The 'Peaceful Persuasion' And Transplanting Of The Marchmen By James VI Scotland & I England/Scotland…
Text from Reivers Database Records L1001 to L1015
Text from Reivers Database Records L1001 to L1015
Naturalisation of a Scot
Document allowing a Scottish man to become an English man.
Henry, Lord Scrope, Lord of the Western Marches and Captain of the city and Castle of Carlisle grants rights of Englishry to Andrew Young of Orton a Scotsman. 1581.
Written in Latin, not English, signed by Scrope, on the authority of the Queen Elizabeth I, Andrew Young has sworn an oath on the bible that from this day he shall be a true Englishman loyal and faithful to the Queen and obey the laws. John & William Lowther of Orton stand surety for him, paying forty pounds.
Free Translation (from the Latin)
Henry Scrope Knight Lord Scrope of Bolton Lord Warden of the West Marches of England towards Scotland Custodian and Captain of our Lady the Queen in the City and Castle of Carlisle and one of the Counsellors of the said Queen. To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Know that, by the authority of the same Lady Queen, which runs in these parts, Andrew Young of Orton in the county of Cumberland Scot, born in Scotland, has sworn an oath on the Holy Evangelist that from this day he will be a true Englishman loyal and faithful to our Lady the Queen Elizabeth and to her heirs and successors in this realm of England and that he will faithfully observe the laws and statutes during his natural life. For the surety of which John Lowther of Orton and William Lowther of the same place in the said County of Cumberland yeomen have pledged themselves, and have paid to the said Lord Warden the sum of forty pounds sterling (£40) for the use of our Lady Queen.
In witness of which we have fixed our seal to this writing the first day of December in the year of our Lord 1581 and in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith.
H Scrope (signed)
Naturalisation of a Scot CA
L1001
Licence for a Scot to Trade in England
Document allowing a Scottish person to trade in Carlisle.
Henry, Lord Scrope, Lord of the western Marches and Captain of the City and Castle of Carlisle grants a licence to John McKye Scotsman to trade across the Solway.
Holme Cultram Parish records 1569
This is a paper document, but has been mounted onto a piece of parchment. It is tatty, well worn, has been folded up as if it has been carried in someone’s pocket. Obviously if John McKye was stopped he would have to show the licence. It has the remains of a seal, a modest seal probably with wax and a ring pressed into the wax. It is called a sandwich seal because it is protected by paper. The seal on the signet ring would be Lord Henry Scrope of Bolton in Yorkshire, Lord Warden of the West March. Scrope has put his signet (ring seal) on the bottom. On the naturalisation certificate he has signed with his handwriting.
Transcript
Henry Scrope Knight Lorde Scrope of Bolton Lorde Warden of the West Marches of England foranenxste Scotland and capten for the Quenes Majestie’s City and castle of Carlisle in hir highnes name hath licensed and by these presents doth licence John MacKye scotesman with a boate and foure watermen safelie with all his lefull goods and merchandize either by sea fresh river or lande to come onto any creeke or haven within this West Ward (enrie?) of England and so to passe through this West Wardenrye there to make his lefull exchaunge paying his lefull custome and dews therefore and so safelie with all his lefull goods and merchandize to retorne agayne unto the (realme?) of Scotland without lett vexacion or troble of any englishman in bodye or goods so as the (said?) Scotmen doo ne procure to be donne any thing prejudiciall to the Quenes Majestie hir (Highness?) Realme lawes ne subjects. And this licence tending (?) till whitsondaye next given (?) under (?) my signet at Carlisle the 5th daye of November in the 11th yeare of our Sovreign Ladye Quene Elizabethes reigne.
Licence to trade CA
L1002
Henry VII Order to Carlisle to Defend Against Scots
Letter from Henry VII ordering Carlisle to improve its defenses against Scottish attacks.
In 1498 the Scots continued to be a threat to the English kingdom and Carlisle, being so close to the border, remained one of the chief pillars of its defence.
Not only were successive governments prepared to spend money on fortifications and arms, but the citizens of Carlisle were exhorted, as in this letter, not to join any private army or any raiding expeditions but instead to stay at home and defend their city! The letter starts … ‘Inasmuch as you know well that the same our city is one of the chief keys and fortresses to the defence of this our realm and that the loss thereof by any sudden enterprise of the Scots should be not only your all destruction but also a great woundful hurt to all our said realm which God defend …‘
Letter to the mayor and citizens of Carlisle from Henry VIII.
