w them, for fear of losing themselves. The principal of the
five, that were taken, were two of the eldest sons of Sim of Whittram.
These five they brought me to the fort, and a number of goods, both of
sheep and kine, which satisfied most part of the country, that they had
stolen them from....

Thus God blessed me in bringing this great trouble to so quiet an end; we
broke up our fort, and every man retired to his own house."[75]

Judging from this account, one is led to suppose that the force which Cary
had at his command was comparatively small. He tells us that he took a
list of those that offered to go with him, and found that with his
officers, gentlemen, and servants there would be about two hundred good
men and horse; a competent number he thought for such a service. But we
find in a letter which he sent to Cecil that he speaks of having "a 1000
horse and foot."[76] But whatever may have been the strength of the forces
at his command, it is quite certain that, on this occasion at least, he
proved himself more than a match for the "Lewd Liddesdales."

The tradition of this famous raid, which was long preserved in the
district, differs considerably from the account here given. "The people of
Liddesdale have retained," says the editor of the "Border Minstrelsy,"
"the remembrance of _Cary's raid_," as they call it. "They tell that,
while he was besieging the outlaws in the Tarras, they contrived, by ways
known only to themselves, to send a party into England, who plundered the
warden's lands. On their return, they sent Cary one of his own cows,
telling him that, fearing he might fall short of provisions during his
visit to Scotland, they had taken the precaution of sending him some
English beef."

The anecdote is worth preserving, as it indicates how anxious the
Liddesdale reivers were to forget one of the most unpleasant episodes in
their history, or at least to make their discomfiture appear in as
favourable a light as possible.

X.

AFTER THE HUNTING.

"_Efter the hunting the King hanged Johnie Armstrong._"

PITSCOTTIE.

"Here is ane cord baith grit and lang,
Quhilk hangit Johne Armstrang,
Of gude hempt soft and sound,
Gude haly pepil, I stand ford,
Whaevir beis hangit wi' this cord,
Neidis never to be drowned!"

SIR DAVID LINDSAY.

We have already seen that the Armstrongs were a numerous and powerful