, and I saw that the fight would be a heavy business, and I did
not like leaving them, and their mother. However, there was no help for
it, and we gathered there, over 40,000 strong. The main body marched
away into Cumberland; but Douglas, March, and Moray, with 300 spears
and 2000 footmen, including many an Armstrong, entered Northumberland.

"We marched without turning to the right or left, or staying to attack
town, castle, or house, till we crossed the river Tyne and entered
Durham. Then we began the war; burning, ravaging, and slaying. I liked
it not, for although when it comes to fighting I am ready, if needs be,
to bear my part, I care not to attack peaceful people. It is true that
your kings have, over and over again, laid waste half Scotland;
killing, slaying, and hanging; but it does not seem to me any
satisfaction, because some twenty of my ancestors have been murdered,
to slay twenty people who were not born until long afterwards, and
whose forbears, for aught I know, may have had no hand in the slaughter
of mine.

"However, having laden ourselves with plunder from Durham, we sat down
for three days before Newcastle, where we had some sharp skirmishes
with Sir Henry and his brother, Sir Ralph Percy; and in one of these
captured Sir Henry's pennant.

"Then we marched away to Otterburn, after receiving warning from Percy
that he intended to win his pennant back again, before we left
Northumberland. We attacked Otterburn Castle, but failed to carry it,
for it was strong and well defended. There was a council that night,
and most of the leaders were in favour of retiring at once to Scotland,
with the abundance of spoil that we had gained. But Douglas persuaded
them to remain two or three days, and to capture the castle, and not to
go off as if afraid of Percy's threats. So we waited all the next day;
and at night the Percys, with 600 spears and 8000 infantry, came up.
Our leaders had not been idle, for they had examined the ground
carefully, and arranged how the battle should be fought, if we were
attacked.

"Having heard nothing of the English, all day, we lay down to sleep,
not expecting to hear aught of them until the morning. It was a
moonlight night, and being in August, there was but a short darkness
between the twilights; and the English, arriving, at once made an
attack, falling first on the servants' huts, which they took for those
of the chiefs. This gave us time to form up in good order, as we had