holie daies where they were lodged feasted and entertained most louingly There as of themselues they motioned a mariage betweene Prince Edward the Kings Sonne now little more then fiue yeares olde and their young Queene that was borne some fiue or sixe daies before the death of the King her Father promising withall to do there best to bring the same to passe King Henrie gaue them great thankes for their forwardnesse therein and was not onelie contented to set them freelie at libertie but also bestowed large presentes on euery man according to his degree On New-yeares daie they departed from London home-wardes and dined at Enfield where they sawe the young Prince of whome they seemed greatlie to reioyce both in speach and countinance From thence they kept on their iorney till they came into the North-partes where the Duke of Suffolke the Kings Lieutenant staied for their comming with whome they remained till such pledges were come out of Scotland as was before couenanted they should leaue behind them VVith them went also the Earle of Angus who togither with his brother Sir George Dowglas had allowance for their maintenance of King Henrie while they remained in England after their exile the space of fifeteene yeares The Scottish King while hee liued had labored the deliuerance of the Earle who now vpon his returne home was made one of the priuie Counsell amongst other of the Lordes that had beene lately prisoners here by the Earle of Araine Gouernour of the young Queene and of the Realme and next heire to the Crowne according to the custome of that Countrie Shortly after Sir Robert Bowes and some other English prisoners were deliuered by their bandes after the manner of the Marches In March following Sir Ralfe Sadler who died a graue CouÌ„sellor in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth being sent Ambassadour into Scotland came thither some-what before the Parliament His errand was to perswade the Gouernor to giue his consent with the other Lords to the mariage propounded lately by them and that withall a firme peace might be concluded vpon betweene the two Nations These pointes were long debated but in conclusion after that Dauid Beaton Cardinall and Archbishop of â—â—â—nt Andrewes the French factor was remoâ—â—ed from the assemblie generallie yeelded â—nto and confirmed And further pleadges were promised to be sent into England for the better assurance thereof The Ambassador staying still behind to see euerie thing performed according to promise on the behalfe of the Scottish Lordes the Earle of Glencorne Sir George Dowglas Sir William Hamiltone Sir Iames Leirmonth and the Secretarie were sent into England as well to confirme as to report what had beene established by act of Parliament concerning the marriage intended with England These men remained here from the ende of March till the ende of Iulie following in which time the marriage betweene Prince Edward of England and the infant of Scotland was fullie confirmed by wrytings enterchangablie signed and sealed and a peace concluded for ten yeares These things thus passed in the yeare of Lord 1543. The Scottish Marchantes were not a little glad after their long restraint of their free libertie of trafique wherevpon they presently dispatched their shippes to the sea so as in short time neuer a port well-neere in England was without some of them to the exceeding great ioye of both Realmes But this calme lasted not long for now beganne France after their olde fashion to â—â—â—rre vp certaine seditious and dispightfull spâ—â—â—ts which like vnto the curssed spirits of thâ—â—yre breathed out tempestious and boisterous blastes where-with to darken and disturbe the former Sun-shine and quiet season For before the yeares ende thorough the practize of the Cardinall Iohn Hamiltone brother to the Gouernour and Dauid Paynter which two last men of most dissolute conuersation came lately out of France for that purpose the Scottes were so wonderfully wrought that both the Gouernour himselfe and all they that had so lately before vowed themselues and there seruice to King Henry were now againe become wholy French for these reasons First by this mariage it would come to passe as they obiectted that the Scottish Nobolity should grow into contempt being far inferiour in wealth and possessions to the Lords of England and further remoued by habitation from the Kings presence who no doubt would make the most firtill and commdious part of England Southwards the place of his residence ordinarily But that which more nearely touched them was the eminent daunger wherein to Religion would be thereby brought the preseruation whereof they were bound to prefer before either lands or liues that the state whereinto England was persently falne might be a sufficient warning vnto them who already were but ouer much inclined that way for about that time the Gouener had incoraged Frier Guillan openly to preach against Immages and foolish ceremonies giuing liberty that who would might reade the bible in English which about three yeares before was openly read in very Church in England and was the very bane and breake necke of Popery thorowe out the whole Iland As for their promisse made to King Henry they were persuaded ther was no cause why they should sticke at that seeing it was lately decreed in the Counsell of Constance that no couenant or promise how constantly soeuer made ought to bee kept with an heretike such as the Pope had already iudged him to bee The Earle of Casseles onely continued constant though he was attempted both by faire meanes and foule to the contrary for hee hauing two brothers his pleadges in England protested that he would neuer redeeme ether his liberty or life with the losse of them wherefore at his returne into England the King much commended the young gentlemans resolution and in acquitall therfore set both him his brothers at liberty King Henry could not brooke this manner of dealing but resoluing to be fully reuenged he first caused all the shippes of Scotland whereof there were good store to be presently staid till his pleasure was further knowne then proclaming open war he forthwith made preparation to inuade Scotland by land and sea The Queene Mother the regent and the Cardinall beeing all like affected solicited King Francis to minister aide against England But the monie that that was thereupon sent them and deliuered to the Earle of Lenox to bee imployed to that end was by him detayned by reason of some iarres then amongst them-selues which brought him out of fauour with the French King who before had vsed him as a speciall instrument on his side King Henry in the meane season hauing not beene slow in his businesse thought good neuer-the-lesse to make triall whether vpon better aduisements the Scottes would yeelde to some reasonable conditions wherefore he sent his letters to Edenbrough fraught with many iust complaints and bitter threats but all preuailed not wher-vpon proceeding in his former courfe and hauing furnished his Nauie with all things needfull he committed the charge therof to
instrument being first signed and sealed by king Alexander himselfe and afterwards by his Nobilitie was sent to the King of England at Christmasse following by the Prior of Tinmouth who had trauelled diligently and faithfully in this businesse to the honor and good liking of both parties And for further confirmation thereof another writing was sent to Rome to the end that this agreement accord might receiue the more strength frō his Holines This solemne league was established in the yeare of our Lord 1244. Whereupon Berwick was restored to the king of Scotland Carliele which had bin taken by the Scots in the raigne of king Iohn was likewise restored to king Henry the antient limits of the two kingdomes were bounded out by the Kings crosse in Steanmore as before at the agreement made with the Conqueror The often intermariages of the one nation with the other which is the surest band of friendship caused this good agreement so long between them for when at any time occasion of vnkindnesse was offered by eyther of the two kings the Nobilitie of both sides were so lincked one with the other in such an indissoluble vnion that they would not suffer the same to breake out into any hostilitie But to consummate and perfect as it were this Gordian knot within two yeares after the death of king Alexander the father which happened in the yeare 1249. his sonne Alexander that succeeded about eight yeares old when his father deceased was within two yeares after brought to Yorke where King Henry on Christmas day honoured him with the order of Knighthood and the day following he gaue him in mariage his Daughter the Lady Margaret according to the former agreement At this meeting the young King did homage in maner as before his father had done and the League was renewed betweene the two Nations which continued without any tainte many yeares after In the meane time at sundry meetings of the two kings and their Queenes much kindnesse and friendly demeanour passed betweene them to the great reioycing of their subiects on both sides And as occasion required the one would ayde and assist the other For during the troubles betweene King Henry and his Barons king Alexander did send vnto his ayde fiue thousand Scots vnder the leading of Alexander Cumine and Robert Bruis of whom the greater number was slaine in the quarrell of the Father and Sonne against their rebellious subiects King Henrie deceasing in the seauen and fiftie yeare of his raigne Anno 1272. the Scotish king and Queene came into England to the Coronation of king Edward his brother in law where hauing passed the time in great iollitie and acknowledged his allegiance hee was honourably attended into Scotland Shortly after his returne thither Queene Margaret his wife deceased and not long after her death their two sonnes Dauid and Alexander dyed also the elder brother hauing lately maryed the daughter of the Earle of Flanders but left no issue behind them The heauie hand of the Lord ceassed not here but finally inflicted well nere an vtter ruine and desolation on that kingdome by taking out of this world about twelue yeares after the king himselfe and his whole progenie if it bee true that is reported in the History of Scotland this calamitie may seeme to be prefigured in a prodigious apparition at the second marriage of king Alexander for as he was leading the Queene his Bride in a dance according to the manner of such solemnities there appeared to the whole assembly the similitude of an humaine Anatomy following and closing vp the traine of the Lords Ladies that accompanied them The same yeare viz. Ann. 1285. king Alexander was throwne frō off his horse and in the fall brake his necke At his death none remained liuing of his line saue onely one infant the daughter of his daughter Margaret Queene of Norway King Edward vnderstanding what had hapned in Scotland began to thinke with himselfe how exceeding beneficial it would be to both nations if by any good meanes they might bee vnited and made one monarchie wherevpon forthwith hee dispatched Ambassadors thether to make offer of mariage betweene the yong Lady the heire of Scotland his sonne Prince Edward heire apparant to the Crowne of England This was no sooner moued to the lords but forth-with euery mā gaue free consent esteeming it so happy a thing for that kingdome as nothing could be wished more The mariage was therefore readily concluded vpon these conditions That the Scotishmen should be gouerned by their owne Lords and lawes vntill the issue proceeding of them should be of age to take the gouernment vpon them And if it hapned that no issue should thereof spring or should die before ripe age to gouerne then the kingdom of Scotlād should descend to the next in bloud to the King last deceased Herevpon certaine Noble-men of Scotland were presently sent into Norway for the safe conduct of the yong Lady but it pleased not God at that time to giue so great a blessing to this Islād for at their returne home they brought heauy newes of her death also The posteritie of king William of Scotland grand-father to the last King being now extinguished great dissention arose about the title claime to the crowne The realme by this occasion being diuided into sundry factions was in great danger of an vtter subuersion This controuersie hauing depended a long time it was thought fit sithence there was none amongst themselues of powre authority to decide a matter of so great importance to refer the same to the hearing and award of the king of England generally reputed of all the competitors a fit iudge to determine thereof according as law and equity should direct him K. Edward being willing to bestow his trauell to so good purpose and holding himselfe in a sort bound therevnto in regard of his right of superioritie ouer that nation easily consented to their petitions appointing time place for the performance of his best indeuore to effect their desire In the meane time to the end it might appeare to the world that he tooke not this office in hand vpon warrant onely of the competitors intreaty hee caused all the ancient Chronicles records that could be found either in England or Scotland to be perused that if any question therof should arise his pretended interest in this action might be sufficiently approued But although this was made so manifest out of Marianus the Scot William of Malmesbury Roger Houeden Henry Huntingtō Ralph de Diceto others as none then liuing could gainsay it neuerthelesse the Scotish writers haue since that time much depraued the credit thereof by their bare surmises And therefore it shall not be impertinent for the better cleering of this point before I proceed any further in declaratiō of the matter in hand to examine how truely one of the best learned amongst thē hath not long since peremptorilie affirmed that there is nothing to show
for the proofe of this pretended Superioritie ouer the Kings of Scotland praeter to vse his owne words veteres fabulas recentes iniurias besides old farlies late iniuries I will not stand vpon the testimonies fetched from beyond the Danish and some of the Saxon Kings because happilie they may seeme not much to the purpose beeing without the compasse of the last conquerors title vnder which the succeeding kings of England must make their claime but let vs see what interest they can deriue from and vnder him It is granted that all the kings of Scotland from the conquest till that time haue done homage one after other to the kings of England but not for the Realme of Scotland say they for what then forsooth for those landes and signories which they held of the kings of England with in England I would then gladly know when in the sixt yeare or there-about of the Conquerors raigne vpon the conclusion of peace betweene him and king Malcolme of Scotland for the auoiding of further controuersie in time to come the two kingdomes were seuered and diuided by markes and bounds in so memorable manner as is before declared what landes and possessions did king Malcolme then hold pertaining to the Crowne of England Cumberland saith Buchanane that part of Northumberland saith an other that lyeth betweene the riuer of Tweed Cumberland and Staenmore well but whatsoeuer they were were they not included and contained within those limits and bounds then erected If not to what purpose serued that notorious diuision of the two kingdomes either then haue the Sootish writers erred in the approbation of that most solemne particion or else must king Malcome then doe homage to the Conqueror for his kingdome of Scotland which being granted then let it bee showed how and when his heires after him were discharged of that seruice Againe how came it to passe that in the said sixt yeare of the raigne of the Conquerour Michael the elect Bishop of Glascoe receaued consecration at the hands of Thomas then the Atchbishop of Yorke as of the primate of Scotland binding himselfe by oath to the obedience of that Sea Tothade the Bishop of Saint Androwes did the like at the commandement of Malcome the third king of Scotland If then a Bishop of England had right to this supremacie ouer the cleargie of Scotland why should then the like preheminence bee denied to the kings of England at that time ouer the seculer state of the same kingdome Further what moued King William of Scotland together with Earle Dauid his brother and the Scotish Lords then present both temporall and spirituall to acknowledge and sweare fealtie to King Henry the second forsooth because his subiects loued him so well that for his redemption they would haue yeelded to any conditions whatsoeuer As though king Henry was so vnreasonable that contrary to the custome of all nations he would not accept of any other submissioÌ„ but that he should be the first king of ScotlaÌ„d that became his vassaile when was it euer heard before that kings haue so dealt one with another as though an vsuall ransome yea a very small sum seeing he was taken with the losse of little bloud or none at all would haue bin refused for his liberty I doubt much whether the Lords of Scotland would euer haue yeelded to an exacted subiection for the loue onely of their king especially hauing then amongst them the Lord Dauid a man of so worthy parts as he was no way inferiour to his brother Lastly what mooued king Alexander the third and his Lords to acknowledge the like allegiance to King Henry the third the two kingdomes being seperated in manner as at the agreement betweene the Conqueror and Malcolm Cammoir Therefore these are friuolous shifts because they will not seeme altogether mute in a matter so much importing as they take it the glory of their Nation But howsoeuer some others amongst them haue beene ouer-come with ouer vehement an affection towards their natiue countrie whereby many times they haue suppressed the trueth when it sounded somewhat too harshe for their hearing yet I cannot but maruell at Buchanan a man well learned and iudicious how hee could be drawne into so peruerse a conceit of King Edwards demeanure in this action Where-vnto it is now time to returne hoping a time will come when as this difference shall not be offensiue any more The King of England about Easter next according to his appointment repaired inâ—o the North-parts and beeing come to Norham hee caused all the Prelates and Barons of Scotland to bee called before him to whom he declared his readinesse to vnder-take the deciding of this great controuersie concerning a title to a kingdome That in requiring his assistance and making offer to stand to his finall sentence therein they had done no more then by the duty of their allegiance they were bound vnto whereof if any amongst them doubted they might be thorowly satisfied by taking a view of such records and obseruations as hee caused faithfully to bee gathered out of the best Historiographers of both Nations which then were openly read amongst them which being so fresh in memory no man made further question thereof Wherevpon King Edâ—ard was acknowledged Superior Lord of Scotland of all the competitours and a writing was drawne subscribed and confirmed with their hands and feales testifying this their voluntarie recognition in these words A toux iceulx qui ceste presente lettre verrunt ou orrunt c. To all them that this present writing shall see or heare Florence Earle of Holland Robert le Bruce Lord of Auuandale Iohn Cumine Lord of Badenowe Patrike de Dunbarre Earle of Marche Iohn de Balliol Lord of Galloway Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergeuennie Iohn de Vescie insteed of his Father Nicholas de Sules and Walter Rosse send greeting in our Lord. Whereas all we pretend to haue right to the kingdome of Scotland and intend to declare chalenge and proue the fame before him that hath the best authoritie iurisdiction and reason to examine our right and that the noble Prince the Lord Edward by the grace of God King of England by good and sufficient reasons hath informed vs that the superior domination of Scotland belongeth to him and that hee ought to haue the knowledge hearing examining and defyning of our right we of our free-willes without all violence and constraint do will consent and grant to receiue our right before him as the superiour Lord of our land We will also and promise that we shall haue and hold his deed for firme and stable and that hee shall haue the kingdome vnto whom before him best right shall giue the same In witnesse whereof we haue to these letters put our seales Yeuen at Norham the Tuesday next after the feast of the Ascension of our Lord in the yeare 1291. for the more strong ratification hereof the King further demanded full possession and seisure of the realme of
