POLITICAL HISTORY 



thousand men were completely vanquished by less than three thousand. 

 It was a rout rather than a battle. Two earls, five barons, and some 

 thousands of men were taken prisoners, and the fugitives who escaped 

 had to face the tender mercies of the men of Liddesdale, ' who spoyled 

 them of all their arrayment and because they shuld the more spedely 

 flye, they toke also their botes from them.' l There was great jubilation 

 in London at the entry of some of the prisoners on 19 December, for 

 which occasion it was ' provided that every off the sayde Scottisshe 

 prisoners sholde have att theyre entre, for a knowlege, a redde Saynt 

 Androwes crosse.' ' 



The victory of Solway Moss, followed so soon by the death of 

 James V., roused Henry VIII. to pursue a vigorous policy on the Border. 

 The wardens of the marches were urged to harass the enemy on every 

 opportunity. 3 The king was assured that it was within his power to 

 lay hands ' on as much of Scotland as is on this side the Firth on the 

 east side, and as much as is on this side Dumbarton on the west side,' 

 and that there would be no peace ' untill your highness hath set your 

 marches to the limits aforesaid.' ' Oh,' the letter continued, ' what a 

 godly act should it be to bring such a sort of people to the knowledge 

 of God's laws, the country so necessary to your dominions, by reason of 

 which so many souls should live in quietness.' 4 The released prisoners 

 from Solway Moss returned to Scotland bound by pledges to further 

 English interests in that country. There was a general forward move- 

 ment. The wild spirits on the Border, inured to fray and foray, plunged 

 into the struggle with such zest that the record of their depredations in 

 the shire of Dumfries and the adjacent districts forms a dreadful catalogue 

 of burning and pillage which has few equals in the annals of predatory 

 war. In 1547, when Edward VI. succeeded his father, English rule 

 prevailed throughout the greater part of Dumfriesshire. The conflict 

 was continued with unabated vigour by William, Lord Dacre, who had 

 succeeded Lord Wharton in the wardenry. But the long struggle, carried 

 on with such barbarity, was fast bringing the belligerents to a state of 

 exhaustion. On the fall of the Protector Somerset new counsels prevailed 



i Hamilton Papers (Scot. Rec. Pub.), i. pp. Ixxxiii.-hcnvi., 307-8, 317-9. The number of Scots 

 routed at Solway Moss has been variously estimated by those who took part in the battle. Sir Thomas 

 Wharton, fresh from the conflict and eager to magnify his victory, estimated the Scots at 14,000, though 

 some said 20,000. After diligent inquiry Lord Lisle reported to King Henry that there were 17,000 

 at least. The English forces were variously estimated from 2,000 to 3,000. It was said that 5,000 horses 

 were captured, as the Scots fled towards the moss through which horses could not pass. The Scottish 

 army ' had fowre fawconnettes of brasse, twolfe bases two upon every carte, and three half bases uppon 

 one carte, havyng aboue thirtye standertis besides flaggis.' The battle was decided between ' Akeshaw- 

 hill ' and ' Howpsikehill,' in the region in which Longtown is now situated. ' Ten men was drawyn 

 with fisher nettes furthe of Heske thre dales after.' 



Acts of P.O. (new ser.), i. 63. The prisoners were lodged in the Tower for a short time, from 

 whence they were brought to the Star Chamber, ' by two and two together in new gowns of black damask 

 and other apparell sutable ' at the king's cost, to be admonished for their offences by the Lord Chancellor 

 before their liberation (Herbert, Life of Hen. 7111. pp. 485-6). Twenty of the Solway prisoners were 

 selected to be sent to London (Hamilton Papers [Scot. Rec. Pub.], i. 326). 



' As early as 1532, Henry instructed Lord Dacre to tamper with the men of Liddesdale and that 

 region in order to ' annoye the King of Scottis ' (Hamilton Papers [Scot. Rec. Pub.], i. 6). 



Ibid. i. 331. 



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