Insomuch as you know well that the same our city is one of the chief keys and fortresses to the defence of this our realm and that the loss thereof by any sudden enterprise of the Scots should be not only your all destruction but also a great and a woundful hurt to all our said realm which God defend. We therefore will and charge you most straightest wise not to suffer any loss of person or persons dwelling within our said city. Do not ride or pass out of the city to indulge in skirmishings, affrays riots with any estate or degree he be, but to be city in harness to gentleman or other abiding and attend same our city for any fields or whatsoever of ing at all seasons both of war and of p the defence and surety thereof against make any sudden attempt at thereunto by siege intent that you of the same our city may be of amongst yourselves, we have commanded the Right God and right trusty counsellor the Bishop they would And to the and truths Father in take your oaths attendant unto obeying of the of this realm.
Henry VII to Carlisle defend againstScots CA
L1003
Henry VIII Order to Aglionby to Annoy the Scots
Letter from Henry VIII to Aglionby of Carlisle to raise 100 men.
Henry VIII wrote to Aglionby, a local landowner of Carlisle. Henry told Aglionby to raise 100 men. If Aglionby could not raise 100 men then Lord Dacre, the King’s envoy in the North will make up the shortfall.
The king ordered that these men of war are to be stationed on the frontier, not only for the defence of our border but also for the annoyance of our enemies. This is a clear instruction to ferment trouble on the border.
Transcript
Henry the eight by the Grace of God Kyng of England and of Fraunce Defensor of the faith and Lord of Ireland. To our trusty and welbelovyd Edward Aglaby (Aglionby) Esquier gretyngs Forasmoche as we by thadvyse of our Counsaill have appoynted a certeyn nombre of men of Warre to be laide uppon our Fronters forayenste Scoteland aswell for the defense of the same our borders as also for the annoyaunce of our enemyes ther on which garrison for the speciall truste and confidence that we have in your fidelite have appoyncted you to be a captaigne with the nombre of oon hundred men under your ledyng. We therfore by thies presentes auctoryze and commande you to levye and reteigne for the same purpose aswell of your own servants and tenanntes as others such as ye convenyently may retaigne and geate inpiaces mete and apte for that purpose and in case ye cannot convenyently of your tennants and servants or other your frendes levie the hoole complemente of that nombre we have signifyed our pleasure to our right trustye counsaillour the lord Dacres in that partie to supplie the same nombre to be taken out of our Westmarches Which we doubte not he will perfourme accordyngly Wherfor we woll and commande you with diligence to execute this our pleasure and commandement and morover we woll and commande all and singular maires She//effes Baliffes Constables and all other our officers and faithfull subjects to be adyng helpyng counsaillyng and assistyng you in your executyng this our commandement as they woll answere to us at their uttmost perils. In witness wherof we have caused thies our letters of Commission to be sealed with our grete seale at our Palas of Westminster the Viii day of Marche the XV yere of our Reign.
Henry VIII to Aglionby raise 100 men CA
L1004
Scottish Seige Engine on Carlisle Charter
Drawing on initial letter of Carlisle Charter showing Scottish seige engine.
Carlisle is the first city in England and thus, like Berwick on the East coast, it suffered from armies crossing the border. When the Scots invaded the north of England their tour of destruction started in the east and ended at Carlisle. Carlisle held out against seige engines for ten days.
The Royal Charter of Carlisle records the seige of Carlisle in an adornment of its initial letter. The Chronicle of Lanercost gives a graphic and detailed account of the seige, but there is occasionally an incorrect interpretation of the illustration.
The illustration seems to show a projectile that is to be launched into the city of Carlisle. The drawing has been incorrectly interpreted as meaning that a dead body was about to be sent into the city, a sort of medieval germ warfare. This is not the case as it would have been recorded at the time.
Carlisle Charter illustr actual CA
L1005
Scottish Seige Engine Redrawn from Carlisle Charter
Artist’s redrawing of seige engine shown on Carlisle Charter.
Carlisle is the first city in England and thus, like Berwick on the East coast, it suffered from armies crossing the border. When the Scots invaded the north of England their tour of destruction started in the east and ended at Carlisle. Carlisle held out against seige engines for ten days.
The Royal Charter of Carlisle records the seige of carlisle in an adornment of its initial letter The Chronicle of Lanercost gives a graphic and detailed account of the seige, but there is occasionally an incorrect interpretation of the illustration.
The illustration seems to show a projectile that is to be launched into the city of Carlisle. The drawing has been incorrectly interpreted as meaning that a dead body was about to be sent into the city, a sort of medieval germ warfare. This is not the case as it would have been recorded at the time.
