Law and order on the Anglo-Scottish Border 1603-1707
For centuries the Borders were notorious for their lawlessness and were regarded as beyond redemption by those in London and Edinburgh. Undisturbed, the landowners had assumed extensive powers and the population organised themselves into virtually autonomous clans. For James VI and I, however, the Borders symbolised the Union of the Crowns, for 'be the happie union' they were now 'the verie hart of the countrey'. It was thus, intolerable that the Borders should remain in their old state and so from 1603 there was a new drive to. pacify the region. Previous studies have either considered the region from one side of the frontier only, or have stopped at some date within the seventeenth century. It is however, important that the Border counties of England and Scotland be considered as a whole, for although divided by man-made divisions, they were united geographically, topographically, economically and socially. It is equally vital that the seventeenth century be regarded in its entirety, for the pacification of the Borders was a gradual process, of which the final stages were not reached until the last quarter of the century. In order to examine the whole process of the pacification and how the region gradually
Ferguson, Catherine M. F.
DA880.B72F3 ; Scottish Borders (Scotland)--History ; Scottish Borders (England and Scotland)--History
Law and order on the Anglo-Scottish Border 1603-1707. For centuries the Borders were notorious for their lawlessness and were regarded as beyond redemption by those in London and Edinburgh. Undisturbed, the landowners had assumed extensive powers and the population organised themselves into virtually autonomous clans. For James VI and I, however, the Borders symbolised the Union of the Crowns, for 'be the happie union' they were now 'the verie hart of the countrey'. It was thus, intolerable that the Borders should remain in their old state and so from 1603 there was a new drive to. pacify the region. Previous studies have either considered the region from one side of the frontier only, or have stopped at some date within the seventeenth century. It is however, important that the Border counties of England and Scotland be considered as a whole, for although divided by man-made divisions, they were united geographically, topographically, economically and socially. It is equally vital that the seventeenth century be regarded in its entirety, for the pacification of the Borders was a gradual process, of which the final stages were not reached until the last quarter of the century. In order to examine the whole process of the pacification and how the region gradually
law_order anglo scottish_border century notorious regard beyond redemption london edinburgh landowner assume extensive power population organise virtually autonomous clan james_vi however symbolise union union the thus remain old state new drive region previous_study either consider region one_side frontier stop date within however important border county england_scotland consider whole although divide man_made division united geographically economically socially equally vital regard entirety gradual process final_stage reach order_examine whole process region gradually