N O R T H U M B E R L A N D 8cc. 



very improveable, and capable of culture, and the mountains 

 feeding vafl multitudes of fheep, render Northumberland a very 

 opulent county. Our wool brings home to us the wealth of the 

 remoteft kingdoms, and our lead and coal give us the treafures 

 of our neighbours both at home and abroad. There is hardly a 

 gentleman, but who has all the neceffaries and conveniences of 

 life on his own eftate. The barrenefl hills, and the lakes and 

 rivers, contribute to his health and delight, by giving him exer- 

 cife, and furniming his table with plenty both of filh and fowl. 

 It is, indeed, very naked of timber in mod places, except on 

 the banks of rivers, and fome pleafant and fertile fpots, and by 

 gentlemen's feats, with great judgment reared and preferved, fof 

 pleafure, made, and flicker.* 



Some of thofe feats are good old caflles, built upon rifing hiils 

 and eminences, not fo much for mew as defence, to have a 

 better profpedt of an approaching enemy, fuch as before the 

 Union were the Scots, and a fort of thieves, called, Mofs-'Troopsrs^ 

 whofe cuftom it was to pUlage the country, and to retire into the 

 weftern and northern waftes, and other inacceffible places in 

 Tyne-dalc, Reeds-dale, Glendale, and Gil/land, on the borders (x) ; 

 from whom it was hard for any one to get his goods again, un- 

 lefs he applied to a mailer-thief with a fee in his hand, which 

 they called, Saufey-Money (y). After the union, thefe and other 

 irregularities were wifely fujvprefled. 



As before that glorious period, the two bordering, and now 

 filler-nations, difplayed great heroifm in the defence of their 



- - * ' * t 



(x) Bernard Gttprifs Lifety Dr. Geo. Carleton, Eifliop of Clickejler, inter colle&anca Ba- 

 tefiaiia, 410. 1628. Wis Life by Jfdliam Gilpin, 8vo. 1753. 



(y) Greys Chorographb, in.er colledan. 0*fordiana, 410. vol. iii. 



VOL. L c respective 



