Neighborly Enemies: English and Scots in Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1558–1603

Elizabeth I considered a Scottish invasion a likely possibility throughout her reign; upon her accession to the throne, she refortified the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed with repaired walls and a large garrison of soldiers. Despite her efforts, nothing could prevent constant contact with Scots in Berwick’s market. As the only commercial center in the region, Berwick, four miles from the Scottish border, drew to it not only rural Englishmen but also Scots peddlers and merchants. These Scots proved themselves invaluable to the livelihood of the town by providing grain and other necessities to Berwick’s impoverished inhabitants. While burgesses recognized this benefit of the Scottish presence, they simultaneously suspected Scots, their traditional enemies, of violence, spying, and plotting invasions.

This paper examines these points of economic and social contact to assess the fears voiced by the townsmen regarding the presence of Scots. These worries were a constant feature of town petitions to the queen and her representative, the governor; yet the perception of the potential Scottish threat also served as a rhetorical tool for the borderers when asking for provisions or funds from the crown. Despite the town’s efforts the burgesses could not expunge the Scottish presence completely, pointing not only to the difficulty of their mission but also potentially to their unwillingness to banish useful, contributing members of the community.

From Elizabeth’s perspective, the border was secured through the rebuilt walls and garrison. Maintaining England’s defenses in this border community, however, was a much more difficult task for its inhabitants. While the border was ostensibly defended through walls, watches, and arms, the perceived enemy permeated the town easily and regularly. Through an examination of this frontier community, we can begin to understand better other liminal communities throughout early modern Europe and how ostensibly antagonistic neighbors cooperated on a day-to-day basis.