Anniversary Address. 19 



When James V. died, his uncle, Henry VIII., sought to 

 unite England and Scotland by a marriage between his son, 

 Edward VI., and the infant Princess Mary. The influence of 

 the French alliance, and the resentment of the Eoman Catholic 

 party in Scotland, as well as his impatience, interfered with his 

 plans. In his disappointment he endeavoured to bring about 

 the union by an appeal to arms. Stichill was not too far 

 out of the way to suffer. 



During the invasion, Lord Angus writes from Berwick to 

 Lord Hertford, 23rd November 1542, enclosing 'the names of 

 the townes that was bryndt bothe whan the army was her and 

 sens.'®" The List is endorsed by Sir John Thynne, (Hertford's 

 secretary), ' Spoiles doon in Scotlande.' Perhaps this was the 

 saddest weeic ever known in the Borders. Take one day for 

 an instance, as it includes this parish. ' Thes ar the townes that 

 was brunt that Thursday. Item : — furst, Kelsou, Rokisbrowght 

 Tower, the Fair Corse, the Eige, and the Flower, Broxlawe 

 and Statherwyke, Newton, Stechell, Nanthorn, and Nanthorn 

 Spetell, Smalham Spetell, Ester Smalham, and Wester Smalham, 

 the Chartterhowse, the Wester Merdeayn, and the Ester 

 Merdeayn.' 



Again, on 26th September 1544, from 'A Note of all the 

 rodes made into Scotland by the garrisons and others of the 

 Est Marches since 12th June 1544,' it is evident that Stichill 

 fared badly.®' "Item: — The nyght before John Carre got 

 knowleg of the said jorney, certan of his company was riden 

 into the Marshe to a town called Stechell, beside Hwme, and 

 ther gotte 1 Nolte, xii naggs, and broughte away, and mette 

 the said Company by the way, and sent the good home to 

 Warke, and returned with the Company to the jorney of 

 Eales, (Eccles.) Nolt 1, naggs 12, prisoner 1." 



In September 1545, Stichill again suffers from the ravages 

 of the English forces. Dr David Laing discovered in Trinity 

 College, Dublin, a narrative in manuscript of Lord Hertford's 

 Invasion, by Bartholomew Butler, which, however, brief and 

 scanty in its details, is an historical document of some 

 value, being the narrative of an eye-witness. It has 

 been reprinted with Haynes's list of " The Names of 

 the Fortresses, Abbeys, Frere-houses, Market-townes, Villages, 



^^ The Hamilton Papers, Vol. i., p. xc. 

 *' Raine'8 N. Durham, p. xxi. 



