Bella Scot-Anglica A BRIEF OF ALL THE Battells and Martiall Encounters which have happened 'twixt ENGLAND and SCOTLAND from all times to this present VVherunto is annexed a Corollary Declaring the causes whereby the Scot is come of late years to be so hightned in his spirits With some Prophecies which are much cryed up as reflecting upon the fate of both Nations Printed in the Yeare 1648. Bella Scot-Anglica A Briefe of all the Battels and Martiall Encounters which have happen'd 'twixt England and Scotland from all times to this present c. The Proeme THe Design of this short Discourse is to relate the Quarrels and sundry traverses of Warre which have passed from time to time between England and Scotland Extracted out of the most approved and impartiall Historians as well Scottish as English French and others Out of which premisses are deduced these Conclusions First That Scotland hath been alwayes apt and forward to apprehend any occasion to invade and visit her Neighbour England Secondly That when she was at the highest pitch of strength and had the greatest advantages against her when she had active and martiall Kings for her Generalls and the French for her firm Confederates with other Coadjutors and Auxiliaries she could never be a match no not by many degrees for England whether you respect the intâ—insick power of the Country or the innated prowesse of the people All which will clearly appeare by the circumstances and successe of divers Battells and interchangeable Exploits which being indifferently ballanc'd it will be found that if Scotland did sometimes beat England with the scabbard England may bee truly sayd to have beaten her more often with the blade I Will not look back and rake the ashes of antiquity so far as to speak of the sociall warre they entred into with the ancient Brittaines and Picts against the English when they began to take first firme footing in England Nor of that so famous battell 'twixt Athelstan and them at which time they had a great Army of Danes joyned with them when being above twice more in number then the English King Athelstan carried away a compleat victory by a kind of back-blow Parthian like For the two Armies being ready to joyne the English made semblance to fly away leaving all their baggage behinde and much matter for booty which as the Scots and Danes were sharing the English suddenly wheeled about by the advantage of a woody hill and finding them in disarray and the Souldiers laden with pillage they rushed upon them with that resolution that above fourty thousand of them fell and as Buchanan their Prime Chronologer recordeth the flower of their Nobility perished that day But I intend not to involve my discourse in these mistie times but will take my rise from the Norman Conquest for indeed the Historie of great Brittaine being over clouded with so many incertainties casteth but a dim light before those times whereas since she shines with such a lustre that what stands upon Record may be asserted for cleere and undeniable truth At that time I mean the time of the Conquest Scotland did England a very good office by preserving the English blood-royall which not long after returned to the Crowne in Henry the second but it was casually For Prince Edgar and his Mother with his two Sisters intending to goe for Denmarke some say for Hungarie and being by distresse of weather driven upon the Scottish coasts they were hospitably received by Malcoline then King of Scotland At which time civility with the English tongue took first footing in the Scottish Court as the French did amongst the English WILL the second THe first dart of War that was thrown 'twixt England and Scotland after the Conquest was in Will Rufus his raign when the Scots having made divers incursions into the English Paâ—e Moubray Earle of Northumberland was sent against them who Encountring their King Malcoline with his eldest son in the field they were both slain and the whole Army overthrown Afterwards the Scots choosing the dead Kings brother King William went in person and depos'd him causing Edward the second son of the slain King to be crowned and making him to sweare fealty and homage to England But the Scots obtain'd the favour of King William that neither English or Norman should beare any office of State in Scotland King STEPHEN KIng Stephen having oblig'd the Scots by many high favours by giving Cumberland to David their King and making his eldest son Earle of Huntington Yet so ingratefull did they prove that they provok'd him to send Thurston then Archb. of Yorke with such an Army that meeting with the King himselfe in the head of his Forces he utterly discomfited him with the death of 10000. of his men HENRY the second HEnry the second though the pulse of those times did beat high and that he was distracted with a world of conâ—â—â—ions yet employing the York-shire Knights Humphrey Vile Scutvill and Vescy they with their victorious Armes tooke the Scots King in the field and tendred him prisoner at Northampton whence King Henry carried him along to attend him in his warres in France