were in a strong ground greatly to their advantage. Then the bishop
took counsel what was best for him to do; but all things well advised,
they were not in purpose to enter in among the Scots to assail them,
but returned without doing of anything, for they saw well they might
rather lose than win.

When the Scots saw the Englishmen recule and that they should have no
battle, they went to their lodgings and made merry, and then ordained
to depart from thence. And because that sir Ralph Percy was sore hurt,
he desired of his master that he might return to Newcastle or into
some place, whereas it pleased him unto such time as he were whole of
his hurts, promising, as soon as he were able to ride, to return into
Scotland, other to Edinboro or into any other place appointed. The
earl of March, under whom he was taken, agreed thereto and delivered
him a horse litter and sent him away; and by like covenant divers
other knights and squires were suffered to return and took term other
to return or else to pay their finance, such as they were appointed
unto. It was shewed me by the information of the Scots, such as had
been at this said battle that was between Newcastle and Otterburn in
the year of our Lord God a thousand three hundred fourscore and eight,
the nineteenth day of August, how that there were taken prisoners of
the English party a thousand and forty men, one and other, and slain
in the field and in the chase eighteen hundred and forty, and sore
hurt more than a thousand: and of the Scots there were a hundred
slain, and taken in the chase more than two hundred; for as the
Englishmen fled, when they saw any advantage they returned again and
fought: by that means the Scots were taken and none otherwise. Every
man may well consider that it was a well fought field, when there were
so many slain and taken on both parties.

HOW THE SCOTS DEPARTED AND CARRIED WITH THEM THE EARL DOUGLAS DEAD,
AND BURIED HIM IN THE ABBEY OF MELROSE; AND HOW SIR ARCHAMBAULT
DOUGLAS AND HIS COMPANY DEPARTED FROM BEFORE CARLISLE AND RETURNED
INTO SCOTLAND

After this battle thus finished, every man returned,[1] and the earl
Douglas' dead body chested and laid in a chare, and with him sir
Robert Hart and Simon Glendowyn, then they prepared to depart: so they
departed and led with them sir Henry Percy and more than forty knights
of England, and took the way to the abbey of Melrose. At their
departing they set fire in their lodgings, and