Scotland as also for the better strengthning of his estate to whome the same kingdome should be by him adiudged wherevnto they all agreed by writing also vnder their seuerall hands and seales as followeth A toux iceulx c. To all those which this present writing shall see or heare Florence Earle of Holland Robert de Bruce Lord of Annandale Iohn de Balliol Lord of Galloway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeuennie Iohn Cumin Lord of Badenawe Patricke de Dunbarre Earle of Marche Iohn de Vescie insteed of his Father Nicholas de Sules and William de Ros send greeting in our Lord. Because that of our owne willes and common consents without all constraint we doe consent and grant vnto the noble Prince the Lord Edward by the grace of God king of England that he as superior Lord of Scotland may heare examine define determine our claimes chalenges petitions which we intend to shew and proue for our right to be receiued before him as superior Lord of the land promising moreouer that we shall take his deed for firme and stable and that he shall inioy the kingdome of Scotland whose right by declaration shall best appeare before him whereas then the sayd king of England cannot in this maner take knowledge nor fulfill our meanings without iudgement nor iudgment ought to be without execution nor execution may in due forme bee done without possession and seisme of the said lands and castels of the same We do will consent and grant that he as Superior Lord to performe the premisses may haue the seisure of all the land and Castels of the same till they that pretend title to the crowne be satisfied in the sute so that before he be put into possession and seisure he find sufficient surety to vs that pretend title to the wardens and to all the cōmonaltie of the kingdome of Scotland that he shal restore the same kingdom with all the royaltie dignitie signorie liberties customes rights lawes vsages possessions and all and whatsoeuer the appurtinances in the same state wherein they were before the seisme to him deliuered vnto him to whom by right it is due according to the iudgemēt of his Maiesty sauing to him the homage of that person that shall bee king And this restitution to be made within two months after the day in which the right shall be discussed and established the issues of the same land in the meane time shall be receiued laid vp put in safe keeping in the hands of the Chamberlaine of Scotland that now is of him whom the King of England shall to him ioyne and assotiate and this vnder their seales reseruing and allowing the reasonable charges for the sustentatiō of the land the Castles and officers of the kingdome In witnesse of all the which premises wee haue vnto these set our seales giuen at Norham the wednesday next after the feast of the Ascensiō of our Lord in the yeare 1291. Besides these two former deeds from the competitors themselues he receiued the like assurance from all the principall officers and Magistrates of that realme So as by a free and generall consent he was acknowledged their supreame Lord and was accordingly intituled in sundry Proclamations and publique Edicts directed forth in his name King Edward hauing receiued at their hands these instruments of allegiance as their proper and voluntary deeds and also their seuerall homages either in his owne person or by his deputies according to the order giuen in that behalfe he was finally put in full possession of the realme of Scotland and hauing occasion to returne presently into England to solemnize the exequies of his Mother hee committed the gouernment and custodie of the realme in his absence to the Bishops of Saint Androwes and Glascoe and to the Lords Iohn Cumin and Iames Steward who before had giuen the King possession At his returne out of England at Midsomer following hee sent out sommons to all those that made claime to the Crowne of Scotland to repaire vnto him and hauing heard what each one could say for himselfe hee perceaued that the question rested onely betweene Iohn Balliol and Robert Bruce so as that all the rest were thenceforth vtterly excluded and barred from all further title or claime These two deriued their titles from Dauid Earle of Huntington brother to William late King of Scottes in this maner This Dauid had issue by Mawde his wife one of the daughters of Hugh Bohune Earle of Chester as is aforesaid three daughters Margaret the eldest was maried to Alaine Lord of Galloway who had issue together three daughters also of whom the eldest named Dernagil was maried to Iohn Balliol the parents of this Iohn Balliol one of the two competitors Isabell the second daughter of the foresaid Dauid was married to Robert Bruce betweene whom was begotten this Robert Bruce the other competitour He claimed the Crowne as next heire male the other made claime in the right of his mother who was the next heire in bloud and as wee say in England heire at the common-lawe Bruce alleadged that hee was to bee preferred before the Mother of Balliol because the heire male must carry away the inheritance of a kingdome from the heire female meeting in the selfe same degree of bloud as in this case it stood betweene him and Dernagill To this end he alleadged a late president in the like controuersie about the Duchie of Burgundie which the Earle of Neuers claimed in the right of his wife grand-child to the last Duke by his eldest sonne which notwithstanding the brothers inheritance was adiudged to the Dukes yonger sonne King Edward hauing heard the allegations and answeres of both parties caused then to be inrolled but because the matter was of the greatest importance life onely excepted and therefore required good deliberation hee referred the further proceeding therein till Michaelmasse following and returned into England In the meane time for his better instruction he acquainted the most learned Lawyers as well of France as of this nation with the whole state of the cause and receaued their generall resolution therein At the time prefixed he repaired againe into the North-parts and comming to Berwicke hee called thither the two competitours together with the greater number of the Lords of Scotland to receiue there a finall end of this controuersie Out of this great assembly of the most graue and best experienced personages of both Nations hee made choise of a certaine number as well English as Scottish to whom as to a Iurie royall sworne and admonished to deale vprightlie the King gaue full authoritie to name him that vnto them appeared vpon the examination of their seuerall titles and the resolution of the Lawyers therevpon which was deliuered vnto them to haue the better right vnto the crowne of Scotland These men being put a part by themselues and hauing examined considered and sufficiently debated the prooues allegations and whatsoeuer could be said on either
atchieue any fortunate interprise against the Scots As though all that nation could not afford his fellowe That hee was the very Atlas and supporter of their happy estate True it is that the deceassed king had reason to commit more trust to him then to anie other of whose loyalty and sufficiencie he had not the like tryall But it followeth not thereof that if king Edward could dispatch him out off the waie there had beene none left to haue resisted his attempts against that nation But admit he was the man they make him it is well knowne that King Edward being then not much aboue eighteene yeares old was not only ouer yong to contriue such a practise but was then still directed by his Mother Queene Isabel so consequently by Mortimer Earle of March her chiefe Counsellor both so great fauourers and maintainers of the peace with Scotland as that hee lost his life shortlie after for the same It is further affirmed That this Monke stealing secretlie out off Scotland assured the King that the Gouernor could not possiblie liue beyond a prefixed day in which time the poyson was to worke his effect and that King Edward presuming thereof gathered a mightie and puissant armie wherewith comming to the borders hee purposed to inuade Scotland had he not knowne when he came thyther that the gouernour was not only lyuing but ready in armes to haue resisted his approach Now of all this preparation and iourney there is not one word to be found amongst all our Croniclers But to the contrarie it appeareth that besideÌ„s the coÌ„firmation of the former peace vpon the admittance of this Earle to the Regency the sommer next before his death was so vnseasonable as that it caused a great dearth in England all the yeare following so as it was impossible to make prouision for such an army neither could those more Northen partes afford it of their owne store For it is sayd that in some places of the realme especiallie North-wards by reason of the coldnesse of that climate wheate was not gathered into the barne till hallontide nor pease vntill the ende of Nouember Moreouer King Edward wâ—s in France well neere all the month of Aprill next before the gouernours death and after his returne thence hee had so little meaning to make preparation of warre as that hee held solemne iustes and turney at Dert-forde which exercises hee renewed againe at London in September following How can all this agree with the surmised preparation of warre with Scotland at that time Now to the last poynt touching the burning of this Monke whereof some of them for the vnlike-lihood-haue not spoken it is incredible that a religious man a deuout Monke as they were then accounted should bee either murthered or executed for not keeping promise in the performance of an vnlawfull and vnchristian act But where when on whome or by whome was this vnusuall execution made to no one of these interrogatories doth any man answere saue that hee was a Monke or begging Frier For they will not vouchsafe to giue him other name though hee had beene a long time verie familier in the gouernors house These bee therefore great slaunders farre vnbeseeming the reputation of him that not long sence hath made no conscience to report the most part of this fable for a truth This yeare Roger Mortimer Earle of March was attaynted of high treason and executed for the same on Saint Andrewes eauen Amongst other matters where-with hee was charged hee was found giltie of secrete practise with the Scottes at Stanhope-parke whereby they escaped as is aforesaid and that hee receiued there of the Lord Iames Dowglas a great summe of money for the good seruice done by him at that time and to bee still continewed towardes that Nation whilest his authoritie should stand them insteede Hereby also afterwardes hee brought to passe that vnaduised peace with the Scottes at Northampton as is before declared About this time Edward Balliol thorough the perswasion of Laurence Twine a Scotish fugitiue came ouer out off France where hee had alwayes liued before to intreat the King of England to assist him in the recouery of his right to the Crowne of Scotland which was giuen by a ward vnto Iohn Balliol by king Edward the first promising withall that if it were his good hap to attaine it he would acknowledge to hold the same in manner as his Grand-father held it of the others Grand-father But before this motion was made to the king of England Balliol sought the fauour of the Lord Henry Beumont a Frenchman borne that had maried the daughter and heyre of the Earle Buquhan and likewise of the Lord William Cumine the lord Dauid of Strabouee Earle of Atholl and the lord Geffrey de Mowbraie These and some others that were banished the Realme of Scotland by the late King Robert le Bruse now liued in England hauing in hope of preferment ioyned heartes handes with Balliol in this quarell obtained this fauour of king Edward that as many of his subiects as of themselues were willing to assist them in this enterprise should haue good leaue to follow them therein For though the young king of Scots had beene affianced vnto king Edwards sister who in respect of that alliance should not haue beene easilie drawne into this action neuerthelesse he held himselfe so mâ—ch disgraced and absued in his minority by the deceitful practise of Mortimer that nothing now pleased him that together with that mariage was then yeelded vnto at that dishonorable composition made with the Scottish king at Northampton as before you haue heard Neither was that contract of marriage so firme but if either partie misliked thereof when they should come to lawfull age of consent the same might safely bee dissolued Edward Balliol hauing now assembled by the helpe of the other two Scottish Lordes his confederates some foure hundred horse and about two thousand Archers and other footemen tooke shipping at Rauen-spurne in Holdernesse from thence directing his course North-ward hee entred into the Scottish fourth and arriued neere to the towne Kingorne on the first daie of August where being incountred by Alexander Seaton hee slew him in the field together with the greater number of his people and put the residewe to flight This good beeginning put such corage into these venterous companions in armes fighting for no lesse then a kingdome that with in some fewe daies after their forces beeing now increased to the number of about ten thousand one and other they attempted to assaile the Earle of Muerry then Regent of Scotland by night where hee laie incamped in the middest of his armie the same beeing ouer great otherwise to bee delt withall and tooke him on such a sodaine that they put him to flight making great slaughter vpon his people The next day the fight was renewed on both sides but in the ende the victory fell to Balliol This battaile was fought at Dueplin on the
Dowglas that was the great enimie to the Earle of March his Country-man who deceased the yeare before being much mooued with this ouer-throw made great preparation against the next Summer to lead an armie into England there-with to take reuenge for the death of so many his good friends and countrey-men But his successe was no better then theirs For when his armie had done all the harme it could within the realme as farre as Newcastle was returning homewards with an exceeding great prey Henry surnamed Hotespurre that was taken prisoner at the battaile of Otterburne pursuing them with a power of the Northern men and hauing ouertaken them saluted there maine battaile with such a forcible flight of arrowes that the same being much beaten and broken there-with gaue waie to the Englishmen rushing in vpon it and thereby gaue them an ouerthrowe with verie little losse on their owne partie Amongst the Scottes that were slaine Sir Iohn Swintone Sir Alexander Gordon Sir Iohn Leuestone Sir Alexander Ramsey and some twentie knights more were of speciall note Besides the Earle Dowglas generall of this army who in fight lost one of his eyes there were taken prisoners the Earle of Fife the gouernours Sonne Thomas and George Earles of Murrcy and Angius and fiue hundred more of meaner degree This battaile was fought at Homildon hil in Northumberland on the seauenth of May in the yeare 1402. Whereat the Scottes receiued such a blowe as for many yeares before the like had not hapned For hereat were slaine one and other not so fewe as ten thousand of them as our Cronicles report The Lord Percie following his good fortune forth-with entred into Tyuidale wasting the Country on euery side and hauing layed siedge to the Castell of Cocklaâ—is Sir Iohn Grenley the keeper thereof couenanted with him to surrender it within three monthes if the siedge were not remooued but by reason his men were in the meane time sent for to followe the King into Wales they could not tarie out the prefixed time But this Noble race of the Percies who in the beginning of this Kings raigne were his best friends became now his greatest aduersaries especially for two causes First they tooke it in euill part that the King demanded such prisoners as were latelie before taken at Nesbet and Homildon For they had deliuered none into his hands saue onelie Mordake Earle of Fife the Duke of Albaines Sonne accounting all the rest their peculiar prisoners The other cause and the more offensiue was the imprisonment of Edward Mortimer Earle of the English Marches their nearest Cousin whome as they reported Owen Glendar of Wailes kept in filthie prison laden with manie irons onelie because hee continewed faithfull to King Richard his Maister While King Henrie was therefore preparing an armie where-with to passe againe into Wales for hee had beene latelie there beefore Thomas Percie Earle of Worcester gaue secret intelligence thereof to his brother the Earle of Northumberland who togither with his Sonne the Lord Henrie and the Earle Dowglas his prisoner with such aide as by his meanes they could get out of Scotland gathered a power of some foureteene thousand chosen men of whome the greater number were Cheshire men and Welshmen that were conducted by the Earle of Worcester and the Lord Henry the Scotishmen by Dowglas The Earle of Northumberland with his retinue stayed in the North while the rest marched towards Shrewsburie purposing to haue taken that towne But the king by the continuall calling on of the Scottish Earle of March who tooke his part made such speed as that approaching the rebels sooner then they looked that enterprise was preuented When the two armies were mette and euery man prepared to fight the King offered them pardon vpon any reasonable conditions But by the perswasion of the Earle of Worcester who from the beginning was the chiefe worker of all this mischiefe there was no way but to trye it out by dint of sword The Scottes as some write had the leading of the fore-ward on the Percies side and intending to bee reuenged on the Englishmen by the helpe of Englishmen they so fiercely assailed the Kings partie as that disordering their ranckes they made them giue backe But amongst the rest the Earle Dowglas shewed himselfe that daye a most valiant man of Armes for still aiming at the fayrest marke hee strooke downe three that were apparrelled like the King because hee would not bee knowne from the rest but whether hee light on him at all or not hee bestowed on Sir Walter Blunt one of that coate such a deadly blow that hee neuer arose againe After the fight had continued three long houres with doubtfull victorie on eyther side in the end the rebels were vanquished and put to flight The Earle Dowglas falling vpon the cragge of a steepe mountaine brake one of his genitalls and was taken whom the King freely forgaue and set at liberty for his valiancie and notable courage This battaile was fought on Mary Magdalines euening in the yeare 1403. whereat was slaine of the Kings partie sixteene hundred of his enimies aboue fiue thousand Though the Earle of Northumberland found such fauour as that hee was pardoned and restored to all his possessions neuer-the-lesse within a yeare after hee entred into a new conspiracie but when hee heard the fame was discouered and some of his confederates executed hee together with the Lord Bardolfe fledde into Scotland where they were entertained of Dauid Lord Flemming in requitall of whose kindnesse hee gaue vp the towne of Berwicke which was then in his custodie vnto the vse of the Scottish King But when the Scots vnderstood that King Henry approched with his armie they fired the towne and so left it while these English Lords remained in ScotlaÌ„d the king of England practised with some of the Scottish Nobilitie to apprehend them But the Lord Flemming giuing them notice hereof they both fledde into Wales to Owiâ— Glendouer a great enimie to king Henrie Such of the Lords of Scotland as had plotted the deliuerie of those fugitiue Lords hauing gotten knowledge that they escaped their hands by meanes of the Lord Flemming were there-with so much displeased as that it cost him his life This fact sowed great discention amongst them-selues in such sort as one knew not how to trust another Wherefore to auoide further mischiefe that was like to haue followed thereof it was thought good to sue for a truce betweene the two Nations which was effected and the same to indure for one whole yeare King Robert of Scotland being taught before by his brothers disloyaltie that there was small trust to bee reposed in his owne subiects the rather because they were so distrustfull one of another tooke order for the conuoye of his other sonne beeing a childe not aboue nine yeares olde vnto King Charles of France to receiue good education there But it fortuned that in his passage the Shippe was mette with-all by certaine Englishmen at Flâ—mbrough-head
〈◊〉 assemble a power â—f some six twenty thousand men and comming to Anwicke the third of September taried there all the next day till the whole aâ—â—y was gathered togither which by reason of the foulenesse of the waies could not make such speed as was exspected The day following his Son the Lord Admirall which such men of war as had bin with him at the sea repaired to his father to whom he was very welcome because he could neuer haue come to any seruice wherin his helpe was more needeful then at this very time After some parlaunce by officers at armes and others by which means the Scottes were politikely drawne to a more indifferent place for battaile then otherwise they would willingly haue yeelded vnto at length both armies prepared themselues to encouÌ„ter each one the other King Iames yet keeping the higher ground diuided his whole armie into fiue battailes or after the new phrase battalions to the intent the same wherein he himselfe was placed might bee inclosed with two winges on either side The two on his right hand were conducted by the Earles of Huntley Câ—â—ford and Montrosse the two on his leaft by thâ— Earles of Lenox and Argile the Lord Hume â—ord Chamberlaine of Scotland aâ—â—â—â—erse other were also appoynâ—â—d ouer seuerall companies amongst â—â—ome were certaine â—â—â—nchmen whom King Lewis had sent ouer to traiâ—e the â—cottes in the feites of armes There great Ordinance was placed most conueniently for the annoiance of the aduerse party but by reason of the hight of thâ— ground their shot did small hurt to the Englishmen marching vp towards them The Englishmen diuided themselues into as many battailes as were most answerable to their enemies forces Ouer the vantgard the Lord Howard was the commander Sir Edmond his brother with his charge garded him 〈◊〉 winge oâ—â—iâ— right hand The Earle himselfe leâ—d the middle-ward and Sir Edmond Sâ—anley the reare-ward The Lord Dacres with a woope of horse-â—â—n was seâ— aparâ— by himselfe 〈◊〉 sucâ— or where 〈…〉 Thâ— Ordinance was 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 â—nd in places 〈…〉 one and another 〈◊〉 â—hought most expedient Boâ—â— the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ng hâ—s marshallâ—d Sir Eâ—â—â—â—d Hâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 his people 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 by the Lord Hâ—â—â—â— who wit◠〈◊〉 spâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—led the other so violâ—ntly that had not bastard â—â—ron come readily to his succour Sir Edmund had not escaped death being well neere left alone of his companie Hereat the other wing of the Scottes that was lead by the Earles of Lennox and Argile tooke such incouragement that leauing their ensignes behind them and rushing vpon the Englishmen without order they were thereby well neere all of them together with the two Earles beaten downe by that time the other Scottes were returned from pursuing the Englishmen whom they had in chase These men also being set vpon a fresh both before and behind were likewise well neere all slaine King Iames who a little before had encountred the Earle of Surrey perceiuing that the wings of his battaile were thus defeited and that the Englishmen were now ready to encompasse him about was nothing abashed at the sight but with a cheerefull countenance encouraging those that were about him and withall desperatly rushing into the thickest prease on foote maintained the fight along time in-so-much that piersing the Earles battaile the Scottes entred so farre within the same that they were at point to haue ouerthrowne his Standard But at length the Englishmen pressed so sore vpon them that they ouerthrew Sir Adam Forman the Scottish kings Standard-bearer which the king perceiuing thought sâ—â—ely then there was no way for him to escape Wâ—erefore to deliuer him-selfe from such reproach as happily he thought would haue beene â—reathed out vpon him he cast himselfe the more carelesly into the greatest heate of his enimies fury and so ended his life in the middest of them Such was the end of this vnfortunate Prince in nothing more vnfortunate then in that hee contended with his owne good fortune For if he had continued constant to king Henry he might haue liued many yeares in as great felicity as euer any of his predecessors did before him Round about him died with the like obstinacie many of his chiefe Prelates namely the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and two other Bishops besides foure Abbots and of Lords and men of speciall note aboue six and thirtie The whole number of Scots slaine at this battaile could in all likelyhood bee no lesse then ten thousand considering the losse of so many leaders amongst them and the small number of them that were taken prisoners amongst whom there were but two of name Sir William Scotte Chancelour to the king and Sir Iohn Forman his Sergiant Porter Amongst other peeces of great ordinance taken at this time there were seauen Culuerings of like sise and making called the Seauen Sisters This famous ouerthrow was giuen the Scottes in September in the yeare 1513. and that within the space of little more then three houres which happily would haue prooued more bloudie on both sides had not the night taken vp the quarrell Of Englishmen were slaine as Hall reporteth about some fifteene hundred diuers were taken prisoners by following the Scottes ouer-egerly in the chase after day-light was done It was not well knowne on which side the victorie was falne vntill the next morning for then the Lord Dacres with his troopes of horsemen being sent abroad to view the behauiour of the Scottes found they had forsaken their artillarie and left the field The Kings body being found many deepe and deadly wounds appeared on the same which the Earle of Surrey caused to be imbowelled and seared wherewith hauing set all things in good order he returned to the Queene of England In memory of this notable victorie ouer that nation his family hath hitherto borne in their Scutchions the armes of Scotland for an addition of Honor thervnto but with what right I know not Amongst other prodigious signes immediatly fore-going this bloud-shed BuchanaÌ„ recordeth one very memorable receiued from the report of him that was an eye witnesse thereof a man of speciall credit with him This it was King Iames going to his armie now ready to set forward entred into a Chappell that was in his way to heare euen-song as then it was called while hee was at his deuotion an ancient man came in bare-headed his golden coloured locks hanging downe vpoÌ„ his shoulders his fore-head high and inclining to baldnesse his garments of Azure coulour some-what long girded about him with a Towell or table Napkin of a comelie and reuerend countenance Hauing inquired for the king hee intruded himselfe into the prease passing thorow till hee came to him then leaning vpon the Kings seate he thus spake after a good plaine and familier maner Sir King I am sent to admonish thee to proceed no further in this thy intended iourney which aduise if thou doost refuse to follow it will be worsse for thee and them that attend thee therein I am
