he outlawes. Upon this complaint, I called the gentlemen
of the countrey together, and acquainted them with the misery that the
highest parts of the marsh towards Scotland were likely to endure, if
there were not timely prevention to avoid it, and desired them to
give mee their best advice what course were fitt to be taken. They all
showed themselves willing to give mee their best counsailles, and most
of them were of opinion, that I was not well advised to refuse the
hundred horse that my Lord Euers had; and that now my best way was
speedily to acquaint the quene and counsaile with the necessity of
having more soldiers, and that there could not be less than a hundred
horse sent downe for the defence of the countrey, besides the forty I
had already in pay, and that there was nothing but force of soldiers
could keep them in awe: and to let the counsaile plainly understand,
that the marsh, of themselves, were not able to subsist, whenever the
winter and long nights came in, unlesse present cure and remedy were
provided for them. I desired them to advise better of it, and to see
if they could find out any other meanes to prevent their mischievous
intentions, without putting the quene and countrey to any further
charge. They all resolved that there was no second meanes. Then I told
them my intention what I meant to do, which was, that myselfe, with my
two deputies, and the forty horse that I was allowed, would, with what
speede wee could, make ourselves ready to go up to the Wastes, and
there wee would entrench ourselves, and lye as near as wee could to
the outlawes; and, if there were any brave spirits among them, that
would go with us, they should be very wellcome, and fare and lye as
well as myselfe: and I did not doubte before the summer ended, to do
something that should abate the pride of these outlawes. Those, that
were unwilling to hazard themselves, liked not this motion. They said,
that, in so doing, I might keep the countrey quiet the time I lay
there; but, when the winter approached, I could stay there no longer,
and that was the theeves' time to do all their mischiefe. But there
were divers young gentlemen, that offered to go with mee, some with
three, some with four horses, and to stay with mee as long as I would
there continue. I took a list of those that offered to go with mee,
and found, that, with myself, my officers, the gentlemen, and our
servants, wee should be about two hundred good men and horse; a
com