Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

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246 MINSTRELSY OF
small, but chosen body of his retainers, the rest of whom were
near at hand. By the advice of this experienced warrior, (ta
whose conduct Pitscottie and Buchanan ascribe the success
of the engagement,) Angus withdrew from the height which he
occupied, and drew up his forces behind it, upon a piece of
low flat groimd, called Panier-beugh, or Paniel-heugh. The
spare horses being sent to an eminence in their rear, appeared
to the English to be the main body of the Scots, in the act of
flight. Under this persuasion, Evers and Latoun hurried pre-
cipitately forward, and, having ascended the hill, which their
foes had abandoned, were no less dismayed than astonished, to
find the phalanx of Scottish spearmen drawn up, in firm array,
upon the flat ground below. The Scots in their turn became the
assailants. A heron, roused from the marshes by the tumult,
soared away betwixt the encountering armies : " !" exclaimed
Angus, " that I had here my white goss-hawk, that we
might all yoke at once !"
Godscroft. The English, breath-
less and fatigued, ha\'ing the setting sun and wind full in their
faces, were unable to withstand the resolute and desperate
charge of the Scottish lances. No sooner had they begun to
waver, than their own allies, the assured Borderers, who hatl
been waiting the event, threw aside their red crosses, and,
joining their countrymen, made a most merciless slaughter
among the English fugitives, the pursuers calling upon each
other to " remember Broomhouse !" Lesley, p. 478. In the
battle fell Lord Evers, and his son, together with Sir Brian La-
toun, and 800 Englishmen, many of whom were persons of
rank. A thousand prisoners were taken. Among these was a
patriotic alderman of London, Read by name, who, having
contumaciously refused to pay his portion of a benevolence,
demanded from the city by Henry VIII., was sent by royal au-
thority to serve against the Scots. These, at settling his ran-
som, he found stiU more exorbitant in their exactions than the
monarch. Redpath's Border History, p. 563. Evers was
much regretted by King Henry, who swore to avenge his death
upon Angus, against whom he conceived himself to have parti-
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