244 The English Raids on Dumfries in 1570. 



gusson kest ane laid of malt or the bray and lay ther quhen he 

 past away. 



The qlk day William herp menstrale admytit and suorne 

 deponis that he saw Jon fergusson cast ane laid of malt or the 

 bray abone will the mans kill he kenis not quhat auchit and 

 eftervart saw it skaillit on the grund. 



The qlk day patrik read adm.ytit and suorn deponis that he 

 led on horss ane half bole malt and it was custin or the bray 

 abone will the mans kyll and left ther he kenis not quha touk it." 



Maxwell in liarnshell 



The qlk day in the causs of ane bole malt vale therof fourty 

 \iii sh persewit be James Maxvell vpon Jon fergusson als laird 

 It is fundin be the provest and balleis that in safar as the said 

 Jon grantit the Intromission therof afoir the cumming of the 

 army in august a do Ixxo and that he offerit hym to preff it 

 vas tane away be the army foirsaid And failzeit therintill alss 

 thai fynd for conscience seik that Jon fergusson & his gat not 

 the vale nor profett therof Nevirtheles havand respect to the 

 ordor tane befoir thani thai decerns the Said Jon fergusson to 

 content and pay to the said James the price of ten peccs of malt 

 after four libs viii sh the boll wtin xxxi dayes nixttocum vnder 

 perell of law and thervpon decernit act to stand as decreit 

 poundyng to follow thervpon in form of law as offeris.''^ 



Such was the history of these eventful months in Dumfries. 

 The first raid was a wretched and ineffectual affair of small 

 townships destroyed and stroke met with counterstroke ending 

 in retiral; the second was an example of swift rnd summary 

 revenge on the wealthy abettors of the rebels. It illustrates 

 strikingly the advance in the methods of attack and the inade- 

 quacy of the old strongholds as defences. It was eminently 

 successful in its results, for immediately after Sussex' retiral he 

 reported to Cecil that " Lord Herries has sent lamenting that 

 he should be compelled to forsake the queen or be in danger 

 of destruction " to which Sussex had replied, doubtless with his 

 tongue in his cheek, that " the Queen of England had no 

 intention to force him or any other person in Scotland to do in 



71. Op. cit., 17 i., 1570-1. 



72. Burgh Court Books, 16, v., 1571. 



