POLITICAL HISTORY 



and bounds of the monastery of Canonby ; also for perambulating and 

 surveying the same and placing new metes and bounds if necessary. 1 

 But there was no finality in these negotiations ; the dispute was handed 

 on to embitter international feuds. At a later date the controversy 

 raged specially around the question whether the lands of Canonby were 

 debatable ground. It was claimed by the English in 1531 that 'the 

 boundes of Cannonby is inverouned of thre partis withe the Debatable 

 grounde, that is to saye, of the este, weste and northe : and of the southe 

 syde adjoynethe upon Englonde : soo that noo parte therof adjoynethe 

 upon Scotlande, and hathe bene alwayes used as a hous of prayers and 

 newtre betuixt bothe the realmes.' 2 In 1537 we learn from a descrip- 

 tion of the Debatable Land that it contained the ' grownde callede Can- 

 abye, thatt sayme beyng in lenghtt bye estymatione two myllys est 

 annde west, annde in brede two myllys.' 3 For some time longer the 

 territory in dispute was to be occupied as it had been heretofore by ' byt 

 of mouth alanerlie,' 4 an arrangement under which rights of pasture were 

 enjoyed during the daytime only by the inhabitants of both countries," 

 the Threaplands having been treated as international common. At length 

 a compromise was arrived at by commissioners representing both king- 

 doms and a partition of the land in dispute was made. In the award, 

 dated 24 September 1552, it was set forth that as the inhabitants of the 

 western part inclined more to be subjects of England, and the inhabitants 

 of the eastern part inclined more to be subjects of Scotland, the parti- 

 tion should be guided by local feeling. An earthen barrier was thrown 

 up between the Esk and Sark, and its terminations marked by square 

 pillars with the arms of England on the west sides thereof and the arms 

 of Scotland on the east sides. Lest the pillars should be destroyed by 

 length of time or removed by evil counsel, the sites where the stones 

 were to be placed were described as the bend of the Esk at the western 

 side of a field called Dimmisdaill, where a syke of that name joins the 

 river, and a bank on Scottish ground by the red cliff in Kirkrigg where 

 the Sark in turn makes a curve in its course. 8 



1 Chan. Signed Bills, 9 Hen. VII. No. 31. 8 Armstrong, Liddesdale, App. No. 25. 



Cotton MS. Calig. B. iii. 83. Hamilton Papers (Scot. Rec. Pub.), i. 54. 



Cott. MS. Caligula, B. vi. ff. 167-8. 



Rymer, Feeder a, xv. 315-9. In this important international document the disputed territory is 

 described as ' dictus ager nunc variabilis, nunc litigiosus, nunc terra contentiosa vocari solitus, communi 

 vero utriusque gentis vocabulo nuncupatus the Debatable Land, quasi quis dicat terram de cujus jure 

 tarn Angli quam Scoti decertare ac contended sintsoliti, forma oblonga atque inzquali protendatur ab 

 occidente in orientem ' ; and the partition is set out ' ut in ipso utriusque partis discrimine, trames 

 linearis rectus transversim ab Esk ad Sark fluvium ducatur, fossa vel sulco vestigium ipsius denotante ; 

 ac praeterea, singulae piramides lapide quadrato singulis ipsorum Esk et Sark fluviorum ripis interius 

 imponantur, in ipsis potissimum (quoad ejus fieri potest) locorum punctis construendz ac collocandae, 

 ubi linea seu trames ille transversus hac iliac extendetur. Quosquidem locos, quo planius dinoscantur, 

 ut si quo vetustatis aut doli mali vitio piramides corruerint, nihilo secus locorum vestigia ad ipsarum 

 reparationem innotescant, in hunc modum hinc describendos putavimus : locus igitur piramidi Esk 

 fluvii ripz imponendae is esto, ubi fluvii ipsius cursus sinuose incurvatus est, ad campi cujusdam (vulgari 

 sermone vocati Dimmisdaill) latus occidentale, qua torrens seu rivulus quidam vicinus (vernacule nuncu- 

 patus Dimmisdaill syke) in fluvium jam dictum praecipitat. Similiter, piramidi Sark fluvii quae im- 

 ponetur ripaeisesto locus, qui clivo rubro situs est, e regione loci vocati Kirkrigg in Scotia paulum supra 

 le Eatgyw', ubi vicissim Sark fluvii alveolus in sinus incurvatur.' For the identification of the pillars 

 it was ordered ' uti arma seu principum praedictorum insignia insculpantur ; ita scilicet, ut quod latus 



ii 265 34 



