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A50572 The memoires of Sir James Melvil of Hal-hill containing an impartial account of the most remarkable affairs of state during the last age, not mention'd by other historians, more particularly relating to the kingdoms of England and Scotland, under the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, and King James : in all which transactions the author was personally and publickly concern'd : now published from the original manuscript / by George Scott, Gent. Melville, James, Sir, 1535-1617.; Scot, George, d. 1685. 1683 (1683) Wing M1654; ESTC R201 279,416 250

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Then another Souldier to win the Office took up the Ensign and went up likewise to the head of the Wall who was also killed Then the third and all the eleven one after another lost their lives not at all assisted by their Companies Notwithstanding that the Constable my Master stood by crying and threatning in vain for which he degraded their Captains and brake their Companies There was a Scotch-man Brother to Barnbougle called Archibald Moubray who with his drawn Sword ran up to the head of the Wall and returned safe But he got no reward though I used all my endeavours for him Thus many are readier to punish faults than to reward good deeds After this the King entered far in the Low-Countries burning and carrying away great Booties But so soon as the Emperour could convene any Forces together our Army began to retire homeward Then the Emperour sent five thousand Horsemen to see if they might perceive any occasion of advantage Which they frequently assayed assailing our Rear-guard at the passing over a little Water At which time the Constable staid behind himself and turning his face toward them he withstood their charge stoutly with the French Footmen and some Light-horsmen until the whole Army had passed over the said Water not far from Cambray So the Emperours Horsemen followed no further at that time believing that the King was resolved to return to France and dismiss his Army for that year But the King drew along the Frontier toward a place of great strength called Kenty where he planted his Camp and besieged the said place which I heard the Constable promise to deliver to the King in eight days Which promise was not performed for the Emperour came in person with his Army for the relief thereof Which Army the Constable rode out to meet with the whole French Horsemen leaving the Foot at the Siege For he had great intelligence and had heard where the Emperour was resolved to encamp marching along a great Hight which had a Steep towards the part where our Camp lay But it was easie to ride up and down at the side thereof Where our Horsemen did ride and the Emperour sent down some on Horseback to skirmish At which time Normand Lesly Master of Rothess won great reputation for with thirty Scotchmen he rode up the Hill upon a fair Grey Gelding He had above his Coat of black Velvet his Coat of Armour with two broad white Crosses the one before and the other behind with Sleeves of Mail and a red bonnet upon his head whereby he was known and seen afar off by the Constable the Duke of Anguion and Prince of Conde Where with his 30 he charged upon 60 of their Horse-men with Culverines followed but with seven of his number He in our sight struck five of them from their Horses with his Spear before it brake Then he drew his Sword and ran in among them not valuing their continual shooting to the admiration of the beholders He slew divers of them and at length when he saw a company of Spear-men coming down against him he gave his Horse the Spurs who carried him to the Constable and there fell down dead for he had many shots and worthy Normand was also shot in divers parts whereof he died fifteen days after He was first carried to the Kings own Tent where the Duke of Anguien and Prince of Conde told his Majesty that Hector of Troy was not more valiant than the said Norman Whom the said King would see dressed by his own Chirurgions and made great moan for him So did the Constable and all the rest of the Princes but no man made more lamentation than the Laird of Grange who came to the Camp the next day after from a quiet Road whither he had been commanded Now the Emperour set down his Camp two miles from Renty and in an instant entrenched the whole Camp round about save onely the face of the steep Hill that looked towards our Camp All that night there were many upon the Watches of both Armies for every man looked for a Battle the next day following And therefore the Emperour like an old experienced Captain seised upon a Wood in the night time that lay upon a Hill side between the two Camps which was not onely a great advantage to him but compelled the most part of our Army to stand in arms all night whereby they were rendred the more unable against the next day wanting the refreshment of rest and then the place of Battle was a plain Valley that lay under the said Wood. The next morning early after every man had said their prayers and taken a little refreshment we placed our Army in good order of Battle under the said Hill and Wood. The King himself that day commanded the Battle but he desired the Constable to abide with him to give Counsel as occasion would fall out The Duke of Guise led the Vant-guard and the Marshal of St. Andre the Rearguard First so many of our French Foot as are called Infant Perdews were led along the Hill and Wood beginning to skirmish with the Spaniards who were within the Wood who had so great advantage being covered with Bushes and Trees that they compelled our Foot to retire fearfully Which well favoured beginning the Emperour might well perceive from the Hill whereon he was encamped Therefore like a skilful Captain he took the occasion to hazard a good part of the Vant-guard with seven Field-pieces who by his direction came forward The Spaniards with their Fire arms through the Wood a thousand Lance-Knights with bright Corslets along the Hill side with long Pikes The Count of Swertsenburg with all his Reiters at the Hill Foot and the whole Light-horsemen of the Emperours Army upon his right hand At which time our Foot who were appointed to skirmish with the Spaniards retired more and more as also our Light-horsemen in the alley drew aside and gave too great place to the Emperours Vant-guard Which when it came where Monsieur D' Tavanes and Monsieur D' Lorge stood with their Companies seeing them make for defence they marched more coldly The Duke of Guise in the mean time said that he would ride back to the Battle and obtain the Kings Command before he would charge upon the Enemy But Monsieur de Lorge who was an old Captain alledged that there was no time to take Counsel for the Enemy said he will be as soon at the King as you Therefore it was resolved to charge couragiously upon the Enemy which being done and a little rencounter made the Reiters shot off all their Pistols and finding themselves not backed nor followed with the rest of the Emperours Army as they alledged was promised unto them they gave back and fled being pursued by our Horse who slew several of the Dutch Foot and some of the Spaniards for the Wood was their relief but the Horse all escaped within the Ramparts of the Emperours Camp Their