RICHARD the first RIchard coeur de Lion caused William King of Scotland to carry the Sword before him at his second Coronation at his return from the holy Land At which time King Rich. passed a Royall Charter that whensoever the King of Scotland was summond to the English Court the Bishop of Durham and Sheriffe of Northumberland should receive him at Tweede and accompany him to Teis from Teis the Archbishop of Yorke should attend him to the borders of that County and so the Bish. and Sheriffs of other Counties untill he came to the English Court King JOHN KIng Iohn one of the weakest Princes and the most forlorne that ever England had considering how the Pope and all the world did bandy against him and what fearefull exigents he was reduced unto yet finding Alexander the second then King of Scotland to give sanctuary to his fugitive clergy and foment others against him made an expedition thither himselfe but the two armies being ready to buckle the Scot seing fire and sword to gape upon him submitted himselfe and subscribed to such termes as the Conqueror propounded EDVVARD the First NOw come I to the scourge or as his Tombe in Westminster tells me the hammer of the Scotts-men Edwardus primus Scotorum malleus hic est He causeth Balioll to come to Newcastle to sweare Fealty and homage to him who after flying to the French King Edward was so netled for this his defection that though he had a farre greater arrand in France yet he chose rather to employ Edmund Earle of Lancaster thither and to march himselfe to Scotland in the front of a puissant army where the Scots in farre greater numbers shewed their teeth only but durst not bite King Edward summons Balioll to Berwicke when he resubmitted himself with all the Nobles in open Parliament which
he held there And for caution brought the King himselfe along with him leaving the Earle of Surrey Warden of Scotland Not long after the Scots revolted againe notwithstanding their King was in England having one Wallie for their ring-leader who did much mischiefe on the frontiers And their insolency grew to that hight that besides their inrodes they began to rhime upon him What this Edward with his land shanks But he payed them for their rhiming with a vengeance He goeth againe in person and at â—â—nkirk battaile kild out right 200. of their Nobles and Gentry with 40. thousand common Souldiers Then he summons a Parliament at Edenburgh where all the Nobles sweare him fealty againe He carrieth away the Ragman roll the blacke crosse and the stone wherein they say the fate of their Kingdome is fixed Then was there offer'd a third provocation when le Bruce was crowned King of Scotland The Earle of Pembrooke was sent against him who utterly defeated him at Iohnston Hereupon le Bruce flyeth to the Popes pantofle making him Lord Paramount of Scotland which moved King Edward notwithstanding the menaces and fulminations of the Pope who wished him to forbeare the Scots because they were an exempt nation belonging to the Roman Chappell to make a fourth expedition thither where he constrained le Bruce to fly to Norway where he blew on his nayles while K. Edward lived And so eager was this great King in pursuite of this action that falling sickly upon the way He said If I die before I enter Scotland I charge you to go on couragiously and carry my body round about the Country but it pleased God to reprieve him untill he had done his businesse himselfe EDVVARD the second BUt here comes a cooling-card for the English Edward the second whose greatest honor was to be son to a Peerles father and father to an incomparable son Rosa spinam spina rosam genuit In his time all went to wrack especially in Scotland At Bannocks battaile Gilbert de clare Earle of Glocester and 40 Barons more with 700 Knights and Gentlemen and as some stories record above 40000. more were slaine Which defeat was imputed principally to the ill choice of ground the English had taken The Scots had behind them rocks hills and woods to fly into if necessity required before them loughs and moores that the assailant could not march further Adde hereunto the pusillanimity of the King and the spirits of men are much raysed by their leader who was sayd to fly first and better it is for a lion to lead sheepe then for a sheepe to lead a company of lions The Scots hereupon were so agog that they enter Ireland with an Army under the conduct of Edward Bruce the Kings brother who landing at Karig Fergus ransack'd all the North parts where he tooke such firme footing that he proclaym'd himselfe King of Ireland though he had onely over-ranne Ulster At which time there was such a direfull famine that in some places of Ireland dead bodies were digged up and their flesh boyled in their sculls to be eaten as the story tells But two yeares after Sir Io. Bremingham then chiefe Justice with the Archbishop of Armagh went with such a power against this upstart King that at Dundalke they got a most compleat victory one Manpas as it seemed having kild the King hand to hand for both their dead bodies were found together and Manpas covering the