William Hutton

“ Should pride or influence prompt him to act fairly, only increase the temptation and you will find the rogue. Thus nineteen in twenty declare war against the creation.
This Wall is also a clear proof that every species of cruelty that one man can practise to another was here, and pronounces the human being as much a savage as the brute. This place has been the scene of more plunder and murder than any part of the island of equal extent. During four hundred years, while the Wall continued a barrier, this was the grand theatre of war, as well as during ages after its destruction. ”

“ Severus, at rest, considered, that as many a fine army might be destroyed in reducing a people not worth reducing, he had better confine them within their own boundary. To accomplish this, he determined, in the year two hundred, to repair the works of the two former chiefs, injured bytime, but more by the enemy, and erect a wall of stone, guarded by a ditch which should run parallel with theirs, and make one grand and compact work. ”

“ The first intentional act of a child is an attempt to scratch the eyes of its mother; the next, wilfully to disobey orders; another, to gripe a young cat round the neck and enjoy with a smile the agonies of death; a fourth, forcibly to take the playthings from a boy less than himself, and, should the loser complain, toss his hat into the street, and kick his posteriors. To punish the brute creation opens a wide field for ferocity; as impaling insects, winging butterflies, and, if possessed of a whip, never to let a dog pass without using the lash. ”

“ Perhaps Hadrian's Bank would be more in character, as agreeing with the materials of which it is composed; Severus's Wall is more proper, because he erected the stone wall, part of which is remaining. It is often called The Roman Wall, and by way of pre-eminence, The Wall.
That man is born a savage there needs no other proof than Severus's Wall. It characterizes two nations as robbers and murderers. Nineteen in twenty of our race sustain half this character during life. Some individuals correct the crude passions, adhere to justice, and avoid whatever is worthy of blame. ”

“ Thus every contrivance of man is set up against the knavery of man. And now the inhabitants of the borders rejoiced in the prospect of security: instead of being plundered by their enemies, they would be protected by their friends, who had full power to protect.
It may seem surprizing, that by the erection of these works, the Romans must have relinquished to the enemy a vast tract of country, extending eighty miles North, and in breadth, from the German ocean to the Irish sea, about ninety, the best land in Scotland. The human capacity is nearly the same in all ages ”

“ YOU shall swear by Heaven above you, Hell beneath you, by your part in Paradise, by all that God made in six days and seven nights, and by God himself, you are whart and sackless, of art, part, way, witting, ridd, kenning, having, or reciting, of any of the goods, and chattels named in this bill—So help you God. ”

“ Should a Divine enquire, what improvement Christianity had made in the human mind, he must not go near the Wall.
As we are not to suppose the Scots were the sole aggressors, it is necessary to examine the English side of the Wall: justice demands it.
Bills of damage, presented to the English Commissioners done by the English, against the West Marches of Scotland.
Walter Scot of Bransholme, and the tenants of Elrick-house, complain against Will Grame, of Rose-trees, Hutchin's Richie of the Bailie, with their accomplices, for eighty kine and oxen, forty nott, sixteen sheep, one horse. ”

“ Man would be lost in the wonder, nor satisfied with a single view. We have admired a wall which has secured only a private mansion; still more, when it surrounded a City; but what ideas can we fix to one which guarded a kingdom!
What I have described is only part of that superb production which crosses the Island; for the three personages, but chiefly Severus, formed various roads, which extended both to the North and South, exclusive of those which ran parallel with the Wall, and which led to various fortified Castles, ten or fifteen miles distant ”

“ They then divide into two parties, strip, and deposit their clothes, called wad (from weed) in two heaps, each upon their own ground, which is divided by a stone, as a boundary between the two kingdoms. Each then invades the other's territories; the English crying, "here's a leap into thy land, dry-bellied Scot." He who can, plunders the other side. If one is caught in the enemies jurisdiction, he becomes a prisoner, and cannot be released except by his own party. Thus one side will sometimes take all the men and property of the other. ”

“ Whoever deprives an unoffending man of his right comes under this word. It follows, no war can be justified but that of defence.
It is an old remark, that "Idleness is introductive of mischief." The Picts, now Highlanders, confirm this remark; strangers to commerce, to the arts, and from the barrenness of the country, almost to agriculture, they led a life of indolence. ”

“ Idleness of body promotes idleness of mind. They were savage, voracious, domineering, except to their chiefs, who were as savage as themselves, but to them they paid implicit obedience. Servility is the attendant upon a mind debased.
Men thus situated must feel the effects of want. Nature and necessity made them courageous. At the beck of the chief they entered the Lowlands, which they sometimes robbed, but oftener joined the inhabitants in partnership, and penetrated the borders between Scotland and England ”

“ The Lords Wardens had almost an unlimited power: they could hold courts, take cognizance of offences, punish the body, could fine, sieze lands, or goods, could upon the appearance of an enemy call into actual service all able-bodied men from sixteen to sixty, lead them into action, and make truce, or peace, with the Scots. ”

“ The first intelligence of an approaching enemy appeared to the eye, instead of the ear, and he brought destruction in his hand.
Upon unprosperous adventures, the Picts sued for peace, always obtained it, and, to keep them quiet, upon easy terms.
When the unhappy Britons had fluctuated between life and death, eighty-seven years after Hadrian's work was compleated, Severus was chosen Emperor. Two years were spent in reducing his enemies on the continent, after which he came into Britain.
Penetrating into Scotland, the enemy fled where Severus durst not follow ”

