"Rookhope is the name of a valley about five miles in length; at the termination of which, Rookhope burn empties itself into the river Wear, and is in the north part of the parish of Stanhope, in Weardale. Rookhope-head is the top of the vale."--RITSON. The date of the event, says Sir W. Scott, is precisely ascertained to be (not 1569 but) the 6th of December, 1572, when the Tynedale robbers were encouraged to make a foray into Weardale in consequence of the confusion occasioned by the rebellion of Westmoreland and Northumberland. From Ritson's _Bishopric Garland_ (p. 54), with one or two slight verbal improvements from the _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, ii. 101. Rookhope stands in a pleasant place, If the false thieves wad let it be, But away they steal our goods apace, And ever an ill death may they dee! And so is the men of Thirlwall and Willie-haver,[L5] 5 And all their companies thereabout, That is minded to do mischief, And at their stealing stands not out. But yet we will not slander them all, For there is of them good enow; 10 It is a sore consumed tree That on it bears not one fresh bough. Lord God! is not this a pitiful case, That men dare not drive their goods to the fell, But limmer thieves drives them away, 15 That fears neither heaven nor hell? Lord, send us peace into the realm, That every man may live on his own! I trust to God, if it be his will, That Weardale men may never be overthrown. 20 For great troubles they've had in hand, With borderers pricking hither and thither, But the greatest fray that e'er they had, Was with the men of Thirlwall and Willie-haver. They gather'd together so royally, 25 The stoutest men and the best in gear; And he that rade not on a horse, I wat he rade on a weel-fed mear. So in the morning, before they came out, So weel I wot they broke their fast; 30 In the [forenoon they came] unto a bye fell,[L31] Where some of them did eat their last. When they had eaten aye and done, They say'd some captains here needs must be: Then they choosed forth Harry Corbyl, 35 And 'Symon Fell,' and Martin Ridley. Then o'er the moss, where as they came, With many a brank and whew, One of them could to another say, "I think this day we are men enew. 40 "For Weardale-men is a journey ta'en; They are so far out o'er yon fell, That some of them's with the two earls,[L43] And others fast in Bernard castell.