The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-12-23
FLoDDEN FIELDS.

On the high hill of Brandston, with a
noble view of Berwickshire, Roxburgshire
and part of Selkirkshire, to the west and
northwest, stood the Scottish army. James
had moved here from Flodden when he
saw the English cross Twizel Bridge,
and by that movement got between him
and Home. To the extreme left, facing
Lord Thomas Howard, were Huntly and
Home, with Crawford and Montrose, aud
host of bare-legged savage Highlanders
and Islesmen. The King opposite to Sur
rey, with Boutwell, and the Lothian men
in the rear, while LennoX and Argyle were
facing Stanley.
The battle began about o'clock with
interchanges of artillery, the Scotch using
leaden balls, the English the more service
able iron. Almost the first discharge of
the English killed the Scottish master.
gunner, and dispirited and drove away
his men. The Scotch tradition is, that
dreading devasting invasion ofScotland,
and the traitorous English renegade, one
Giles Musgrave, James, who should have
attacked Howard during his flank march,
determined to descend the hill and give
battle, and therefore set fire to his tents
and camp lumber, so that the smoke might
conceal his approach; but this story the
Berwickshire antiquaries, with the scenes
in view, altogether deny.
The hour had come. The English had
taken no food that day, and went out fast
ing-which is not the best starting point
for English fighters-but the earl had said
to his captains, "Now, good fellows, prove
Englishmen this day." and they were
ready. Howard and Home first joined
swords Lord Homes Borderers and the
Earl of Huntley's Highlanders came down
on Howard with four dense battalions of
spearmen, the Highlanders shouting their
slogans, the Scotch advancing swiftly but
with an appalling silence. The Borderers'
arrows flew so fast, and the Highlanders'
two-handed swords swung with such
cruel force that the English were several
times repulsed. The Cheshire men broke
Brian Tunstall was struck dead, the stan
dard was beaten down and cut in pieces
Three times Sir Edmund Howard was
struck from his horse, but being "hardy,
young and Justly" he recovered himself
and bursting into the melee, fought hand
to hand with Sir David Horne, and slew
him. Sir Edmund's friend, John Heron,
though much wounded, came to his succor,
and said:
"There never was nobleman's son so like
to be lost as you this day; but for all my
hurts / will here live and die with you.'
At this juncture came Heron, squirting
up to shield the broken men, nd repel the
fierce and stubborn Scotch, while Dacre,
charging them at the head of eighteen
hundred horse, drove them back. In the
meantime, Crawford and Montrose had
also resolved, with their seven thousand
Scots, to close with the Lord Admiral, who
fearing to be overpowered, took from his
neck the Agnus Del, and sent to his father
to beg him to attack the king. The rising
ground called the Piper's Hill lay between
him and his father. The fiery king, seeing
the Scots giving way, harangued his men,
who, shaking their weapons, shouted, "For-
ward, upon them" SIN sign," says Holm
shed, "of an earnest desire they had to
buckle with the Englshmen." Then the
king and all his mobiles dismounted and
led the vanguard on foot, to show their
determination to do or die.
But before this Sir Edward Stanley and
the Eastern division had attacked the
Highlanders of Lenox and Argyle. The
storm of arrows from the Lancashire and
Cheshire bowmen pierced the fluttering
plaids of the Macleans and Mackensies and
nothing could hold them in, not even the
cries and entreaties of Delamotte the
French ambassador, who saw their certain
destruction. They broke their rank, and,
with bossed targets and broad swords
rushed down upon the English. The game
was soon lost; their fierce charge bore
back the archers, but Stanley charged them
in the rear and on the flank with three
companies of the men-at-arms, and they
were routed with great slaughter-Lenox,
| Argyle and other chieftains dying at the