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same town had ever been a verie noisome neighbour to England. 
The Englishmen had conceived such spite towards this town that 
if they saw but a piece of wood remaining unburnt they would 
cut the same in pieces with their bills.” Wharton’s own despatch 
is to the same purpose. “ Upon Teusday mornynge cutt and 
raiced down the church wallis and steplee and brent the towne, 
not leving anything therin unbrent, which was the best towne in 
Anerdaile. We caused also vii fisher boottis lymg on the river 
to be taken and sent into England.” Another authority* declares 
that they “burnt the spoil for cumber of caryage.” “The English,” 
says Lesley{ “‘ wer so warlyeantlie resisted be the Lorde Maxwell, 
Lairdis Johnestoun, Cokpule, and utheris cuntrey men that thay 
wan litill honour in thair jornay, saufting that thay brint the 
Kirk of Annan and blew it up with pulder, qubilk wes ane 
wicked and ungodlie act.” Wharton’s fell design had been 
achieved in its vindictive entirety—Annan, town and tower, was 
utterly destroyed. 
And here meantime in the dust we must leave her. From 
her position on the border she was born to such misfortunes, 
and knew how to bear them. She had graced her recently 
renewed honours as a burgh with one more justification for the 
compliments of King James. 
*Patten’s Account in Dalzell’s Fragments, p. 95. 
tLesley’s Historie, p. 202. 
