e that was the mayor the year before,
His name is Master _Adam Robinson_,
I the last English friendship with him won.
He (_gratis_) found a guide to bring me through,

[Sidenote: _My thanks
to Sir John
and Sir Geo.
Dalston, with
Sir Henry
Curwin._]

From _Carlisle_ to the city _Edinburgh_:
This was a help, that was a help alone,
Of all my helps inferior unto none.
Eight miles from _Carlisle_ runs a little river,
Which _England's_ bounds, from _Scotland's_ grounds doth sever.
Without horse, bridge, or boat, I o'er did get

[Sidenote: _Over Esk I
waded._]

On foot, I went, yet scarce my shoes did wet.
I being come to this long-looked-for land,
Did mark, remark, note, renote, viewed, and scanned;
And I saw nothing that could change my will,
But that I thought myself in _England_ still.
The kingdoms are so nearly joined and fixed,
There scarcely went a pair of shears betwixt;
There I saw sky above, and earth below,
And as in _England_, there the sun did show;
The hills with sheep replete, with corn the dale,

[Sidenote: _The afore-named
knights
had given money
to my
guide, of which
he left some
part at every
ale-house._]

And many a cottage yielded good Scottish ale;
This county (_Avondale_) in former times,
Was the cursed climate of rebellious crimes:
For _Cumberland_ and it, both kingdoms borders,
Were ever ordered, by their own disorders,
Some sharking, shifting, cutting throats, and thieving,
Each taking pleasure in the other's grieving;
And many times he that had wealth to-night,
Was by the morrow morning beggared quite:
Too many years this pell-mell fury lasted,
That all these borders were quite spoiled and wasted,
Confusion, hurly-burly reigned and revelled,
The churches with the lowly ground were levelled;
All memorable monuments defaced,
All places of defence o'erthrown and razed.
That whoso then did in the borders dwell,
Lived little happier than those in hell.
But since the all-disposing God of heaven,
Hath these two kingdoms to one monarch given,
Blest peace, and plenty on them both have showered,
Exile, and hanging hath the thieves devoured,
That now each subject may securely sleep,
His sheep and neat, the black the white doth keep,
For now those crowns are both in one combined,
Those former borders, that each one confine,
Appears