being viij. myles
of length in the said Marches, whereupon was vii. pleughs,... lyes all
and every of them waist now, noo corn sawn upon the said ground.... Upon
the West marches I have burnt and distroyed the townships of Annand
(together with thirty-three others mentioned in detail), and the Water of
Esk from Stabulgorton down to Cannonby, being vi. myles in lenth, whereas
there was in all tymes passed four hundreth ploughes and above, which are
now clearly waisted and noo man duelling in any of them in this daye, save
oonly in the towrys of Annand Steepel and Walghapp (Wauchope)."[25]

As might be expected these inroads were not allowed to pass unredressed,
as the Scots never missed an opportunity of retaliating. During the latter
half of the fifteenth century they were considerably weakened by the
successive wars in which they were compelled to engage in their own
defence; but we find that a century later, during the reign of Elizabeth,
they had completely recovered, and made their power felt in no uncertain
manner. They raided upon the opposite Border without intermission,
plundering all and sundry, sparing only those who were prepared to pay
them blackmail, "that they might be free from their cumber." The English
wardens were comparatively helpless, owing to their lack of men and horses
to defend the Marches. The Scottish reivers were not easily captured; and
when it came to an encounter, unless matched against a greatly superior
force, they almost invariably gave a good account of themselves. We find
Eure affirming, in a letter to Cecil, under date May, 1596, that the
spoils of his March amounted to the sum of L120,000, "the redress for
which is so cunningly delayed that the Queen's service is ruined."[26] Sir
Robert Cary, who was warden of the East March, has a still more doleful
tale to relate. He says that when he applied to the opposite warden for
redress he "got nothing but fair words." He furnished his Government with
a note of the "slaughters, stouthes, and reafes," committed within his
wardenry, which shows that the Scottish reivers were ever ready to make
the most of their opportunities. The following is the suggestive list:--

"Nicolos Bolton of Mindrum slain in daylight at his own plough by Sir
Robert Kerre of the Spielaw and his servants.

"Thomas Storie of Killam slain there by night by Sir Robert Kerre and his
servants.

"John Selby of Pawston slain by the Burnes defending his own goods in his
o