Kings body In England another Army was sent against the Scots called the Yorke Army which was also overthrowne at Milton upon Swayle Nevertheles the King would venture once more in Person and with a numerous Army invaded Scotland The Scots fly into the woods and places of fastnes And for want of provision in that hungry country the English were forced to retire but in the retraict they were so pursued that they lost all their ammunition which was attributed to the treason of Sir Andrew Harkley But your criticall Annalists ascribe it to the poverty of spirit in the royall head who being become hatefull to God and man first for perjury by infringing the oath he made to his Barons then by disobedience to his father who in his death bed charged him upon his blessing to abandon Piers Gaveston whom nevertheless he still doted upon with the Spencers by whose counsels hee guided himselfe And it was alwaies seen that Princes of an ill destiny follow the worst counsells EDVVARD the third BUt here comes a spirit who will soundly vindicate his fathers affronts Edward the third a Prince that was the soonest a man and the longest that lasted so of any in the whole catalogue of English Kings yet being but young when the Diadem first begirt his temples after an encounter at Stanhope Park where great multitudes of Scots appeared but vanished away like meteors skulking in woods and mountains In the Parliament held at Northampton the King of Scotland was released of his homage But some years after when the young King began to understand himself hee sent an army with Balioll whom he caused to be crowned at Scone And afterwards there was a Battell fought at Hallidowne where the English made the Scots a bridge of gold to fly over for they betook themselves all to their heeles King Balioll being thus restored Scotland became feuditary to England againe But a few years after king Ed. being deeply engag'd in his French wars and thinking Hoc agere the Scots presuming his absence would prove advantagious to them make cursorie sallies out of Scotland and plunder all before them in the North by the instigation of the French But the Queen and the Lords of the North make such a levy of Martiall forces that they entred Scotland like thunder and at a mighty battell one Copland takes the King prisoner whom pleading the law of arms he would not deliver the Queen untill the King had sent order from France This overthrow was given upon Saturday and upon Saturday six weeks before the battell of Cressy had bin fought with another against the Duke of Brittain in all which king Edward prov'd victorious And being triumphantly return'd from France with the Flower-de-luces upon his sword and redoubted now by all the Princes of the Christian world having a triumverate of kings his prisoners one would think the Scot would have bin quiet but they still provoked him so far that in the dead of Winter and King Ed. was a Prince for all weathers he went thither in Person himself tooke Berwick and had all Scotlond resign'd unto him by the King himselfe and the Nobles who joyntly swore fealty and homage to him RICHARD the second NOw the grand-childe of this great King who turn'd the wheele of his times every where up and downe the Christian world as he pleased mounts the stage The Scots begin to infest the borders and doe other acts of hostility being actually assisted by the French king who sent thither his Admirall with a 1000. men at armes
and 60. sayle with furniture to arme 10000. men more King Richard musters up an Army worthy of a King and rusheth into Scotland like a whirle-wind as farre as Dondee and neither Scot or French appeared to make opposâ—tion The Scots as the French annales say not symbolizing with the humour of the French grew weary of them and casheered them but they kept Jean de Viene the great Admirall prisoner in a manner untill the French king had payed his ransome which he did otherwise his Admirall might have laine at dead anchor there all his life-time But being returned to France lest he should seem to shew no fruits at all of his voyage he informs the King that hee had pried into the uttermost intrinsique strength both of Scotland and England and found that Scotland was able to put in the field about 30000 men and 5000. horse and England 60000. foot and 8000. horse This relation induced Charles the frantique to attempt the invasion of England the yeare following with a formidable Army and Fleet which was to make sayle from the Sluce and for Land-forces far exceeded the invincible Armada of the yeare 88. But the Admirals account was found false and to have reckoned much without his host for as the French Historians report King Richard had levied neere upon 100000. Foot and 20000. Horse HENRY the fourth IN Hen. the fourth's time the tumultuous Scot stirs againe and pillers about the Marches at last he composeth the body of an Army whom Hen. Hotspurre encountred and kil'd more enemies then he had men in his own Army Sir Robert Umphreyvile being Vice-Admirall takes 14. great ships laden with corn together with the great Galeon of