Letters of Horning. 299 



Brieflv, the story is of a rieving expedition by the Armstrongs 

 with a following of broken men and outlaws, numbering alto- 

 gether about 100 men, from southern Dumfriesshire, into the 

 parish of Libberton, in Lanarkshire, where they "lifted " twelve 

 score of sheep. They were pursued by the outraged owners, a 

 body of seventeen men, horsed and with a " sleuth hound dog." 

 After following the Armstrongs for two days, the latter, at " Glen- 

 gagre scheill, " were set upon, captured, and taken with their 

 sheep, horses, and dog to the " myrs and placis of Kirtillhill, 

 Auchinbeg, Barcleis, Carcane (?), and Auchingabill." Ransom 

 was then demanded of them, and they, at the time of the 

 Horning, appear to have been in durance strict and probably vile 

 for about two months. 



The Government makes a great show by denouncing the 

 offenders and sending a messenger to Dumfries, distant from their 

 strongholds over twenty miles, to proclaim them rebels with three 

 blasts of a trumpet. In the course of the Horning, however, a 

 statiement is made which reveals how helpless were the forces of 

 law and order. The charges, it appears, could not be delivered 

 to the offenders because " our officers dare not repair to the parts 

 wherein they [the offenders] dwell for fear of their lives." 



So common were raids from the south into Libberton Parish 

 that the people there built penned vaults as an asylum for their 

 cattle. ("Statistical Account of Scotland.") 



The document transcribed below was found among the Burgh 

 Records of Dumfries. 



Transcript of Letters of Horning directed against the Armstrongs. 

 Dated at Edinburgh, 22nd November, 1582. 



James be the grace of God King of Scottis To our Lowittis 

 Thos Weir messinger, Messengeris our shereffis In yt pairt con-' 

 junctlie and severalie, speciale constitute greitting: fforsamekille 

 as it is humble menit and complenit to ws be our Louittis Jhone 

 meinzes of [Coujterras, Jhone blak his seruand, Rot bron In 

 couter, andro creychtoun ther, george weir In libertoun, hew 

 aiczen ther, wm. fischir their, Jhone mosman ther, Alexr pain 

 ther, Symond mosman ther, thomas somerwell ther, michell thom- 

 sone, James mosman, James clerk ther, James clerk younger ther, 

 Jhone somerwell ther, symond fischer ther, And our weill belouit 



