strances; but Sir James, the natural son of the earl, upbraided
his uncle with reluctance to fight. "False bastard!" answered Sir
Patrick, "I will fight to day where thou darest not be seen." With
these words they rushed tumultuously towards the high-street, where
Angus, with the prior of Coldinghame, and the redoubted Wedderburn,
waited their assault, at the head of 400 spearmen, the flower of the
east marches, who, having broke down the gate of the Netherbow, had
arrived just in time to the earl's assistance. The advantage of the
ground, and the disorder of the Hamiltons, soon gave the day to Angus.
Sir Patrick Hamilton, and the master of Montgomery, were slain. Arran,
and Sir James Hamilton, escaped with difficulty; and with no less
difficulty was the military prelate of Glasgow rescued from the
ferocious borderers, by the generous interposition of Gawain Douglas.
The skirmish was long remembered in Edinburgh, by the name of "Cleanse
the Causeway."--_Pinkerton's History_, Vol. II. p. 181.--_Pitscottie
Edit._ 1728. p. 120.--_Life of Gawain Douglas, prefixed to his
Virgil_.]
The return of the regent was followed by the banishment of Angus,
and by a desultory warfare with England, carried on with mutual
incursions. Two gallant armies, levied by Albany, were dismissed
without any exploit worthy notice, while Surrey, at the head of ten
thousand cavalry, burned Jedburgh, and laid waste all Tiviotdale. This
general pays a splendid tribute to the gallantry of the border chiefs.
He terms them "the boldest [Sidenote: 1523] men, and the hottest, that
ever I saw any nation[8]."
[Footnote 8: A curious letter from Surrey to the king is printed in
the Appendix, No. I.]
Disgraced and detested, Albany bade adieu to Scotland for ever. The
queen-mother, and the Earl of Arran, for some time swayed the kingdom.
But their power was despised on the borders, where Angus, though
banished, had many friends. Scot of Buccleuch even appropriated to
himself domains, belonging to the queen, worth 4000 merks yearly;
being probably the castle of Newark and her jointure lands in Ettrick
forest[9].--
[Footnote 9: In a letter to the Duke of Norfolk, October 1524, Queen
Margaret says, "Sen that the Lard of Sessford and the Lard of Baclw
vas put in the castell of Edinbrouh, the Erl of Lenness hath past hyz
vay vythout lycyens, and in despyt; and thynkyth to make the brek that
he may, and to solyst other lordis to tak hyz part; for the said lard
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