20 Anniversary Address. 



Towres, and Places brent, raced, and cast downe by the 

 commandment of Therll of Hertforde, the King's Majestie's 

 Lieutenant-Generall in the Northe Partes, in the Invasion 

 into the Realme of Scotland, betweene the 8th of September 

 and the 23rd of the same 1545, the 37th yeare of the Kind's 

 Royall Majestie's moste prousperous and victorious E,eig:ne."^^ 



Under the head of ' Hecles (Eccles) Parish, in the Marsse, 

 occur Lona^ Ednam, Little Newton, Newton Mylne, Naynethorne, 

 Naynethorne Mylne, Over Stytchell, Nether Stichell, Cownge- 

 carle, Lagers Morre, Oxemoure,' etc. Cowngecarle is now- 

 known as Queenscairn Hill — perhaps to keep in memory the 

 tradition that the Queen of James II. watched from it the 

 progress of the siege of Roxburgh Castle, at which her 

 husband was killed. 



It was again despoiled in 1548 by Sir John Forster and 

 his garrisons.®^ They not only ' devastated and bront the said 

 towne of Howme, but also have spoiled and bront all the 

 villages about Howme, with the towne of Aslington, belonging 

 to the Lord of Coldingknowes, and also Mellestones and the 

 Fawnes, and have seized and driven away 600 kyen and 

 oxen, and taken 50 prisoners.' 



Stichill is still accustomed to the pomp and circumstance 

 of war. For Sir Thomas Holcroft writes to Sir William Cecil 

 proposing a plan for the relief of those who have fought at 

 Haddington.^" He dates his letter 2nd August 1549, Camp 

 at Stichell, by Home Castle. 



Stichill occupies the thoughts of the Council. 



Lord Hunsdon, 28th April 1571, writes to Alexander Home 

 of Manderston about some proceedings against the men of 

 Stichill and Couche Carrell, (now Queenscairn), and warns him 

 not to meddle with Hume or Fast Castle." Three letters 

 pass between Lord Hunsdon, in April and May, and Alexander 

 Hume, and the Regent of Scotland, and the Laird of 

 Cowdenknowes about this matter.^^ 



In 1588 Mr Secretary Forster writes to Burghley, enclosing 

 ' Bills committed by the Scottish Middle Marchmen since the 



ss Transactions of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries. 



89 Hamilton Papers, Vol. ii., p. 622. 



90 Cal. State Papers of Scotland (Thorpe) Vol. i., p. 97. 

 " Do. do. p. 349. 

 92 Do. do. p. 313. 



