Yetholm, they observed fires raised by a Scottish raiding party. Ralph Eure with Richard Bowes, Captain of Norham, and 500 men rode forward and captured or killed a number of Scots. Coldingham Later in the month, Henry Eure and George Bowes captured Coldingham, where the Priory was defended by cannon, after a 5-hour battle. Subsequently, William Eure wrote to the Earl of Shrewsbury that he had escorted the Italian military surveyor Archan (Archangelo Arcano) to Coldingham. The new Captain of Coldingham, George Bowes, said he could hold the place for 40 hours against the Scottish army if they brought two cannons. Ralph had reported to William that Regent Arran with other Scottish lords were gathering an invasion force at Dunbar. Ralph also sent this news to Shrewsbury. The Lords of the Privy Council had already found Ralph's intelligence gathering useful, and in January they had authorised Shrewsbury to cover the sums that Ralph laid out for "compassing sundry exploits and intelligence." Arran's host did move towards Coldingham, but Arran halted this advance before Sir William's force could engage him. Henry Eure, in July 1544, joined George Bowes and raided Edrom, Preston, Patrick Hume's Tower and Duns. On 3 July, William Eure organised the burning of the Castle of Greenlaw. Ralph burnt the Barmkin of Ormiston and the church tower at Eckford. Muirhouse and Ancrum Moor The Eure family continued these raids into November and again in 1545. As a Scottish army mustered on the eastern border near Lauder, Ralph argued for an attack on Hawick. A raid to Melrose or Jedburgh led to Ralph Eure's death at the battle of Ancrum Moor in February 1545, his companions Basford and a Scotsman John Rutherford of Edgerston cut down beside him. Regent Arran was shown Ralph's body by a man called Vicar Ogle, and said;God have mercy on him, for he was a fell cruel man and over cruel, which many a man and fatherless bairn might rue; and, wellaway that ever such slaughter and bloodshedding should be amongst Christian men. The defeat at Ancrum was blamed on Ralph's over-reliance on his wavering Scottish allies and his foolhardy courage. Robert Bowes was made Warden of the Middle March in his place. To avenge Ralph, Henry Eure and George Bowes went to Bowmont in Teviotdale and demolished two towers and burnt farmsteads belonging to the Laird of Molle (Mow). In March 1548 Henry