Fain to be slaikit,
With water caill.

They thieves that steals and turses[67] hame,
Ilk ane o' them has ane to-name,
Will i' the Laws,
Hab o' the Shaws,
To mak bare wa's
They think nae shame.

They spulyie puir men o' their packs,
They leave them nocht on bed or balks,[68]
Baith hen and cock,
With reel and rock,
The Laird's jock,
All with him taks.

They leave not spindle, spoon, nor speit,
Bed, blanket, bolster, sark, nor sheet,
John o' the Park
Rypes kist and ark;
For all sic wark
He is richt meet.

He is weel kenned, Jock o' the Syde--
A greater thief did never ride;
He never tires
For to break byres;
O'er muir and mires,
Ower guid ane guid.

Of stouth though now they come guid speed,
That nother of God or man has dread;
Yet or I dee,
Some shall them see
Hing on a tree,
While they be dead."

It is evident from this graphic account that these "Liddesdale limmers"
were not particular as to their booty. They carried off everything that
came to hand, on the principle, perhaps, that if they had no particular
use for some of the things they appropriated, they were at least leaving
their enemies poorer than when they found them. We read of one John Foster
of Heathpool, servant to Sir John Foster, complaining of John Elliot of
the Heughehouse, Clement Croser, "Martin's Clemye," John Croser, "Eddie's
John," Gib Foster of Fowlesheiles, &c., to the number of thirty, "who
stole six oxen, 6 kye, 4 young nowte, ane horse, a nag, a sword, a steil
cap, a dagger and knives, 2 spears, 2 dublets, 2 pair of breeches, a
cloke, a jerkyne, a woman's kertle and a pair of sleaves, 9 kerchers, 7
railes, 7 partlettes, 5 pair of line(n) sheitis, 2 coverlettes; 2 lynne
sheits; a purs and 6/- in monie; a woman's purs and 2 silke rybbons; a
windinge clothe; a feather bed; a cawdron, a panne, 4 bond of hempe, a
pair of wool cards, 4 children's coates, &c., &c."[69]

The list of goods here "appropriated" by John Elliot and his friends is an
interesting one, as it shows "that all was fish that came to their
net"--not even the "winding cloth" being discarded when ransacking the
house. We also find an account of one Robert Rutherford of Todlaw
producing a "remission for art and part of the theft of certain cuschies
of silk, sheits, fustiane, linen cloths, scarfs, fustiane, scarfs, and
other clothes, furth of the Kirk of Jedworthe-