The

As a matter of fact, Surrey's move- | long-thought-out plan of action, to ments were these. His vanguard, with adopt a new one, and to get more than his artillery, under Lord Thomas forty thousand men smoothly and Howard, the admiral, assisted by his quickly into a position previously unbrother Sir Edmond Howard, and Sir considered and unreconnoitred. Marmaduke Constable, moved to position on which the Scots were now Twisel bridge while he, with the re- formed is the height now known as mainder of his army, pushed straight | Brankton Ridge. Very little lower for the fords across the Till. The than Flodden Hill, the slope which its force was intended to, and did, concen- side presents to the north—the directrate and deploy near the village of tion from which the attack came - is Brankton. When it was finally mar- not so steep as that which Flodden shalled in array, it preserved the dis- presents to the south. Still it is very positions which had been made at commanding ground, and, if James had Bolton. On the right was the admiral shown as much judgment in the tactiwith Sir Nicholas Appleyard and the cal use which he made of it as he did artillery. The guns, on their rude car- in selecting it for occupation, the reriages drawn by oxen, could not have sult of the day might have been very moved far from the road between different for the fortunes of his kingTwisel bridge and Cornhill, and must dom. have taken up the first available position. The Earl of Surrey himself commanded the centre, assisted by Sir Coldstream, were formed Philip Tilney, Lord Scrope, and other Huntly's Highlanders and the Bordernobles, while on the left was a large ers under Lord Home. On their right, force of horse and foot, the greater part facing north, were the troops under of the Cheshire contingent, under Sir Crawfurd and Montrose. In the cenEdward Stanley, assisted by Sir Wil-tre was the king himself, with many of liam Molyneux and Sir Henry Kickley. | his nobles and men of the best and In rear of the centre was the reserve of bravest blood of Scotland. The right cavalry under Lord Dacre. The whole wing was on the eastern end of the front of the English line covered about | ridge under Lennox and Argyll. Here two miles, but Lord Thomas Howard's the ground, then naked but now thickly force on the right was separated from wooded, slopes in a steep declivity to a the remainder by a small elevation, vale beneath, which still bears the called in history the " Pipers' Hill.' name "Bloody Dell." A strong re

On the extreme left of the Scottish line, on a slope of the ridge facing towards

serve under Bothwell was formed on the right rear of the line. The exact position of the artillery, consisting of seventeen pieces, including the “ seven sisters," is not known. Some guns we know were in battery facing towards Ford bridge, and these possibly could not be joined to the remainder, which it is probable that Robert Borthwick, the master gunner, kept united under his own command.

As soon as the movement of the English was developed, and the Scottish monarch saw that they were crossing the Till, he hurriedly began to draw up his army to meet the new form of danger. The prepared and fortified position on Flodden Hill was necessarily abandoned, and another line of defence, nearly parallel to the first, but facing in an almost diametrically opposite direction, was taken up. Whatever military faults James may have com- Near to the highest point of the mitted in the course of the campaign heights on which the Scots manoeuvred -and they were many. no one can is a natural rock, still called "The deny that he and his generals had their King's Chair," and tradition points to men well in hand. It was no small it as having been the spot occupied by feat, when confronted with au unex- King James previous to the battle, pected emergency, to be able to rise from which he watched the advance of superior to it at once, to give up a the English and the movements of his

