Notes on Yarrow, By James Hardy. 411 



convicted before the king and a company of assessors, and were 

 sentenced to be beheaded, and their heads were aflS.xed to the 

 highest place of the Court of Justice (the Tolbooth) la Edin- 

 burgh.* 



Again it is the general belief, from taking the inscription as a 

 guide, that the name of the man executed was Piers, Perys, or 

 Peter, whereas it was William Cockburn, who was the criminal; 

 and consequently this monument belongs to an entirely different 

 personage. Moreover, whatever were the precise circumstances 

 of William Cockburn's capture, James V. had no personal par- 

 ticipation in them. Cockburn was seized under the superinten- 

 dence of James, Earl of Murray, the king's lieutenant over the 

 three Border Wardenries. The correct version is given in Mr 

 Bruce Armstrong's " Hist, of Liddesdale," pp. 272-3, as based 

 on original documents. 



" We have no record of the proceedings of Bothwell or Murray, but it 

 may be concluded that the latter acted with some energy, as William 

 Cockburn of Henderland and Adam Scot of Tuschelaw were apprehended 

 and brought to Edinburgh. On the 16th May [1530] the former was tried, 

 convicted of high treason, theft, etc. and beheaded by favour of the king. 

 (Books of Adjournal, MS. Justiciary Office.) The trial of the latter took 

 place on the 18th May, when, being convicted of black mail he also was 

 beheaded." t The words of the record are preserved in Pitcaim's " Crim- 

 inal Trials," vol. i., p. 145. " 1530, Mail 18, Adam Scot of Tuschelaw 

 convicted of art and part of theftously taking black mail from the time 

 of his entry within the Castle of Edinburgh, in ward, from John Brown in 

 Hoprow ; and of art and part theftously taking black mail from Andrew 

 Thorbrand, and William his brother ; and for art and part theftously tak- 

 ing of black mail from the poor tenants of Hopecailzow ; and of art and 

 part theftously taking black mail from the tenaats of Escheschiell. 

 Beheaded. Quhaerfor the king caused hang the 18th May William Cock- 

 burn of Henderlande, and Adame Scott of Tuschelaw, thieves apprehendit 

 in Edinburgh, to terrifie others ; — and they were heidit, and their heidis 

 fixit upon the Tolbuith of Edinburg." Pitcairn states the indictment 

 against William Cokburne as " high treason, committed by him in bringing 

 Alexander Forestare and his son, Englishmen to the plundering of Archi- 

 bald Somerville, and for bringing certain Englishmen to the lands of 

 Glenquhome." 



* De Origine Moribus et rebus gestis Scotorum, Authore Joanne Leslseo 

 Episcopo Rossensi, p. 410 ; Romse, 1675. 



* On the 19th November 1525, ' a letter was sent to warn the lard of 

 Henderland and Adam Skot to fynd pledges.'— Lord Treasurer's Accounts, 

 MS. Gen. Keg. House, f . 8 b. 