Carlisle Charter illustr redrawn CA
L1006
Permission to Pass in Scotland’s Middle March
A copy of a letter allowing an Englishman to pass through the Middle March of Scotland.
Each town in Scotland had its legal representations recorded in a protocol book. Selkirk is fortunate because local interest and expertise has discovered an account of the daily events of the town in the 16th century.
This letter shows an instruction by Kerr to allow an Englishman to pass freely in the East March of Scotland.
The Copy of a conducte to pass and repass
“Be it kend tyll all men by thir present lettres me Valter Ker of Cesfurd knycht vardan of the middill merches of scotland granttis me to haif giffin licens and saiff conducte to W. G. of S. Ingliss man and twa servandis with him to pass and repass horss and futt within the bowndis of my vardenry with all leful merchandriss menyng the spaice of my office or quhill I dischairgis the samyn providing all wais the said William nor his servands do nor procuyr ony thing to be done hurt[ful?] or preiudiciall to our soverane ladies realme and leigis and for mair verificatioune of the samyn I haif subscrivit this my saiff conducte at Halidene with my hand the x day of July 1563.
Selkirk Scot passport PN
L1007
Inventory of Selkirk Widow 1540
A reproduction of an inventory recorded in the Selkirk Protocol Books 1540.
Each town in Scotland had its legal representations recorded in a protocol book. Selkirk is fortunate because local interest and expertise has discovered an account of the daily events of the town in the 16th century. The contents of the house of Marion Dalglesch 1536 are listed in this entry.
The entry is interesting because it shows that a chair or other item had been put outside the house and was taken as a sign of distress, that the person was to be evicted. This was refuted on the oath of one of the gentlemen present. The list of property was probably made because there had been a death, perhaps of her husband.
Item inn the inventory (in dialect of the period)
ane clois lokit met almery with gudis contenit in to quhilkis we knaw nocht
ane caldron quhilk contenes four gallones ane panne of thre quartes
ane less panne
ane mekyll pot of fyv quartes
ane less pot of thre quartes twa pouder [pewter] plaittis twa pouer deiches
ane tyne pynt
ane chandlair irne speit with ane fut
ane girdill with four feit
ane veschel almery thre dublairis
ane ark with certane meill thre f[irlot?] of estima-ciounne
ane lytill kyst
ane quarter of gret quhit
ane dry wair with malt in it
ane tub with barkit ledder with certane dry bark and curnes of woll that is all broken extendis to iii quarters
ane pair of auld hoiss
Item
ane stand bed in the spenss with twa blankattes
ane pair of scheittis twa codes coverit
ane (p/t) ane barnes kyrtill
Item
ane upp sek with bouster uther twa auld pair of scheittis
ane covering chalander work thre auld plaidis
ane pair of doubyll blankattis
ane uther auld blankat
ane kirtill of blak
ane creill full of brokin woll viz half
ane stane twa kyrnes ane wyth dry malt viz thre peks ane uther with mylk
ane caissair for cheiss (p/t) chess thre hukis
ane spounges
ane pound of hardis (p/t)
ane pair of auld cairdis
ane pokit of ae agit vomanes with certane lynning and auld quhit / four ail peiggis
ane sap peig fourtene less tubbis and mair fyv you [yew?] coigis
four chessairis with ane ter kyt
ane cruyk and ane pair of tangis twa [apes?] baikbredes
half ane firlot of salt
twa pair of schoune ae doubyll
ane neu purss with twa silver rynges
ane gylt twa rubbene beltis
twa courchesses
ane short curche and ane collair ane [pokat -scored out] paitlot of volnoss
ane schappinne pair of sleiffes and not sevit [ie.sewn]
Item
ane uther pokat
ane spinok of [volnoss -scored out] saitting
thre courchess iii colleris
ane schort courchess with ane snod of vorsat the thrid pokat
ane collar of blak saitting
ane lossyn serk
ae pair of grene sleiffes
viii ells of lynning
ane pair of scheittis
twa sleiffis of russat
ane auld lossyn serk
twa blak hattes with ane tibpat
ae pair of blak houss with rubenes of blak
ane kyrtaill of Ingliss brovn with ane silk laiss
ane auld serk
ane schort coit with vanes of velvot
ane gown vanet with velvot of crenseid
ane jak of plait
twa lanss staiffes
ane saddill clath
sevin hankes of hardin yarne
twa cleves
twa auld scheip skynnes
ane purss of the lassis with ane belt of vorsat
ane burd with twa formes
ane chir quhilk vas ane stressis of removing twa flaikes to ane boucht
ane cok with twa hennes
ane hen with xii burdis
ane knokin trouncher of tre / twa quheillis twa yarne vonnettes
ane paire of buttes
ane auld tub with bark
ane pair of schoune
ane hoiss kayne(?)
