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The Border Reivers |
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In the Border Ballads, Sir Walter Scott adopts what author Alistair Moffat calls “a distinctly patriotic tone” and emphasises the enmity between the Scottish and English borderers. However, in reality nationality was of little importance to the inhabitants of the Marches. Loyalty to other borderers superseded any loyalty to either England or Scotland. In battle, it was usual for soldiers to wear national badges: either the cross of St Andrew or St George.
Ferniehirst castle
© scran |
Borderers were observed to wear additional badges and emblems such as armbands and letters sown on hats, the presumption being that these were used by Borderers to identify one another regardless of nationality. One report states that, during a particular battle, English and Scottish borderers were seen talking on the battlefield. When they became aware that their lack of hostility toward one another had been noticed, they made a pretence of running at each other, albeit “with no desire to inflict serious injury.”
The disregard for nationality in preference to kinship was seen as a problem by both England and Scotland. Intermarriage was part of the problem; it was difficult to enforce national law when it conflicted with family loyalties, and therefore both London and Edinburgh tried to regulate cross-border marriages. At one stage, a Scot who married an Englishwoman without permission could be put to death. No matter what the penalty, legal attempts to regulate marriage were not particularly successful, and marriages between English and Scottish families continued.
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