“Some four dayes passed; all which time his friends came into him, and hee kept his chamber.  Then hee sent to mee, and desired mee, I would come and speake with him, which I did; and after long discourse, charging and re-charging one another with wrong and injuries, at last, before our parting, wee became good friends, with greate protestations, on his side, never to give mee occasion of unkindnesse again.  After our reconciliation hee kept his chamber no longer, but dined and supt with mee.  I tooke him abroad with mee at the least thrice a weeke, a hunting, and every day wee grew better friends.  Bocleuch, in a few dayes after, had his pledges delivered, and was set at liberty.  But Sir Robert Kerr could not get his, so that I was commanded to carry him to Yorke, and there to deliver him prisoner to the archbishop, which accordingly I did.  At our parting, he professed greate love unto mee for the kinde usage I had shewn him, and that I would find the effects of it upon his delivery, which hee hoped would be shortly.

“Thus wee parted; and, not long after, his pledges were gott, and brought to Yorke, and hee sett at liberty.  After his retourne home, I found him as good as his word.  Wee met oft at dayes of truce, and I had as good justice as I could desire; and so wee continued very kinde and good friends, all the time that I stayed in that march, which was not long.”

APPENDIX, No.  III.

MAITLAND’S COMPLAYNT AGANIS THE THIEVIS OF LIDDISDAIL,
FROM PINKERTON’S EDITION, COLLATED WITH A MS. OF MAITLAND’S POEMS, IN
THE LIBRARY OF EDINBURGH COLLEGE.

* * * * *

  Of Liddisdail the commoun theifis
  Sa peartlie steillis now and reifis,
  That nane may keip
  Horse, nolt, nor scheip,
  Nor yett dar sleip
  For their mischeifis.

  Thay plainly throw the country rydis,
  I trow the mekil devil thame gydis! 
  Quhair they onsett,
  Ay in thair gaitt,
  Thair is na yet
  Nor dor, thame bydis.

  Thay leif rich nocht, quhair ever thay ga;
  Thair can na thing be hid thame fra;
  For gif men wald
  Thair housis hald,
  Than waxe thay bald,
  To burne and slay.

  Thay thiefs have neirhand herreit hail,
  Ettricke forest and Lawderdaill;
  Now are they gane,
  In Lawthiane;
  And spairis nane
  That thay will waill.

  Thay landis ar with stouth sa socht,
  To extreame povertye ar broucht,
  Thay wicked schrowis
  Has laid the plowis,
  That nane or few is
  That are left oucht.

  Bot commoun taking of blak mail,
  Thay that had flesche, and breid and aill,
  Now are sa wrakit,
  Made bair and nakit,
  Fane to be slaikit
  With watter caill.

  Thay theifs that steillis and tursis hame,
  Ilk ane of them has ane to-name[69];
  Will of the Lawis,
  Hab of the Schawis: 
  To mak bair wawis
  Thay thinke na schame.