and married Anton Armestrong's daughter of Wylyare in
Gilsland; Johne Armestronge called "the lordes Johne," marryet Rytche
Grayme's sister.... Thomas Armestrong called "the lordes Tome."... Runyon
Armestrong called "the lordes Runyon."... Thom Armestronge Sims Thom,
marryed Wat Storyes daughter of Eske, called Wat of the Hare ends."[73]

We also read of "Thomas Abye," "Gawins Will," "Red Andrew," "Bangtale,"
"Ould Hector of Harlaw," "Stowlugs," "Cokespoole," "Skinabake," "Carhand,"
"Hob the Tailor," "Redneb," &c.

Among the Elliots we find such to-names as "Long John," "John the Child,"
"John Cull the spade," "Bessie's Wife's Riche," "Robin the Bastard of
Glenvoren," &c. One of the family of Nixon was known as "Ill Drooned
Geordie," a name which seems to indicate that the person who bore it had
had at one time or another a narrow escape from what perhaps was his
righteous doom. "Wynking Will,"[74] "Wry-Crag," "David the Leddy," and
"Hob the King," are sufficiently explicit.

These are a fair sample of the _to-names_ by which the thieves of
Liddesdale were distinguished. It must be admitted, however, that many of
them are not quite so respectable as those given, and would hardly admit
of reproduction in a modern book. The men to whom they were assigned must
have been regarded, one would naturally suppose, as utterly disreputable
characters, even by those who associated with them in the invidious
calling to which they were devoted.

It is probable that the men of Liddesdale were to a certain extent
corrupted by their propinquity to the lawless hordes which inhabited the
Debateable land. This was a tract of country lying between the Esk and the
Sark, of some fifty or sixty square miles in extent, which was regarded as
belonging neither to the one kingdom nor the other. Here the "Genius of
Misrule," for many generations, held all but undisputed sway. The Graemes,
Littles, and Bells, and other "broken men" of equally unenviable
reputation, found in this district a convenient centre for conducting
their marauding exploits. It was a matter of no moment to them whether
their victims belonged to the one country or the other. They were as
destitute of patriotism as of the other virtues. When they were hard
driven by the English, they claimed the protection of the Scottish warden;
and when he in his turn had accounts to settle with them, they appealed to
his English rival in office to shield them from vengeance. In this way
t