Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/601

 1585.] THE BOND OF ASSOCIATION. 585 Ker of Fernyhurst, who was "Warden for Scotland, was one of the very few noblemen AU?USt< who through good and evil hud been true to the cause of Mary Stuart. To him the intended treaty was as detestable as it was to Arrau, and on less ignoble grounds, and the borderers of Hawick and Jedburgh were always ready for a fray. It was usual when there had been any disorder on the Marches that the Wardens on both sides should hold what was called a day of truce, a peaceable conference at some spot in the debatable ground, where they could examine the circumstances, hear witnesses, and punish the offenders. On the present occasion the place of meeting was on the Cheviots, near Riccarton. Sir John Foster, the English Warden, brought with him as usual only a handful of his followers, in all not more than three hundred men ; and he was accompanied accidentally by Lord Russell, Lord Bedford's eldest son, who happened to be staying with him. When he arrived on the ground he found Fernyhurst not ' in ordinary sort/ but surrounded with the moss-troopers of Teviot- dale, ' with banners flying and drums beating, such as were never seen before.' 1 The business of the day had hardly commenced when an English boy was caught stealing a pair of spurs. Justice was prompt on such occasions the boy was hanged, and conversation began asain. The Scots however had mounted their horses, O and gathered into masses. Suddenly a few strokes were heard upon their drums, and the whole three thousand 1 Sir John Foster to Walsingham, July 31 August 10 : MSS. Scot- land.