the maine battaile on the left side being both flanked with 4000. Archers Irishmen well garded also with field peeces Their armor for the most part was a good skul or Iack short sword very broad and sharpe dagger buckler and a kerchiefe wreathed and wrapped twice or thrice about their collers In this aray they stood closly together holding their pikes in both hāds and with-all their bucklers on the left the point brest high and the other end resting against the right foot the fore-ranck bending their knees to giue their fellows behind leaue to couer thē with their pikes crossing one another in such forcible maner as if they stood fast neither man nor horse could breake in amongst them neither any strength with-stand them On the other side the Earle of Warwicke Lord Lieutenant of the armie conducted the fore-ward of three thousand footmen The Lord Dacres the rere-ward of like number and qualitie The middle-ward of foure thousand footmen was conducted by the Generall him-selfe The men of armes who were six thousand lead by the lord Gray lord Marshal and the light horsmen to the number of two thousand by Sir Francis Brian together with the Ordinance 200. Harquebusiers on horseback were bestowed in places most conuenient either for offence or defence as present occasion required There was betweene the two armies a deepe ditch which the Englishmen were to passe before they could come to the enimie many that could not leape ouer stuck fast therein with no small danger to them-selues and impediment to their fellowes that followed Besides that their course lay vntowardly ouer-thwart plowed lands with deep furrows for a stones cast after they had passed the slough Not-with-standing these incombrances in their course and the eminent perill of their enimes Pikes at the incounter the valiant lord Gray with his troopes of men of armes accompanied with the lord Fitz-Waters afterward Earle of Sussex and 2. Knights Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Thomas Darcy of whom the former was lieutenant of all the men of armes demilances the other Captaine of the Pensioners with their seuerall bands to the number of 3400. men of armes issuing out from both sides of the army so resolutly gaue the charge a front downe the hill vpon their enemies pikes that with the verie terrour thereof they were much amased Neuerthelesse the Scottes kept their order and stand so firmely that at this sharpe incounter sixe and twenty Gentlemen besides nere two hundred others were slaine out right amongst whome Edward Shelley Lieutenant vnto the Lord Graie of his band of Bulleners as he was the first that passed the ditch so in likelihood the first also that lost his life Few of them that were placed in the formost rancks returned without hurt on himselfe or his horse The Lord Gray was dangerously wounded in the mouth with a pike The Englishmen had so small incoragement to maintaine this their hot beginning that in stead of an orderlie retreat the greater number put their horses to that speed as thereby they showed a better will to leaue the field then to fight it out Hereby the next ward was much disordered But that worthy Earle of Warwike so cherefully incorraged his souldiours to stand to it manfully that what by his owne industry and the diligence of the Captaines vnder him the ranckes were reduced into good order both horsemen and foote-men so as by the small losse at the former incounter the whole armie attained their desired aduantage In the meane season the Scottes aduanced their bands with good corrage though by shot both from land and sea they were shrowdly galled But when they perceiued that the Englishmen both on foote and horse-backe were now readie to assaile them againe from the higher ground in such order as they seemed to incompasse them the Scottish vantgard to auoide the danger of the Spanish shot who serued on horse-backe on the one side and of being inuironed by the aduersarie on the other declined on that hand from their former direct course vp the hill whereat the Englishmen giuing a great shoute cried they flie they flie the Scottes supposing their fellowes behind them had fled indeede turned themselues about The middle battaile seeing their vantgard out of their course with their faces towardes them imagined that they had fledde and forth-with casting downe their weapons and else whatsoeuer would hinder their speed they be-tooke themselues euerie man to his heeles In this sort God gaue the victory to the Englishmen onelie by the working of his diuine power and not by either power or pollicie of man The chase was continued out-right VVest-ward about fiue miles vnto Lieth and wel-nere to the gates of Edenbrough distanced in breadth neere foure miles from the sandes vp toward Daketh South-ward The slaughter was so great that the riuer of Eske was stained with bloud which lay East-ward from the place of battaile and runneth North-ward into the Firth Not so few as ten thousand Scottes lost their liues all within the space of fiue houres from one of the clocke till sixe Of this number besides the Lord Flemming about two thousād were men of good quality Aboue fifteene hundred were taken prisoners amongst whome the Earle of Huntley the Lord of Yester Hobby Hamilton Captaine of Dumbar the Maister of Saintpoll the Lord Weames and a brother of the Earle of Cassels were of best account For to one Gentleman their were twenty of the common soldiours taken prisoners by reason they were all so meanly apparelled as that the better sort could not bee knowne from the rest who otherwise might haue escaped with their liues This victory fell to the Englishmen neere Mussel-brugh on Saterday being the tenth day of September in the yeare of our Lord God 1547. Two of my Fathers men hauing lost him in the chase in their returne found one slaine so verie like him in all respectes and more especiallie by a circle about the finger whereon he vsed to weare a great ringe as that with much sorrowe and lamentation they buried him Hee was one of them that gaue the first on-set on the enemies pikes whereat his horse receiued his deathes wound but serued notwithstanding all that day after After this the Englishmen by sea entred the I le of Colme a place by scituation very stronge standing in the Firthe about foure miles from Lieth wherein was an Abbie but the Monkes had abandoned the same Here and at the Castell of Browghtie-Cragge which stood in the entrie into the Taie garisons of Englishmen were placed for the more anoyance of those that were to passe vp those riuers In the returne of the armie by land Hume Castell and Fast Castell after some resistance were surrendred and fortified by the English At their comming to Boxbrugh they also erected a fortification vpon the ruines of an olde Castell and placed a garison therein Here the Lord Protector receiued diuerse Scottish Leardes and Gentlemen of the best account thorow the
whole Countries of Mers and Tiuidale vnto the obedience of the King of England wherevnto they bound themselues by seuerall oth The lord Gouerner of Scotland and the Queene Mother made semblance also by message to be willing to haue come to a treaty with the English lords but whatsoeuer their meaning was all their faire showes turned to nothing And truely in the iudgement of man it was much to be admired considering the great good that was hoped might haue followed thereof to both Nations what should mooue the Scottish Nobility to bee so much bent against this marriage especially now that the Cardinall was dead who ouer-ruled the rest while he liued But he that seeth the state of all things and time at one instant knoweth what is fittest to bee admitted in euery season and disposeth of the successe of all that man purposeth to the best aduantage of such as serue him For if this marriage so much desired and inforced had then taken place who knoweth into what estate both this and that Realme also should haue beene therby brought after the death of King Edward the young Queene hauing togither with her title so many great friends both in France and Scotland and happily here also in England that would haue taken her part in that quarrell While the Duke of Sommerset was thus occupied on the East part of Scotland the Earle of Lennox and the Lord Wharton warden of the VVest Marches at his appointment entred into Scotland one that side also This army consisted of some eight hundred horse and fiue thousand foot-men First the Castell of Milke a fortresse of good strength was surrendred passing from thence further into the Country they ouerthrew the Church steeple at Annand fortified by the Scottes and then set the towne on fire Here-with that CouÌ„try was so affrighted that on the next day all the Kilpatrickes the 〈◊〉 the Leâ—rds of Kirke-michell Apple-garâ—â—â— â—â—sâ—â—â—â—â—râ—e â—â—â—â—endes Nubie and the Irâ—â—â—â—â—ngs the Bells the Rigges the Murreâ—s and all the â—laâ—nes and sur-names of the neiâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â— of Annandâ—le came in and receiued an oâ—â— of obedience as subiects to the King of England giuing pledges for their assured loyaltie They that refused to follow their example had their houses spoiled and burned their goods cattell carried away by the English horse-men who were sent abroad into the Country for that purpose Thus was that Nation pitifully afflicted for their obstinacy which vndoubtedly proceeded from their blind zeale to popery which they sawe was then declining a pace in England fearing that by this marriage the same eâ—â—ectes would â—â—â—es fâ—llowed thereof amongst themselues Thus much was signified by an embleme borne at the last battaile in the banner of the Scottish Prelates which was a woman painted with her haire about her shoulders kneeling before a Crucifix with this word wrytten in golden letâ—ers Afflictâ— sponsae ne obliâ—iscaris The Lord Wharton with his company being returned with their prisoâ—â—râ— and spoiles to â—oxbrugh receiued there of â—he Duke many thankes and so were dismissed The Duke also hauing first taken order for â—ll things needfull for those gâ—â—â—sones hâ—◠〈◊〉 behind him in Scotland and committing the Liâ—utenancy ouer the borders 〈◊〉 the Lord Gray on Michelmasse day dissolued his army and returned into England In this iorney were made knights by the Duke and the Earle of Warwicke these whose names follow Sir Andrewe Dudley brother to the Earle of Warwicke Sir Ralfe Sadler of whome I haue spoken before Sir Francis Brian and Sir Raufe Vane were made Banneretes which is a degree aboue a knight bacheler beeing alwaies such before The Lord Gray of Wilton The Lord Edward Seymer Lord Thomas Howard Lord Wâ—ldike of Cleueland Sir Thomas Dacres Sir Edward Hastings Sir Thomas Bridges Sir Iohn Thin Sir Miles Partridge Sir Iohn Conway Sir Gyles Poole Sir Raufe Bagnell Sir Oliuer Lawrence Sir Henry Gates Sir Thomas Chaloner Sir Thomas Neuille Sir Iames Wilford Sir Raufe Coppinger Sir Thomas Wentworth Sir Iohn Meruin Sir Nicholas Strange Sir Charles Sturton Sir Francis Saluin Sir Hugh Ayscu of Comberland Sir Richard Towneley Sir Marmaduke Constable Sir George Audley Sir Iohn Holcroft Sir Iohn Southworthe Sir Thomas Danby Sir Iohn Talbote Sir â—â—â—â—â—is Flâ—â—â—â—â—g 〈◊〉 Iohn Gresâ—â—â—â— Sir William â—â—â—with Sir Iohn â—â—â—â—es Sir Gâ—â—â—ge â—lage â—ir William Francis Sâ—r Francis Knowles Sir WilliaÌ„ Thorowgood Sir George Howard Sir Andrew Corbet Sir Henry Hussie Sir Anthony Sterley Sir Walter Benham Sir Roland Clarke Sir Iohn Horsley Sir Iohn Foster Sir Christopher Dirs Sir Peter Negro Sir Alonso Deuille Sir Iames Granado These 3. strangers Sir Robert â—randling Sir Richard Verney Sir Arthure Manering Sir Iohn Bertiuille In December following the Earle of Lennox being incoraged therevnto by such as in show seemed to fauor him repaired into Scotland and comming to Dâ—â—frâ—â—â—â— hee there attended certaine fâ—â—â—es out of those partes which the Earle of Angus and his olde acquaintance the Earle of Glencorne had promised before to send vnto him But at the daie and place appointed of two thousand horse-men besides foot-men which he exspâ—â—â—ed he was barely furnished of three hundred and such as liued only vpon robery and spoile This manner of dealing but especialâ—â— the inconstancy of Iohn Maxwâ—ll made the Earle not without cause very iolious ouer 〈◊〉 VVherefore that hee might with the like â—â—â—ning deceiue them whâ— would haâ—e deceiued him keeping still in his companie the Earle of Glencorne Iohn Maxwell and some other of the principall Scottes who labored his reuolt to their faction hee secretlie gaue order that sixe hundred horsemen some-part English and some-part Scottish should at midnight set for-ward towards Drwm-lamrige Being come thither some foure hundred of them beganne in disordered manner to forrey the Countrie of purpose thereby to prouoke Iames Dowglas the Lord of that Castell to come forth and so to intrap him But he doubting the worst kept in till day-light Then seeing the coast cleere with some seauen hundred horse hee followed after them with speed hoping not onely to ouer throwe them but also to take the Earle of Lennox at Dunfrees Hauing with his hast entred the riuer of Nith hard at the Englishmens heeles Maister Henry Wharton second Sonne to the Lord Wharton Captaine ouer that Companie perceauing the behauiour of the Dowglas turned vpon him with some score horsemen for the Scottes their fellowes were latelie before departed home-wards with their booties and what thorough the aduantage of the ground and the difficultie of the enemies passage hee put them to flight Dowglasse escaped verie narowlie two Gentle men of his sur-name of especiall account with him were slaine euerie man had his prisoner amongst whom diuerse were of good regard â—â—â—se they carried with them to Dunfrees This ouerthrowâ— put them of Gallowaie into such feare that they did wholy submit themselues to the obedience of the King of England The Gouernor in the meane time hauing besiedged Broughty-Cragge with some eight thousand
skirmishes passed betweene the one party and the other that Forte also was so strictly besâ—â— on all sides that if the peace had not beene the sooner concluded Sir Hugh Willoughby the Captaine thereof must of necessitie haue yeelded thorough the lacke of shot and other necessaries seruing for defence Amongst other articles comprised in this agreement one was that all such Castels Fortifications and strengths held by the Englishmen in any part of the Scottish dominions should be restored to the Scots and that the Forts of Dowglasse Roxbrough Aymoth which the Englishmen had erected in the time of these warres should forth-with be razed and throwne downe to auoide all occasion of new controuersie Mounsier de Mourret was sent into Scotland from the French King to publish this accord betweene the three Nations France England and Scotland which in the beginning of Aprill in the yeare that followed 1550. was in euery point executed accordingly The next month al the strangers made returne homewards two yeares well neere after their first arriuall into Scotland And thus ended for this time the whote war betweene these two neighbor nations which had continued now for the space of 7. yeares together to the exceeding great impouerishment of that kingdom effusion of bloud on both sides For aboue fiftie yeares after there was not any like hostility betweene them For all that passed betwixt the one and the other realme vntill the beginning of the 5. yeare of the raigne of Queene Mary of England who succeeded that pearelesse Prince of most famous memorie King Edward the 6. on the sixt day of Iuly in the yeare 1553 the same was rather to be accouÌ„ted a light breach of the peace then open warre on either side Neither were the broiles betweene them in those two last yeares of her raigne of any great reckoning which grew by occasion of the warre made by King Philip her husband of the French King for he therevpon solicited the Queene Regent of Scotland who about two yeares before obtained that dignity while the CoÌ„missioners of both these nations were busie at Carliel about the renuing of the league to inuade this realme She being willing to gratifie her confederate when the Commissioners had broken vp the treatie of Peace without any conclusion assembled a great Armie where-with comming to Kellsoe in the moneth of October 1557. shee together with Monsieur Doisell and other Frenchmen began to perswade the Scottes to inuade the realme The Scottish Nobility to the end they would seeme some-what to yeeld to her request passing with the army ouer the riuer of Tweed besieged Warke Castell whereat lying for the space of 2. or 3. daies and then hearing of the approach of the Earle of Westmerland Lieutenant of the North after some consultation vpon this point the Scottish lords concluded that for so much as the Englishmen had giuen them no iust cause of quarrell especially in so high a degree and measure of reuenge that the Queene Regent had drawne them thither for the pleasure onely of the French King and the reputation of Monsieur Doisell his agent who in the managing of this affaire had carryed himselfe very loftily therefore I say they concluded to breake vp the siedge and to returne homewards and so this much adoe produced nothing The Queene and her Monsieur tooke the matter very greeuouslie accounting themselues much disgraced here-with but because there was no remedy for the present time they resolued to beare it as paciently as they could hoping a time would come that should make them of more authority amongst them To this end they laboured to hasten the mariage of the yong Queene now come to ripe age for there-by all things should then passe without controulment at the will and appointment of France The Queene Regent returning home-wards left Monsieur Doisell with the French forces at Haymouth where lately before hee had raised a Fortification to counter-garrison the Englishmen in Berwicke Diuerse foot-bands also of Scottishmen were waged by the French King to lye at Kelso Roxbrough and other such places on the Scottish Marches for the defence of the country and the annoyance of the Englishmen as occasion serued Amongst many other roades and aduentures which passed this winter between the one nation the other with variable successe on both sides that between the Earle of Northumberland and Sir Andrew Carre was of most reckoning wherein after doubtfull victory a long time at length the English preuailed the Scottish Captaine and diuerse other being taken prisoners Sir Iohn Foster at this seruice bare himselfe very valiantly for besides that his horse was slaine vnder him hee receiued two dangerous wounds the one thorough his neck the other on his thigh On the foure and twentith day of Aprill the yeare next following viz. 1558. the mariage of Francis the Dolphine with Queene Mary of Scotland was solemnized at Paris with great triumphe and reioycing which afterward brought that flourishing kingdome into danger of an vtter subuersion for her Vncles especially Francis Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraigne his brother by reason of this marriage bare them-selues so loftily and so egerlie stroue thereby to aduance their house that they turned France vp downe ruling all things at their owne wils and pleasure The summer following sundry out-roads passed betweene the borderers on both sides but with more losse to the Scots then to EnglaÌ„d for besides 2. chiefe leaders of their footmen the Lord Keith sonne to the Earle Marshall and Patricke L. Gray were in those broiles taken prisoners but on the English party Captaine Edrington only Some seruice by sea also was performed by the EnglishmeÌ„ for Sir Iohn Clere being sent with certaine ships of warre to the coast of Scotland comming to the Iles of Orkney and hauing landed some part of his company such a tempest did sodenlie arise that perforce hee was driuen backe to the maine sea where striuing a long time in vaine to recouer the Iland againe hee was forced to leaue them behind him who were thereby all slaine and taken prisoners by the Ilanders But the Earle of Sussex ioyning with Sir Thomas Cotton and Sowthwick his Vice-admirall had better successe in Kniter the Iles of Arraigne and Cumber where they made great spoile and had done much more there-about if by out-ragious stormes and tempests they had not beene hindered Of all the English Gentlemen that serued these last two yeares with charge I know but one liuing at this day namely Thomas Marckham commonly called Blacke-Marckham who lead the band of foot-men of Sir Iohn Marckham his Father As for the warre maintained in Scotland since the happy raigne of our late Soueraigne Lady and Queene the most renowmed and famous Elizabeth who to the exceeding great comfort of all the true Christians of this whole Iland succeeded her deceased Sister on the seauenteenth day of Nouember in the yeare before named the same was from time to time alwayes vnder-taken