ane chess burd
ane stull with ane roundaill
These are the goods shown in place [before] Thomas Hesloip, Alexander Hesloip, Alexander Carmaig officer of Wiliam Tait in Landhoup, master John Bruss notary, David Clerk
Inventory Selkirk 1540 1 PN
L1008
Inventory of Cumbrian Tower House 1585
A reproduction of an inventory of Ewanrigg Tower, Cumbria 1585.
This inventory of a tower house in Cumbria in 1585 is highly significant because it has a valuation for every item. Thus we know not only the contents but the relative values of animals, clothing, tools etc.
The list of items is too long for this record, and a glossary is necessary to understand all the items. A full list and glossary are available from www.Reivers.com
It is interesting to note the prices of animals which are the means of food, wealth and transport, and the price of clothing.5 oxen price £10 0s 6d
12 cows and a bull £17 13s 4d
12 calves £2 8s 6d
one blacke horse £4 0s 0d
thre nagges £4 1 0s 6d
one old bay nagge etc10s 6d
a gown £4 0s 6d
a satin dublet £2 0s 6d
an other satten dublet etc £1 0s 6d
a yerkin (jerkin) of silke lyned with taffetie 13s 4d
a paire of velvet breeches £2 0s 6d
a blacke cloak £2 13s 4d
Inventory Ewanrigg 1585 PN
L1009
Dacre’s Forays in Scotland
Reproduction of a letter from Lord Thomas Dacre reporting his destructive forays into Scotland.
Dacre was the King’s envoy in the North which meant that he was in charge of all the Marches, he was not simply a Warden of one March. He organised a series of raids into Scotland. This letter has a threat that if an abbey does not destroy a defence then the abbey will be destroyed.
The original letters are in the British Library and have not been transcribed until now. The information contained is clear and chilling. Some of the names of the towers and towns are no longer seen on maps. It would be an interesting piece of research which identifies the settlements noted in the observations of the surveyors Pont and Grant 1590 to about 1650 and then notes the named destructions of the settlements.
And then we rade over the wattur to ednein where the Towre and steple were geven over to us. And so we brent the said Towne being thre quart[lers] of a mile long and kast done the said Towre and the steple which was double vauted and as substanciall as any foure sqwared Thwre in Tevidale. and when we removed out of the Towne we saw wtin one myle betwixt us and the castell of Stitchell the Scotts assembled in nombre thre thousand men who prekt right sore at our hoste. Notwithstandyng we proceded and went to the said Castell of Stit[chell] where we not only brent and Distroyed the Towne but also kaste downe the said Castell which was a fare dongeon & a strong double vauted
and stode upon the border betwixt the mershe and Lambermore when we retorned toward akles and brent all the Townes unto we came thiddre that is to saye aynthorne newton stitchell crag hasington manes and all other Townes & stedes in our way And when the vangarde came to Akles the convent of nonnes met them wt procession and delivered them he keas of th’ abbay. And so upon promise by the said nonnes made that thay shall afore sonday next commyng Cast downe all the walles & diches that we could say was likly To be any strenthe. We saved Th’abbay and brent all the hole Towne
we could not abide to cast downe diches and walles used as a bermekyn but toke promise for the casting downe of them. And if thay do not p(er)forme the said p(ro)mise before the Day assigned it is ordeigned that Sir william Bulmer wt a certain nombre shall go thiddre & burne & distroye all the hole abbay.
And after our dep(ar)ture frome Akles we rade to a Towne called marsington and brent it wt all other Townes and stedes in our way there was a good towre well vauted which we kest downe. And so my lord thes four fortrasses aforesaid is clerely castin downe to the grounde forsomuch that there is not one pace of a wall standing of them all. They fell astreght to the grounde after the same man(ner) that the lawgthtor fell for if we had bene well s(er)ved of good horses and had wt us a grete pece of ordinance we shulde have castin downe the castell of home wt Towre of langton
And Dunse (?) but I assure your lordship we had muche default of good horses and was sore vexed and encanbred (?) wt thes that we had And when we had castin downe the forsaid Towre of mersington we came home and entred this realme at the west forde of norlyn where I appointed a certain nombre of Soldiers to attend upon th’ ordnunce to convey it in surtue to Berwik. My lorde I do raken now that for the clere distruction of Tevidale and the merse there is but thre rades to be made wherof one is in the merse to the castell of home langton Dunse (?) est nestbet rede brayes and other small towres in the est end of the merse .