own army, and where he gave his in opposing the stern and steady close orders. It is, indeed, the most con- formation of Scottish spearmen to the venient post to which a commander-in- onslaught of a force possessed of cavchief would naturally betake himself alry superior in numbers and quality to for such purpose. James has been any that he could bring against it. greatly blamed, and very justly, for The battle began between three and allowing Surrey to effect the difficult four in the afternoon by a discharge of passage of the Till without hindrance. the English artillery, which seems to He directed no attack upon the English have been very effective, and to have columns while for a long time they done great execution in the Scottish were necessarily helpless, moving on ranks. One of those who fell was Robnarrow fronts, unable to give to each ert Borthwick, the master gunner, and other any support, and very probably to his death it may be attributed that the open to destruction in detail. Indeed, subsequent fire of the Scottish guns was it is recorded that his master gunner nearly harmless. Loading being then vainly implored him to permit the a slow process, it is not likely that the artillery to be fired at the bridge, on artillery on either side took any further which the guns were already directed, part in the action. The general attack and that the king said, "I am deter- of the English appears to have commined that I will have them all before menced on their right, where Sir Bryan me on a plain field, and see what they Tunstall and Sir Edmond Howard, in can do all before me." But if James an advance up the opposing slope, was to blame, Surrey equally is to be were encountered by the fierce charge criticised for undertaking an extremely of Lord Home's Borderers and the Earl dangerous operation, unless he had fair of Huntly's Highlanders. These degrounds for supposing that it would scended the hill with shout and slogan not be interfered with. And this was cry. The highland broadsword and very likely the case. We may fairly the long border spear hurled back the believe that there was a tacit under-attack, which English gallantry restanding between the two generals, conveyed by some secret agent, possibly Lady Heron, that the terms of the challenge given and accepted were to be so far adhered to that, though the Scots would not relinquish all vantage ground, they would not prevent the English from forming in fair line of battle.

As the two armies were finally formed, Lord Thomas Howard was opposite Huntly and Home, Crawfurd and Montrose; the Earl of Surrey faced the king and Sir Edward Stanley, Lennox, and Argyll. All the Scots were prepared to fight on foot, and even the king himself had parted with his horse. Hollingshed says that this was done so that, the danger being equal to all aud means of flight being taken away, all "might be more willing to show their manhood, as their safety only rested in the edges and points of their weapons." It is more probable, however, that James followed the wellknown tactics of Bruce at Bannockburn

newed time after time. Sir Edmond Howard was felled to the ground, Tunstall was slain, and the victorious Scots drove the English right fleeing_before them. The time of action for Dacre's cavalry had come. They had been formed under cover of some undulating ground, and now, in serried ranks, they swept to the front down a slight slope and crashed on the Scottish left. Huntly and Home were checked, but were able to hold their ground, retaining numerous prisoners. Meantime, Crawfurd and Montrose had also moved down the slope and engaged the Admiral Lord Thomas Howard, but, after a stern struggle, the Scottish leaders were both slain and the admiral remained master of his portion of the field. King James, who saw the whole of his left strenuously fighting, now imprudently left his strong central position to meet the Earl of Surrey. If he had stood fast, all the might of England then in the field could not have dislodged him, and Flodden might

have been another Bannockburn. But was quickly made up. He had still

his chivalrous ardor carried him away, with him about ten thousand of the and, drawing Bothwell's reserve with Cheshire and Lancashire men, and him, he threw himself into the heart of with them, passing hastily over the the battle. For a time it seemed as if position where the royal flag of Scotthe Scots would be conquerors in the land had been displayed at the comhand to hand struggle and drive their mencement of the battle, he swooped enemies backwards into the Till. with all his force upon the rear of Their left was successful, and occupied King James. About the same time the whole attention of Dacre. Though the admiral succeeded in driving his Montrose and Crawfurd were no more, immediate enemies before him, and, their followers still made head against turning to his left, fell upon King the admiral, and the king with his James's flank. The Scottish monarch choicest soldiery was pressing hard was now completely surrounded, but upon Surrey and England's centre. there was no craven quailing or But disaster had fallen upon the Scot- thought of retreat. The ground betish right. Sir Edward Stanley, with came poached with the trampling of the archers of Cheshire and Lanca- the struggle and slippery with the shire, did terrible execution among the blood of the combatants; the Scots Highlanders and Islesmen of Lennox took off their boots and fought in their and Argyll. Impatient under the gall-hose. Their long spears were broken; ing flight of arrows, deaf to the com- they renewed the strife hand to hand mands and entreaties of their chiefs with their swords. As each man fell, and De la Motte and other experienced the ranks closed and showed an unFrench officers who were with them, the wild and undisciplined clans rushed down the hill and engaged the billmeu, who, under cover of the archers' arrows, were advaucing. A few moments' patience and the deadly shower would necessarily have ceased; the English infantry, breathless with the steep ascent, might easily have been hurled back, and the result would have been very different. The advantage of ground was however lost, and the billmen, though staggered and shaken by the fierce charge, closed their ranks and fell upon the Highlanders in front and flank. Stubbornly as they fought, the men of Lennox and Argyll perforce gave way. The chiefs fell at the head of their clans, and the Scottish right was shattered and swept from the field, not again to be rallied.