by her at the earnest petition and request of the Nobilitie of Scotland to the common good and well-â—are of both nations For when that realme in the beginning of her raigne became ouer-burthened by the dayly repaire of the French forces sent thither to the aide of the Queene Regent and her pertakers in the defence of the Romish religion the better sort of the Scottish Nobility as the Duke of Chateaule reault who attained that dignity of thâ— French King for yeelding vp the gouernâ—◠〈◊〉 the Queene Mother the Lord Iames Prior of Saint Androwes the Earles of Arraine Arguile Glencarne Rothowse Southerland Monteith Huntley Catnesse Erolle Marshall Cassels Eglenton Montrosse the Lords Ruithen Boide Ogletree Ayskin Drommond Hume Rosse Chrieghton Leuenstone â—â—mmerwell the Maister of Lindesey and the Maister of Maxwell did all ioyne in request vnto the Queene of England that it would please her Maiestie to assist them against the iniurious demeanure of the Frenchmen who sought not onely to extirpate the profession of the Gospell which they had lately imbraced but also practised the vtter abolishment and ruine of their ancient lawes and liberties Their sute was the more willingly yeelded vnto because it was doubted that if the Frenchmen had once set good foot-hold in Scotland somâ— trouble might haue come thereof to this realme thorow the ambition of the Queenes vncles the Guises who abusing their authority vnder Francis the second the yong King had all things at their command in France The suspition hereof did first arise when immediatly after the death of Queene Mary the Scottish Mary pretending a title to the Crowne vsurped the armes and stile of England Herevpon in the latter end of February the Earle of Arguile the Prior of Saint Andrewes the Maister of Maxwell and the yong Lord of Ledingtone the Secretarie mette the Duke of Northfolke at Berwick who was sent thither for that purpose Here it was concluded that whatsoeuer stranger should inuade either England or Scotland that then the one nation should minister ayde to the other that what Scottishmen should serue her Maiestie in her owne realme or what Englishmen should serue in Scotland all should receiue pay onely of the Queene of England that what bootie or prey should bee gotten by the English seruing in Scotland the same should become their owne the Townes Castles excepted which should forth-with bee restored to whom by right they did appertaine For the better assurance hereof fiue young Gentlemen were shortly after sent into England as pledges in the behalfe of the Lords of Scotland namely the Lord Claudie Hamilton fourth sonne to the Duke Robert Dowglas halfe brother to the Lord Iames Steward Archibauld Cambell Lord of Lowghennell George Grayme second sonne to the Earle of Monteith and Iames Canningham sonne to the Earle of Glencarne All these were to remaine in England during the liues of the Scottish Queene and of the French King her husband together and one yeare more next after his decease if it first happened While this businesse was in hand the Frenchmen being then at the mouth of the water of Leuin in Fife making head to the Scottish Lords descryed eight ships ready to arriue which at the first sight they tooke to bee sent out of France to their succors But when they perceiued that they were English with all possible speed they posted to Leethe forth-with beginning to fortifie the towne The Englishmen hauing cast Ancre in the roade there the Queene Regent sent to Maister Winter the Vice-admirall to know for what cause hee was come thither who dissembling with her for the present answered that hauing beene at the Sea to pursue certaine Pirates and not finding them abroade hoped to haue heard of them there With-in fewe dayes after this the whole Nauie repaired thether vnto him where-with becomming commander ouer the Furthe the Frenchmen were penned vp both at Leethe and in the Iland of Iuskeith so as no victuals could bee brought them by Sea About the beginning of the yeare next following viz. 1560. The English armie consisting of two thousand horsmen and six hundred footmen ouer which the Lord Gray of Wilton was Generall comming to Hadington within Scotland was at the first saluted by the Earle of Arraine the Lord Iames Prior the Maister of Maxwell Sir William Kircawdie Leard of Graunge and diuerse other of the Scottish Nobility attended with three hundred horse After mutuall congratulations the Scottish Lords departed for that night The next day beeing the first of Aprill the Lord Lieutenant accompanied with Sir Iames Croft an assistant vnto him in that charge the Lord Scroope Lord Marshall Sir George Howard generall ouer the men of armes and demie-lances with diuerse Captaines rode to Muskelbrugh Church where the Scottish Duke after some stay intertained them beeing accompanied with his Sonne the Earle of Arraine the Earles of Arguile Glencorne Southerland Montieth and Rothes the Prior of Saint Andrewes the Lord Ruithuen the Lord Ogletree the Lord Boied the Maister of Maxwell the Leard of Ormestone the Master of Lindsey the Bishop of Galloway the Abbot of Saint Colmes-inch the Abbot of Culrose the Leards of Pettierowe Cunningham-head Grange and diuerse other to the number of two huÌ„dred horse After many curteous embracings and kinde salutations they spent two houres togither in Counsell then brake vp and parted for that night The army lay still at Preston from Munday till Satterday beeing the sixt of Aprill to the end that in the meane season the Scottish Lords might make triall once againe whether the Queene Regent who now for her more saftie remained in Edenbrugh Castell would bee drawne to any reasonable conditions of peace to which ende they did write vnto her in manner following VVe haue often heretofore earnestly intreated you both by worde and wryting that it would please you to remoue the French forces which now for the tearme of one yeare more haue many waies intollerablie oppressed the poore and put the whole Nation in feare of a most miserable bondage and thrawldome But when we perceiued that these our iust petitions did preuaile nothing with you wee were then inforced by way of complaint to lay open our pitiful estate vnto our next Neighbour Prince the Queene of England and with teares to craue aide of her to repulse by force of armes if otherwise it cannot bee those strangers that seeke to bring vs vnder their subiection But although shee being mooued with compassion ouer our calamities will vndertake the defence of our cause notwithstanding to the end wee may performe our duties towardes the Mother of our Queene and as much as wee may refraine from the effusion of Christian bloud and then onely to arme our selues when otherwise wee cannot obtaine our right wee held it our partes to beseech you againe and againe that forth-with you will command all the French forces to depart hence For whose more speedie passage the Queene of England will not onelie graunt them safe
Scotland so as on the eighteenth day of Aprill in the yeare 1570. that realme was together inuaded from all the three English Marches The principall Armie was conducted by the Lord Lieutenant himself accompanied with the Lord Hunsden Gouernor of Barwick and Sir William Drewrie Marshall there The next was lead by Sir Iohn Foster warden of the middle Marches the third by the Lord Scroope warden of the West Marches The two former entring into Tiuidale wasted and destroyed what-so-euer stood in their way vntill they met at Crawling where they also rased the Castell FroÌ„ thence passing to Iedworth they were so well intertained that in requitall thereof they forbare to doe any harme there Departing thence the Armie sundry times deuided it selfe the more to afflict the countries where they passed Vpon the two and twentith of the same moneth they returned together to Barwick The Lord Scroope in the meane time with his people hauing ranged the enimies Countries as farre well neere as Domfries gaue them sundrie ouer-throwes tooke many prisoners burned diuers Townes and returned also in safetie In these iourneyes aboue fiftie Castells and places of strength and not so few as three hundred Townes Villages and dwellings were rased burned and spoiled so as none well neere in all those parts who had either receiued the English rebels or had by inuasion indamaged the borders of EnglaÌ„d had left vnto them dwellings for them-selues or their followers besides the great losse of their goods wasted consumed or caryed away by the Englishmen During these exploits the Marches of England were on euery side so garded by the Lord Euers Sir George Bowes and the Bishoprick-men as the enimie durst not once offer to carry so much as a Cowe out of England The Lord Generall hauing staied three dayes at Berwicke for the refreshing of his armie and making preparation for the siedge of Hume Castell hee then assailed the same so egerlie that within three dayes more it was surrendred This Castell was committed to the custodie of Captaine Wood and Captaine Pickman with whom leauing a garrison of two hundred souldiers hee returned againe to Berwicke At this siedge but foure were slaine on both sides two English and two Scottishmen The fourth of May the Lord Generall lying sicke at Berwicke sent Maister Drewrie with some two thousand men to take Fast Castell which vpon the first summons yeelded it selfe it was kept by halfe a score Scottes and committed to the custody of as many Englishmen who were thought able enough to hold it against all the powre of Scotland the same by scituation was naturally so strong The Generall at his returne made him Knight together with Sir Thomas Manners brother to the Earle of Rutland Sir George Cary now Lord Hunsdon and Sir Robert Constable While these things were in doing the Earle of Lennox being ther-vnto ernestly labored by the Lords of the Kings party his country-men obtained leaue of the Queene of England where hee then remained to ioyne with them in the King his grand-childs quarrell But because the aduerse partie had gotten such head whilest that Realme was without a head that with his safety he could not passe alone vnto theÌ„ it pleased her Maiesty such desire she had to aduance the good estate of that Nation not only to safe-conduct him thâ—ther but also to giue him such aide as hee should not stand in feare of the malice of his enemies For Sir William Drewrie Generall with the other three new made knights and certaine companies of horse and foote-men to the number of sixteene hundred in the whole setting forth of Berwicke togither with the Earle and his Scottish retinewe on the twelfth day of May made so good speede the foote-men beeing a daies iorney before them that on the next day they came to Edenbrough where they found there confederates the Scottish Lords amongst whom the Earles of Morton Mar and Glencarne were the principall In the meane while for the better assurance of such couenants as were agreed vnto by those Lords at whose intreaty also this aide was granted certaine hostages were sent into England The Duke of Chateau his adherents of the aduerse partie hearing of the approach of the Englishmen was latelie departed thence and had dismissed his armie hauing first attempted and failed of the taking of the Castell of Glascoe with some losse of his men but more of his honour The matter of greatest importaÌ„ce atcheeued by the Englishmen and Scots there associates at this iorney was the taking of Hamilton Castell which was preseÌ„tly raised The towne of Lithquo which had bin a great enemy to the Kings party at the ernest intreaty of the Earle of Morton was neuerthelesse spared the Dukes house only excepted Here was the Earle of Murrey late Regent of Scotland despightfully murthered by Iames Hamilton of Bedwell for the which it deserued the lesse fauor But such was the compassion of this worthy Gentleman ouer the penitent offenders both now and before that a Scottish writer hath brought him into some suspition of ouer much partiality towards the aduersaries although the same Author coÌ„fesseth that the Englishmen in all this iorney spared neither the goods lands nor houses of any of the Hamiltons or other that were either suspected of confederacy with the murtherer of the Regent or had receiued into their protection any of the English rebells especially all along the tract of the riuer of Cloid where for the most part their possessioÌ„s lay The beginning of the next month the Englishmen returned to Berwicke the Scots their confederates each man to his owne house Shortly after the Queene of England recoÌ„mending vnto the Scottish Nobility the fidelity and trust they might safely repose in the Earle of Lennox therevpon by generall consent where before hee was intituled Lord Gouernour or Lieutenant of Scotland they made him their Regent the rather as it seemeth because the Earle of Huntley had a little before taken vpon him the Lieutenantship of that Realme in the name and behalfe of the Scottish Queene had also summoned a Parliament to be holden at Lithquoe in September following In the meane time the Earle of Sussex the Lo. Scroope were sent again into Scotland with certaine bands of horsmen footmen to pursue the English rebells where hauing as before made great spoile at Dumfrees other places as far as the Castell of Carlauerock which they blew vp after sixe daies they returned to Carliele on the eight and twentith day of August where the Earle made these knights for their good seruice at this iorney Sir Edward Hastings brother to the Earle of Huntington Sir Francis Russell Sonne to the Earle of Bedford Sir Valentine Browne Sir William Halton Sir Robert Stapleton Sir Henrie Curwin and Sir Symond Musgraue For aboue two yeares after this no further aide was sent out of England by reason I take it her Maiesty and the counsell were wholie busied in the discouerie of the secret and
that time further attempted whereof king Stephen was much afraid At this meeting the yong Prince together with some other of like age his companions in this iorney receiued the order of knight-hood at the hands of king Dauid within foure years after these two kings deceased nere togither the one hauing raigned ouer Scotland thirty yeares in great tranquillity the other hardly twenty ouer England with continuall vexation and infelicity and as they ended so their successors beganne to raigne togither Henry the Empresse her Sonne ouer this nation about the age of twenty yeares his Cousin Malcolme king Dauids grand-child for Prince Henry died before his Father ouer the other about 13. years old In the persō of this Henry the crowne of England was restored to the Saxon bloud by the Mother side hauing continewed in the Conqueror and his two Sonnes about 68. years now by marriage transferred to the house of Plantagenet an other family of France Herof had Lewis the French king no good liking being vnwilling that so mighty a Prince and so neare a neighbour should haue such foot-hold with in his dominions for in the right of his wife Queene Elioner who had beene before deuorsed from Lewis hee had attained the possession of the Duchy of Aquitane and the Earle-dome of Poitou by his mother the Empresse he inioyed the Duchy of Normandy in his Fathers right hee seized not without some hard measure towards his brother Geffrey vnto whom their Father by his last Testament had giuen the same vpon the Earledomes of Aniou Touraigne and Maine Neuerthelesse hee subtilely couered his malice vnder pretext of dissembled alliance least otherwise he should haue had lesse aduantage of him But King Henry perceiuing the deceite was too wise to be caught by such a Traine and therefore vpon the first occasion that was offered he opposed his open force against the others secret practises but first as well to keepe all safe at home on that side as also for the better trayning of the young Prince in feates of Armes and Martiall discipline vnder pretence of the performance of the seruices due for the Landes hee held of him within the Realme of England hee procured King Malcolme to accompanie him ouer into Normandie where hauing spent some time not a little to the losse of King Lewis and requited the curtesie of King Dauid by bestowing the like honour on him as before he had receiued they returned together hither againe and then taking his leaue of King Henrie hee was honourablie attended home into Scotland His Nobilitie repairing vnto the Court King Malcolme made relation of all that had happened in this his iourney whereat they seemed much discontented attributing vnto him want of discretion that hee would be induced or rather so much seduced as to beare Armes in the quarrell of an vndoubted enemy against the French King and his subiects their antient and assured friend and Allie that hee little considered the drift of King Henrie who sought nothing more then by some meanes to bring him into distrust and disgrace with King Lewis to the end hee might the more safelie offer him whatsoeuer hard measure hee did meane towardes him With these and such like speeches tending wholie to with-draw their Kings affection from King Henrie hee wanting yeares and thereby iudgement to sound the deapth of this deuise was too easily drawne into the French faction for by taking part with France against England their mainteinance hath beene alwayes much amended When King Henrie had knowledge hereof to the end he might in due time prouide a remedie for this growing on maladie hee caused King Malcolme to bee summoned to make his personall appearance at his high Court of Parliament holden at Yorke whether beeing come at the appointed time hee was charged to haue so grieuously offended that therevpon by authoritie of the same Court he was finally adiudged to haue forfeited all those lands and Seignories which he held within England but in the end by mediation no doubt of the Empresse the king her son was intreated to restore his cousin to his possessions in Cumberland the County of Huntingdon only reseruing Northumberland wholy on condition that doing homage vnto Prince Henry the kings son in manner as all the Nobilitie of England had also done he should further deliuer into his hands his yonger brother Dauid and certaine other the sonnes of the Lords of Scotland as pleadges for the assurance of an inuiolable peace betweene the two Nations All which were performed and peace a long time continued Within three yeares after king Malcolme deceassed hauing liued fiue and twenty yeares and raigned not much aboue twelue whom William his second brother succeeded in the yeare of our Redemption 1165. Shortly after his Coronatiō he repaired to London did homage to king Henry in manner as before his brother had done requesting the king to restore vnto him Northumberland which hee chalenged as his proper right The other answered that it rested not in his powre to dispose thereof without the consent of his subiects that as by Parliament the same was taken from his brother he would so farre yeelde vnto his demand as to the like assemblie should seeme reasonable which the King afterwards performed accordingly rendring so much of Northumberland as King Malcolme his great Grandfather was seised of at the time of the Cōposition made with the Conqueror for the space of eight or nine yeares following these two Kings liued peaceably together and one to the other shewed great kindnesse so as King William at one iourney accompanied the other into Normandy and sundry times afterwards repayred to the English Court where hee was euer ioyfully and royally intertained Dauid his brother was also louingly entreated during his aboad in England and at Windsor honored by King Henrie with the order of Knight-hood Thenceforth hee followed the King of England in his warres in France although he was sondry waies attempted to haue beene drawne to the aduerse parte But in processe of time which worketh alteration in all estates thorough the instigation especially of Lewis the French King who had now set the two Henries the Father and the sonne one against the other Amongst diuerse other as well of the Nobilitie of England as of forraine Princes King William was likewise won to take part with the young King for his Father had caused him to be crowned in that vnnaturall strife contention So as while king Henry the Father was set on worke on the other side of the Sea by his seditious sonnes for the rest tooke part with their eldest brother the realme much disquieted with in it selfe by the Earles of Lecester Chester Lincoln Norfolk and diuers other domesticall complices of this dangerous conspiracie the Scotish king hauing gathered a mightie armie entred therewith into the Marches of England tooke the Castels of Browgh Applebie with some other sent part of his Army into Kendale wasting the
habere debent de domino rege hominibus suis Pro ista verò conuentione fine firmiter obseruando domino regi Henrico filio suo haeredibus suis à rege Scotiae haeredibus suis liberauit rex Scotiae domino Regi castellum de Rockesburgh castellum Puellarum castellum de Striuelinge in manu domini Regis ad custodienda castella assignabit rex Scotiae de redditu suo mensurabiliter ad voluntatem domini Regis Praeteria pro praedicta conuentione fine exequendo liberabit rex Scotiae domino Regi Dauid fratrem suum in obsidem comitem Duncanum comitem Waldenum similiter alios comites Barones cum alijs viris potentibus quorum numerus octo-decem Et quando Castella reddita fuerint illis Rex Scotiae Dauid frater eius liberabuntur Comites quidem Barones praenominati vnusquisque postquam liberauerit obsidem suum scilicet filium legitimum qui habuerit alij nepotes suos vel propinquiores sibi haeredes castellis vt dictum est redditis liberabuntur Praetereà Rex Scotiae Barones sui praenominati assecurauerint quod ipsi bona fide sine malo ingenio sine occasione facient vt Episcopi Barones caeteri homines terrae suae qui non affuerunt quando rex Scotiae cum domino Rege finiuit eandem ligiantiam fidelitatem domino Regi Henrico filio suo quum ipsi fecerunt et vt Barones homines qui affuerunt obsides liberabunt domino Regi de quibus habere voluerit Praetereà Episcopi Comites Barones conuentionauerunt domino Regi et Henrico filio suo Quod si Rex Scotiae aliquo casu a fidelitate domini regis filij a conuentione praedicta recederit ipsicum Domino Rege tenebunt sicut cum ligio domino suo contrà regem Scotiae contrà omnes homines ei inimicantes Et episcopi sub interdicto ponent terram regis Scotiae donec ipse ad fidelitatem Domini Regis redeat Praedictā itaque conuentionem firmitèr obseruandum bone fide sine malo ingenio Domino Regi Henrico filio suo haeredibus suis à Wilhelmo Rege Scotiae Dauid fratre suo Baronibus suis praedictis haeredibus eorum assecurauit ipse Rex Scotiae Dauid frater eius omnes Barones sui praenominati sicut ligij homines domini Regis contrà omnem hominem Henrici filij Regis salua fidelitate patris sui hijs testibus Richardo episcopo Abrincensi Iohanne Salisburiae Decano Roberto Abbate Malmesburiae Radulpho Abbate Mundesburg nec non alijs abbatibus comittibus baronibus duobus filijs suis scilicet Richardo Galfrido ex Rog. Houeden Besides the deliuery of the three Castles expressed in the former Charter the Scotish King did absolutely depart with all and surrender vnto King Henry and to his Heire for euer the Towne and Castell of Berwicke which forthwith was committed to the custody of Sir Geffrey Neuille The Castles of Edenbrough and Rockesbrugh were likewise kept by the kings apointment by Sir Roger and Sir William de Stutuille This meeting at Yorke was in the yeare 1175. where this businesse beeing dispatched the two Kings departed in kindnesse the one into Scotland the other towardes London Not long after king William vpon his summons repayred to North-Hampton where King Henrie had called a Parliament Diuerse Bishops and Abbotes of Scotland attended their king thither to acknowledge their subiection to the Church of England according to the Articles comprised in the former Charter and their ancient custome in former times but by no meanes they would yeeld thereunto notwithstanding that the Archbishop of Yorke shewed sufficient proues and priuileges granted by sundrie Bishops of Rome iustifiyng the right he pretended to the primacie ouer all the Scotish Clergie But because the Archbishop of Canterburie hoped to bring them vnder his iurisdiction or else enuying that his inferior should be axalted so farre aboue him hee so wrought with the king his Maister as that for the present there was no subiection acknowledged eyther to the one or other These two kings liued together in all loue and kindnesse in so much as the king of England imployed king William in his absence in his more weighty affayres in Normandie Also hee gaue vnto him to wife his cousin the Ladie Ermengard Daughter to Richard Vicount Beaumonte that was sonne to a Daughter of king William the Conquerour The mariage was solemnized at Woodstocke at the charge of the King who withall resigned to the Bridegroome his whole interest in the Castell of Edenbrough which King William forth-with bestowed vpon his new Wife as a portion of her dowrie augmenting the same with an hundred pounds land by the yeare and fortie knights fees Not long before this marriage Dauid king Williams Brother had marryed also an English woman named Mawde one of the Daughters of Hugh Bohun Earle of Chester otherwise called Keuelocke by which marriage hee was strongly allyed with the Nobilitie of England for his wiues three Sisters Mabell Agnes and Hauise were married to Daubigne Earle of Arundell Ferrers Earle of Darbye and to Quincie Earle of Lincolne These mariages were meanes of good agreement betweene these two nations for a long time after Within two or three yeares after the marriage of king William king Henry deceased in the fiue and thirtith yeare of his raigne whome his two Sonnes Richard and Iohn succeeded one after the other During the raigne of the former no occasion of quarrell was offered on either side but the two kings liued together in all familiaritie and perfect friendshippe for immediatly after the coronation of king Richard the Scotish king beeing honourablie attended with the Archbishop of Yorke the kings base Brother and with diuerse Barons and others of England passed thorough the realme to Canterburie where king Richard had assembled in counsell his Lords spirituall and temporall At this meeting king William and Dauid his Brother together with the English Lords tooke an oathe to continue true to the king of England and to abide in due obedience vnder him and his lawes beeing now to leaue them for a season for hee was so farre passed on his iourney towards the Holy-land as it was then called And the more firmely to binde the Scotish king by his liberalitie to the obseruance of this othe hee there restored vnto him all the other three Castles at Berwicke Rockesbrough and Sterlinge and withall that parte of Northumberland which king Henrie his Father had taken from him when hee was his prisoner Further king Richard resigned vnto him the counties of Cumberland and Huntington but with this condition that all the Castels should still abide in the custodie of such as king Richard should place in them Lastly he released him of all further paiments and summes of money due for his ransome excepting tenne thousand
