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'together left their ale-house, and retired to the castle.
They had not well settled themselves to sleep, but they
heard in the town a great alarm: for Sir Robert and his
company came straight to the ale-house, broke open the
doors, and made inquiry for my servants. They were answered,
that by my command they were all in the castle. After they
had searched all the house, and found none, they feared they
were betrayed, and with all the speed they could made haste
homeward again. Thus God blessed me from this bloody
tragedy. All the March expected nightly some hurt to be
done; but God so blessed me and the government I held, as,
for all Sir Robert's fury, he never drew a drop of blood in
all my March, neither durst his thieves trouble it much with
stealing, for fear of hanging if they were taken.'
Afterwards Sir Robert Cary being advanced to the head
wardenship of the middle March, he came to the place of the
Warden's residence at Alnwick Abbey; where being arrived, he
says, 'The thieves hearing of my being settled there,
continued still their wonted course in spoiling the country,
not caring much for me nor my authority. It was the
beginning of summer when I first entered into my office; but
before the summer was ended, they grew somewhat more
fearful. For the first care I took was to clean the country
of our inbred thieves, for by them most mischief was done;
for the Scotch riders were always guided by some of them in
all the spoils they made. God blessed me so well in all my
designs, as I never made journies in vain, but did that I
went for. Amongst other malefactors, there were two
gentlemen thieves, that robbed and took purses from
travellers on the highways (a theft that was never heard of
in those parts before.) I got them betrayed, took them, and
sent them to Newcastle gaol, and there they were hanged. I
took not so few as sixteen or seventeen that summer and the
winter following, of notorious offenders, that ended their
days by hanging or heading. When I was Warden of the East
March, I had to do but with the opposite March which Sir
Robert Ker had; but here I had to do with the East, Middle,
and West Marches of Scotland. I had very good justice with
Sir Robert Ker and the laird of Fairneherst (that had charge
over the East part of the Middle March;) but the West part,
which was Liddesdale, kept me a great while in cumber. The
first thing they did was the taking of Haltwesell, and
carrying away of prisoners and all their goods. I sent to
seek for justice for so great a wrong; the opposite officer
sent me word, it was not in his power, for they were all
fugitives, and not answerable to the King's laws. I
acquainted the King of Scots with his answer. He signified
to me that it was true, and that if I could take my own
revenge without hurting his honest subjects, he would be
glad of it. I took no longer time to resolve what to do, but
sent some two hundred horse to the place where the principal
authors lived, and took and brought away all the goods they
had. The outlaws themselves were in strong holds, and would
no way be caught; but one of the chief of them, being of
more courage than the rest, got to horse, and came pricking
after them, crying out and asking, What he was that durst
avow that mighty work? One of the company came to him with a
spear and ran him through the body, leaving his spear broken
in him, of which wound he died. The goods were divided to
the poor men from whom they were taken before. The next
summer after, I fell into a cumbersome trouble, but it was
in the nature of thieves and malefactors. There had been an
ancient custom of the borders, when they were at quiet, for
the opposite border to send to the Warden of the Middle
March, to desire leave that they might come into the Borders
of England, and hunt with their grey-hounds for deer,
towards the end of summer, which was never denied them. But
towards the end of Sir John Forster's government, when he
grew old and weak, they took boldness upon them, and without
leave asking would come into England, and hunt at their
pleasure, and stay their own time; and when they were
hunting, their servants would come with carts, and cut down
as much wood as every one thought would serve his turn, and
carry it away to their own houses in Scotland. Sir John's
imbecility and weakness occasioned them to continue their
misdemeanour some four or five years together, before he
left his office. And after my Lord Euers had the office, he
was so vexed and troubled at the disorders of the country,
as all the time he remained there he had no leisure to think
of so small a business, and to redress it; so that now they
began to hold it lawful to come and go at their pleasure,
without leave asking. The first summer I entered, they did
the like. The Armstrongs kept me so on work, that I had no
time to redress it. But having ever mastered them, and the
whole March being brought to a good stay and quietness, the
beginning of next summer I wrote to Farnehurst, the Warden
over-against me, to desire him to acquaint the gentlemen of
his March, that I was no way unwilling to hinder them of
their accustomed sports to hunt in England as they ever had
done, but withal I would not, by my default, dishonour the
Queen and myself, to give them more liberty than was
fitting. I prayed him therefore to let them know, that if
they would, according to the ancient custom, send to me for
leave, they should have all the contentment I could give
them; if otherwise they would continue their wonted course,
would do my best to hinder them. Notwithstanding this
letter, within a month after, they came and hunted as they
used to do, without leave, and cut down wood, and carried it
away. I wrote again to the Warden, and plainly told him, I
would not suffer one other affront; but if they came again
without leave, they would dearly abide it. For all this,
they should not be warned, but towards the end of the summer
they came again to their wonted sports. I had taken order to
have present word brought me, which was done. I sent my two
deputies, with all the speed they could make; and they took
along with them such gentlemen as were in their way, with my
forty horse, and about one of the clock they came to them,
and
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