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Page xviii:-
with two or three quotations from Cambden, which serve as
corollaries to the preceding proposition, and which, being
writ at a time when the spirit of moss-trooping was in full
vigour, and by men who had seen its effects themselves, not
only carry intrinsic credit along with them, but fully
elucidate what I have been advancing.
In one place, Cambden says, "That the inhabitants on both
sides, as Borderers in all other parts, are a military kind
of men; nimble, wily, always in readiness for any service,
and, by reason of their often skirmishes passing, well
experienced."
In another place is a passage which confirms my original
supposition, that very little alteration of circumstances,
and consequently of those manners which are influenced by
them, had taken place in the Borders for many ages. For we
are there told, that "in the time of the Romans, their
soldiers, (who were principally levied in Britain,) were
stationed in the frontier castles and cities of the Northern
Provinces; and when there was any fear of plunder or waste
from the neighbouring nations, had field-stations in the
barbarian ground for the defence of the Province; others
made outrodes into the enemy's Marches, to discover their
motions, and if good occasion offered, to encounter with
them before they came to their limits."
He also presents us with an account which Lesley Bishop of
Ross gives of the Borderers: "They go forth in the night by
troops out of their own borders, through desart by-ways, and
many winding cranks. All the day-time they refresh their
horses, and recreate their own strength, in lurking-places
appointed before-hand, until they be come hither at last in
the dark night where they would be; when they have laid hold
of a booty, back again they return home likewise by night,
through blind ways only, and fetching many a compass about:
the more skilful and leader or guide is to pass through
those wild desarts, crooked turnings, and steep downfalls,
in the thickest mists, and deepest darkness, he is held in
the greater reputation, as one of an excelling wit: and so
crafty and wily these are, that seldom or never they forgo
their booty, and suffer it to be taken out of their hands;
unless it happen otherwhiles, that they be caught by their
adversaries following continually after, and tracing them by
their footing, according as quick-scented sluth-hounds do
lead them; but say they be taken, so fair spoken are they
and eloquent, so many sugared words they have at will,
sweetly to plead for them, that they are able to move the
judges and adversaries both, be they ever so austere and
severe, if not to mercy, yet to admiration, and some
commiseration withal."
Speaking of the Ottaduni, Cambden says, 'That which AEneas
Sylvius, afterwards Pope Pius II. hath, when a private
person, and ambassador to Scotland, under the name of John
Gebelli, reported of the Borderers, I think good to relate,
considering that as yet they have not at all degenerated.'
From this account, that I may avoid transcribing the whole,
it appears, that in the year 1448, wherein he performed this
embassy, that the principle subsistence of the Borderers was
on hens, geese, and various sorts of gruels, and pottage,
but were utterly unacquainted with white bread or wine. This
circumstance proves their commerce must have been very
little, or none at all, and their agriculture in a very poor
condition. Indeed, who would till the ground, when it was so
uncertain who should reap, or perhaps burn the crop? We do
not find that they wanted hospitality, though it was
probably like that of the Arabian, who would perhaps feast
you in his house to-day, and rob you in the desart
to-morrow. When AEneas arrived at a large village, the name
of which he does not mention, the inhabitants of it, men,
women, and children, came running about him, to gape and
stare at him as at a strange sight, or the appearance of a
"blackamore, or a man of India." Having been informed of the
scarcity prevailing in those districts, he had received at a
certain Abbey some loaves of white bread, and a rundlet of
red wine, which to these attendants of his, for they had
followed him to the house where he supped, inquiring of
their priest whether he was a christian or not, were matters
of greater astonishment than himself, having never till that
time seen any thing of the kind: "There approached the
table,
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