Scotland hard by Lith which so abated the price of corn that hee was commonly called Sir Rob. Mend market A little after the young Prince of Wales hurld himselfe seven daies march into Scotland and did what he would HENRY the fift HEnry the fift that man of men and mirrour of chivalrie and the strangest Convert that ever was being come to the Crown he falls like a Politician to worke in erecting Forts on the frontiers of Scotland which he did without controule After he took the young King James the first prisoner in a very hot incounter and carried him up and down with him in the French warres HENRY the sixt HEnry the sixt for some gallant parts in the aforesaid young King James the first of Scotland married him to the Lady lane Daughter to the Earle of Somerset his Neece But he proved afterwards hatefully ingratefull and perfidious to King Henry banding all his main forces against him but he was shamefully repell'd and beaten by Sir Ralph Gray and the Knights of the North EDVVARD the fourth ANd no lesse ingratefull and treacherous was Iames the third in Edward the fourths time who desiring in mariage Cicilia the Kings daughter it was condescended unto so farre that he had part of her portion advanc'd him yet he fell to acts of hostility and frames an Army which the Duke of Glocester with 15000 men ill favourdly beat though they were twice more in number and got Berwicke againe HENRY the seventh NOw come I to that great Magus of his dayes Henry the seventh who was said to be hanted with walking spirits Simuell Warbecke and Perkins whom hee chased away by sprinkling of bloud The Scots entertained Warbecke though they knew him to be an Impostor and raised an Army for him The Earle of Surry and Bishop Foxe were sent against it who drive the King and Warbecke with the whole Army before them six dayes march into the Country at last the Scots King sent a defiance for a battell which being to be fought the next day the Scot steales away the night before in a silent march Hereupon a Peace was concluded provided that Warbecke should bee banished Scotland whom notwithstonding they furnished with ships to goe to try his fortune with the Cornish Rebels HENRY the eight ANd now come I to the glory of his dayes especially two thirds of them Henry the 8. for never did Prince rise with a greater lustre in Englands hemispheare and set in a darker clowd And being extreamly busied in the warres of France who should disturb him but his own brothervin-law Iames the fourth excited by the French who contributed great summes of money towards the support of the warre The King sends presently from France to the Earle of Surry to make head against them At first the Earle sent Sir VVilliam Bullmer with 200. Archers upon the borders to observe their motion The Lord Humes entreth with 8000. men and as he thought to returne with his booty Sir VVilliam Bulmer having reinforced his 200 to 1000. fell upon the 8000. Scots with that fury that he kil'd 500. took so many prisoners and intercepted the whole booty This made the young Kings blood boyle within him for revenge and composing a royall Army of the utmost strength of Scotland went in the head thereof himselfe The Earle of Surry was not idle but raised an Army of 26000 men and his son then Admirall came to him from Newcastle with 1000. old Sea souldiers The two Amies met in Flodden where after many hot incounters victory fluttered a long while with doubtfull wings at last the King himselfe with the Archb. of St. Andrews his brother were slain with 12. Earles and 14. Barrons and 12000 Gentlemen and others and there fell of the English but 1500. only nor could the Scots rescue the body of their King but to mend the matter a little gave out it was not the Kings body but one Elfinston attired like to him to encourage the Army But afterwards though they acknowledged it was his body yet would not Henry the 8 permit him to have the due rites of Princely buriall because he had so perjuriously violated his faith with him Some few years after the Duke of Albany rays'd an Army but he was prevented to do any hurt by the Lord Roos and Dacres who made Bonefires of above 80. Villages without seeing the face of an enemy No sooner were they returned but newes came that the Duke of Albany had by this time in perfect equipage an Army of 30000. men Hereupon the Lord Treasurer and Admirall were sent to finde him out but both Armies being come to sight of each other the Scots not enduring well the countenance of the English Forces ran away and shamefully disbanded so that if the Lord Generall had had then commission ample enough they might have given a fatall blow to Scotland as they themselves confessed but by the intercession of the Queen Dowager Hen. the eights sister they obtained truce After this King Hen. condiscended to meet Iames the fift at York but he fayled sending certain Commissioners and so cunning was the Scot that their Commission and private instructions looked two wayes and as they were treating tydings came that the Scots had rushed into and rifled the Marches most barbarously Hereupon