sea to Berwicke Of the Nobilitie of England were slaine Gilbert Earle of Glocester Robert Lord Clifford the Lord Giles Argentine whose death Bruse much lamented for the great loue that was betweene thē afore-time in England the Lord Panie Tiptost the Lord William Marshall the Lord Reginold Damiecourt the Lord Edmond de Manley the kings Steward with other to the number of forty two Of knights threescore and seuen The Earle of Hereford the Lord Iohn Seagraue and others to the number of two and twentie men of name were taken prisoners Of the Scots were slaine about foure thousand amongst whom Sir William Weapont and Sir Walter Ros were the principall men of account This was the most notable victorie that euer the Scots had ouer the Englishmen which came to passe only by the misguiding and want of experience in their leaders and captaines presuming ouer much of their aduantage in number furniture of weapons neither were they so circumspect as it behoued them to be in the discouery of aduātage or disaduantage which the plot of ground where the battel was fought might afford to the one side more then to the other For they might haue coniectured euen by Bruse his abiding in the field with so small a power against so great a puissance being of Englishmē more then two to one Scot that he relied more vpon the successe of his hidden deceipts then of his owne strength This battell was fought on Midsummer day in the yeare 1314. Here-upon Striueling Castle was rendred vp Bruse his wife was vpon exchange sent home hauing beene in England about eight yeares After Bruse had thus fortunatlie recouered his kingdome he was by generall consent of his subiects confirmed and established in the same The Crowne was intailed vpon the heyres Males of his bodie lawfully begotten and for want of such issue to remaine to his brother Edward Bruse and the Heyres Males of his bodie and for default thereof the same should descend vpon the Ladie Margery the Kings eldest daughter whome onelie hee begat on his first wife sister to the Earle of Mar. Which Lady by the aduice of his Noblemen was bestowed in marriage on Walter high Steward of Scotland on whose posteritie the Crowne shortlie after descended and in the same familie continueth till this day taking that surname of the office which theyr Ancestors bare and was first bestowed on Walter the sonne of Fleance by King Malcolme Cammore for his notable seruice against the Rebelles of Galloway What thorough the losse of so many mens liues and the domage which our Nation susteyned at this last battell and the great dearth and death of man and beast that thorough the vnseasonable state of those times continued for the space of three yeares after small resistance or none at all was made against the Scots who taking the benefit of this aduantage ceassed not exceedinglie to annoye and trouble the Realme by their continuall incursions Hereof Pope Iohn the 22. taking compassion at the Kings sute sent ouer two Cardinalles Gancellino his Chancellor and Lucas de Frisco to mediate a peace betweene the two Nations But king Robert held it yet out of season to hearken thereunto hauing as he tooke it not sufficiently beene satisfied for his former losses and displeasures Whereupon these iollie Chaplaines proceeded against him with all extremitie denouncing him and all his fautors accursed and putting his kingdome whereof they accounted him but a vsurper vnder interdiction But all these bumbaced skarre-crowes nothing abated king Roberts corage who still following his good hap while the time best serued for it held on his former course so eagerlie as that in short time hee recouered the Castles and townes of Harbottle Warke Medford and Berwicke which last it is said was betrayed by Peter Spalding the Gouernor hauing remained English one and twenty yeares together Neither would king Robert limit his kingdome by the ancient boundes but inlarged the same euen vnto New-castle vpon Tine At this time also the Scots obtained diuers victories in Ireland thorough the manhood of Edward Bruse their kings brother who neuerthelesse in the end was slaine in battell and aboue fiue thousand Scots with him His head was brought ouer and presented to king Edward by Iohn Birmingha◠for the which good seruice now and at 〈◊〉 other times in Ireland the king gaue him the Earledome of Lowth to him his heyres Males and the Baronie of Athird to him and his heires generally of his body begotten The realme of England now being somewhat recouered of the hard estate it stood in the last three yeares King Edward was desirous to make triall if happily he might rubbe out the blemish of the late blowe receiued of his enemies in Scotland Hauing therefore assembled his Armie at Yorke who for the more patt were handy-crafts men and Artificers passing from thence he layde siege to Berwicke The Scottes in the meane time vnder the conduct of Thomas Randolph entring England on the other side put all to fire and sword little resistance being made against them for those countries lay well neere desolate since their inuasion the yeare before The Archbishop of Yorke could not indure the enimies approach so neere him being now come within two or three dayes marche of the Citie and therefore assembling such people as for the present hee could get men that were readiest at his command hee aduentured like a bold Champion to encounter the Scots of whom ouer-late he learned this lesson Ne sutor vltra crepidam For the greater number of these gallants some two thousand were knockt downe before they saw their enimies who by setting certaine Haystackes on fire and taking the winde of them were vpon them ere they knew what it meant The Archbishop and the Bishop of Elye Lord Chancellor with the Abbot of Selby escaped by flight but Nicholas Fleming the Maire of Yorke that stucke better to it was slaine This hapned on the 12 of October 1319. at a place called Mitton vpon Swaile And because this armie consisted most of Surplisse men it was in derision called the white battaile but most of them found it a black daie King Edward feareing least the Scotts intended some further mischiefe brake vp his siege and returned to Yorke where vnderstanding that the enemy was with-drawne home-ward he likewise tooke his way towards London The next yeare passed ouer without any stirring on either side the rather because the two Kings were disquieted at home by their owne subiects In the meane time at the procurement of King Edward the Pope sent hyther his leaden bulles which aduantaged him their weight in gold for hee is the best alchimist in Europe to the Archbishops of Canterburie and Yorke commanding them that vnlesse the Scottish king would fourth-with make satisfaction for the wronges done to the realme as well concerning the state ecclesiasticall as temporall they should proceede to the denouncing of sentence against him and all his adherentes But the Scottes made
acknowleding to hold that Realme of him his heires and successors for euer At this meeting Balliol freelie gaue to king Edward the Castells and townes of Berwike Roxbrugh Peplies Dunfries Hadingtone and Gedworthe with the forestes of Silkerke and Etherike so as all the premises should bee thence-forth cleerelie seperated from the Crowne of Scotland and annexed to the Crowne of England all this was then firmely ratified and assured by oth writing and witnesse in the yeare 1334. King Edward being departed homewards Balliol was still set on worke by them of the Brusian faction in whose hands still remayned sundry strong Castells and fortifications as Dunbritanie Lochleuin Keldromie Vrquhart and the stronge pile of Lowdone so that as oportunitie serued one or other still reuolted from his obedience but at the approach of King Edward the next winter who was alwaies ready to relieue him in his extremities the country was well appeased and so committed to the keeping of Dauid Cumine Earle of Atholl while Balliol in the meane time accompanied the king into England This Earle was so egerly pursued shortly after their departure by the aduerse party that in the end hee was forced to reuolt from the English VVherevpon new sturres begā againe to arise especially thorough the prouocation of the Earle of Murrey and Robert Steward the principall men of the Brusian side For the suppressing hereof king Edward made his third voyage into Scotland the Summer following in the yeare 1335. His nauy at this time also for in his former iorneys thither hee was euer as well prouided by sea as by land consisted of some hundred and fifty saile well replenished with men munition and victualls By land he was accompanied with Balliol and his brother the Earle of Cornewall diuerse great Lords attending vpon them Being entred into Scotland they deuided themselues sometimes into two sometimes into three seuerall companies in which manner they passed at their pleasure without resistance aswell beyond the Scottish fourth as on this side the same In the meane time the Earle of Athol repaired to the king submitting himselfe againe to his obedience by whose example diuers other did the like but this Earle was shortly after slaine at the siedge of the Castell of Keldromie At the approach of winter king Edward with-drew himselfe to Newcastel where hee kept the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord. Immediatly after the Epiphany hee prepared to haue passed againe into Scotland especially to take reuenge for the death of the Earle of Atholl but in the meane time a truce was taken by mediation of the French king and the Pope which indured till the twenty seauenth of March 1336. In the meane season a Parliament was appointed to be held at London wherein a finall accord betweene the two nations should haue beene treated of and the kingdome of Scotland established Where the right which these two Scottish kings pretended should haue appeared most forcible VVhile this good course was intended and fully agreed vpon on all sides the Lord Maurice de Murrey slewe Sir Geffery de Ros a Scottish knight and Sheriffe of Aire and Leuarke one of Balliol his partakers because in time of warre hee had before slaine his brother By reason of this presumptious part and the frowardnesse of the Scottes on both sides still seeking reuenge one of the other this treatie tooke no effect The next Sommer about VVhitsontide the king sent an army into Scotland vnder the conduct of Balliol and diuers English Lords who finding the towne of Saint Iohns defaced by the enemies not able of themselues to hold it caused the same to be fortified at the charge of sixe of the next monasteries vnto it King Edward about this time was at a Parliament holden at Northamptone where leauing his Lordes and the rest to treate of such matters as were propounded amongst them hee posted into the North partes coming to Berwike from thence with a slender attendance hee arriued at Saint Iohns towne before any man there had heard of his intention Here hee found Balliol and the rest of his companie From hence the King passed forwards with some part of his army as farre as Elgen in Murrey-land thence to Inuernesse much further into Scotland then euer the King his grandfather had done before In the meane time the Earle of Cornewall with the power of Yorkeshire and Northumberland men and the Lord Anthony Lucie with those of Westmerland Comberland entred into Scotland wasted and spoyled the VVest partes as Carrick and others which obayed not Balliol The Lord Dowglasse by coasting the Englishmen did his best to hinder their course At length this armie hauing done what harme it could was sent home with great prey and bootie but the Earle of Cornewall with his owne people came thorow to Saint Iohns towne where he found the king returned from beyond the Mountaines Here some of the Scotish writers charge the King to haue slaine this Earle his brother for committing ouer great cruelty vpō the desolate Scottes in this his last iorney especially against the men of Religion it may be that the King was touched with a Christian compassion ouer the pore afflicted cōmonalty who cōmonly smart most for the obstinacy of the mightier mē But for any violence vsed by the king towards his brother it is so far from any colour of truth that euen the better sort of their own writers haue suppressed that report as a vaine and meere forgery For it wel appeareth by our own writers that this Earle died there of a natural disease his body was brought to England interred at Westminster with all solemnity therto belonging The king wholy spent these 2. last years in establishing of Balliol in the kingdō of Scotland because he was desirous to make all sure on that side whilest he followed his wars in France wheron now hee began to set al his thoughts At his departure out of Scotland some-what before the natiuity of our Lord Balliol withal his partakers bound themselues by an especial law that whensoeuer he his heires and successors kings of Eng. should make war either at home or abroad they their heires shold at their own charge for one whole yeare furnish him with 3. hundred horse-men one thousand foot-men wel apointed for seruice Shortly after the kings returne home war was proclaimed with France and all things forth-with were in preparing for that iorneye The next yeare the warre in Scotland proceeded with equall losse and disaduantage on both sides towards the end of the same yeare the king sent thyther an army of some twenty thousand men vnder the leading of the new created Earles of Salisbury Glocester and Derbie and of as many Barrones Percy Neuille and Stafford These besiedged the castell of Dumbar but to their small aduantage and lesse credit For hauing continewed the siedge about twenty weekes vnder the colour of a truce before it was distressed they gaue it ouer being more desirous to
Dauids daies For such was the curtisie and friendly behauiour of Edward towaâ—ds the two captiue Kings of France and Scotland while they remained togither in England as that thereby hee won their loue and fauor foreuer after as appeared by their repaire hither to visit the King and Queene and to recreate and solace themselues in their company And thus it came to passe that their captiuitie here turned more to their owne aduantage and the peaciable enioying of their estats afâ—er the same then if it had neuer hapned vnto them King Dauid beeing dead without issue of his bodie Robert Steward his Sisters Sonne by the Generall consent of all the estates was crowned King of Scotland in the yeare of our Lord. 1370. Here ended the posterity of Malcolm Cammore in the Masculine line which had continewed two hundred threescore and eighteene yeares and was transferred to an other ancient house of the Scottish Nation which in the beginning of the raigne of this King Malcolm tooke the surname Steward on them vpon the office which their auncestour their bare as before I haue touched and this family hath euer since borne the Crowne of Scotland euen vnto this day The league which was before made with his Vncle the deceased King was now renewed for foureteene yeares But immediatly vpon the Coronation of King Richard the second Sonne to that valiant Prince surnamed Blacke both the Father and grand-father beeing dead in the yeare of our Lord 1377. King Robert was so earnestly labored by Ambassadours out of France to make warre vpon England thereby to purchase vnto King Charles their Maister the more quietnesse at home that forth-with preparation was made to put his 〈◊〉 in execution And first vnâ—â—â—â— colour ascending reuenge on the English borderers for the death of a seruant of George Earle of Dumbarâ—â— that by occasion of some drunken fraye the yeare before was slaine at Roxbrugh faire the said Earle together with his broâ—her the Earle of Murrey gathering a powre came secretly to the towne the next Fayre-day slew all the Englishmen they found thereat carried away their goods and set the towne on fire 〈◊〉 his outragious demeanour of these Scotts Henry Percie Earle of Northumberland entred into Scotland with ten thousand men and tooke sufficient reuenge on the Earle of Marche and others the chiefe authors of the former fact Amongst the rest Sir Iohn Gordon tooke himselfe much iniured by this inuasion who therefore making a road into England got together a great bootie In his returne home-ward he was set vpon by the Englishmen but after a long fight they were finally discomfited and their Captaine Sir Iohn Lylborne with his brother and diuers other were taken prisonâ—â—s and carried into Scotland Sir Iohn Gordon was so incouraged here-with as that shortly after he together with Sir Alexander Ramsey and fortie other chosen men fittest to enterprise such a difficultie aâ—out the latter end of Nouember in the deaâ—â—â—â—â—e of the night being come to Berwicke â—â—d â—auing mounted the walles slew the watchmen while they were sleeping and thereby became Maisters of the Castell Sir Robert Boyntone Constable thereof and such as were with him being ouer-few vpon that disaduantage to repulse the enemie were all slaine in their owne defence Not-with-standing they permitted his wife children and some fewe of their seruants to depart on condition that within three weekes after they should eyther send for their ransome three thousand Markes or else yeeld their bodies againe The next morning the Scottes issuing out of the Castell before it was knowne what was hapned brought with them into it a droue of Cattle which were pasturing there-about The Earle of Northumberland being aduertised hereof hasted thither with foure hundred men well appointed by whome the Castell was againe recouered by force within two houres nine dayes after the taking of the same The Scottes were all slaine by the assailiants either in the defence of the Castle or of their persons after they were entred Alexander Ramsey onely excepted whom they reserued by his libertie to redeeme the ransome promised before to the Scottes for the wife and childreÌ„ of Captaine Boyntone These things thus passed in the yeare 1378. The pestilence so afflicted the North parts of England all the summer following as that a great part of those countries lay well neere desolate not-with-standing the Scotts ceased not daily to make roades into the land catching vp and carrying away what-so-euer 〈◊〉 into their greedy clawes so as the very heards of swine where-with before they would neuer deale were now accounted a good booty Further the Earle Dowglasse with some twentie thousand Scots entred into Penner on the Faire day sacked the towne and then set it on fire but the people saued them-selues by running away The Scots paide very deare for those commodities For there-with all they carried home with them an infection of the plague whereof in the two years next following so great a number died being spred well nere ouer the whole land as the like was neuer before knowne in Scotland In further reuenge of this out-rage committed at Penner the Englishmen shortly after entred into Scotland ouer Sufway putting all to the sword that made resistance and hauing gotten a great booty together in tâ—eir returne they lodged in a strait valley neere to the confines of England which aduantage being espied by the Scots that pursued them they suddenly in the night fell vpon them slew a great number and put the rest to flight and so recouered their goods againe while in the meane season the warre continued very hotely by land and sea betweene England and France Iohn Duke of Lancaster the kings Vncle laboured a peace with the Scots which was concluded to indure three yeâ—â—es The truce replied Archibald Dowlasse together with the Earles Dowglasse and Dunbar vnderstanding that the Castell of Lochemaben was vnprouided of men and victuals necessary for the defence thereof so sharplie assailed the same as that the Captaine thereof Sir William Featherstone hauing in the meane â—â—â—e receiued no ayde out of England as hee expected vpon knowledge giuen to the wardens of the English Marches in what state it stood at the end of eight daies according to composition he surrendred the Castle into their possessioÌ„ which incontinently was cast downe flatt to the ground Herevpon the Baron of Graystock with a new supply of men and victuals was appointed to releeue the Castle of Roxbrough least it should be taken vnprouided as the former But the Earle of March hauing gotten knowledge thereof lay priuily in waite for the Englishmen tooke the Baron prisoner and caried him with his charge to Dunbar The Scots about this time tooke also the Castle of Warke and set it on fire King Richard being not a little discontented with this their fortunate proceedings sent the Duke of Lancaster with a great powre into ScotlaÌ„d hauing now appeased his troubles at home raised by the seditious rebels of Northfolke other