“ The mind is shocked, it even shudders, at the dreadful murders, robberies, and burnings, in the above catalogue; which is only a small part of the devastations practised in the vicinity of the Wall. This farther proves, that we are savages by nature, and should continue so, if not improved by precept, or restrained or protected by the laws of society. I am sorry our own times have exhibited the same ferocity as that found near the Wall ”

“ Hunger is said to "break through stone walls:" then what security in walls of earth! It is difficult to keep out an enemy, who is determined not to be kept out. Inroads were quickly made, and former tragedies acted. ”

“ The rough land is your safeguard, not the people; and the inhabitants are so poor they are not worth conquering. On these rests your security." There may be in both these remarks a wider opening for truth than for boasting.
Our old historians always term the Scots Barbarians: to this I assent. They surprised the innocent, murdered them, laid waste their country, took the property, and left the place. Allow me, without the aid of Dr. Johnson, to illustrate the word Barbarian. Julius Caesar, Agricola, Antonine, Severus, &c., went one step farther than the Scots ”

“ Bread, water, and peace, is preferable to such a life, even with an entail of ten thousand acres.
Some idea may be formed of the ruined state of the country; for, at the general Doomsday survey of the kingdom in 1080, the four counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Durham, and Westmorland, were omitted; because, by the continued wars between the two nations, they were so ruined, and covered with marks of destruction, that they must have been surveyed with horror, but without profit. ”

“ It bore that of Agricola, which is now lost. The Picts Wall but this seems inconsistent, for they had no concern with the Wall, except to pull it down; and I think it should rather bear the name of the man who built it up. Sometimes Hadrian's Wall; but I cannot see why a bank of earth should bear the name of a Wall. Our idea of a wall comprehends an erection of brick or stone. ”

“ It was enacted, in 1662, that as lewd, disorderly, lawless thieves, and robbers, commonly, called Moss Troopers, infested the borders, residing in large wastes, heaths, and mosses, who through secret ways escaped from one kingdom to another to elude punishment, the justices in sessions should have power to assess the inhabitants of the adjoining counties, to constitute a guard against the injury, violence, spoil, and rapine of the Moss Troopers. Northumberland should be charged with five hundred pounds a year, to suport thirty men; and Cumberland with two hundred, for twelve men. ”

“ Some learned and worthy men, priers into human nature, have contended "that civilization increases, and that the world is advancing towards perfection."—Light and knowledge, I allow, have made an amazing progress during the last ages, but that is owing to commerce and the printing press. ”

“ The next step, as he rises into years, is to hunt after property not his own, which he tries to acquire by deceit, chicane, finesse, and, if he cannot accomplish it, would take a pleasure in destroying it, that another may not possess it. ”

“ So large a number of people assembled, as the Roman soldiery, with the multitude of Britons drawn to their assistance, together with those who brought materials and necessaries for building, and family use, accounts for the vast number of villages and dwellings which have been near the Wall. ”

“ The plunderers had two requisites for mischief, inclination and power. They could fight or run. The name of Goodman, head of the clan, did not altogether coincide with the character.
They returned to their former course, till James the First became sovereign of both kingdoms; when, in the first of his reign, he issued a proclamation against them, and seized many of the clan, who confessed they were unfit for civilized society.
Many of this mischievous race were in 1606, transported into Ireland, and their possessions given to others.
It is difficult to fasten a rogue, except by a halter. ”

“ In these dreadful times, whole villages fell a sacrifice, and that often in the winter nights, as more congenial to the black purpose; and the inhabitants were obliged to run, even from food, fire, and clothing, into the cold air, and subsist upon the river, and the field. ”

“ We may observe, that the dignified clergy, notwithstanding their peaceable profession, were obliged to contribute their quota; that the force was chiefly horse; that many of the families still possess the same property, without being goaded with an arbitrary martial tax ”

“ We may observe a mildness in the plaintiff's oath, and severity in the defendant's, as well as something foolishly wanton. There appears also no reason why one should be accepted, and the other disregarded. ”

“ The Warden of Scotland, complains against Walter Grame, Richie of the Moat, and others, for bigging houses, and depasturing cattle, in Scotland; sewing corn to the value of forty chalders, during ten years past, estimating the hard corn at shirty shillings a bow, Scots, pasturing two thousand of Nolt, and horse, at thirty shillings a head, Scots, two hundred sheep, at three pence a head. ”

“ The military, in time of danger, were collected by firing the beacons; and were, by the laws of tenure, bound to serve forty days. The privates enjoyed small farms of ten or twelve acres, called Nag and Foot tenements. These beacons were erected in the following places in 1468:
The lawless banditti in the borders were on the watch for plunder ”

“ The Lord of Maxwell and his tenants, of Dunhaw, Querelwood, Cowhill, and other places, against Walter Grame, of Netherby, Rob of the Fold, alias Willie's Johnie, Pick's Will, for burning eight hundred onsets, (3000l. Scots) , one hundred kine and oxen, three hundred horses, three thousand sheep, prisoners ransomed, 500l. sterling.
Robert Maxwell of Castle-milk, and tenants, complain against Walter Grame of Netherby, Rob Grame of the Fold, and company, for burning house, and corn, 4000 marks, one hundred and twenty kine and oxen, one hundred and eighty sheep, insight, 500 marks. ”

“ Thomas Rootledge, of Todholes, and neighbours, complain against Kymont Jock, Eckie Studholme, Jock of the Calf-hill, and accomplices, for forty kine and oxen, twenty sheep and goats, one horse, insight, 300l. ”