Tree”—Man’s first right—The King connives at Border reiving—The Wardens often indifferent—The King’s visit to Dumfries—Tytler’s account of what transpired—The Turnbulls of Rule Water punished—The Earl of Mar in Hawick—Lack of trees and halters—Queen Mary at Jedburgh—The Earl of Bothwell—John Elliot of Park—The Queen visits Hermitage—Struck down with fever—The suppression of Liddesdale—Buccleuch and Ferniherst—Mangerton destroyed—The whole district given to the flames—Geordie Bourne—Found guilty of March treason—Executed—Milder measures—The Tower of Netherby—Cary’s success

136-154   IX. LIDDESDALE LIMMERS. Border keeps and peels—Description of them—Hermitage—Lord Soulis—Nine-stane-rig—Black Knight of Liddesdale—Ramsay of Dalhousie starved to death—Armstrongs and Elliots—Maitland’s “Complaynt”—Took everything that came to hand—The clan system—Names of Border clans—To-names—Debateable land—The Scotch dyke—Cary’s raid—Driven to bay 155-180   X. AFTER THE HUNTING. James V.—Border barons put in ward—Sets out for the Borders—Hunts in Meggat—Eighteen score of deer slain—Cockburn of Henderland—Border Widow’s Lament—Adam Scott, “King of Thieves”—Johnie Armstrong—The loving letter—Basely betrayed—Pitscottie’s account—Maxwell’s complicity—Ballad—Blackmeal—Increase of Border lawlessness 181-200   XI. THE CORBIE’S NEST. General characteristics of Border reivers—Kinmount Willie—Descendant of laird of Gilnockie—Encouraged to commit depredations on English border—Present at March meeting at Dayholm—Captured by Salkeld on his way home—Imprisoned in Carlisle—Violation of Border law—The bold Buccleuch determines to effect his rescue—Arrangements made at a horse race at Langholm—Meeting at Tower of Morton—Marches on Carlisle—Breaks into the Castle—Carries off the prisoner—Relieves him of his irons—Names of principal assistants—Scrope indignant—Addresses the Privy Council—Buccleuch on his defence—Elizabeth demands his surrender—James complies 201-219   XII. FLAGELLUM DEI. International complications—The Queen difficult to pacify—Her letter to James—Scrope invades Liddesdale—His conduct defended—Buccleuch retaliates—Invades Tynedale—Account of his depredations—Flagellum Dei—Supported by King and Council—Elizabeth peremptorily demands his surrender—Places himself as a prisoner in the hands of Sir William Bowes—The Governor of Berwick afraid to undertake his safe custody—Surrender of Sir Robert Ker—Lives with Sir Robert Cary on terms of intimacy and friendship—Buccleuch returns to Liddesdale—Adopts a new policy—Incurs the displeasure of the reivers—Inaugurates a new era in Border history—Appears before the Queen 220-236   XIII. MINIONS OF THE MOON. The kindly feeling with which the more famous reivers regarded—Auld Wat of Harden—At the “Raid of Falkland”—The consequences of this episode—Carries off 300 oxen and kye, a horse and a nag, from Gilsland—Large demands on his hospitality—“Wat o’ Harden’s coo!”—The sow-backed hay stack—Destroys the town of Bellinghame—Marries Mary Scott of Dryhope—His son slain by one of the Scotts of Gilmanscleuch—The feast of spurs—Goes in pursuit of the Captain of Bewcastle—Revenge!—Willie Scott—His raid on Elibank—Taken prisoner—“Muckle-mou’d Meg”—Priest or hangman—A wise choice. “Jock o’ the Syde”—Prisoner in Newcastle—Rescued by his friends—Pursued by the English—Make good their escape.—“Christie’s Will”—Two delicate colts—Lord Traquair—Lord Durie kidnapped—Scott’s account of the incident—Description of balladist—Christie’s Will carries important papers to Charles I.—Entrapped at Carlisle on his return—Spurs his horse over parapet of bridge.—Willie of Westburnflat—Tried at Selkirk—Breaks in pieces the oaken chair—Threatens to clear the court—Dissuaded by his friends—Executed in due form of law—Armstrong’s good-night 237-266   XIV. UNDER THE BAN. State of the Borders—Decadence of Romanism—A strong hand needed—The Celtic Church—Its influence permanent—The Scots indifferent to fulminations of their spiritual superiors—Excommunicatio major—Excommunicatio minor—Monition of Cursing by Archbishop of Glasgow 267-279   XV. THE TRIUMPH OF LAW. “Broken men” drafted off to Belgic wars—Græmes banished to Ireland—Buccleuch invested with arbitrary powers—Thieves executed without ceremony—The Union of the Crowns—The effect highly beneficial—Firm hand laid on the ring-leaders