ardy men, that went noo foote back for
theym; the other two knightes were alsoo soo sharply assayled, that
they were enforced to call for moo of their men; and yet could not
bring the ordynance to the forteresse, unto the tyme my Lord Dacre,
with part of his horsemen, lighted on fote; and marvelously hardly
handled himself, and fynally, with long skirmyshing, and moche
difficultie, gat forthe th' ordynance within the howse and threwe
downe the same. At which skyrmyshe, my seid Lord Dacre, and his
brother, Sir Cristofer, Sir Arthure, and Sir Marmaduke, and many other
gentilmen, did marvellously hardly; and found the best resistence
that hath been seen with my comyng to their parties, and above xxxii
Scottis sleyne, and not passing iiij Englishmen, but above lx hurt.
Aftir that, my seid lord retournyng to the campe, wold in nowise bee
lodged in the same, but where he laye the furst nyght. And he being
with me at souper, about viij a clok, the horses of his company brak
lowse, and sodenly ran out of his feld, in such nombre, that it caused
a marvellous alarome in our feld; and our standing watche being set,
the horses cam ronnyng along the campe, at whome were shot above one
hundred shief of arrowes, and dyvers gonnys, thinking they had been
Scotts, that wold have saulted the campe; fynally the horses were soo
madde, that they ran like wild dere into the feld; above xv c. at the
leest, in dyvers companys, and, in one place, above I felle downe
a gret rok, and slewe theymself, and above ij c. ran into the towne
being on fire, and by the women taken, and carried awaye right evill
brent, and many were taken agayne. But, fynally, by that I can esteme
by the nombre of theym that I sawe goo on foote the next daye, I think
thare is lost above viij c. horses, and all with foly for lak of
not lying within the camp. I dare not write the wondres that my Lord
Dacre, and all his company, doo saye they sawe that nyght, vj. tymys
of spirits and fereful sights. And unyversally all their company
saye playnly, the devill was that nyght among theym vi tymys; whiche
mysfortune hath blemyshed the best journey that was made in Scotland
many yeres. I assure your grace I found the Scottes, at this tyme, the
boldest men, and the hotest, that ever I sawe any nation, and all
the journey, upon all parts of th' army, kepte us with soo contynuall
skyrmyshe, that I never sawe the like. If they myght assemble xl M as
good men as I nowe sawe, xv c or ij M,