the Earl of Norfolke was sent with 20000. men who for 8. daies did what he would within the bowels of the Country Anothor Army was sent undet the Command of the Lord Dacres and Wharton who gave them such a mortall blow that eight Earls were taken prisoners and 200. Gentlemen and 800. more and the stories concurre that there was scarce a souldier but had at least his two prisoners this was Solmemosse battell Yet for all this such is the inclination of the English to bee at peace with their neighbours that a match was concluded and ratified by act of Parliament with a speciall instrument under the Scots Noble-mens hands between Prince Edward and the young Queen Mary yet by the cunning negotiation of the French the Scot fell off Hereupon old king Henry who could digest no indignities sent 200. ships laden with souldiers to the Frith under the Earl of Hereford who marched as far as Edinburgh burnt the town and part of the castle returning with revenge and rich bootie A while after the Scots understanding the King was gone to France thought to serve themselves of that advantage and to fall upon the borders but the Earl of Hereford repelled them EDVVARD the sixt EDward the sixt though yet in his minority seemed to be sensible of the affront the Scot had put upon him for a wife though his Father had vindicated it pritty well but as the case stood nothing could concerne England more then to hinder that the French of any in the world should have her And now am I come to the last true battell that was fought 'twixt England and Scotland since the Conquest The Duke of Sommerset was appointed Generall the Earle of VVarwicke his Lieutenant Generall the Lord Clinton Admirall had 60. shipps of warre which were to hold course with the Land-forces So from Barwicke with a sober Army they entred Scotland consisting of about 13000. foot and 1200. men at arms 2500. light horse 16. peeces of Ordnance every peece having a guard of Pioners who came in all to 1400. They had marched as far as Musselborough far within the Country and with infinite pains did they surmount the naturall and artificiall difficulties of the wayes three small Castles they seized upon in their march without offering any act of violence to small or great They understood the Regent of Scotland did far exceed them in number and there came Recruits hourely to him for the fire crosse was carried about by the Heralds through all parts which is two firebrands upon the point of a Spear that all above 16. and under 60 should resort to the Generall rendezvous so that the Historians on both sides leave the number of them indefinite to this day but they all agree that they were at least twice as many and they had twice as many Ordnance yet notwithstanding many other advantage it pleased God to give the English a compleat victory and victories are the decrees of Heaven when there is no tribunall on earth to determine the quarrell This hapned precisely the same day that Flodden field battell was fought 34. years before There were 14000. slain out-right whereof there were 3000. Kirk-men Fryars and Monks above 1500. taken prisoners whereof young Huntly and other great Lords were of the number the spoiles of the field 30000 jacks and 30. peeces of Ordnance were shipped for England and the English plundred the Country up and down 5. daies march further To these exploits at home may be added a smart blow the English gave the Scots in Ireland in Sir Io. Perrots government for some 2000. Redshanks being come over by the Burks means like a swarm of Catterpillers they proll'd and pill'd up and down Sir Ri. Bingham then Governour of Connaught made head against them with a small contemptible number and at the river of Earne neer Slego slew them all out-right so that not one soule escaped to return to Scotland with newes what became of the rest Touching these late traverses of warre 'twixt England and Scotland 't is true that infortunate England hath drawne upon her selfe a great deale of dishonour in the opinion of the world abroad specially among those who understand not the true carriage of things For these late rushings in of the Scot cannot be so properly call'd invasions aâ—invitations by some spurious and most unworthy degenerous Englishmen who from a long time had plotted the bringing of them in and it was the most pernicious and basest treason that ever was practis'd against poore England But to give a full and satisfactory relation of this Warre I will deduce the busines from the beginning Before this unlucky storme fell 'twixt England and Scotland there were certain clowds issuing from the vapors of divers discontented braines plainly discern'd to hover up and downe a long time in both Kingdomes specially in that Northerne Region The first which appeard was when some yeers after his Majesties accesse to the crowne there was an act of revocation passed where some things which had insensibly slipped away from the crowne and other things which were illegally snatch'd from the church were resum'd and reannex'd to both which lighting upon some of the great ones they were