as a protection for the cattle at night.  The walls of these fortresses were of an immense thickness, and they could easily be defended against any small force; more especially, as, the rooms being vaulted, each story formed a separate lodgement, capable of being held out for a considerable time.  On such occasions, the usual mode, adopted by the assailants, was to expel the defenders, by setting fire to wet straw in the lower apartments.  But the border chieftains seldom chose to abide in person a siege of this nature; and I have not observed a single instance of a distinguished baron made prisoner in his own house[41].—­Patten’s Expedition, p. 35.  The common people resided in paltry huts, about the safety of which they were little anxious, as they contained nothing of value.  On the approach of a superior force, they unthatched them, to prevent their being burned, and then abandoned them to the foe.—­Stowe’s Chronicle, p. 665.  Their only treasures were, a fleet and active horse, with the ornaments which their rapine had procured for the females of their family, of whose gay appearance the borderers were vain.

[Footnote 37:  Stowe, in detailing the happy consequences of the union of the crowns, observes, “that the northerne borders became as safe, and peaceable, as any part of the entire kingdome, so as in the fourth yeare of the king’s raigne, as well gentlemen as others, inhabiting the places aforesayde, finding the auncient wast ground to be very good and fruitefull, began to contende in lawe about their bounds, challenging then, that for their hereditarie right, which formerly they disavowed, only to avoyde charge of common defence.”]

[Footnote 38:  “As for the humours of the people (i.e. of Tiviotdale), they were both strong and warlike, as being inured to war, and daily incursions, and the most part of the heritors of the country gave out all their lands to their tenants, for military attendance upon rentals, and reserved only some few manses for their own sustenance, which were laboured by their tenants, besides their service.  They paid an entry, a herauld, and a small rental-duty; for there were no rents raised here that were considerable, till King James went into England; yea, all along the border.”—­Account of Roxburghshire, by Sir William Scott of Harden, and Kerr of Sunlaws, apud Macfarlane’s MSS.]

[Footnote 39:  The royal castles of Roxburgh, Hermitage, Lochmaben, &c. form a class of exceptions to this rule, being extensive and well fortified.  Perhaps we ought also to except the baronial castle of Home.  Yet, in 1455, the following petty garrisons were thought sufficient for the protection of the border; two hundred spearmen, and as many archers, upon the east and middle marches; and one hundred spears, with a like number of bowmen, upon the western marches.  But then the same statute provides, “They that are neare hand the bordoure, are ordained to have gud househaldes, and abuilzed men as effeiris:  and to be reddie at their principal place, and to pass, with the wardanes, quhen and quhair they sail be charged.”—­Acts of James II., cap. 55, Of garisonnes to be laid upon the borderes.—­Hence Buchanan has justly described, as an attribute of the Scottish nation,