i, 
: 
73 
of Leven, the Crosiers and Nixons of Bewcastle, the Bells and 
Milburns of Gilsland, the Liddels and Huntingdons of Brough, 
the Charltons, Todds and Milburns of North Tyne, the Halls, 
Hedleys and Reeds of Reedsdale, the Fenwicks and Shaftos of 
central Northumberland, the Musgraves of Eden, and the Ridleys, 
Thirlwalls and=Featherstonehaughs of South Tyne. But besides 
these there were great barons and lords, such as the Douglas and 
- Buccleuch on the north border, and the Percys, Dacres, Howards 
and Harclas on the south border, some of whom bore the name 
for centuries. 
The manner of settling their feuds varied considerably. Some- 
times the chief of a clan or family would challenge the opposite 
chief to single combat, or six, eight, or ten of one clan would 
challenge a similar number of another clan, and sometimes the 
whole would join in the meee, and so strew the earth with their 
slain. Sometimes the champion of each clan or army would 
challenge each other. For example, immediately before the battle 
of Hallidon Hill, a gigantic Scotsman, by name Turnbull, stepped 
from the ranks and challenged any one from the English ranks to 
single combat. The Scotsman, however, had with him an immense 
mastiff as an abettor of his master. Sir Robert Benwall stepped 
forward, and, with one blow, struck off the mastiff’s head, with a 
second he struck off Turnbull’s right arm, and, with a third, struck 
off his head. This was considered a bad omen for the Scots, for 
when the whole joined in combat, Douglas and 12,000 Scotsmen 
were left dead on the field. At Chevy Chase and Otterburn, the 
Douglas and Percy joined in single combat, and afterwards the 
‘whole army, when the ground was covered with the dying and 
dead. ; 
These champions were mostly men of gigantic stature, but some- 
times //é/e men became notorious in this way—notably John Elliott, 
of Park, in Liddesdale, who defeated Bothwell—hence the stanzas: 
I vanquished the Queen’s lieutenant, 
And made his fierce troopers flee— 
My name it is little Jock Elliott, 
And wha daur meddle wi’ me? 
