Before his man was returned, hee had heard, that in the morning, very early, Geordie Bourne had been executed. Many vowes he made of cruell revenge, and returned home full of grief and disdaine, and from that time forward still plotted revenge. Hee knew the gentlemen of the country were altogether sacklesse, and to make open road upon the March would but show his malice, and lay him open to the punishment due to such offences. But his practice was how to be revenged on me, or some of mine.

"It was not long after, that my brother and I had intelligence that there was a great match made at footeball, and the chiefe ryders were to be there. The place they were to meet at was Kelsy, and that day wee heard it was the day for the meeting. Wee presently called a counsaile, and after much dispute, it was concluded, that the likeliest place he was to come to, was to kill the scoutes. And it was the more suspected, for that my brother, before my coming to the office, for the cattaile stolne out of the bounds, and, as it were, from under the walles of Barwicke, being refused justice (upon his complaint), or at least delaid, sent off the garrison into Liddesdale, and killed there the chief offender, which had done the wrong.

66

Upon this conclusion, there was order taken, that both horse and foote should lye in ambush in diverse parts of the boundes, to defend the scoutes, and to give a sound blow to Sir Robert and his company. Before the horse and foote were sett out with directions what to do, it was almost dark night, and the gates ready to be lockt. Wee parted, and as I was by myselfe, comeing to my house, God put it into my mind, that it might well be, hee meant destruction to my men that I had sent out to gather tithes for mee at Norham, and their rendezvous was every night to lye and sup at an ale-house in Norham. I presently caused my page to take horse, and to ride as fast as his horse could carry him, and to command my servants (which were in all eight) that, presently upon his coming to them, they should all change their lodging, and go streight to the castle, there to lye that night in strawe and hay. Some of them were unwilling thereto, but durst not disobey; so altogether left their ale-house, and retired to the castle. They had not well settled themselves to sleep, but they heard in the town a great alarm; for Sir Robert and his company came straight to the ale-house, broke open the doors, and made enquiry for my servants. They were answered, that by my command they were all in the castle. After they had searched all the house, and found none, they feared they were betrayed, and, with all the speede they could, made haste homewards again. Thus God blessed me from this bloody tragedy.

"All the whole March expected nightly some hurt to be done; but

God so blessed mee and the government I held, as, for all his fury, hee never drew drop of blood in all my March, neither durst his theeves trouble it much with stealing, for fear of hanging if they were taken. Thus wee continued a yeare, and then God sent a meanes to bring things to better quiet by this occasion.

"There had been commissioners in Barwicke, chosen by the Queene and King of Scottes, for the better quieting of our Borders. By their industry they found a great number of malefactors guilty, both in England and Scotland; and they tooke order, that the officers of Scotland should deliver such offenders, as were found guilty in their jurisdictions, to the opposite officers in England, to be detained prisoners, till they had made satisfaction for the goods they had taken out of England. The like order was taken with the Wardens of England, and days prefixed for the delivery of them all. And in case any of the officers, on either side, should omit their duties, in not delivering the prisoners at the dayes and places appointed, that then there should a course be taken by the soveraignes, that what chiefe officer soever should offend herein, hee himself should be delivered and detained, till hee had made good what the commissioners had agreed upon. "The English officers did punctually, at the day and place, deliver their prisoners, and so did most of the officers of Scotland; only the Lord of Bocleuch and Sir Robert Kerr were faultie. They were complained of, and new dayes appointed for the delivery of their prisoners. Bocleuch was the first that should deliver; and hee failing, entered himself prisoner into Barwicke, there to remaine till those officers under his charge were delivered to free him. Hee chose for his guardian Sir William Selby, master of the ordnance at Barwicke. When Sir Robert Kerr's day of delivery came, hee failed too, and my Lord Hume, by the king's command, was to deliver him prisoner into Barwicke upon the like terms, which was performed. Sir Robert Kerr (contrary to all men's expectation) chose mee for his guardian, and home I brought him to my own house, after hee was delivered to mee. I lodged him as well as I could, and tooke order for his diet, and men to attend on him, and sent him word that (although by his harsh carriage towards mee, ever since I had that charge, he could not expect any favour, yet) hearing so much goodness of him, that hee never broke his worde, if hee would give mee his hand and credit to be a true prisoner, hee would have no guard sett upon him, but have free liberty for his friends in Scotland to have ingress and regress to him as oft as hee pleased. Hee tooke this very kindly at my handes, accepted my offer, and sent mee thankes.