continewed till king Ricâ—â—â—d was deposed by his vnkinde cousine Henrie Plantagenet Sonne to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster in the yeare of our Lord 1399. But immediatlie after the coronation of king Henrie the fourth while Sir Thomas Gray Captaine of Warke Castell was at the Parliament certaine Scottes assaulted and tooke it by force but either dispayring to keepe it or not dareing to auowe what they had done the truce still continewing they leaft it defaced and ruinated Howsoeuer they excused this their rough beginning it seemed by that which followed that they had no great respect to the obseruance of peace which had hitherto continewed vnuiolated for the tearme of ten yeares but was shortlie after broken by them againe vpon this occasion George of Dumbar Earle of the Marches of Scotland had betrothed his Daughter to the King his Maisters Sonne and heire the Father not only consenting therevnto but also receauing a good part of the marriage monie This King was named Iohn but because the former two kings of England and France so called had such bad successe hee tooke vpon him the name of Robert The Earle Dowglas taking indignation that any other of that Nation should bee herein preferred before him and complayning that the consent of the States was to much neglected in not beeing made acquainted with a matter of that importance as appertayned therevnto offred a Daughter of his owne with a greater portion Hereof king Robert accepted and forth-with made vp the marriage Dumbar complayning of this wronge demaunded the monie his king had receiued but hee could not receiue so much as a kinde answere of him This double iniury done him by the Dowglas both the losse of his monie and which hee esteemed farre more of the kinges fauour did not a little trouble him Therefore hauing no other meanes to bee hereof reuenged hee leaft both Court and Country and repayring into England complayned himselfe vnto Henrie the Earle of Northumberland of whome he hoped to be relieued In the meane time the Earle Dowglas seized on the Castell of Dunbar in the King his Maisters name which was committed to the custodie of Robert Matland at the Earle of March his departure into England Northumberland aduised him to returne into Scotland and to make tryall if happily some other course might preuaile with his King for the saluing of these his discontentments But comming to Dunbar the Earle Dowglas hauing fortified the Castell would not admit him entrance answering that hee kept it to the vse of the King who had sent him thither to that end The other Earle seeing his greatest enemie so much to triumph ouer him could not brooke it but without making further meanes to the King at whose hands he ought especially to haue fought for remedy hee together with his wife children and allies returned againe into England informing the Earle of Northumberland of all the displeasures done vnto him by his aduersary the Dowglas and withall desired him seeing he could not otherwise preuaile to aide him in the recouerie of his possessions by force sithence by force they were kept against him Herevpon followed some stirres by the rising of the borderers on both sides who ioyning then forces together did the Dowglas all the mischiefe they could King Robert not a little moued here-with did write to king Henry that vnlesse he would deliuer into his hands the fugitiue Earle he would take it for a breach of the truce and proceed against him accordingly What answer soeuer king Henrie made here-vnto it deserued not so bitter a reprehension as wher-with Buchanan doth check him Impudency is a foule fault in a priuate man much more in a Prince I hold him of a very froward temper that in his writings cannot afford a King his good words although they show sometimes dislike of their actions King Robert vpon the returne of his messenger caused open warre to be proclaimed and Sir William Logon a Scottish Knight was forth-with sent to the Sea of purpose to sett on the English fleete that was then fishing on the coast of Scotland about Aberden But hee was incountred with certaine ships of Lin and by them taken prisoner The Fisher-men vnderstanding what was intended against them entring into some of the Iles of Orkney carried away with them whatsoeuer was worth their labour and set the rest on fire King Henry perceiuing what was to be looked for out of Scotland thought it good in the beginning either to draw the Scots to peace or to resist their malice before further mischiefe should insue therof And therfore hauing a great armie hee there-with entred into Scotland about the middest of August being the eleuenth month from his coronation From Hadington he passed to Leeth vsing much clemencie in all places where he came especially to the houses of religion Where-vpon diuers Castels Houlds willingly submitted themselues vnto him Comming to Edenbrough he besiedged the Castle Hither Robert Duke of Albanie gouernour of Scotland vnder the King his brother who by reason of his impotencie could not trauell in his person sent an Harald of Armes vnto king Henry promising to giue him battaile within sixe dayes at the furthest if hee would stay so long The King accepting the offer gaue the messenger for his good newes a chaine of gold and a Sattin gowne at his departure But neither at the end of sixe or sixteene dayes heard he any more of the Gouernours comming The Scottish writers attribute this dishonorable dealing to the Dukes ambition whom it would not haue troubled though the Castle had beene taken together with the young Prince of Scotland in the same that thereby hee might haue beene in so much the more hope of the crowne him-selfe after which it was thought he greatly thirsted But on the other side they highly extoll the singular moderation of King Henry who by this his gentle inuasion seemed rather desirous to allure them to peace then to afflict them with the calamities alwayes accompaning warre Winter approaching the King brake vp the siedge and returned home without any shew of resistance greatly to the Gouernours reproach neither shewing him-selfe desirous of warre nor willing to offer conditions of peace how apparent tokens soeuer was showed by king Henry of his readinesse to haue accepted thereof After some little harme done the next Summer by the borderers on both sides Patrike Hepburne with some greater powre entred further into England and hauing gotten a good bootie and therwithall returning home-wards hee was ouer-taken by the Englishmen at Nesbet in the Meirs where their Captaine together with the greater number of his people well neere the very flowre of all the Lothian youth were beaten downe and slaine in fight Amongst those that were taken prisoners Iohn and William Cockburne Robert Lawder Iohn and Thomas Haliburton were the men of best account This ouer-throw was giuen the Scottes on the xxii day of Iune in the yeare 1401. The Earle Archibald Dowglas sonne to the other
left to succeed him his onely child Prince Henry about as many months old as his father had raigned yeares Whose infancie was neuerthelesse mightily supported by the notable valiancie and policie of his two Vncles Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Iohn Duke of Bedford to the one was committed the protectioÌ„ of his person and kingdome to the other the managing of the warre continued in France The death of the two kings comming together within two months one after the other caused much alteration in the state wherein that nation presently stood For thervpon a great number of the French nobility who before had taken part with the EnglishmeÌ„ began to reuolt to Charles the Dolphine The Scotts also became now more ready to assist him then before thorow the hope they had of present aduancement which thing within two yeares after cost many of their liues first at the siege of Crauant in the County of Auxerre and in the yere following at the bloudy battaile of Vernoile fought on the 20. of August in the yeare 1424. At the former conflict besides 1800. Gentlemen of the French nation there were slaine of the Scots their partakers the Lord of Saint Iohns towne Sir Iohn of Bulgary S. Iohn Turnbull S. Iohn Haliburton Sir Robert Lisley S. William Coningham Sir William Dowglas Sir Alexander Hume S. William Lisly Sir Iohn Rotherford S. William Crayford S. Thomas Seaton S. WilliaÌ„ Hamilton his son Iohn Pillot the Earle Buchquhan maister of the French chiualry who in the sight lost his eie was takeÌ„ prisoner But at the battaile of Vernoile of the Scottes were slaine Archibald Earle Dowglas lately created by the Dolphine Duke of Turaine Iames Dowglas his Sonne Earle of Wigton Iohn Earle of Bowghen who as it seemeth had either escaped before out of the Englishmens hands or else had râ—â—â—eemed his liberty besides men of speciall note aboue two thousand In the meane time thorough dissention that arose betweene Mordo then the gouernour of Scotland after the decease of the Duke of Albaine his Father and his vnrulie Sonnes certaine Ambassadours were sent from thence into England to treate for the deliuery of Prince Iames of Scotland This young Gentleman was then greatlie inamored ouer a beautifull Ladie Sister to Iohn Duke of Somerset Neece to the Cardinall of Winchester and to the Duke of Excester and neere cousine to the yong King himselfe it was hoped that thorowe the alliance hee should haue in England by this marriage and the manifold fauours following the same the Prince should haue beene wonne to a perpetuall amity with this Realme which had beene now vnto him for the tearme of fifteene yeares a verie Sanctuarie for the safety of his person and an Academie for the instruction of his minde and vnderstanding The Lord protector and the Nobilitie of the Land were heereby mooued not onely vpon verie reasonable conditions to set him at liberty but also to yeeld him the fruition of her loue which happily the Prince preferred or at the least equally ballanced with the same Before his departure into Scotland hee did homage to the young king of England at Windsor Castell in the presence of three Dukes the two Archbishops twelue Earles ten Bishops twenty Barons and two hundred Knights and Gentlemen in these words viz. I Iames Steward King of Scots shall be true and faithfull to you Lord Henry by the grace of God King of England and to you I make my fidelity for the same kingdome of Scotland which I hold and claime of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and limme and worldly honour against all men And faithfully I shall doe to you seruice for the kingdome of Scotland So God me helpe c. This done King Iames with his Queene were honorably attended and accompanied into Scotland in the yeare of grace 1423. But not-with-standing this his solemne oath his princely education here and all the fauours hee had receiued both at his departure and during his captiuitie if it may be so tearmed whether it proceeded from a bad disposition in himselfe or as I rather take it from the malice of his Nobilitie who for the more part were French in affection this Prince of all other shewed least thankfulnesse for hauing forgotten the former courtesies hee entred into matrimoniall alliance with France then at defiance with that his late affinitie with England being euen then as it were most nearlie naturalized by his issue in bloud and kindred there-vnto Buchanan doth greatly labour his wittes there-with to wash out this blemish in the middest of the splendor and brightnesse of his manifold graces But sithence hee faileth as I take it in the very foundation of that his Apologie the frame which hee would thereon build must of necessitie fall to the ground For hee taketh it already granted that the king of England did both violate his owne faith and the lawes of all Nations by detaining the Prince as his lawfull prisoner vpon his arriuall here on the coast But it is apparant enough as before I haue shewed that either there was no truce at all betweene the two nations at that instant or if there were the same was notoriouslie broken by the Scottes in ioyning those their so great forces with the knowne enimies of this realme against their lawfull Soueraigne so farre within his owne kingdome Admit all that was done without the priuitie of the King him-selfe But how-so-euer the good aged man might iustly pleade his innocencie herein bearing as then the bare title of King how can the State bee excused against whose knowledge an enterprice of that importance could not possibly haue beene attempted if there were any hard measure offered herein by king Henrie neuerthelesse the same was so fully acquited by the inestimable benefit of his pretious education for as Buchanan himselfe reporteth thereof Tanta ingenij celeritas vigor in eo fuisse dicitur vt nullam homine ingenuo dignum artem ignorabat that truly such a captiuitie should neuer haue moued him to haue falne out with England vpon the mariage of the Lady Margaret the Scottish kings Daughter with Lewis the Dolphine some sturres arose betweene the Englishmen and the Scottes with equall losse on both sides but not of much reckoning King Iames neuer-the-lesse being there-with prouoked assembled a great powre and besieged the Castle of Roxbrough from whence he was remoued by the repaire of the Queene his wife thither that informed him of a very dangerous conspiracie against his owne person how-be-it shortly after his returne into Scotland hee was wickedly murthered by his subiects in the yeare 1436. leauing behind him a neuer dying memory of many royall vertues The young Prince his sonne Iames the second about seauen yeares olde at his fathers death hauing raigned aboue twentie yeares was slaine by misfortune at the siege of the same Castle where the King his Father had knowledge first giuen him of the plotte of his finall destruction In
the meane time there was nothing of any importance passed betweene the two nations what was gotten by either party at one time was lost againe at another after the manner of the mutabilitie of those aduentures happily there would haue beene more doings betweene them if the continuall troubles with their owne subiects had not giuen both the kings their hands full at home Besides that king Henry after the deaths of those two gallant warriers his Vncles was so busied with loosing that which his victorious father had lately gotten in France as that hee could not attend any dealings with Scotland though hee had beene more then he was therevnto prouoked But in the end king Iames taking the aduantange of time vnder colour to reuenge the death of Edmond Duke of Somerset his mothers brother who about fiue yeares before was slaine at Saint Albons by the faction of Yorke in the defence of the king was incouraged to vnder-take this his vnfortunate iourney against Roxbrugh Notwithstanding this mishap the Scotts would not giue ouer the siege but so manfully assailed the defendants that in the end they were forced vpon honorable conditions to yeeld vp the Castle vnto the yong king Iames the third then present being about the same age that his father was of when that Castle was besieged last before but dispairing to bee able to hold it long in their possession they cast it downe to the ground and returned home to solemnize the funerals of the father and the coronation of the Sonne in the yeare 1460. within sixe months after this the King of England was deposed and so together ended the raignes of these two kings the one by vntimely death the other by liuing longer then he knew how to raigne for hauing liued and raigned together about eight and thirtie yeares hee was then by his owne subiects deposed and depriued of all kinglie powre where-vpon both hee the Queene his wife and his sonne fled together into Scotland for succour from whence the Queene passed ouer into France and hauing gathered some ayde out of those countries they assayed the recouerie of their former estates but all in vaine for their aduersarie Edward Duke of Yorke the new elected King still defeated all their attempts tending there-vnto The desolate king hauing beene harbored in Scotland about three yeares aduentured to returne vnknowne into England I know not with what hope of good successe but being presently discouered he was apprehended and committed to the Towre of London from whence with-in seauen yeares after hee was deliuered King Edward being driuen out of the realme by the Earle of Warwike who before had been the chiefe meane of his aduancement to the Crowne But this was but a lightning before his last fall for within sixe months after king Edward returned againe into England where hee found such friends that forth-with without any resistance hee eâ—â—red into London tooke King Henrie who in the meane time was newly crowned and committed him to his former imprisonment where the same yeare hee ended his life not without suspition of violence By meanes of this ciuill dissention here in England Berwicke became Scottish for King Henry had bestowed the same on King Iames in requitall of the fauour hee had found in Scotland during his abode there Hereat King Edward for the present was not onely content to winke but also willing to accept of a truce with that nation for fifteene yeares King Iames hauing in the meane season through lewd counsell of certaine bad persons about him vniustly executed one of his brothers and imprisoned an other fell thereby into contempt and mislike with his subiects and therefore to make himselfe the stronger if happily they should rise in armes against him he sent into England the expiration of the former truce now approaching a solemne Ambassage to intreate that his Sonne Iames the young Prince of Scotland might haue to wife the Lady Cicelie second Daughter to King Edward This request was so well liked of by the King and his Counsell that the same was easilie yeelded vnto and for the better assurance thereof King Edward was also willing presently to disburse certaine summes of money with condition that iâ— afterwardes vpon any occasion the intended marriage should not hold that then the monie should within a certaine time limitted be repayed backe againe For the performance whereof the principall marchants of Edenbrough stood bound to the King of England This was thus concluded vpon in the yeare 1481. While King Iames now hoped that all was safe on his side by his alliance with England Alexander his second brother Duke of Albanie had the good hap to escape out of the Castell of Edenbrough where hee was imprisoned who hauing afterward spent some time in France and not preuailing so much with Lewis the eleuenth as that hee would bee intreated to ayde him towards the recouerie of his former estate in Scotland came ouer hither into England and earnestlie solicited king Edward to make warre vpon the king his brother thereby to take reuenge for the extreame iniuries done to him and his other brother Iohn Earle of Marre from whom he had taken his life as from him-selfe his lands and libertie The Duke was herein seconded by the Dowglas who long before had beene banished Scotland These two so much preuailed with King Edward and the rather because the Scottish King had euen then permitted his subiects at the perswasion of the French king to inuade the English marches to the great hurt and annoyance of the inhabitants that in the end king Edward caused preparation for to bee made for the inuasion of Scotland against the next spring The leading of this strong armie was committed to certaine Noble-men ouer whom Richard Duke of Glocester the Kings brother then newly come to mans estate was appointed Lieutenant Generall About the beginning of Iuly in the yeare following the English host incamped neere vnto Anwike and was marshalled after this manner The fore-ward was conducted by Henry Earle of Northumberland vnder whose Standard were the Lord Scroope of Bolton and diuers other to the number of sixe thousand and seauen hundred of all sorts In the middle battaile the Duke himâ—eâ—â—e was placed and with him the Duke of Albanie the Lord Louell the Lord Greystocke Sir Edward Wooduille and others to the number of fiue hundred and foure-score The Lord Neuill was appointed to follow with three hundred To the Lord Standley was committed the lâ—â—t wing and the other to the Lord Fitz-â—â—gh consisting betweene them of six thousand men One thousand moe attended the great Ordinance In this manner they marched towards â—erwicke at whose approach the Scottes abandoned the towne The two Dukes without further â—â—ay leauing behind them forty thouâ—â—d to besiege the Câ—â—â—le which was kept by thâ— Earle â—othwell departed thence with the Aâ—â—â—â—â—owardes Edenbrough burning and spoiling the country as they passed Being come thither the Duke of Glocester entred the towne without resistance
