it
must have been a knave in his heart." An outer wall, with some slight
fortifications, served as a protection for the cattle at night. The
walls of these fortresses were of an immense thickness, and they could
easily be defended against any small force; more especially, as, the
rooms being vaulted, each story formed a separate lodgement, capable
of being held out for a considerable time. On such occasions, the
usual mode, adopted by the assailants, was to expel the defenders,
by setting fire to wet straw in the lower apartments. But the border
chieftains seldom chose to abide in person a siege of this nature; and
I have not observed a single instance of a distinguished baron made
prisoner in his own house[41].--_Patten's Expedition_, p. 35. The
common people resided in paltry huts, about the safety of which
they were little anxious, as they contained nothing of value. On the
approach of a superior force, they unthatched them, to prevent
their being burned, and then abandoned them to the foe.--_Stowe's
Chronicle_, p. 665. Their only treasures were, a fleet and active
horse, with the ornaments which their rapine had procured for the
females of their family, of whose gay appearance the borderers were
vain.

[Footnote 37: Stowe, in detailing the happy consequences of the union
of the crowns, observes, "that the northerne borders became as safe,
and peaceable, as any part of the entire kingdome, so as in the fourth
yeare of the king's raigne, as well gentlemen as others, inhabiting
the places aforesayde, finding the auncient wast ground to be very
good and fruitefull, began to contende in lawe about their bounds,
challenging then, that for their hereditarie right, which formerly
they disavowed, only to avoyde charge of common defence."]

[Footnote 38: "As for the humours of the people (_i.e._ of
Tiviotdale), they were both strong and warlike, as being inured to
war, and daily incursions, and the most part of the heritors of
the country gave out all their lands to their tenants, for military
attendance upon rentals, and reserved only some few manses for their
own sustenance, which were laboured by their tenants, besides their
service. They paid an entry, a herauld, and a small rental-duty; for
there were no rents raised here that were considerable, till King
James went into England; yea, all along the border."--_Account of
Roxburghshire, by Sir William Scott of Harden, and Kerr of Sunlaws,
apud Macfarlane's MSS._]

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