,
Since the times of the Romans
,”
government is weakest
the border
.
’
border frontier was no exception
lands of the Cheviot Hills and Hadrian s Wall have
,
been known as a barren and dangerous landscape
.
much divided amongst its peoples
,
,
cultivation
but sheep herding
.
and reiving
,
,
.
of hardship and brutality
and archeologist did so fear to tread
.
It was under the reign of James VI of Scotland
minimal
The Debatable Lands
they were sometimes called
,
preacher
,
Many a wayfarer
there
The land itself
,
allowed few resources
-
and the Anglo Scottish
and James I of England that the majority of border
as
.
reiving came to an end
produced a short life
James I joined the countries
of Scotland and England into what he referred to as
Intermarriage between
the English and Scottish border was common and
Great Britain and the border country became the
inhabitants shared many commonalities including
middle shires of the United Kingdoms
.
their way of speech
,
was punished severely
Not much survived these
.
;
banishment
turbulent times in the form of written works
,
however
the brutal and heroic aspects of the times
.
.
,
,
,
;
hospitality
while on the same hand
,
banditry is worst where
[
]
Scotland
:
with my pen
here I sit and govern it
,”
I write and it is done
This
would cause him much weakness of authority in the
border regions toward the end of his reign bringing
were resistant
.
,“
and
,“
and
to authority and protected their own interests
Throughout history
,
opened trade
seat of government would be England and
he is quoted to have said
Though
loyalty
,
’
the border peoples had their own unwritten
codes of conduct regarding kinship
James repealed all of the hostile laws
between the two countries
James
not known for high levels of education or religious
fervor
often on pain of death or
.
Architecturally homes were often fortified
to withstand the all too frequent attacks
Any reiving
united their respective flags in to the Union Jack
live on in song and verse known as the border
ballad
.
about another serge of reiving that would last into
the
1700’
,
sIn the end
border reiving would dissolve
.
for a lack of places to hide
20
Hadrian's Wall on the AngloiScottish Border