Thay spuilye puir men of their pakis,
  Thay leif them nocht on bed nor bakis;
  Baith hen and cok,
  With reil and rok,
  The Lairdis Jok,
  All with him takis.

  Thay leif not spindell, spoone, nor speit;
  Bed, boster, blanket, sark, nor scheit;
  Johne of the Parke
  Ryps kist and ark;
  For all sic wark
  He is richt meit.

  He is weil kend, John of the Syde;
  A greater theif did never ryde. 
  He never tyris
  For to brek byris: 
  Ouir muir and myris
  Ouir gude ane gyde.

  Thair is ane, callet Clement’s Hob,
  Fra ilk puir wyfe reifis the wob,
  And all the lave,
  Quhatever they haife,
  The devil recave
  Thairfoir his gob.

  To sic grit stouth quha eir wald trow it,
  Bot gif some great man it allowit
  Rycht sair I trow
  Thocht it be rew: 
  Thair is sa few
  That dar avow it.

  Of sum great men they have sic gait,
  That redy are thame to debait,
  And will up weir
  Thair stolen geir;
  That nane dare steir
  Thame air nor late.

  Quhat causis theifis us ourgang,
  Bot want of justice us amang? 
  Nane takis cair,
  Thocht all for fear;
  Na man will spair
  Now to do wrang.

  Of stouth thocht now thay come gude speid,
  That nother of men nor God has dreid;
  Yet, or I die,
  Sum sail thame sie,
  Hing on a trie
  Quhill thay be deid—­

Quo’ Sir R.M. of Lethington, knicht.

[Footnote 69:  Owing to the marchmen being divided into large clans, bearing the same sirname, individuals were usually distinguished by some epithet, derived from their place of residence, personal qualities, or descent.  Thus, every distinguished moss-trooper had, what is here called, a to-name, or nom de guerre, in addition to his family name.]

APPENDIX, No.  IV.

BOND OF ALLIANCE, OR FEUD STAUNCHING, BETWIXT THE CLANS OF SCOTT AND KER.

* * * * *

The battle of Melrose (see Introduction, p. xvii.) occasioned a deadly feud betwixt the name of Scott and Ker.  The following indenture was designed to reconcile their quarrel.  But the alliance, if it ever took effect, was not of long duration; for the feud again broke out about 1553, when Sir Walter Scott was slain by the Kers, in the streets of Edinburgh.

“Thir indentures, made at Ancrum the 16th of March, 1529 years, contains, proports, and bears leil and suithfast witnessing.  That it is appointed, agreed, and finally accorded betwixt honourable men; that is to say, Walter Ker of Cessford, Andrew Ker of Fairnieherst, Mark Ker of Dolphinston, George Kerr, tutor of Cessford, and Andrew Ker of Primesideloch, for themselves, kin, friends, mentenants, assisters, allies, adherents, and partakers, on the one part;