those fiue shippes were by some stratagē deceaued by the said Andrew for howsoeuer afterwards hee was drawne from that side it was not vnknowne to the Englishmen that the Scottish King while hee liued reposed such trust in him as that he was made Generall ouer his nauie and consequentlie a pertaker of their owne fortunes beeing all come thyther to assist the Scottish king But bee it as it may bee I must needes commend the young Prince of Scotland for returning home Bull and his companions without ransome or rebuke who in the latter conflict with Wood contended more for glory then vpon hope of gaine to be gotten therby For the tearme of 7. yeares from the death of Iames the third while the truce betweene the two Nations continewed peace was embraced on both sides In the meane time it was deuised by the Ladie Margaret Duchesse of Burgoigne who greatly enuied the prosperity of king Henry onely because he was descended of the Lancastrian family an ancient enemy to her line that one Peter Marbecke borne at Tornay of base parentage but by her trained vp and instructed for that purpose should take vpon him the person of Richard Duke of Yorke second Sonne to her brother king Edward the fourth who togither with his brother were murthered in the Towre as before I haue showed This ioylie youth hauing first assaied what entertainment hee might finde in Ireland and France which fell not out to his liking transported himselfe at length into Scotland hoping there by reason of the want of experience in the young king Iames the fourth and the too great forwardnesse of his people to quarrell with England to finde that Nation more pliable to his designments which came to passe accordingly For hauing first priuatlie to the king and after that in a publique assemblie made knowne what person he pretended to be and with all the skill he had allured both Prince and people to a commiseration of his misfortunes whether it were that they were mooued by an ouer-light beliefe in pitie or a counterfeit credulity in policie his complaint so much preuailed with the greater number that it was held a matter of great reproche not to ioyne with him in the attaining of the Crowne of England where-vnto hee pretended so iust a title Forth-with king Iames caused him to bee called the Duke of Yorke And for a further fauour to giue him the more courage and his cause the more credit hee gaue him in mariage the Lady Katherine Gordon Daughter to Alexander Earle of Huntley his nigh kinsman whose beauty better beseemed her birth then such a Bride-groome King Iames hauing prepared all things fit for the enterprice entred into Northumberland causing proclamation to be made that he would fauor all those that would submit themselues to this new created Duke but finding none that would follow or acknowledge any such mā the Scots committed all to the furie of fire and sword Hereby hauing well neere wasted the whole countrey they returned home inriched with many good booties before an armie could be made ready to incounter them King Henry being not a little moued purposed the next spring to be reuenged but euen as the army was marching towards Scotland vnder the conduct of the Lord Daubiney it was sodenly called backe againe by occasion of a commotion begun by the Cornish-men so as for that time the intended iourney was preuented King Iames hauing his Armie also in readinesse ouer-slipped not the opportunitie but while king Henry was busied about the suppressing of this rebellion in the West parts hee inuaded his dominions on the North. For deuiding his Armie he himselfe with a part thereof besiedged the Castell of Norham while the rest forrayed the countrie there-about Richard Fox Bishop of Durham to whome the Castle appertained aduertising king Henry hereof the Earle of Surrie that was then in readinesse vpon any occasion offered to be imployed was commanded with all speed to relieue the same His whole armie was little lesse then twentie thousand men besides the preparation at Sea whereof the Lord Brooke was Admirall The Earle was accompanied with diuerse Lords and Gentlemen of the North amongst whom I finde these following appointed chiefe Leaders and Commanders namely Ralph earle of Westmerland Thomas Lord Dacres Ralph Lord Neuille George Lord Strange Richard Lord Latimer George Lord Lumley Iohn Lord Scroope Henry Lord Clifford George Lord Ogle William Lord Conniers Thomas Lord Darcie Thomas Baron of Hilton Sir William Percie Sir William Bulmere Sir William Gascoigne Sir Ralph Bigod Sir Ralph Bowes Sir Thomas Aparrie Sir Ralph Caldercarre Sir Iohn Constable Sir Iohn Ratcliffe Sir Iohn Sauille Sir Thom Stranguisse Thus was king Henry set on worke at home as well by his owne subiects on the one side as by the Scottes on the other But hee did so warily foresee all dangers that he easily preuented the malice of them both For the Cornishmen were defeited at the battaile of Black-heath-field and the Scottes at the approach of the Earle gaue ouer the siedge and returned home as lightly laden as when they came thence The Armie beeing come by this time within two dayes marche of the enimies made all the hast that could bee to haue ouer-taken them but seeing they would not abide the Englishmen made what spoile they could within Scotland where hauing taken their pleasures for the space of sixe or seauen dayes they returned to Berwicke with-out any shew of resistance although that at the taking of the Castell of Hayton it is said the Scottish Armie was within one mile of the Englishmen Thus was king Henrie sufficiently reuenged on the Scottes that were so ready to take part with Perkin the counterfeit Duke of Yorke who now had apparently enough shewed himselfe to the world as that which followed shortly after shewed For vpon a treatie of truce betweene the two Nations vndertaken and effected by Peter Hiolas an Ambassadour of Spaine king Iames was contented for the furtherance thereof to send the other Peter packing out of Scotland to seeke new intertainement some-where else where he was not so well knowne But this aduenturous Gallant once againe attempting to trie some maisteries here in England was vtterly forsaken of all his adherents where-vpon for his more safetie he committed his person first to Sanctuary and from thence submitted him-selfe to the Kings mercy who appointed a gard to attend him from whom escaping hee was recouered and committed to the Towre of London where practising an escape hee was finally for his seuerall offences executed at Tyburne as hee well deserued The poore Lady his vnfortunate wife being in the meane time taken and presented to the King his Maiestie tooke such compassion on her pitifull estate that hee gaue order shee should bee carefully conuayed to the Queene his wife of whome shee was courteouslie intertained and remained in the English Court a long time after in good estimation King Iames well foreseeing what benefit it would be
that hee had no reason to yeeld there-vnto till such time as recompence was made for the harme his subiects had sustained on the borders In the meane season he had also prepared an army of some twenty thousand men and committed the same to the conduct of the Duke of Norfolke accoÌ„panied with the Earles of Shrewsbery Darby Cumberland Surrey Hertford Angus Rutland and diuerse other Lords and Gentlemen of the North. King Iames hauing knowledge of this preparation entreated to haue all differences and complaints on both sides put to order and so taken vp VVherevpon the King caused his army to stay about Yorke appointing the Duke the Lord priuy seale and others to enter into conference with the Scottish Ambassodours and if possiblie they could to end all controuersies wherby to auoide the effusion of much bloud But when the Commissioners for England perceiued that the Scottes sought onely to detract time whereby to put of the warre for that yeare winter now approaching they breake of the treaty and hauing assembled the whole armie there-with entred into Scotland the twentith day of October in the yeare 1542. During there abode there diuerse townes and villages were burned and spoiled and hauing continued that course as long as their victualls held out the armie returned to Berwicke the nine and twentith daie of the same month without resistance or show of enemie although King Iames had then in readinesse as it is sayd an armie of thirtie thousand men incamped at Fallamure but foureteene miles within Scotland But whether it was that they waited some aduantage or that the Scottish Nobility were not so forward which is pretended as their King would haue had them nothing was attempted against England vntill the foure and twentith day of Nouember following by which time the Duke was well on his way towards London For then king Iames went him selfe vnto the VVest marches of Scotland where he appointed the Lord Maxwell his warden togither with the Earles of Cassels and Glencorne and certaine other Lords there with him to inuade England on that side This army consisting of fifteene thousand men passed ouer the water of Eske and burnt certaine houses of the Greues on the verie border Herevpon Thomas bastard Dacres and Iacke of Musgraue with an hundred light horses made towards the enemie hauing a while before sent to Sir Thomas Wharton Lord warden of those Marches to make all the hast hee could after them By that time these two valiant Captaines had begun the skirmish the Lord Wharton with some three hundred horse more were come within viewe of the Scottish host who supposing that the Duke or some other of the English Lords was turned backe againe with the whole armie otherwise they imagined those few would neuer haue aduentured so desperatly to set vpon them were with the suddenesse of this vnexpected flight put into such a Panick feare that forth-with committing themselues to flight as fast as their legges could carrie them or their horses vnder them they were pursued and taken without any resistance Amongst whom these following were the principal men The Earles of Cassels and Glencorne the Lord Maxwel the Lord Flemming the Lo. Sommerwel the Lord Oliphant the Lord Gray Sir Oliuer Sinclere the kings minion Iohn Rosse of Gragie Robert Aesken Sonne to the Lord Aesken the Lord Maxwells two brothers and aboue two hundred men of name more Of the common souliers not so few as eight hundred so as some one Englishman had three or foure prisoners to his share The Scottes lost at this blowe without anie bloud-shed on either partie twentie peeces of Ordinance foure Cart-loades of speares and tenne pauilions Thus wee see that the King of Heauen and Earth can and will daunt the corrage of man when it seemeth good vnto him to the end we should acknowledge him to be the only giuer of all victory The Scottish writers attribute the bad successe of their armie at this meeting to the vnaduised course which King Iames tooke in appointing a meane Gentleman Sir Oliuer Sinclere his Lieutenant grnerall ouer the same For vpon the hearing of the Kings Commission openlie reade the whole armie was so â—â—ch ofâ—ended â—â—d â—roâ—led thereat that it â—â—â—oght 〈…〉 confusion amongst them which beeing obserued of the Englishmen though they were but a handfull in comparison of the enemies power yet they were there-with so much incoraged that they aduentured manfully vpon them and put them al thereby to flight This discomfeiture chaunced vnto the Scottes at Solloway Mosse in the latter end of Noueâ—ber following and was the most admirable â—ictory that euer was had ouer them to bee wholy referred to the immediat hand of God howsoeuer they would excuse it King Iames being now at Garlanâ—rocke vpon the borders was â—â—ruelously perplexed aâ— tâ—â—â—ewes herof in so much as being ouer-come with an extreame malâ—ncholy passion he neuer after held vp his head but still languished till death had fully seized vpon him on the twentith day of December following In the meane season one and twenty of the chiefe prisoners were conuaied to London committed to the Towre the 19. day of the same month where hauing â—omâ—ined two daies they were carried thorow the streets to Westminster two and two togither in a â—anck Eight of them being Noblemen were apparelled at the Kings charge with new gownes of black damask furd with black â—â—â—ie â—oâ—tes of black â—elâ—eâ— and dublets of satteâ— else whatsoâ—uer belonged therto Then they wâ—re brought before the Counsel sitting at the Star-chamber where the Lord Chancellour rebuked them openly for their misdemeanour towards the King and Realme declaring that his Maiesty had good cause to make warre vpon them First for their dissimulation in all their treaties of peace Then for keeping his subiects in durance without redemption contrary to the ancient lawes of the Marches And lastly for inuading his dominions without open defiance or iust cause giuen on his Maiesties part Neuerthelesse that his Maiestie more regarding his honour then his Royall power was contented to render good for euill and curtisie for vnkindnesse For whereas hee might by lawe of armes as they knewe well enough shut them vp in close prison hee was contented that they should bee committed to the custodie of the Nobles of his land that were thought meet to take that charge vpon them according to their owne seuerall estates and degrees Then beeing dismissed thence they were forth-with bestowed with one Noble man or other accordingly of whom they had such curtious intertainment as that they themselues confessed they neuer liued more pleasantly at any time before On the twentith of December newes was brought to the Court of the Scottish Kings death King Henry and his Counsell conceiuing herevpon that a good meane was offred whereby without warre the two Realmes might be vnited intimated their meaning to the Scottish Lords who seeming very willing therein to gratifie the King were brought to the Court in Christ-masse
the Earle of Hertford Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle high Admirall of England and the Earle of Shrewsbury accompanied with the Lord Cobham Clinton Coniers Sturton the Lord William Howard with many valiant Knights and Gentlemen The whole Nauy consisted of two hundred shippes and in them some ten thousand men of warre Loasing from New-Castell and entring the Scottish Sea betweene the two Ilands the Basse and the Maye The next day they passed vp the Firthe being the fourth of Maye landing the whole Armie at New-hauen two miles aboue Leith The Lord Admirall lead the fore-ward the Lord Lieutenant the maine battaile the Earle of Shrewesburie the rere-ward The Lord Gouernor being then at Edenbrough accompaned with the Cardinal the Earle of Huntley Arguile Bothwel and others with some sixe thousand horsemen and footemen purposed to inpeach their passage At the first they made showe to set vpoÌ„ the vantgard but being assayled by fiue hundred harquebutters and shroudly galled after a light skirmish they made a sodaine retraite but with such speed as they leaft their artillary behind them The Scottes returned to Edenbrugh and the Englishmen kept their course to Lieth entring the towne without any great resistance they lodged therein that night to their best aduantage The next day they landed their victuals and great artillary Hither the Lord Gouerner sent Adam Otterburne prouost of Edenbrugh with two of the baylifes to know of the Earle of Hertford the cause of his coming offering that what wrong soeuer the Engleshmen had receaued of them should be satisfied to their full contentment and that vpon those tearmes he would gladly receaue him into the towne The Earle answered that he had no commission to treat of peace but he was sent thither to take reuenge on those that had falsified their faith vnto the King his maister and therefore purposed to visit there towne in such manner as happily they would nor like of and soche bad him tel the Gouerner Vpon the returne of this answere the Gouernour taking order for the defence of the Castell departed immediately to Sterling The sixt of May the army marched towards Edenbrugh at the approch whereof the Prouost accompanied with one or two Burgesses and some officers of armes desired to speake with the lieutenant being brought to his presence he offered vnto him the keies of the towne on condition that the inhabitants might safely passe out with bag and bagage the buildings preserued from fire Answere was made that he was sent thither to take reueng as before and therfore vnlesse they would yeeld vp the towne simply without conditioÌ„ cause Men Women ChildreÌ„ to issue forth into the fields submit themselues to his will pleasure he would proceed against them with all extremity The Prouost replied that they would rather stand to their defence so departed The Englishmen comming to the Cow-gate beat it open with their great ordinance entred and slewe diuerse that made resistance forth-with the great ordinance was drawn vp the high street within reach of the shot from the Castell so as a culluering was dismounted and the English forced to retire not with out some losse of men night drawing on they departed to there camp at Leith for three dayes following they continewed firing the towne and consumed a great part there-of In the meane season foure thousand light horse-men were brought by land as was appointed from the Borders by the Lord Eeuers who ioyning with the armie at Leith did such exploits that well neere they left neither pile village nor house vnburned within seuen miles of Edenbrough besides the spoile pillage and droues of Cattell that was euery daye brought to the Campe. Hauing thus wrought their wills there-about they shipped their Artillarie and booties carried away such ships as they found in the Hauen of which the principall were the Salamander giuen by the French King at the mariage of his Daughter and the other called the Vnicorne made by the last king These two were ballanced with Cannon shot which was found in the towne to the number of foure-score thousand peeces the rest as well Scottish as English for the more part were loden with the spoile and booties belonging to the common souldiers and mariners On the fifteenth day of this month both the army by land and the fleet departed from Lieth in one houre leauing the towne on fire which was burned to the ground The armie returning home-wards encamped that night at Seaton seauen miles from Lieth where they burned the Castell and for more dispight destroyed the gardens and Orchards because the Lord Seaton owner of the same had beene the Cardinals best friend when hee was in prison The next night they incamped besides Dunbar where they had an alarme giuen them In the morning they burned the towne and marching forwards they were somewhat staied in the way by reason of a grose foggie mist and a report that the Lord Seaton and the Lord Hume had assembled a powre where-with to empeach their passage at a strait called the Pease But when the day cleared about two of the clocke in the after-noone the armie setting forward passed the straite without shew of enemie that would not abide their comming That night the armie lodged at Rantton 8. miles from the borders from whence the next day being the 28. of May they came to Berwick hauing lost in all this iorney not aboue forty persons for which happy successe they rendred thanks to almighty God the giuer of all victorie The names of the chiefe townes castels buildings burned and ouer-throwne in this voyage are as followeth Edenbrough the Abbay and the Kings housc Cragmiller and Castell Preston and the Castell Sengclers Castell Lawresson the Grange Markley Wester-grange Enderliegh Broughton Chester-field Craton-end Dudistone Skam house The Ficket Beuerton Tranent Shenstone Saint Minees Petinwames part Lieth the Hauen Pile New Bottle Abbay Musselbrough some part Hadington Frieries Dumbar Drilawe Trapren Kirkland hill Hatherwike Belton East Barnes Bowcland Butlerden Quickwood Blackburne Ranton Bildie All Knikorne The Queenes Ferrie The brent Iland The fiue lowest were burned by the fleet at sea for while the armie lay at Leethe the ships were not idle but scouring the riuer vp and downe on both sides well neere as high as Sterling aboue fiftie miles from the maine sea they made what spoile they could of what-so-euer fell in their way while the Earle lay at Leethe he made these knights whose names follow The Lord Clinton The Lord Coniers Sir William Wroughton Sir Thomas Holcroft Sir Edward Dorrell Sir Iohn Luttrell Sir Iohn Ienins Sir Thomas Waterton Sir Charles Howard Sir George Blant Sir Peter Mewtas Sir Edward Warner Sir Ralfe â—ulmer Sir Hugh Cholmeley Sir Thomas Lee. Sir Richard Leigh Sir Iohn Leigh Sir Lawrence Smith Sir William Vauasour Sir Richard Shirburne Sir Robert Stapleton Sir Thomas Holt. Sir William Dauenport Sir Ralphe Leycester Sir Humfrey Bradborne Sir Thomas Maliuerie Sir
Francis Hothome Sir Iohn Massie Sir Leonard Beckwith Sir Thomas Cokanie Sir Peter Freshwell Sir Richard Egerton Sir Anthonie Neuille Sir Iohn Neuille Sir William Radcliffe Sir George Bowes Sir Vrian Breretone Sir William Breretone Sir Roger Breretone Sir Edward Warren Sir Brian Leytone Sir Robert Worseley Sir Thomas Talbot Sir Hugh Caluerley Sir Iohn Clere. Sir Richard Holland Sir Thomas Venables Sir Iohn Connestable Sir Edmund Trafford Sir Iohn Athertone Sir Richard Cholmeley Sir Philip Egerton Sir Hugh Willobie Sir Thomas Connestable Sir William Woodhouse Sir Edmund Sauage Sir Thomas Gerard. 11. May. 1544. Mathew Earle of Lennox being now wrought out of fauour with the French king by the practise of the Queene Mother and the Cardinall thought Scotland no safe place for him therefore to make himselfe the more able to resist the malice of his enimies at home he made meanes to be entertained of the King of England Taking therfore the sea with some other Noblemen of his country he arriued at Westchester about Midsōmer folowing From thence hauing first made his way to the King he repaired to the Court where being well entertained he maried shortly after the Lady Margaret Dowglas daughter and heire to the Earle of Angus by Queene Margaret of Scotland king Henries sister who thervpon endowed his Neece with an estate of inheritāce of certaine lands to the yearly valewe of seauenteene hundred markes of rent of assisse which to this day are called Lennox Lands From this coople descended two sonnes Henry Steward Lord Dernley the eldest was Father to Iames the sixt that now reigneth Mathew the other Brother married Elizabeth Candish Daughter to the Countesse of Shrewsbury the most famous builder of a woman in the world by whom he had onely issue the Lady Arbella a beautifull plant trayned vp as I heare by the Countesse her grand-mother in all commendable qualities and exercises of vertue and piety King Iames in regard of his iust title and claime to these lands receiueth of the Queenes maiesty that now is an yearely pension The Earle of Lennox being desirous to show his good will to do the King some acceptable seruice obtayning certaine bands of Englishmen entred into Scotland but he found not that constancy in his Country-men that he expected and therefore was inforced to returne without atchieuing his principal purpose though his labour was not all-togither lost for he raised and tooke diuerse Castells as that in the I le of Arraine belonging to the Gouernor the Castell of Rossey in the I le of Bute from whence the royall family of the Stewards Kings of Scotland now for the space of two hūdred and thirty yeares tooke their beginning Though King Henry at this time also maintayned sharpe war with France neuerthelesse hee ceased not to take the oportunity offred him thorow the ciuill dissention amongst the Scotish Nobility making continual roads forreis into their Countries About the midst of February following Sir Ralph Eeuers Lord warden of the middle Marches entred Scotland with foure thousand English Irish assured Scots passing to Iedworth without any resistance He vnderstood there that the gouerner with the Earle of Angus were lately come to the Abbay Melrosse about 8. miles distant frō thence purposing therto attēd the repaire of their forces hastning thetherward Sir Ralph therefore about mid night marching from thence hoped vpon the sudden to take them at some great aduantage beeing as yet ouer fewe to make resistance But the Scottes hauing knowledge by their Espialls of his approach though some-what to late forsooke their lodgings before they had good wills to arise leauing bag baggage behind thē in all hast they withdrew thēselues to the next mountaines frō thence to obserue the behauior of the English who finding the place abandoned tooke the spoile of al they foūd in the towne Abbay vtterly defacing the Monumēts of th' Douglasses greatly to the displeasure of the Earle of Angus his linage and so returned back towards Iedworth by this time the nūber of the Scots was wel increased by the repaire of Norman Lisle Sonne to the Earle of Rothsey a young Gentleman of good expectation and of Walter Scot with such troopes as accompanied thē thither in so much as the Gouerner was encoraged to giue the Englishmen battaile before they should reach Iedworth but because they trusted not altogither to their strength it was deuised that the maine battaile of the Scottes should lie closely in a vallie to receiue the Englishmen at vnawares which tooke effect accordingly For the Scottes sending all their horses with their keepers and those that might best be spared to the top of the hil vnder which they were embattailed the Englishmen were trained within their danger which beeing perceiued by these Scots that came on their side who were some 7. or 8. hundred they presently fel of and ioyned with the enemy The Englishmen neuerthelesse stuck to it till a great number of thē were slaine the rest beeing ouerweried with that daies and the last nights trauell betooke themselues to flight The middle battaile seeing their fellowes thus discomfeited they also turned and brake into the reereward in such confused manner as thereby the whole army was put out of order no man knowing whom to follow for his Captaine The Scottes in the meane time taking the aduantage of the winde and the Sunne were vpon them before they could well discerne what they were In this confusion euery man sought to saue himselfe whereof insued a great slaughter with very small losse on the other side Besids Sir Rafe Euers the Lord of Ogle and Sir Brian Layton who were chiefe Commanders diuers other gentlemen were slaine in the whole number of two hundred a thousand were taken prisoners well nere of whom some foure score were men of qualitie and speciall note Though the benefit of this victory fell to the Gouernor the glory thereof redownded to the Dowglasses King Henry was much greeued for the gentleman Sir Rafe Euers whose seruice had bene such in these late warrs with the Scottes that he had brought the more part of all those that inhabited within twenty miles of the borders of Eng. vnto the obedience of King Henry who now were the chiefe cause of his destruction in maner as you haue heard This yeare the French King sent Mongomery into Scotland with foure thousand Frenchmen of whome fiue hundred were lances these ioyning with the Scottes to the number of fifteene thousand in the whole came to the borders encamping ouer against Warke Castle from whence passing ouer the riuer euery other day they entred into the English marches and returned backe againe at night with such booties as they got In this manner hauing praied vpon the inhabetants fiue or sixe miles compasse for the space of a weeke to gether vnderstanding that the Earle of Hertford lieutenant ouer the North parts had taken such order for the defence of those countries that it auailed not to