The seconde rade is in the est ende of Tevidale to rookysburghe the gatehouse Towre of kelso abbaye ormiston and all other Towres betwixt the watters of Twede and Teviot The Third rade in the west end of Tevidale to yedward ffarnyhirst hundele and all other fortrasses thereabouts And after that thes thre rades be well and substancially Done and p(re)formed: two thousand men of the garuison may be discharged and but one thousand remayne upon the border for defence of the same seing that no new roades needs after to be made upon the frounters of th ‘est and middle borders of Scotlande.
Dacre Letter 1524 PN
L1010
Selkirk Residents Mistake Travellers for Reivers
Reproduction of a statement admitting that travellers from Moffat were mistakenly treated (badly) as Reivers.
Each town in Scotland had its legal representations recorded in a protocol book. Selkirk is fortunate because local interest and expertise has discovered an account of the daily events of the town in the 16th century.
This statement was made because some Selkirk townsmen had set upon a group of travellers, thinking they were Reivers. They noticed their mistake – the travellers were from Moffat – and realised that they were now guilty of assault and theft. They thus sought to swear that this incident was an accident.
5 Aug 1530.
Mark Ker, Walter Scot in Hanyng, James Ker in Grenheid, Thomas Ker in Selkirk, Robert Ker, John Scot in Aikwod, Thomas Scot younger there, Roger Murray, William Lauder in the presence of notary and witnesses publicly declared in the vernacular that:
We the efforsaid Mark Ker etc tuk horss, meill and men and uther diverss geiris fra travelouris quhilke var don us to understand that thai ar of Annandaill and supportit tratouris and theiffis rebaldis of the kingis graice and now by thairis greit aychtis and utheris fathful informationes, we understand that thai ar trew travelouris in Moffat toune, we haf geffin all thairis geiris that we intrometit unto thaim agane.
In vyt-ness heirof be for our bailye Simon Fairle, Robert Trumbull, William Brydin, William Chepman, sir John Brydin and others.
Selkirk beat Reivers PN
L1011
Warden’s Account of Destruction of a Tower House
Reproduction from memoirs of one of Warden Thomas Carey’s days.
Thomas Carey was an unusual man. He was a career Warden of the Marches. He was Warden or deputy Warden of all three English Marches in his life. He was further unusual because he wrote his detailed memoirs.
This reproduction is from a book of his memoirs published in 1750. He describes how he went to a tower north of Carlisle to apprehend some Scots. A Scot escaped and returned with a fighting party. The English outnumbered the Scots but Carey realised that if they killed the Scots then a blood feud would ensue. He thus let the Scottish fighting party leave, but apprehended his quarry and removed the roof from the tower.
Carey gave us the clearest account of a Reiver’s way of life when he disguised himself as a guard on the last night of a condemned Reiver. The confession makes fascinating reading and includes a confession of sleeping with forty men’s wives.
Carey 1754 PN
L1012
The Bishop’s Curse
Part of the text of Bishop Dunbar’s Curse of Excommunication on the Reivers.
The Border Reivers inhabited the regions of the border between Scotland and England. They suffered from regular incursions by the army of one country laying waste to the border land of the other country. Their response was to respect neither sovereign law nor moral authority.
There was a cohesion through conflict and the family clan became the protector of its local population. However the clan also was the initiator of many troubles and clan traditions often perpetuated blood feuds through generations. Reivers would change sides in a battle and ransom their officers and the situation was worse in peace times when their undivided attention was given to thieving, extortion and ransom.
It is no wonder that the frustrated Archbishop of Glasgow ordered their excommunication in the most graphic detail. This is part of his text. The whole text and an audio interpretation is available from ww.Reivers.com
“I curse thair heid and all the haris of thair heid;
I curse thair face, thair ene, thair mouth, thair neise, thair toung, thair teith,
thair crag, thair schulderis, thair breist, thair hert, thair stomok, thair bak, thair wame,
thair armes, thair leggis, thair handis, thair feit,
and everilk part of thair body, frae top of thair heid to the soill of thair feit,
befoir and behind, within and without.