Sir Edward Stanley pursued his advantage. He had cut his way to the top of the Brankton ridge, from which he could see the progress of the fight on the English centre and right, the masses of men surging round the Pipers' Hill, and the fluttering of pennons of well-known leaders, which, as they advanced or retired, showed the dubious fortunes of the day. His mind

broken, impenetrable front. While the gallant king lived, the issue was still doubtful. Inspired by his presence and example, all his followers fought with cool, disciplined, and determined desperation, and, while the English bill did its work of death, the Scottish spear and broadsword returned deadly blow for blow.

James of Scotland at last fell, fighting gallantly, surrounded by the noblest of his kingdom's sons, and, where the monarch and his warrior court had stood, there was only left a ghastly pile of slain. The shades of night fell upon Scotland's sorrow and disaster. The shattered remains of her army withdrew, unpursued, before the following morning. Destroyed as a fighting body, but unconquered, they had yielded no foot of ground before the English, and it was not till the 10th September that Surrey knew the fight would not be continued. When valor so great, loyalty so true, and self-devotion so unsparing were shown by the hapless king and the generous peers who disdained to survive their sovereign and their comrades, it is an ungracious task to criticise their military conduct. Still, it cannot but be held as almost

certain that, if the Scottish divisions | and there is every reason to believe
had stood firm on the strong position that the following account, written by
which they occupied, instead of charg- Stowe, is substantially true :—
ing rashly and blindly against their "After the battle, the bodie of the
assailants, nothing that the Earl of same king, being found, was closed in

Surrey could do would have shaken lead and conveyed from thence to Lon-
them, and their land would not have don, and to the monasterie of Sheyne
had to lament the most crushing loss in Surry, where it remained for a time,
it ever sustained. The only Scottish in what order I am not certaine ; but,
leader against whom a charge of luke- | since the dissolution of that house, in
warmness in the action has been made the reygne of Edward the Sixt, Henry
is Lord Home, but this is entirely un- Gray, Duke of Suffolke, being lodged
supported by any facts, though it is and keeping house there, I have been
referred to in the old ballad the "Sou-shewed the same bodie so lapped in
ten of Selkirk." It rather appears that lead, close to the head and bodie,
Lord Home's division was exception- throwne into a waste room, among the
ally well commanded. It was com-old timber, lead, and other rubble.
pletely successful at the beginning of Since the which time, workmen there,
the battle, and was only checked by the for their foolish pleasure, hewed off his
timely action of Lord Dacre's cavalry. head; and Lancelot Young, master
Moreover, as we hear nothing further glazier to Queen Elizabeth, feelinge a
of this formidable body of horsemen sweet savour to come from thence, and
after their first charge, we may reason-rising this same dried from all moisture,
ably suppose that they were neutralized and yet the form remaining with the
by the continuously firm, unbroken, haire of the head and beard red,
aud threatening attitude of Lord brought it to London to his house in
Home's Borderers, until the general Wood Street, where for a time he kept
conflict was practically decided. The
death-roll of the Scottish army, too, by
the number of Homes among victims
of the day, showed that the great bor-
der family and its chief had done their
duty nobly and unflinchingly.

it for its sweetness, but in the end caused the sexton of that church [St. Michael's, Wood Street] to bury it among other bones taken out of their charnell."

