52 ANNALS OF SCOTLAND* 



to be provided, according to their feveral ranks, 

 with horfes and armour for the field j the greater 

 towns were to provide artillery and ammunition, and 

 likewife engineers and other workmen for conduct- 

 ing the train. * The mint, weights, and meafures, 

 were again regulated, and other laws were inftituted 

 by the unanimous concurrence of king and parlia- 

 ment, between whom there feemed to be only one 

 mind. 



* Advice having; arrived in Scotland, that the Englifh intended 

 .to renew hoftilities, the parliament patted the following ordinance, 

 which mows the manner by which intelligence was inftantane- 

 oully conveyed over the whole kingdom. 



In the firil place, the parliament thought it fpeedful (that is, it 

 was their advice) that fit perfons ihould be appointed to guard the 

 .pallages of the Tweed, betwixt Roxburgh and Berwick, and to 

 watch certain places, and fords of the river, in order to difcover 

 and advertife the country of the approach of an enemy; which 

 they were to do in this manner. They, for example, who 

 watched at the ford near Hume, upon the enemy's approach, 

 were to make a bail, that is, fet on a great fire, at Hume, which 

 being feen by the neighbouring country, bails were, iii the fame 

 manner, to be made at Dunbar, Haddington, Dalkeith, the calllc 

 of Edinburgh, Stirling, Dunbar ton, &c. as, alfo, at Eggerhope 

 caitle, Soltray Edge, and on the lea coall, as at Dunpender law, 

 and North Berwick law. By one bail, or fire, thus let on, the 

 country was to underfland that the enemy was at hand; who, If 

 he feemed coniiderably flrong, in that caie, two bails were to be 

 fet, like two candies together ; or three or four, according to the 

 exigence and danger that might be threatened. By this means, it 

 was very eafy to advertife moft parts of the kingdom, within a 

 few hours, of the approach, and Itrength of an enemy, before ft 

 "was poffible for them to pafs the Tweed : and thus, continues the 

 .record, confidering their far pallhge (great diitance) we ihall, God 

 willing, be as foon ready as they. 



Other precautions, for the lalety of the borders, againft the 

 Englifh, were taken in the lame parliament. The Eail borders 

 were to be provided with garrifons, confiiling of two hundred 

 fpears and two hundred bows. Thole on the Weft, were to con- 

 tain one hundred fpears, and as many bows ; and the expence of 

 the whole was to be defrayed by an equal afleflment of the land- 

 holders, which was to be fent to the Exchequer by the meriffs. 

 Every gentleman or baron was to keep his houie in tenantable re- 

 'l>a ; r, fo as to reiift any fudden furpriie ; and to maintain a num- 

 ber of able-bodied men, if called upon to take the field againft the 

 vommon enemy. 



JAMES 