to win thanks at his hands But he would credit nothing but such things as came out of the mouths of those who had crept into his favour by flattery In the mean time the Queen was convoyed out of Lockleven by George Duglas the Lairds Brother and the Regents half Brother who was for the time in some evil tearms with them The old Lady his Mother was also thought to be upon the Councel My Lord Seatoun and some of the House of Hamiltoun and divers of their dependers received her Majesty at her landing out of the Logh and convoyed her to Hamiltoun The Regent being for the time at Glascow holding Justice Eyrs Proclamations and Missives were incontinently sent abroad by both sides to convene so many as would act for them in the Country One French Ambassadour was come to Edinbrugh ten days before called Monsieur de Beumont Knight of the Order of the Cockle whom I had convoyed to Glascow and had procured to him a sight of the Queen while Captive He said to me that he never did see so many men so suddenly convened for he rode to Hamiltoun to the Queen and dealt between the parties for Peace but was not heard Her Majesty was not minded to fight nor hazard battel but to go unto the Castle of Dumbartoun and endeavour by little and little to draw home again unto her obedience the whole Subjects But the Bishop of St. Andrews and the House of Hamiltoun and the rest of the Lords there convened finding themselves in number far beyond the other Party would needs hazard Battle thinking thereby to overcome the Regent their great Enemy and be also masters of the Queen to Command and Rule all at their pleasure Some alledged that the Bishop was minded to cause the Queen to marry my Lord Hamiltoun in case they had obtained the victory And I was since informed by some who were present that the Queen her self feared the same therefore she pressed them still to convoy her to Dumbartoun and had sent me word with the French Ambassadour the same morning before the battel to draw on a meeting for concord by the means of the Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange And for her part she would send the Lord Herris and some other She had also caused my Brother Sir Robert to write a Letter to me that same morning for that same effect but the Queen's Army came on so fiercely that there was no stay The Regent went out on foot and all his Company except the Laird of Grange Alexander Hume of Manderstoun and some Borderers to the number of 200. The Laird of Grange had already viewed the ground and with all imaginable diligence caused every Horse-man to take behind him a Foot-man of the Regent's to guard behind them and rode with speed to the head of the Long'sid'-hill and set down the said Foot-men with their Culverings at the head of a straight Lane where there were some Cottage-houses and Yards of great advantage Which Soldiers with their continual shot killed divers of the Vaunt-guard led by the Hamiltouns who couragiously and fiercely ascending up the Hill were already out of breath when the Regents Vaunt-guard joined with them Where the worthy Lord Hume fought on foot with his Pike in his hand very manfully well assisted by the Laird of Cesfoord his Brother-in-law who helped him up again when he was strucken to the ground by many stroaks upon his face by the throwing Pistols at him after they had been discharged He was also wounded with Staves and had many stroaks of Spears through his Legs for he and Grange at the joining cried to let their adversaries first lay down their Spears to bear up theirs which Spears were so thick fixed in others Jacks that some of the Pistols and great Staves that were thrown by them which were behind might be seen lying upon the Spears Upon the Queens side the Earl of Arguile commanded the Battel and the Lord of Arbroth the Vaunt-guard On the other part the Regent led the Battle and the Earl of Mortoun the Vaunt-guard But the Regent committed to the Laird of Grange the special care as being an experimented Captain to oversee every danger and to ride to every Wing to incourage and make help where greatest need was He perceived at the first joining the right Wing of the Regent's Vaunt-guard put back and like to fly whereof the greatest part were Commons of the Barony of Ranthrow whereupon he rode to them and told them that their Enemy was already turning their backs requesting them to stay and debate till he should bring them fresh Men forth of the Battel Whither at full speed he did ride alone and told the Regent that the Enemy were shaken and flying away behind the little Village and desired a few number of fresh Men to go with him Where he found enough willing as the Lord Lindsay the Laird of Lockleven Sir James Balfour and all the Regents Servants who followed him with diligence and reinforced that Wing which was beginning to fly which fresh Men with their loose Weapons struck the Enemies in their flanks and faces which forced them incontinent to give place and turn back after long fighting and pushing others to and fro with their Spears There were not many Horse-men to pursue after them and the Regent cried to save and not to kill and Grange was never cruel so that there were but few slain and taken And the only slaughter was at the first rancounter by the shot of the Soldiers which Grange had planted at the Lane-head behind some Dikes After the loss of the Battel her Majesty lost all courage which she had never done before and took so great fear that she never rested till she was in England thinking her self sure of refuge there in respect of the fair promises formerly made to her by the Queen of England by word to her Ambassadours and by her own hand-writ both before and after she was Captive in Lockleven But God and the World knows how she was kept and used for not only she refused to see her of whom she appeared so oft so desirous of a sight and a meeting but also caused to keep her Prisoner and at length suffered her life to be taken away or else it was subtilly taken against her intention This puts me in remembrance of a tale that my Brother Sir Robert told me The time that he was busiest dealing betwixt the two Queens to entertain their friendship and draw on their meeting at a place near York One Bassintoun a Scots-man who had been a Traveller and was learned in high Sciences came to him and said Good Gentleman I hear so good a report of you that I love you heartily and therefore cannot forbear to shew you how that all your upright dealing and honest travel will be in vain For whereas you believe to obtain advantage for your Queen at the Queen of England's hands you do but lose your time and