The actual strength of each army in James IV. is said to have met his the field is uncertain. We have seen death near where Brankton Vicarage how the Scottish force dwindled from now stauds, to the east of Pipers' Hill, its original great strength during the a very possible spot. The small old fatal delays on the borders, and it is thirteenth-century Church of Brank- probable that King James did not ton, with its stumpy pointed spire, is muster more than forty-five thousand probably the only neighboring building men on Brankton ridge, while Surrey's which existed at the time of the great army was somewhat superior in numbattle, and round its grey walls the bers. From all accounts we may struggle must have raged its fiercest. gather that, besides the wounded who The body of the king was recognized could leave the field, at least ten thouamong the slain by Lord Dacre, who sand Scots were left dead around their knew him well, and by Sir William dead king. There is no Scottish family Scott and Sir John Forman, who were of eminence which does not number among the few captains of noble birth. one of its ancestors as killed at Flodden. Its final destination was a blot on the Besides the king and the French amcharacter for generosity of Henry VIII. bassador De la Motte, there perished In spite of the earnest appeal by Leo Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St. X., made in a letter still preserved, Andrews, George Hepbun, Bishop of that permission should be given for the the Isles, William Bunch, Abbot of interment of his dead foe in St. Paul's Kilwinning, Laurence Oliphant, Abbot Cathedral, Henry inflexibly refused, of Inchaffray, Earls of Crawfurd, Len

nox, Erroll, Martin, Argyll, Montrose, | again made the experiment of trying to Cassilis, Bothwell, Rothes, Caithness, live in the life of his son, and, it Glencairn, besides thirteen barons and seemed outwardly, with success. Jack five eldest sous of peers. The gentle- found him apparently strongly sympamen of noble birth and chiefs of fam-thetic, no longer ambitious for himself, ilies numbered fifty. Two hundred of but ambitious for the younger generathe Douglas name lay on the field. The tion, as the best among the old learn English loss was between five and six to be when they have laid down their thousand, but few men of note were weapons and retired from the battle. among the slain. Their leaders, per- Elliot even went so far as to formally haps rightly, having regard to the due make over his writing-room to his son, exercise of their proper duties, had not who worked there almost every day joined in the melée as did the Scottish with a passionate eagerness. The nobility, but had left the stress of fight- father was fighting strenuously with ing to the yeomen, upon whom fell the himself, and all he did at this time was loss as they gained the glory. done deliberately in the teeth of his The Earl of Surrey, contented with real inclination. For he confessed to his success, did not advance into Scot-himself that he hated the labor which land, but almost immediately discharged his army to their homes. Queen Margaret became regent of Scotland, and, though a state of hostilities between the two kingdoms continued for some time, no further great military operations were undertaken.

was not his own, the creation that did not spring from his own brain. And the hatred grew within him despite his effort against it. He realized thoroughly for the first time in his life a strange powerlessness against an internal foe that beset him. This deSorely as the northern nobility had basing jealousy of his son increased been smitten, the losses of the humbler steadily, stealthily day by day, until it classes in the battle by Tweedside was ever present and began to catch spread lamentation and mourning his fatherly affection by the throat as if through the length and breadth of to strangle it. Scotland, and overshadowed the national loss of king and feudal chiefs. Dool and wae for the order, went our lads

to the border, The English, for ance, by guile wan the day;

The flowers of the forest, that fought aye the foremost,

While Jack was shut up writing, Elliot was possessed by a dreadful restlessness. He found it difficult and almost impossible to fix his mind upon anything, or even to continue in any attitude of body. If he sat down and took up a book, he could not read — he could not remain quiet. He found The pride of our land are cauld in the himself trying to follow his son's prog. clay. ress in the next room - trying to think himself into his son's mind, to feel his excitement, his alternations of hope and despair, even his enervation and fatigue at the close of the wearying task. He was living in another's life, he was only an onlooker after all, a but with agony, almost with fury, for spectator of the strife which it had been his great joy to partake in. The pen wrote, but his hand did not hold it, and it wrote down the thoughts of another in the language of another.

We'll hear nae mair lilting, at the ewes milking;

Women and bairns are heartless and

wae ;

Sighing and moaning on ilke green loaning

The flowers of the forest are a' wede

awae.

From Temple Bar.

A MAN OF PROMISE.
IV.

AFTER that day their conversations became long and frequent. Elliot

Did it write better now than when he held it ?

That was a question that he contin