Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/280

 266 kEIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 54. east Marches. Scrope' s duty was to inflict chastisement on Herries and Maxwell. On the Tuesday night he crossed the Esk and began his work at daybreak on Wednesday, at Ecclesfechan. After destroying this he burnt the country to the south and east of Dumfries and round by Cummar trees to Annan. Eight or ten villages, called towns in the old reports, were set on fire, and the corn, cattle, and all they contained con- sumed or carried off. As his numbers were smaller, the Scots looked on less patiently ; a party whom Scrope had detached under one of the Musgraves to destroy a place called Blackshaw, was set upon by Maxwell and was in some danger ; but Scrope coming up himself while the fight was going on, the Scots drew off into the woods, and Musgrave finished his work at leisure. There remained Hume Castle, which had been specially fortified and was held by a garrison. This stronghold at least the Scots expected would be safe, and they had carried such property as they could move within its walls. The beginning of the following week, Sussex brought heavy guns from Berwick, and took it after four hours' bombardment. Fastcastle, the Wolfs Crag of the < Bride of Lammermoor/ followed the next day, and both there and at Hume parties of English were posted, to hold them from the Scots. In the whole foray 'ninety strong castles, houses, and dwelling- places, with three hundred towns and villages, had been utterly destroyed.' Peels, towers, forts, every thieves' nest within twenty miles of the Border, were laid in ruins, and Sussex, whatever else might be the effect,