On foot, I went, yet scarce my shoes did wet. I being come to this long-looked-for land, Did mark, remark, note, renote, viewed, and scanned; And I saw nothing that could change my will, But that I thought myself in _England_ still. The kingdoms are so nearly joined and fixed, There scarcely went a pair of shears betwixt; There I saw sky above, and earth below, And as in _England_, there the sun did show; The hills with sheep replete, with corn the dale, [Sidenote: _The afore-named knights had given money to my guide, of which he left some part at every ale-house._] And many a cottage yielded good Scottish ale; This county (_Avondale_) in former times, Was the cursed climate of rebellious crimes: For _Cumberland_ and it, both kingdoms borders, Were ever ordered, by their own disorders, Some sharking, shifting, cutting throats, and thieving, Each taking pleasure in the other's grieving; And many times he that had wealth to-night, Was by the morrow morning beggared quite: Too many years this pell-mell fury lasted, That all these borders were quite spoiled and wasted, Confusion, hurly-burly reigned and revelled, The churches with the lowly ground were levelled; All memorable monuments defaced, All places of defence o'erthrown and razed. That whoso then did in the borders dwell, Lived little happier than those in hell. But since the all-disposing God of heaven, Hath these two kingdoms to one monarch given, Blest peace, and plenty on them both have showered, Exile, and hanging hath the thieves devoured, That now each subject may securely sleep, His sheep and neat, the black the white doth keep, For now those crowns are both in one combined, Those former borders, that each one confine, Appears to me (as I do understand) To be almost the centre of the land, This was a blessed heaven expounded riddle, To thrust great kingdoms skirts into the middle. Long may the instrumental cause survive. From him and his, succession still derive True heirs unto his virtues, and his throne, That these two kingdoms ever may be one; This county of all _Scotland_ is most poor, By reason of the outrages before, Yet mighty store of corn I saw there grow, And as good grass as ever man did mow: And as that day I twenty miles did pass, I saw eleven hundred neat at grass, By which may be conjectured at the least, That there was sustenance for man and beast. And in the kingdom I have truly scanned, There's many worser parts, are better manned, For in the time that thieving was in ure, The gentles fled to places more secure. And left the poorer sort, to abide the pain, Whilst they could ne'er find time to turn again. The shire of gentlemen is scarce and dainty, Yet there's relief in great abundance plenty, Twixt it and England, little odds I see, They eat, and live, and strong and able be,