonging or depending unto
them.
'Sixthly, Because the surnames of the Grames have no
commander under the Lord Warden,
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