I curse thaim gangand, and I curse thaim rydand;
I curse thaim standand, and I curse thaim sittand;
I curse thaim etand, I curse thaim drinkand;
I curse thaim walkand, I curse thaim sleepand;
I curse thaim rysand, I curse thaim lyand;
I curse thaim at hame, I curse thaim fra hame;
I curse thaim within the house, I curse thaim without the house;
I curse thair wiffis, thair barnis, and thair servandis
participand with thaim in thair deides.
Curse text PN
L1013
Lanercost Chronicle
Manuscript of monks of Lanercost Priory in 14th century about the Scottish invasion of Northern England.
In the 14th century the Scots invaded and defeated the north of England. They entered through the East and Middle Marches and on their return via the west side they stopped at Carlisle where they besieged the city for ten days.
Lanercost Priory is 10 miles east of Carlisle and the monks recorded the events in Latin and the documents became known as The Lanercost Chronicle. There is some bias and inaccuracies in the Chronicle but this account of the siege seems plausible.
Translation of part of Lanercost Chronicle:
Also, a little later in the same year, on the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, the King of Scotland, having mustered all his forces, came to Carlisle, invaded the city and besieged it for ten days, trampling down all the crops, wasting the suburbs and all within the bounds, burning the whole of that district, and driving in a very great store of cattle for his army from Allerdale, Copeland, and Westmoreland. On every day of the siege they assaulted one of the three gates of the city, sometimes all three at once, but never without loss, because there were discharged upon them from the walls such dense volleys of darts and arrows, likewise stones, that they asked one another whether stones bred and multiplied within the walls. Now on the fifth day of the siege they set up a machine for casting stones next the church of Holy Trinity, where their king stationed himself, and they cast great stones continually against the Caldew gate and against the wall, but they did little or no injury to those within, except that they killed one man. But there were seven or eight similar machines within the city, besides other engines of war, which are called springalds, for discharging long darts, and staves with sockets for casting stones, which caused great fear and damage to those outside.
Lanercost Chronicle
L1017
Bishop of Glasgow’s Curse on the Reivers
A recording of the excommunication of the Border Reivers made by the Bishop of Glasgow in 1525.
The Border Reivers inhabited the regions of the border between Scotland and England. They suffered from regular incursions by the army of one country laying waste to the border land of the other country. Their response was to respect neither sovereign law nor moral authority.
There was a cohesion through conflict and the family clan became the protector of its local population. However the clan also was the initiator of many troubles and clan traditions often perpetuated blood feuds through generations. Reivers would change sides in a battle and ransom their officers and the situation was worse in peace times when their undivided attention was given to thieving, extortion and ransom.
The frustrated Archbishop of Glasgow ordered the excommunication of the Reivers to be narrated from every market cross and other public meeting place in the land. It is a curse of the most graphic detail. This is part of his narration. The whole text and an audio interpretation is available from ww.Reivers.com
Good folk I curse PN
L1014
Bishop of Glasgow Curses Every Part of a Reiver
A recording of the excommunication of the parts of the body of all Border Reivers made by the Bishop of Glasgow in 1525.
The Border Reivers inhabited the regions of the border between Scotland and England. They suffered from regular incursions by the army of one country laying waste to the border land of the other country. Their response was to respect neither sovereign law nor moral authority.
There was a cohesion through conflict and the family clan became the protector of its local population. However the clan also was the initiator of many troubles and clan traditions often perpetuated blood feuds through generations. Reivers would change sides in a battle and ransom their officers and the situation was worse in peace times when their undivided
The Archbishop of Glasgow ordered the curse of the Reivers to be narrated from every market cross and other public meeting place in the land. This part of the curse details the parts of the Reiver’s body to be cursed. The whole text and an audio interpretation is available from ww.Reivers.com
Curse first part PN
L1015
First Part of the Bishop of Glasgow’s Curse on the Reivers
A recording of the excommunication of the Border Reivers made by the Bishop of Glasgow in 1525.
The Border Reivers inhabited the regions of the border between Scotland and England. They suffered from regular incursions by the army of one country laying waste to the border land of the other country. Their response was to respect neither sovereign law nor moral authority.
There was a cohesion through conflict and the family clan became the protector of its local population. However the clan also was the initiator of many troubles and clan traditions often perpetuated blood feuds through generations. Reivers would change sides in a battle and ransom their officers and the situation was worse in peace times when their undivided
This narration by the Archbishop of Glasgow describes the troubles brought to the southern parts of the realm and orders that the curse should be read from every market cross and other public meeting place in the land. This is part of his narration. The whole text and an audio interpretation is available from ww.Reivers.com
Good folk to authority
L1016