What is the origin and purpose of the Bounders?
When one thinks of the borders, the bounds, of this country, one might think of rivers and woodlands. But one such feature that is even more common than the trees is the presence of the Bounders. The single feather in their caps makes them instantly distinguishable from other folk. It is their duty to keep a watchful eye on the bounds (what we would call ‘beating the bounds’) in order to keep unsavoury characters from crossing into our land. It is normally beasts, such as wolves, that the Bounders deal with. But there are greater dangers than wolf packs beyond the bounds.
For a thousand years the Shire existed in what seemed like a perpetual peace. The land was not troubled by wars or the other woes of the wider world. Life simply went on, even when the bordering lands were engulfed in destructive conflicts. This is not to say that there were never any troubles from the outside world. Bandits and raiders were not unheard of at this time, but they were soon away once they had pilfered what goods they could. My point here is that there was never a sincere attempt to invade the Shire with a considerable and calculated force. Some have pointed towards the Guardians, the queer folk who lurk in the shadows near to bounds, as responsible for this. Others have argued that there was simply no appeal to any prospective invader, as the Shire was not considered a strategically valuable position as far as the wider world is concerned.
What we must make note of is that for the first 370 years of the Shire’s existence, the land was considered a constituent region of the Kingdom of Arthedain. It was the will of Argeleb the Second that the Hobbits of Bree (represented by Marcho and Blanco) should be granted citizenship of Arthedain, and permission to settle in what became the Shire. In return for the oaths of fealty that were sworn to the king at Norbury, the Shire-folk were able to flourish under the protection of the crown. The borders were watched by Big Folk, soldiers of the king, who established numerous watchtowers in order to protect both the Shire and the rest of the kingdom. The Brandywine River marked the eastern border of the realm, meaning that the Shire neighboured the Kingdom of Cardolan. Although not an enemy of Arthedain, Cardolan is thought to have been ravaged by the malicious forces of Angmar. Therefore it was necessary for the borders of the Shire to be properly defended. The Stocktower, as it is often called, is one of the few remaining watchtowers built during this time. It overlooks the Brandywine River, keeping watch on the Brandywine Bridge and the eastern lands beyond.
Although Arthedain itself was engaged in a number of conflicts during this period, the Shire remained relatively unaffected. The shadow of Angmar could not be held back forever, though. In 374, the great capital of Arthedain, Norbury, was sacked. Archers from the Shire were sent to fulfil their oath to defend their king, Arvedui. Their courage was in vain, however, and Arvedui was forced to flee his city into the north. He perished in the ice-bays there a year later. The Fall of Norbury marked the end of the Kingdom of Arthedain. Any hopes of its revival were dashed with the death of the Last King. Angmar now claimed the old territories of Arthedain, including the Shire. Their occupation was short-lived, however, as Prince Eärnur of Gondor, the great kingdom of the south, assembled a mighty host to put an end to Angmar’s tyranny. The Battle of Norbury saw the complete annihilation of Angmar, but the land was still left without a king. Who would defend, or indeed lead, the Shire now?
In 379, once peace had returned to the land, it was decided that Bucca of the Marish would become the first Thain of the Shire; an office which resembled the lost kingship. As master of the Shire-moot and captain of the Shire-muster, it was the Thain’s duty to summon the Hobbitry-in-arms in times of danger. Many at this time remembered all too well that peace was not always guaranteed, and that the fall of Angmar would not be the end of their troubles. At this time there was no permanent watch on the borders, and it was left to the Thain to call the Shire-muster if the bounds should be assailed. For seven hundred years this was not the case, and it seems that the Shire-muster was forgotten by most. Just as it was in the days before the fall of Arthedain, the Hobbits of the Shire turned their backs from the troubles of the outside world – convinced that such events would never affect them.
This was to change in the spring of 1147. For several years before, Goblins had emerged from their mountain-towns in the east and were invading the lands around the Shire. Still, life went on as normal. Many were completely oblivious to such events, and those who knew simply ignored them. But by March 1147, ignorance was no longer an option. An army of Goblins from Mount Gram, led by King Golfimbul, invaded the Northfarthing of the Shire. Thain Isumbras the Third hastily called the Shire-muster, for the first time in history, and raised the Hobbitry-in-arms. Captaincy of the Hobbits was delegated to his son, the physically imposing and courageous Bandobras Took. The two sides met at the Greenfields and did battle on the 17th of March. It was victory for the Shire, in what became the legendary Battle of the Greenfields. Bandobras Took, known thereafter as the Bullroarer, was declared a hero both in the Shire and in the lands beyond. Those who might have thought to invade the Shire now realised that they would find no easy conquest there. But amidst all the celebration, there were lessons to be learned.
Thain Isumbras, now in the shadow of his heroic son, declared that a permanent and vigilant watch should be kept on the borders, lest such an invasion should happen again. So the Bounders, or bound-beaters as they were originally called, were established. Bandobras Took was named First Bounder, the captain of the force. Soon enough Bounders were to be found patrolling all the borders, their numbers increasing or decreasing in response to the need. Now, almost three hundred years since their establishment, the Bounders are still found at their posts. All hope that there will never be the need to summon the Shire-muster and raise the Hobbitry-in-arms again, but it is reassuring to know that such measures are in place should such a need present itself.