over heard to murmure though this was done with as much moderation as possibly could be and by the mature advice of the Counsell of state there with the free opinion of the approved'st Lawyers of that Kingdome and from hence issued the first symptome of discontentment Not long after his Majesty being inform'd of the meane and servile condition of the Ministers of that Kingdome which have the charge of the conscience and service of God and make up a considerable part of the free borne subjects his Majesty understanding what poore pittances they receiv'd for their subsistence and for those small stipends also or rather almes of benevolence they depended upon the pleasure of the Laiks His Majesty by a speciall Commission to that end found away to augment and acertain that allowance and free them from that slavish kind of clientele and dependency they had upon the seculars Whence may bee inferr'd what monsters of ingratitude those men shew'd themselves to be afterwards by exasperating and poysoning the hearts of the people against their soveraigne in their virulent and seditious preachments and inviting them to armes Not long after when the poore husbandman and owners of corn were bound to pay tithes to lay persons call'd there the Lords of the â—rection were much incommodated by them because they could not take in their corn till the Parson had fetch'd away his tithe who sometimes to shew his power or spleen peradventure would defer of purpose the taking in thereof whereby the whole crop by not taking advantage of the weather would oftimes suffer His Majesty for the redresse of this grievance appointed Commissioners who found a way to purchase those tiths and bring the impropriators to take a pecuniary certain rent counterveylable unto them Hereupon the Laie
the advenues and advantages of them Indeed in Edward the Seconds reign they got three battails and one at the fag end of Hen. the 8. wherein Sir Ralph Evers was slaine but it was more by stratagem than strength and besides the English might have been said to have fought rather against the Heaven and Elements then men having Wind and Sun in their faces but that might have been tearmed more properly a petty defeat then Victory for there fell not above 200. But what use did the Scot ever make of those Victories though the North parts have many places of fastnesse and tenable yet I reade not of any place they kept except Barwick all the rest of their Warres were but tumultuary sallies and predatory devastations and pilfrings But the English have taken foure of their Kings captives killed two of them in the Field carried away their Crown which they give out to be greater and more weighty than that of England their Ragman-Roll the Blacke Crosse with other instruments of Soveraignty and did sundry acts equivalent to a Conquest They pierced the very heart of the Kingdom and the Scot may be said to have onely trod upon Englands toe for they never came farther than the Walls of Yorke till the reigne of this thing that cals it selfe Parliament But if one should aske me why the English having made such firme Invasions from time to time into the very bowels of Scotland did not reduce it to a vassallage and perfect provincial obedience as well as to make their Kings fuedetary in which state they continued towards England near upon five hundred yeares My Answer shall be the same that Suetonius gives in behalfe of the Romans who notwithstanding they lorded over the rest of Brittany four hundred and odde yeares yet they never went about to conquer Scotland because they knew the prize would not have countervail'd the paines by reason of the cragginesse of the Countrey and incommodity of habitation therefore they thought it enough that Adrians Wall which extended from Tinmouth to Solway Frith near upon fourscore miles should be the Westerne Bounds of their Empire Out of the precedent Examples we may also gather that the Scot hath been alwayes of a genius apt and forward to stir against England upon any the least occasion For of those five and twenty Kings and Queens that have been since the Conquest onely five have been free of their insolencies yet did England never begin with them till she was justly provoked thereunto nor could Alliances nor Leagues or any tyes of Treaty confirmed by Solemne Oathes which are those religious Bonds that passe 'twixt God and the Soul detain the Scotish Kings from puzling and disturbing England when her Kings were most distracted in Warres with France and the better halfe of her strength imployed abroad so that the Scots may be said to have been from time to time as goads in Englands sides or a thorne in her toe and France leaguing meerly for his own advantage with them may be said to have made use of Scotland as the Fox did of the Cats foot to pull the Apple out of the Fire for his own eating yet for all these eager and irrefragable Combinations 'twixt the French and Her against England England ever bore up and made her party good and that in a victorious way against both and for Scotland she may be said to have given Her blowes for