Much like the earlier Border reivers who had operated in the lawless region during the 16th century and were dealt with,[1] moss-troopers do not have a clear genesis.

Under section two of this act, the benefit of clergy was taken away from those convicted, which generally meant a death sentence, or otherwise with judicial discretion, the notorious thieves and spoil-takers in Northumberland or Cumberland were to be transported to America, "there to remaine and not to returne".

[3][4] Many moss-troopers were disbanded or deserting soldiers from one of the Scottish armies of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

They had kept their weapons and lived a life of brigandage, attacking both civilians and Parliamentary soldiers for supplies during the Royalist rising of 1653 to 1654 when English Parliamentarian troops under George Monck occupied Scotland.

Moss-troopers usually operated in small bands, either on the fringes of the Highlands or in the border regions.