12 Anniversarg Address, 



Scots were held by the people of Berwick in the reigns of 

 ,Renry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, and it is to be noted that 

 even after the union that old feeling still existed amongst 

 the burgesses. The feeling no doubt was reciprocated, as we 

 find complaints made of the Scots sending their horses, 

 cattle, &c., across the border to pasture on the town meadows, 

 placing watchers on the hills around to give warning when 

 the herds of the town were coming out, so that they might 

 drive their beasts off in time to escape capture. In 1618 

 the Scots destroyed the dykes at Cocklaw of which complaint 

 was made to the Star-Chamber. In 1679 the LairJs of 

 Ninewells, Hilton, Borthvvick, Moorhouse, and other Scots 

 gentlemen pulled down the dam of the New Mills at the 

 head of the Mayor's Haugh, on the plea that it prevented 

 salmon from getting into the upper waters of the Whitadder, 

 broke the doors and windows of the Mill house, assaulted 

 and hurt the tenant, and carried off a lot of his goods. A 

 committee of the Guild was appointed to take such steps as 

 they might think fit to obtain redress. The result is not 

 recorded in the book I am quoting from, but probably no 

 redress was obtained, as in May 168-"i, news having reached 

 the Mayor from John Curry, of Eyemouth, the then tenant 

 of the Mill, that the Lord Hume and other Scotch gentlemen 

 in the neighbourhood had summoned their tenants to meet 

 them at the dam for the purpose of again destroying it, the 

 Guild ordered the Burgesses and inhabitants to go out and 

 resist the Scotch. Mr Wilson, who formed one of the party, 

 tells us that a bell was rung and " in an hour's time nigh 

 three hundred people on horse and foot were gathered to- 

 gether considerably armed with swords, pistols, firelocks, 

 fowling pieces and other arms fit to resist the riot of the 

 Scotch, and marched out to the New Mill with Mr Mayor 

 (at that time Mr John Luck) and the Governor of the 

 Garrisou, Oapt. Wallace, and the Sergeants with their hal- 

 berts, and the Constables with their staves going before 

 them." They encamped at the Mill, remained three or four 

 hours, but as the Scots did not appear they marched home 

 again " without any engagement with the enemy,'' — so ended 



