The English Raids on Dumfries in 1570. 235 



worked no amendment, the greater may always follow hereafter, 

 and be the better used when warning works no good effect. Thus 

 your majesty sees what I have done, in what sort I have done it, 

 and how I have been forced thereto in respect of your majesty's 

 honour, the credit of your realm, and my own poor honesty in 

 this charge.'"*^ 



To Cecil Sussex reported more briefly that he " has avoided 

 the burning of houses and corn and the taking of cattle and goods 

 to make the revenge appear to be for honour only, and yet has not 

 left a stone house to an ill neighbour within twenty miles of this 

 town [Carlisle] that is guardable in any ordinary raid."*^ 



So far as the district is concerned it does not seem possible 

 to add much to Sussex report. The narrator of " King James 

 the Sext " says he " brynt the toun of Annan and demoleist the 

 castle thairof, then he set fyre in the toun of Dumfries, he spulzeit 

 the houssis and the bellis of the Kirk; he tuik many prea- 

 soners.'"*^ 



Some basis there may be for believing that the Kirk bells 

 were "spulzeit," for on the 14th of December the Council 

 borrowed the " great bell callit Marie and Jon ' ' from Sweetheart 

 Abbey and did not return it to the great dissatisfaction of Abbot 

 Gilbert Brown.''* The "Diurnal of Occurrents " in addition to 

 the other burnt houses specifies " Hoddum, Cloisburne and Boyne- 

 schaw ' ' as being " cast doun ' ' and that he " brint certane houssis 

 in the toun of Drumfreis and ran the forray 14 mjies from Drum- 

 freis."*^ Lyndsay of Pitscottie adds to these "the castell of 

 Lochmabane,'"'^ but, doubtless, he was mistaken. Lord Herries 

 states that "he blew up with powder the Castle of Hoddom.'"''' 



IBannatyne, displaying his hatred of Herries, adds a curious 

 incident. " The grit dampnage and skaith fell vpon my lord 

 Maxwell and his friendis . . the Lord Herreis Mitchell Wyleis 

 [Machiavelli's] lauchful successour did craftelie convov the voung 



41. Cal. State Papers, Scotland, v. 3, p. 326-8. 



42. Cal. State Papers, For. Ser., Aug. 29, 1570. 



43. King James the Sext. Bannatyne Club, p. 60. 



44. Burgh Court Books, 19, xii., 1570; 10, iv., 1571. 



45. Diurnal of Occurrents, Maitland Club, p. 184. 



46. Chron. of Scotland, Scot. Text Soc, v. 2, p. 237. 



47. Historical Memoirs, Abbotsford Club, p. 127. 