phillips But it seemes that Italian was well versed in the Scotishmens humours who understanding of the late Vnion between the two Kingdomes said that England had got no great catch by the addition of Scotland she had onely got a Wolfe by the eares who must be held very fast else he will run away to France Some there are who much magnifie and cry up the Scots of late yeares for great Souldiers tacitly derogating thereby from the English as if they should stand in some apprehension of fear of them but I cannot imagine upon what grounds they should do it true it is that since the Revolt of the Hollander and these seventy yeares Tumults in the Netherlands some of them are much improved in the Art of Warre and knowledge of Armes from what they were they have also pushed on their Fortunes in the Warres of Denmarke Sweden Russia Germany and France for Poland their Profession there is to trusse Packes rather than traile Pikes By reason of the quality of the Soile and Clime they have tough and hardy bodies and it may adde to their courage that they venture for a better Countrey in regard they cannot go to a worse than their own Now it must be granted that the greatest advantage wherewith Nature doth recompence a mountainous and sterile Soile above a luxurious and easie is to make it produce suffering bodies which made the Romansâ—e ninescore yeares conquering of Spain when they were but nine conquering of France For the first 't is answered that if the Scot hath made sallies abroad into other Countries of late yeares the English also have done the like and are in some places in greater numbers as in the Low-countries where at this day they treble the number of the Scots so that the Netherlands may be said to be a Military Yard for the English as well and he that is never so little versed in the Moderne Stories will finde that the Foundation of that State hath been chiefly cimented with English Bloud For the East countrey 't is true there are many able Scots Leaders and there are also many English of abilities and fame To the second if the Scots are a hardy People because of their cragges and mountaines I answer that the Welch and Cornish with them that dwell about the Northerne Alpes in England are as mountainous as they and I believe have as suffering and sturdy bodies which makes the world yield it for a Maxime that no Prince of Christendom hath a better choice to make Souldiers of than the King of Great Britain I will conclude with certain Prophesies the Scots do much speak of The first is out of Polychronicon where the Authour Ranulphus Cistrensis relates the words of a certain Anchorite who lived in King Egelbert his time now near upon 900. yeares ago and the words are these Angli quia proditioni ebrietati negligentiae domus Dei deditâ— sunt primum per Dâ—nos deinde per Normanos tertiùm per Scotos quos vilissimos habent conterentur varium erit saeculum varietas mentium designabitur varietate vestium 1. The Englishmen for that they wonneth themselves to treason to drunkennesse and wretchlesnesse of Gods House first by the Danes then by the Normans and lastly by the Scots whom they holden least in esteem shallen be overthrown 't will be an instable Age and the variablenesse of mens mindes shall appear by the variablenesse of their vestments The Danish and Norman Conquest have happened since and the third is to follow in the same manner say they not by Succession but by the Sword 2. The second are those Prophesies of Merlin who much tampers with the single Lion and of the Feats that he should do which they say is meant of their Lion within a double Treasure Rampant Mars counterflowred 3. Then come they to the Stone wherein they say the Fortune of their Kingdom is fixed which hath lain in Westminster now near upon five hundred yeares Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem If Fate failes not the Scots where ere they finde This Stone there they shall reigne and rule man-kinde Which they interpret also must be by the Sword not by Succession 4. Then do they apply to themselves a Prophesie that the Irish have very frequent amongst them which is That the day will come when the Irish shall weep over the Englishmens graves 5. Lastly that which is so common in the English mens monthes Lincolne was London is and Yorke shall be which they say shall be at last the Seat of the British Empire to be erected there by them But I am none of those that afford much faith to rambling Prophesies but will conclude with a late much cried up Wise-man Sir W. R. that Prophesies are as seeds sown in the vast field of time whereof not one grain of a thousand comes to grow up yet these Prophesies may serve as so many Prospectives for England to behold though a far off in a mist the danger and destiny which may befall her from this growing Nation if not timely prevented 6. Hereunto may be added another very old and il-favoured one which shall fore run her fall Gens tua te prodit proh Anglia Scotia rodit O England Thine own People thee betray And Scotland makes of thee a prey FINIS Charles the 6. of France called le phreatique