men and 8. peeces of artilery the which was valiantly defended by Sir Andrewe Dudley when he had knowledge of the good successe the Earle of Lennox had after wel-nere three monthes siedge gaue it ouer leauing behind him Iames Haliburtone with an hundred horse to cut off such victualls as by land should bee sent thither and to a fort which the Englishmen had built on the toppe of an hill neere vnto the other The Earle of Lennox beeing desirous to bee better reuenged on his dissembling friendes his Father in Lawe and others obtayned leaue once againe togither with the Lord Wharton to enter into Scotland on the VVest-Marches Their forces were some seauen hundred horse-men and fiue hundred foot-men English besides some other Scottish horse-men About the latter end of this yeare they came to Loâ—h-maben and so to Dunfrees The Earle of Angus being then at the Castell of Drom-lanrigge solicited his Sonne in lawe by messaâ—e to repaire vnto him The Earle peâ—ceauing it was done vpon no good meaning towards him forth-with appointed certaine troopes of horse-men to foraye the Country whereby to draw him to the field About midnight Maister Henry Wharton set forwards with twelue hundred light horse-men The Maister of Maxwell afterwards Lord Herries whose aduice the Earle vsed in this plot and the residue of the assured Scottes amongst them kept the vantgard In the morning the Earle himselfe and the Lord Wharton marched forth with the foot-men till they came ten miles beyond Dunfrees Then they so disposed their companies that the Earle of Angus was wel-nere intrapped before he distrusted any such matter so as hee was forced to flie with fiue or sixe persones only in his companie The English horse-men being come to Dusdere set the towne on fire The Maister of Maxwell with the other Scottish Gentlemen and light horse-men of the borders to the number of foure hundred hauing now trained the Englishmen into the middest of their enemies for on euery hill toppe great numbers of Scottes were placed about them forth-with the Leard of Drom-lanrigge with certaine chosen horse-men aduanced forward in sight of the Englishmen wherevpon the assured Scottes sodenly rearing vp a blacke pensill vpon the point of a speare for a token ioyned themselues to their Countrie-men vnder Drom-lanrigge The Scottes being thus vnited and thrusting in betweene the English horsemen their foot-men not without great peril to the one and other they passed on towards the Earle of Lennox the Lord Wharton who by this time were approached neere the old Castell of Danswinton some-times the house of the Cumines bruting it abroad that the English horse-men were ouerthrowne The Earle of Lennox beholding the manner of his aduersaries approach alighted on foote from his horse willing the Lord Wharton to doe the like for this day sayd hee I will die a true Englishman By this time the English horse-men behinde the Scottes fetching a compasse in their retreat from Dusdere came fortunatly to the place where the Earle and his companie beeing ranked in order of battaile were readie to retire backe againe towardes Dunfrees thinking no lesse but that their horse-men had in deede as it was bruted beene ouerthrowne by the enemie But the horse-men now comming in and perceauing how the matter stood gaue a braue charge vpon the Scottes that stood facing the Earle and his people ready to take any aduantage that in their retreat should haue beene offred and ther-with disordered and put them to flight The Leard Drom-lanerigge was taken prisoner but by corrupting him that tooke him hee got away The Maister of Maxwell had many speares broken vpon him but escaped Besides those that were drowned in the riuer Nith foure hundred were taken prisoners amongst whom the Abbote of Newe-Abbey and Christie Errwing of Boushawe a brother of the Learde of Hempsfield were the chiefe At their returne the Earle to Dunfrees the towne was rifled from whence Maister Henry Wharton was sent withall speede to the Court to make relation of the good successe of this iorney into Scotland who both for his good seruice now and before as also for the counter-newes hee first brought to the false report that till his comming was intertained in England receiued the honor of Knight-hood as he well deserued Letters were returned from the Counsell to the Lord Wharton for the execution of certaine pledges one for the Maister of Maxwell of his nearest kindred the VVarden of the Graie-friers in Dunfrees the Vicare of Carlauerocke some others who were executed at Carliele accordingly In the end of Aprill the yeare following the Lord Graie Lieutenant of the North-partes with Sir Thomas Palmer and Sir Thomas Holcroft were sent into Scotland with competent forces for the fortifying of the towne of Hadington and some other places seruing best for the defence of those Countries against the enemie whome the Lord Protectour purposed thereby if it might be to bring to some reasonable conditions of peace During the Englishmens abode their at this time they tooke and burned diuerse Castells and Townes wasting that Country the most firtile soile in Scotland on euerie side Vpon the surrender of the Castell of Yester the Lord Gray was contented to pardon the defendantes only one excepted who during the siedge had vttered reproachfull words against the King of England A Scotte named Newton was charged here-with but he denying it accused one of the Hamiltons who likewise forswore it These two gentlemen one accusing the other without any pâ—â—ofe on either side required the combat which was granted vnto them At the appointed time they entred the listes at Hadington in the market place prepared for that purpose They were apparelled in doublets and hose and weaponned with sword buckler and dagger At the first entrie Hamilton kneeling downe made his feruent praier that it would please the Lord to giue victory to the truth with solemne protestation that he neuer vttered any such speech of the King of England as his aduersarie layed to his charge Newton being troubled as it seemed by his countenance with his false accusation argued vnto the beholders his gilty conscience The combat begunne Hamilton was so full of â—orage that he caused the other to giue backe wel-nere to the end of the listes But Newton perceauing the danger hee was in for if he had beene driuen to the end he should haue beene adiudged vanquished stept forwards and withal gaue Hamilton such a wound on the legge that there-with he fel downe to the ground and then falling vpon him slew him out-right with his dagger Diuerse Scottish Gentlemen present being fully perswaded that Newton was the offender notwithstanding this his purgation offred themselues to maintaine the vanquished mans quarrell but the victor chalenging the Lawes of armes my Lord Gray would not doe him that wronge but giuing him his gowne and chaine then about him hee so dismissed him This Newton was afterwards met withall vpon the borders and pittifully hewne and cut in peeces
that they had no other way to saue them-selues but by running away And eyther at this time or at some other shortly after Monsieur de Etanges who with his company of Horsemen laye in garrison at Dundie was by them of Broughtie-Cragge taken prisoner in a skirmish that was betweene them this Gentleman was no small losse to the enemy being oâ— that approued valiancie as not many amongst them were marchable with him But ere it was long the want of him was requited by the taking of that worthy Knight Sir Iames Wilford the Gouernour of Hadington by the French garrison at Dumbarre as he passed by the towne in a conuoy his place was supplied by Sir Iames a Crofts The enemie perceiuing how vnlikelie it was to preuaile against the English at Hadington and Browghtie which were the places of greatest importance that they held so farre within Scotland brought his forces vnto the borders at least to defend those countries then shrewdly incombred by the continuall incursions of the Englishmen During the Frenchmens abode at Iedworth they tooke some strengths in those parts in the keeping of the English namely the Castels at Ferneherst Cornewall Fourd and also entring the English Marches burned diuerse villages carrying away many good booties not a little to the losse and annoyance of the inhabitants of those partes The English borderers here vpon assembled them-selues at Rox-brough purposing to haue assailed the Frenchmen in thâ—it Campe at Iedworth but they hauing knowledge thereof and finding them-selues ouer-weake to maâ—e resistance 〈◊〉 by this time many of them were dead through want of victuals and other necessaries which that hard country especially in winter could not affoord them would not abide the hazard of battaile but with all speed with-drew them-selues further into the countrie neither from this time forward did they performe any seruice worthy the remembrance The Scots in the meane time recouered Hume Castell out of the Englishmens hands by night through the treacherie of certaine of the assured Scots who at all times had free accesse there-vnto About the beginning of the next yeare viz. 1549. some fiue and twenâ—ie saile of men of warre were sent out of England who arriuing in the Firthe continuing their course vp the riuer seized vpon foure shippes which they found there Comming vp ouer-against Leith and saluting the Towne with their shott they laye at Anchor thirteene or twelue dayes in which time hauing landed their men on the Iland of Iuskith and begun to fortifie the Fleete they returned to the Sea in hope to encounter a new supply of Frenchmen dayly exspected in Scotland but before the worke could be brought to any perfection Le Desse taking vpon him this peece of seruice whereby to giue a plausible farewell to his former crosse-fortunes in these Scottish warres recouered the Iland after it had beene in the Englishmens possession sixeteene dayes All the Captaines well-neere were slaine and the residue taken prisoners The number left to attend the finishing of this Forte were foure Ensignes English and one of Italians This Monsieur hauing atchieued the glory of this enterprice gaue vp his charge to Monsieur de Thermes lately arriued at Dun-britaine and forth-with returned into France in the same galleys which brought the other into Scotland The generall conduct of all the French forces being now committed to de Thermes which with these he brought with him was well increased hee forth-with incamped at Aberladie where he began a foundatioÌ„ of a Fort therby to impeach the landing of any victuals for the reliefe of Hadington Though the Councell of England were now very busily occupied aswell about the suppression of a most dangerous commotion within the realme as also in making preparation against the French king that now inuaded Boullognoies neuer-the-lesse they neglected not as farre as the state of things at home and abroad would permit to releeue this their slippery foot-hold in Scotland For the Earle of Rutland Lord President then of the North and Generall of this armie accompanied with Sir Richard Manors Sir Francis Leake Sir Iohn Saunge Sir Thomas Helcroft Sir Oswald Wolstropp and others furnished with competent forces both forraigne and Natiue entred there with into Scotland and did not onely giue releefe to Hadington and the other garrisons but with all so distressed the Frenchmen by setting vpon them in their Trenches that if the aduantage had beene foreseene in time the enemie had been in great danger of an vtter ouer-throw The Almaignes that at this seruice tooke part with the Englishmen hauing in the meane time committed the custodie of their baggage to their women boies were disburthened by the Scottish prickers of so much as was worth the cariage But Iulian Romero with his band of Spaniards sped much worse For the enemies sodenly setting vpon them where they lay incamped neere the towne of Coldingham slew both their Captaine and well-neere the whole number of them About this time Fast Castell was recouered by stratagem out of the Englishmens hands For the gate being set open and their bridge let downe to receiue victuals brought thether by the assured Scottes at the Captaines appointment while the same was vnlading certaine other Scottes that were priuilie placed to attend the oportunitie sodenly entring the Castell surprised it The Earle of Rutland being called home more speedily then was purposed to the suppressing of a new commotion in Yorkeshire that brake out in his absence the state of the Scottish affaires began thence-forth to decline not onely by the tumults raised by the comminaltie in diuerse parts of this realme but also by the disagreement betweene the Lord Protector and the rest of the Nobilitie especially the Earle of Warwick Lord great Chamberlaine and afterwards created Duke of Northumberland By reason of which vnhappy iarres it was thought necessary to giue ouer the keeping of Hadington being a matter in deed of more charge then profit seeing it could not bee victualed but by the conuoy of an armie The Earle of Rutland was therefore sent thither againe to see the fortification rased and to conduct the men and munition safely into England which was performed accordinglye Monsieur Thermes and his associates being herewith not a little incouraged in February following besiedged Browghtie-Cragge which together with an other fortification neere vnto it were in short time recouered out of the Englishmens hands wanting meanes to make resistance against so strong an enimie neuer-the-lesse they would not yeeld so long as any man well-neere was able to stand in the defende of the charge they had vnder-taken While these things were in doing a treatie of peace was set on foote betweene England and France but the Commissioners proceeding slowly therein the Scottes and Frenchmen ceased not in the meane time to pursue the accomplishment of their ioynt desires which was vtterly to driue the Englishmen out of Scotland Therefore immediatly after the recouerie of the former houldes they besiedged Lowder where after some
conduct to passe thorowe her kingdome but will presently take order they shal be transported by her nauie into France If you make light reckning hereof wee call God and man to witnesse that wee haue not armed our selues vpon malice or stomacke but are vnwillinglie and of meere necessitie inforced to aduenture vpon extreame remidies least otherwise wee suffer the common-weale our selues and all our posteritie to bee cast downe headlong into an irrecouerable deapth of infinite calamities Neither yet shall anie daunger whatsoeuer though presentlie we sustaine much euill and more is like to fall on vs cause vs to depart from our dueties to our Queene or to resist the King her husband in anie thing which shall not manifestlie tend to the eminent daunger and destruction of our selues our posterities and ancient liberties But most gratious Prince wee doe humblie againe beseech you that weighing the equitie of our request and foreseeing what euill maie ensue of VVarre and howe necessary a thing Peace shall bee to the mis-affected estate of this your daughters kingdome it would not displease you to confirme your will to our iust petition which if you do you shall not onlie leaue to all Nations an acceptable memorie of the moderate carriage of your selfe in place of gouernment but thereby also giue tranquillitie and rest to the greatest part of Christendome Farewell At Dalkeith the fourth daie of Aprill Anno. 1560. These last wordes in the shutting vp of the letter were spoken I take it of the present estate of Scotland touching Religion For nowe had the better part of the Nobility taken vpon them the defence of the Preachers of the Gospell wherevpon they were named the Lords of the Congregation And this was the principall occasion of these broiles betwixt the Queene Regent who would haue maintained poperie and those of the Nobility How honorable and Christian a part was it then of the Queene of England to interpose her selfe into so iust a quarrell as is the defence of the most ancient apostolicall and vndoubted Religion and how much shall that Nation bee for euer bound vnto her Maiestie for so inestimable a benefit as thereby it hath hitherto happily enioyed What answere the Queene made to the Lords I find not but still one or other labored by all possible meanes to worke a reconciliation but al was in vaine for the Queene would not yeeld to the sending away of the French forces on which point the Lords stood stiflie At the approach of the army to Lieth on the sixt daie of Aprill the Frenchmen to the number of thirteene hundred issuing out of the towne tooke possession of a little Knole called the Halkes-hill thereby to preuent the Englishmen from incamping there but at length the enemy with the losse of some seauen score men was beaten backe to the very gates of the towne Diuerse Englishmen were also slaine and many more hurt but if it had beene knowne what aduantage was offred by the French their whole power it was thought might therby haue beene vtterly ouerthrowne VVhile the Lord Graie was at Muskelbrough on his way thitherward he sent Sir Iames Croft and Sir George Howard vnto the Queene to intreat an abstinence of warre for foure and twenty houres that in the meane time he might make knowne vnto her the cause of his comming in that manner and further that vpon some conditions hee would accept of peace The Queene consenting herevnto sent an Harauld to Lieth to giue knowledge thereof but whether the fault was in the messinger or in the Frenchmen the English armie was inforced to the fight after which hee refused any more parliance But proceeded to the siedge of Lieth which was no lesse valiantly assailed by the English then by the aduerse partie it was defended During which an accident happned in the towne that more indangered and damnified the enemie in one night then the assiliantes had done before in twentie For on the last day of Aprill about two hours before Sun-set a sodaine fire arose in the towne which beeing increased by an outragious winde then aloft continued till the next morning hauing consumed a great part of the buildings and amongst the rest certaine common Garners and Store-houses wherein was great prouision of corne and victualls Neither were the Englishmen slowe in pursuing the aduantage thereof For by remouing their great Ordinance on that side the towne they beat backe those which labored to quench the fire and entring the ditches tooke the height of the wall and so egarly assaulted the breaches that had not the Frenchmen fore-seene the danger they were falne into and continewally applied their businesse and stood to it manfully on euery quarter that nightes worke as it was thought would haue ended the warre for that time The siedge continued neere sixe weekes longer in which time many lost their liues on both sides At one assault which was the sharpest of all the rest an eight score Englishmen were slaine outright and not so few maymed and hurt But still thorow the especiall care and good fore-sight of the Duke of Northfolke then appointed to remaine in the North-partes for the direction of this seruice their wants whatsoeuer were from time to time supplied The French King vnderstanding into what distresse the towne was brought for the Frenchmen were now worne ouerweried with continuall watching warding sent two Ambassadors into England County Randon and Monluc Bishop of Valence to treat with the Queene for a peace with Scotland his wiues kingdome For hee held it an indgnity to seeke it at his subiects handes the Scottish Lords Her Maiesty being not vnwilling to accept of any reasonable conditions so as the French might be remoued was content to associate vnto them Maister Secretary Cecill afterwards Lord Burley and high Treasurer of England whilest he liued mine honorable good Lord and Maister and Doctor Wutton deane of Canterbury and Yorke These passing togither into Scotland after some three weekeâ— trauell concluded a peace on the eight day of Iuly following which was immediatly proclaimed at Lieth in these words The most mighty Princesse Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France Ireland defender of the faith c. And the most Christian King Francis and Marie by the same grace of God King and Queene of France and Scotland haue accorded vpon a reconciliation peace and amity to be inuiolably kept betweene them their subiectes kingdomes and Countries And therefore in their names it is streitly commanded to all manner of persones borne vnder their obedience or being in their seruice to forbeare all hostility either by sea or land and to keepe good peace each with other from this time forwards as they wil answere there-vnto at their vttermost perills The most materiall articles were these that all the Frenchmen should depart the Realme with bagge and bagage within the tearme of twentie daies next following And because they wanted at that present shippes enough to receiue so great a