J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 1

THE SCOTTISH BORDER. 183
be saife fra any proceiding or present occasioun from
the tyme of melting of the Avardens or thair deputies
till the nixt day at the sun rysing ; within such space it
wes presupposed that every persone that came thair
might be returned to thair houses ; for other wayes,
where at theifF meltings iher war usuallie manie pairties
that war under feid and quarrall ane with another, the
strongest syde might have taken advantage of the weak-
ness of the other if the grudge had beine betuixt the
wardanes ; or the strongest of the particular pairties of
ether syde might, seing the weiknes of the other there,
in his returne homewards towards his hous, fra the great
troupe had sunderit, upon any intelligence have taken
the occasioun of revenge by putting himselfe in his way.
Now this treuce being thus wayes parted, and the busi-
nes done by tiie deputies that they met for, there was
one called Williame Armstrong of Kynlnmonth, Scot-
tisman and a Borderer, in companie with the Scottish
deputie, whom against some of the English had qua-
rell, as was alledgeit, who, being sunderit from that de-
putie, and ryding homewards, his way coming downLid-
disdaill, the which was at that pairt dyvidit from Eng-
land by a river easilie passable called Liddell, and the
Inglish deputie balding his way down the Inglish syde,
and within a myle of the utheris way, those who had the
quarrell against hym (as afterwards the deputie of Eng-
land for his excuse did pretend) seing him ryding on
his ways bot with three or four in companie, and lyming