272 A BORDER WARDEN COURT 



and forgeveness of yower synnf al lyves ; repent ye haive broken 

 God's commandment, and be sory therfor ; and for that ye did 

 not feir the bretche and dangers of the lawes, therfor yower bodies 

 mast suffer the paynes of Death, provided to satisfye the rewarde 

 of yower fact in this world ; yet the salvation of yower senile's healthe 

 for the world to come, stands in the great mercye of Almightie God : 

 Wherefor do ye earnestly repent, and ask mercye for yower synnes 

 now when ye ar levynge, pat yower traste to be savede by the 

 merits of Grist's passion ; and think in yower harts, if ye wer 

 able to recompence theme ye haive offendit, ye wold do it, and 

 where yowe ar not able, aske forgeveness. Have sach faithe 

 in God's mercye as Dismas the Thefe and Man-murderer 

 hade that hang at Grist's right hand, when he saffrede his passion 

 for the redemption of mankynde ; whos faith was so great he 

 shoulde be saved, his synnes wer remytted, tho' he had but short 

 time of repentance, and he enjoyede hevyen. Therfor dispayr not 

 in God's mercye, tho' yower synnes be great, for God's mercye 

 excedith all his workes. Set apart all vanities of this world, and 

 comf urth yowe in hevynlye things ; and doubt not but, yf ye so 

 doe, ye shall inheryt everlastyng joy in the kingdom of hevyn. 

 And thus I comraytb yowe to the mercye of Gode, wishinge yower 

 deathes may be exemple to all parynts to bryng up theyr childre 

 in the feyr of Gode, and obidience of the lawes of this realme." 



The following account of a Warden Court held at Stawford, 

 a place between the parishes of Kirknewton and Yetholm, on 

 the 12th of March, 1589-90, is preserved at the British 

 Museum* : — 



Warden Court at Stawpurde,i the xii op Marche, 1589. 



The Warden Principall of the Middill Marchis of Scotland, 

 Sir Johnne Selbe,"^ Deputie Warden of the Eist Marchis of England, 

 and Mr Nicolus Forster,^ Deputie Warden of the Middill Marchis 

 of England, met for preceding in Justeice. 



* Brit. Mns. Add. MS. 33,531 (Scottish State Letters and Papers), 

 folio 237. 



In the preparation of the foot-notes, kind and valuable assistance 

 has been given by the Rev. C. J. Cowan, B.D., Minister of the parish 

 of Morebattle. 



1 The Staweford is a ford on the Halter-burn about three-quarters 

 of a mile from the confluence of that stream with the Beaumont. 

 The Halter-burn rising at Halter-burn-head, not far from Sourhope, a 

 spur of Cheviot, in the lower reaches divides Yetholm Mains farm 



