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land, what terrible scenes have been enacted. During the reign of 
Queen Elizabeth, Haltwhistle was repeatedly raided, and the 
impression made upon the inhabitants by those events was so 
great that for a century afterwards they lived in mortal dread of 
the mosstroopers. During the earlier part of the present century, 
an old man named John Algood (Joany Oget), used to rise early 
in the morning and blow a horn in various parts of the town, at 
each stage delivering the following warning: ‘The mosstroopers 
are coming, are coming, are coming! Kill and slay! Bear away! 
Deliver up or die!” 
Penrith has been burnt to the ground, and all the region round 
about laid utterly waste. Appleby was once a town, or city, of 
10,000 to 20,000 inhabitants, but since it was burnt by the Scots 
it has been a mere village, albeit a corporation, co-existent with 
London and York. The county was wrecked by Wallace in 1298, 
by Murray in 1323, by Douglas in 1332 and 1345. In 1346, the 
whole of the northern counties were laid waste, and only four 
towns spared, in which to store booty—namely, Durham, Darling- 
ton, Hexham, and Corbridge. In that expedition the Scots lost 
20,000 men. Thrice on the shores of the Solway were the Scots 
stopped, the last time in 1542, when 8,000 or 10,000 men were 
surprised by Dacre and Musgrave, and scarcely one returned to 
tell the tale. 
As in a forest a tree here and there stands out prominently, 
taller and more commanding than the rest, so amongst those 
border clansmen some names stand out so conspicuously 
that their deeds of daring are sung in border ballads at 
this day. Take the following as specimens: John Armstrong, 
commonly called “Gilnockie,” appropriated and lived on the 
debatable land. His prowess became so great that it was said he 
could ride at the head of 3,o00 horsemen, and that he levied 
blackmail from the Solway to the Tyne. Henry VIII. complained 
to James V. of this. James having a wholesome dread of 
Gilnockie, wrote him a kind letter, inviting him to meet him at 
Caerlaverock on a certain day. James came with 10,000 men. 
Gilnockie, suspecting no harm, came with thirty-six horsemen, all 