"Some four dayes passed; all of which time his friends came into him, and hee kept his chamber. Then hee sent to mee, and desired

mee, I would come and speake with him, which I did; and after a long discourse, charging and re-charging one another with wrong and injuries, at last, before our parting, wee became good friends, with greate protestations, on his side, never to give mee occasion of unkindnesse again. After our reconciliation, hee kept his chamber no longer, but dined and supt with mee. I tooke him abroad with mee at the least thrice a-weeke, a hunting, and every day wee grew better friends. Bocleuch, in a few days after, had his pledges delivered, and was set at liberty. But Sir Robert Kerr could not get his, so that I was commanded to carry him to Yorke, and there to deliver him prisoner to the archbishop, which accordingly I did. At our parting, hee professed greate love unto mee for the kind usage I had shown him, and that I would find the effects of it upon his delivery, which hee hoped would be shortly.

"Thus wee parted; and, not long after, his pledges were gott, and brought to Yorke, and hee sett at liberty. After his retourne home, I found him as good as his word. Wee met oft at dayes of truce, and I had as good justice as I could desire; and so wee continued very kinde and good friends, all the tyme that I stayed in that March, which was not long."

THE QUARTERMASTER OUTDONE.

PWARDS of forty years ago, a detachment of troops were billetted at a considerable village in North Tyne, the name of which, for the honour of its patriarchs of old, as the sequel will show, must remain undisclosed. It was a delightful summer evening: many of the soldiers were collected into small groups; several were in motion, and a number stood before the houses, discoursing with the homely villagers. One, whose uniform indicated a grade superior to a common man, had been explaining to a humourous old fellow, a native of the district, who sat at his cottage door, several degrees of rank in the army, and was about to depart when the other, curious to know what position his informant occupied on the scale of honour, put to him the broad question, "An' what's thou?" With a sufficiency of self-respect, the man of war drew himself up to his full height, and replied, "I am a Quartermaster." "Dye! than, t'ou has neye grete berth on't," observed the audacious enquirer. "A Whartur-maister only, sayst tu? Od ton man! t'ere's nit an oad wyfe i' th' pleace bot what's hoafmaister an' mair!!"-R. White's, MSS.

GOODS NEWES FROM THE NORTH.

TRULY RELATING HOW ABOUT A HUNDRED OF THE SCOTTISH REBELS, INTENDING TO PLUNDER THE HOUSE OF M. PUDSIE (AT STAPLETON IN THE BISHOPRICK OF DURHAM.) WERE SET UPON BY A TROUPE OF OUR HORSEMEN, UNDER THE CONDUCT OF THAT TRULY VALOROUS GENTLEMAN LIEUTENANT SMITH, LIEUTENANT TO THE NOBLE SR. JOHN DIGBY; THIRTY NINE OF THEM (WHEROF SOME WERE MEN OF QUALITY) ARE TAKEN PRISONERS, THE REST ALL SLAINE EXCEPT FOURE OR FIVE WHICH FLED, WHEROF TWO ARE DROWNED. THE NAMES OF THEM IS INSERTED IN A LIST BY IT SELFE. THIS WAS UPON FRIDAY ABOUT FORE OF THE CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF THIS INSTANT SEPTEMBER, 1640.*

THE TUNE IS, KING HENRY GOING TO BULLOINE.

LL you who wish prosperity,
To our King and country,

and their confusion which falce hearted be,
Here is some newes (to cheare your hearte,)
Lately from the Northerne parts,

of brave exployts performed with corage free.

The Scots (there in possession.

Almost beyond expression,)

afflict the people in outragious wise ; Besides their lowance (which is much)

The cruelty of them is such,

that all they find they take as lawfull prise.

Sheepe, Oxen, Kine, and Horses,

Their quotidiall course is,

to drive away where ever them they finde;

Money, plate, and such good geere,

From the houses far and neere,

they beare away, even what doth please their mind.

But theres an ancient adage,

Oft used in this mad age,

the Pitcher goes so often to the Well;

That it comes broken home at last,

So they for all their knavery past,

shall rue ere long, though yet with pride they swell.

* From the original Broadside, preserved in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

As this our present story,

(To the deserved glory,

of them who were the actors in this play,) Unto you shall a relish give,

Of what, (if heaven let us live ;)

will come to passe, which is our foes decay.

Those rebels use to pillage,

In every country village,

and unresisted comed up and downe;

But now at last the greedy Scot,

Hath a Fridays breakfast got,

few of such feasts will pull their courage down.

At foure o'th clock i'th morning,

(Let all the rest take warning)

about a hundred of these rebels came; To M. Pudsey's house where they, Made sure account to have a prey,

for their intention was to rob the house.

Of no danger thinking;

To eating and to drinking

the Scots did fall, sure they said no grace, For there they eat and drank their last, With all successe they brake their fast, most of them to digest it had no space.

An English troope, not far thence,

Had (it seems) intelligence

of these bad guests at master Pudseye's house, And with all speed to Stapleton,

With great courage they, rode on,

while Jockey was drinking his last carouse.

The house they did beleaguer

And like to lion's eager,

they fell upon the Scots pell-mell so fast, That in a little space of time,

By th' Rebels fall our men did clime,

they paid them for their insolencies past.