s of houses, and carried off all the goods within four
miles of bounds. They coupled the men their prisoners 'tua and tua
togeather in leashe like doggis. Of barnis and wemen, three or four
scoore, they stripped off their clothis and sarkis, leaving them naked in
that sort, exposit to the injurie of wind and weather, whereby nyne or
tenne infantes perished within eight daies thereafter.'"

The answer of the English commissioners to this indictment indicates, at
least, the grounds on which Scrope regarded himself as justified in
undertaking this invasion of Liddesdale. The reasons adduced are
plausible, if not always convincing. "It is no novelty," they say, "but an
ancient custom, for the English warden to assist his opposite, and the
keeper of Liddesdale, to ride on and 'herrie' such thieves, and on
occasion to do so at his own hand.... Buccleuch, besides (1) surprising
the second fortress of the Queen's Border; (2) slaying 24 of her subjects,
including 16 of her soldiers; (3) has bound himself with all the notorious
riders in Liddesdale, Eskdale, and Ewesdale, and after asserting that he
paid 'out of his own purse' half of the sworn bill of Tyndale of L800,
which the King commanded him to answer, joined himself with the Ellotts
and Armstrongs, to plunder Tyndale for demanding the balance, slaying in
their own houses 7 of the Charletons and Dodds the chief claimants. And
being imprisoned by the King, he made a sporting time of it, hunting and
hawking, and on his release did worse than ever, maintaining his 'coosens'
Will of Hardskarth, Watt of Harden, &c., to murder, burn, and spoile as
before.

The people under his charge, Ellotts, Armstrongs, Nicksons, &c., have of
late years murdered above 50 of the Queen's good subjects, many in their
own houses, on their lawful business at daytime--as 6 honest Allandale men
going to Hexham market, cut in pieces. For each of the last 10 years they
have spoiled the West and Middle Marches of L5000. In short, they are
intolerable, and redress being unattainable, though repeatedly demanded by
the Queen and warden, the justifiable reprisal ordered by her Majesty in
necessary defence of her own Border, cannot in equity be called an
invasion, but rather 'honourable and neighbourlike assistance,' to
maintain the inviolable amitie between the princes and realms, against
the proud violaters thereof in eyther nation.... To conclude--this action
of the Lord Scrope's is to be reputed and judge