POLITICAL HISTORY 



that ' if the Grahams were not, these parts would be as free from blood 

 and theft as Yorkshire.' No time was lost in arranging for their 

 removal. One hundred and fifty of them were selected as ' fytt for his 

 Majestee's service,' and transported to the cautionary towns of Flushing 

 and Brill, the cost of their journey to Newcastle having been defrayed 

 by the Exchequer. But the members of the clan who submitted 

 voluntarily to expatriation were not contented in their new sphere. 

 True to their traditions of lawlessness, they returned for the most part 

 without leave ; some by desertion and others by passport, at which the 

 king was highly offended and ordered their arrest and imprisonment till 

 his pleasure was known. It was easier to give the order than to carry 

 it out. The Grahams rode about in small companies with pistols and 

 lances, and succeeded for a considerable time in eluding their pursuers. 

 Sir Henry Leigh, provost marshal of Carlisle, was sent to reside at 

 Netherby with fifteen horsemen, and Sir William Cranston with a like 

 number at the Hollows Tower. Friction, however, arose between the 

 commissioners, and Cranston was accused by Sir Wilfrid Lawson of 

 showing undue leniency to the Grahams. The king wrote in February 

 1 606 and demanded an explanation of the delay in proceeding against 

 the ' runagates ' from the cautionary towns. As soon as a resolute course 

 was taken, the Grahams, not wishing to hazard their lives, submitted to 

 transportation to Ireland. The commissioners were able to report to 

 the Earl of Salisbury, on 1 3 September 1 606, that the chief Grahams 

 were sent to Workington 1 under the escort of the sheriff and John 

 Musgrave's horsemen ; there were not then left between Line and Sark 

 more than three Grahams of ability, of whom two were more than 

 eighty years of age. All the notorious offenders, whose manner terrified 

 peaceable men, had gone away : some of their wives, who could not go 

 then, would follow in the spring. Although Esk, Sark and Line were 

 purged of evil men, there remained others in Bewcastle and Gillesland 

 fit to follow. The contributions made by the gentry and freeholders 

 of the county towards the expenses of the transplantation did not meet 

 with the approval of the central government. Though the contribu- 

 tions in Cumberland and Westmorland, varying in sums from 5 to 

 2s. 6d. amounted to over 4 a balance of 200 was still needed, 

 and the council censured the backwardness of the northern gentry in 

 offering money to make it up, and especially the conduct of Sir John 

 Dalston, who refused on the bench in open court to contribute any- 

 thing. 



The expatriation of the Grahams did not reduce the district to 

 peaceable government. There was ' that bloodie and theevish clanne 

 of Armstrongs of Whithaughe in Liddesdale by whom and their 

 allies many horrible spoils and cruell murthers have been committed,' 

 and much dissatisfaction was expressed at the inertness of the commis- 

 sioners. From the end of 1 606 Lord William Howard of Naworth took 



1 They were conveyed to Dublin in six ships and sent to Connaught, the company consisting of 

 114 Grahams and 45 horses. 



283 



