Reiver’s Report
by Mel Humphries-Cuff
Letter to the Deputy Warden of the
Western Marches,
The Castle, Carlisle
12th November, 1517
Dear Uncle
I have the honour to send you my report on our
hidden clips to the experienced. Martin Elliot now led us recent raid into Byrecleuch to relieve the Scottish mal-onwards as the moon began to rise. The light was help-
contents of their cattle and horses. I also crave your
ful to our progress, but we would sooner have enjoyed
indulgence for the intel igence of my affairs of the heart. low cloud to passage in the dead of night.
In the chil of the back room we dressed in shirt,
My thoughts drifted to Jane Armstrong, her
breeches and boots. Carefully we put on our leather
blonde hair and gracious outline fil ing my mind. She
jackets with plates of metal for protection. Armed with was turning into a clever young woman, not always ideal our short lances, daggers and cutting swords, we
I was told, but in Jane - oh yes. And had she not given donned our steel bonnets and mounted our steeds. As
me her troth last year under the ancient cross at the
the sun went off the tops of the trees four of us
church of St Cuthbert? Was it not now time to make our
mustered at Bewcastle, Richie and Sim Armstrong, my
commitment?
brother and I. With a party of fifteen we set off up the hill My thoughts were too far away from the present
through the Stones of Cree and into the wooded land
and my pony stumbled on a boulder that nature had
beyond Oakshaw. We kept our progress steady and
carelessly strewn across my path.
rode around Langstile so as not to be
“Watch what ya doin’ laddie.”
noticed. Then at Mintors Burn we met
Johnnie Armstrong, my superior
with Martin Elliot, Johnnie Armstrong ,
in experience by ten years, said
Robin Crozier and their party of ten.
in a hushed tone. “I ken you’re
As the evening closed in our progress
not concentrating properly on
was veiled from prying eyes. Very little
the job in hand.”
was said. Silence was important.
At the edge of the Tarras Waste
My mare led wel as we headed
we paused for breath before
for Liddesdale. Although only six she
breaking out onto stark open
was already proving herself a very
moorland to the north. Presently
surefooted animal who could find her
we could make out the dark
way through the toughest of wetland which can so easily shapes of the Langholm and Newcastleton Hills ahead bog you down. Now she picked her route unshod
and to the left of us. Sim Armstrong was now starting to through the pebbly ground which heralded the edge of
push the pace as we travelled high into the val ey of the Liddel Water. Richie Armstrong came ahead of me on
Hermitage Water. He and my eldest brother were both
his tal er gelding to navigate the route through the river veterans of Lord Dacre’s victorious Border horse at
which was low after the dry autumn. We entered the
Flodden. As we started to circle round behind
Tarras Moss, a confusion of marshy ground and thick
Byrecleuch I could feel the presence of the stark, impos-bushes to the uninitiated, a haven of secret tracks and ing fortress that was Hermitage Castle to my right. This 12
was the most crucial part of our journey, for to be caught whom I wished to spend the rest of my life, however now would mean imprisonment or death. I may have felt short that may be.
a slight strain on my frame with this forced journey
There was a warm welcome as Sim, Robin and
across hill and dale, but stil my mare travelled on, her those who had stayed back arrived in camp. They had
stamina and that of her breed an inspiration to us all.
not been followed although they had remained three
With one hand on my sword and the other holding hours to give us time to get the livestock to Tarras. We my reins my senses were prepared for anything or any-changed the guard and waited until nightfall to continue one this uncompromising landscape could throw at us.
on our way. The weather had now turned and in the
For the last time we stopped to regain our
dark my mare carefully picked her way through the
strength. The plan was known by al so we sat mute
heathland with ease, despite the rain and rough country.
until our ponies’ breathing had quietened. There were
We successfully crossed the Liddel, skirted Blinkbonny
now enough clouds scudding over the moon to provide
and passed over the border. Now we headed to the wild
good cover for our final advance.
fell and moor area of the Bewcastle Waste where we
With the silence of an owl we swooped down into could hide up and divide our spoils. My brother and I Byrecleuch. Al was quiet and with intuitive stealth we were wel rewarded with nine head of cattle and, accom-started to round up the cattle and horses from the
panied by Richie and Sim Armstrong, we made our way
settlements. A dog barked and a cry went up as some-
back home.
one had woken to our activities. People began to
With my booty I could impress upon my father the
emerge, some bleary-eyed, some alert. Sim cut a man
need for me to take a wife. Then I must impress upon
down and my brother attacked two individuals who tried Jane that she would never fare wel in a household who to make for their horses. Others retreated back into their did not understand her people’s struggle for survival. I dwellings, shouting threats of revenge. Our work was
must point out how it would not be possible for her to be carried out with great speed and efficiency for we had
proud of a man who could not fight with the best of
planned this as a short raid. Tonight there would be no them..
burning or looting of the houses, or extensive slaughter She must understand that this was a way of life to
unless necessary.
which she had been bred. She must be convinced to
Soon we were heading south-east having lifted
banish these foolish plans and stay in the land of her
over a hundred head of cattle as well as seven horses.
forefathers where the bond of kinship is a quality her
The beasts were not fast, but this was the best time of fancy man would never possess.
year for reiving. The quarry were stil fit and wel fed While there were separate kings on the thrones of
from their high summer grazing and they drove wel as
England and Scotland, this lawless debatable land
Martin El iot now took us the complicated route over the needed the good women who had been bred in it. Then, tops in the hope of preventing anyone following.
maybe one day for our descendents, there would be a
At Scarry’s Rock Sim Armstrong and Robin
glorious future.
Crozier, with four men, descended into a depression to
I remain, Sir, your devoted servant and nephew,
wait in ambush perchance anyone should choose to
pursue us. On reaching Tarras Moss we stopped and,
Thomas Nixon
as the sun started to rise, we holed up for the day to let the livestock rest, feed and water while we took it in