{"id":3096,"date":"2026-05-24T10:43:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T09:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/?p=3096"},"modified":"2026-05-10T16:45:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T15:45:16","slug":"pacification-document-31a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/24\/pacification-document-31a\/","title":{"rendered":"Pacification document 31a"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pacification document 31a is part of a series of transcriptions from documents written in the early 1600s…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes when you painstakingly decipher a Jacobean document, you are rewarded with a great story from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And other times, it turns out to be little better than a laundry list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it is with document 31a of the Pacification of the Borders collection on the Reivers website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been working my way through them slowly, in no particular order to be honest. You can find more-interesting ones here<\/a> and here <\/a>for example.
But while 31a is a bit of a dud, story-wise, I\u2019ve ploughed through it and will post my transcription below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pacification document 31a <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first part is a letter from Sir Wilfred Lawson (head of the English border commissioners) to Sir William Cranstoun, Captain of King James\u2019 Horse Garrison and deputy-lieutenant for the Borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawson seems impatient for news: there has been an escape of prisoners from Carlisle Castle, AND some of the border Grahams are hiding out in Scotland to evade the King\u2019s \u2018justice\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or rather, living in Scotland, but not hiding. For the letter says they are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u2018going about openly at Edinburgh and elsewhere<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Which must have been galling to those who wanted them in jail and\/or deported to the Low Countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The break-out from Carlisle Castle is interesting. I\u2019ve found references to one in October 1605, when five \u2018notable offenders\u2019 escaped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the letter was written two months before that.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also found references to that being the third break-out. And a report that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u2018One night in 1605, 28 out of 33 prisoners managed to escape from the castle<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

They included at least three Grahams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But nothing specific to tie in with Sir Wilfrid Lawson\u2019s letter, which is dated August 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second part of document 31a actually pre-dates it by a few days, as it was written on August 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was sent TO Sir Wilfred Lawson, by (English) border commissioner Sir William Selby, Sir Robert Delaval, and Edward Gray (deputy warden of the English East March).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are basically telling Sir Wilfrid that the English and Scottish commissions are distinct and they feel they have no authority to take part in a meeting of the Scottish Commissioners at Hawick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only lines of real interest are that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. some English and Scottish felons were to be tried at Hawick on August 26, and;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. \u2018some Riddesdale men\u2019 were to be sent to Scotland and tried for offences committed there.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    There are a few words I\u2019m not sure of. But they don\u2019t detract from the overall sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u2018Oyer and terminer\u2019 = a commission issued to judges on a circuit to hold courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pacification document 31a \u2013 the transcript<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Honourable Sir,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I thought before this tyme we should have heard from you and therewith all<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    have received some as- of those that brake his majesty\u2019s castle here at Carlisle, as<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    also of these Graymes that are fugitives, and as we hear are w- and going<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    openly, as well in Edinburgh as in other places within the compass?of his majesty\u2019s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    commission. I nothing doubt of the performance of what ?appertains to your place<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    and therefore think that either the said reports may be untrue; or being true, that<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    shortly we shall receive of both the – (?sorts ?forth), as their apprehending and sent hither by you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sir William Selby will be with his highness\u2019 commissioners at Hawick (as I take it)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    the 26 of this instant, whereof I think he will give you tymely notice. If the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    abilities of my bodie now correspondent to my good will, I would not fail to have <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    been there right hardilie praying to have my hardy commendations remembered to all<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    my honourable friends and fellow commissioners, not forgetting the like to yourself<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So for the present I leave you to the ?protection of the almightie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Carlisle the 14th of August 1605.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your very loveing ffriend<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Wilf Lawson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    the copie of Sir William Selby, Sir Ro Delavale, and Mr Graye to Sir Wilfred Lawson and Mr =ton (poss Pennington), <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    the 8th of August 1605.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sir, We have conferred with Sir Willam Selby of the letter lately written by you. Sir Ro <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Delavale and myself from the Scottish commissioners wherein these gave us notice that they<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    have a meeting at Hawick the 26 of this instant for the trial of certain felons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    both Scottish and English and desire that some one or more of these would be present at their<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    proceedings, whereupon we have  – as well the general commission at our owne<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    and the Scottish ins-cc, together with our agreement at our first meeting in Carlisle<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    and do fynd no warrant for our so doinge, ?seeming that besides the general commission<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    their and two others of oyer and terminer, therefore – wherein the have nothing to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    do th-the or them whereinwe have as litte of -h- kind that their meetings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    being we think we have no authoritie to assist them, yet for our better satisfaction we<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    have thought good to deliver our opinion and desire to receive yours in this po\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    expedition? and so for the present we comyt you to God, – the 8th of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    August 1605.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your loving friends <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    William Selby, Ro Delevale, Edward Gray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We do heare it some Riddesdale men<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    are to be sent into Scotland for offences<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    commited there and to receive their<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    tryall now.
    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Pacification document 31a is part of a series of transcriptions from documents written in the early 1600s… Sometimes when you painstakingly decipher a Jacobean document, you are rewarded with a great story from it. And other times, it turns out to be little better than a laundry list. So it is with document 31a of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447,448],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grahams","category-reivers"],"yoast_head":"\nPacification document 31a - Cumbrian Characters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pacification document 31a is a transcript of (with notes) of another in the series of 1600s papers relating to the Anglo-Scottish border.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/24\/pacification-document-31a\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pacification document 31a - 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