The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland. John Armoy Knox
thousand men, and their corn and houses upon every side sending flames of fire unto the heaven. To them it was more than a wonder that such a multitude could have been assembled and convoyed, without knowledge thereof coming to their wardens. They looked not for support, and so at the first they utterly despaired. Yet began they to assemble together, ten in one company, twenty in another; and, as the fray proceeded, their troops increased, but to no number; for Carlisle, fearing to have been assaulted, suffered no man to issue from the gates. Thus the greatest number that ever appeared or approached before the discomfiture, did not exceed three or four hundred men; and yet they made hot skirmishing, for, on their own ground, they were more expert in such feats.
About ten o'clock, when fires had been kindled and almost slokened[38] on every side, Oliver thought it time to show his glory. Incontinently,[39] the King's banner was displayed; Oliver was lifted up on spears upon men's shoulders, and there, with sound of trumpet, he was proclaimed general lieutenant, and all men were commanded to obey him, as the King's own person, under all highest pains. The Lord Maxwell, Warden, to whom properly appertained the regiment, in absence of the King, was present; he heard and saw all, but thought more than he spake. There were also present the Earls Glencairn and Cassillis, with the Lord Fleming, and many other Lords, Barons, and gentlemen of Lothian, Fife, Angus, and Mearns.
The Rout at Solway Moss.
In the meantime, the skirmishing grew hotter than it had been before: shouts were heard on every side. Some Scotsmen were stricken down; some, not knowing the ground, laired,[40] and lost their horses. Some English horses were of purpose let loose, to provoke greedy and imprudent men to prick at them: many did so, but found no advantage. While disorder arose more and more in the army, men cried in every ear, "My Lord Lieutenant, what will ye do?" Charge was given that all men should alight and go to array; for they would fight it. Others cried, "Against whom will ye fight? Yon men will fight none otherwise than ye see them do, if ye stand here until the morn." New purpose was taken that the footmen (they had with them certain bands of soldiers) should softly retire towards Scotland, and that the horsemen should take horse again, and follow in order. Great was the noise and confusion that was heard, while every man called his own slogan.[41] The day was nearly spent, and that was the cause of the greatest fear.
The Lord Maxwell, perceiving what would be the end of such beginnings, remained on foot with his friends, and, being admonished to take horse and provide for himself, answered, "Nay, I will here abide the chance that it shall please God to send me, rather than go home, and there be hanged." And so he remained on foot and was taken prisoner, while the multitude fled, to their greater shame. The enemy, perceiving the disorder, increased in courage. Before, they had shouted; but then they struck. They threw spears and dagged[42] arrows where the companies were thickest. Some rencounters were made, but nothing availed. The soldiers cast from them their pikes, culverins, and other weapons of defence; the horsemen left their spears; and, without judgment, all men fled. The tide was rising, and the water made great stop; but the fear was such that happy was he that might get a tacker.[43] Such as passed the water and escaped that danger, not well acquainted with the ground, fell into the Solway Moss. The entry to it was pleasing enough, but all that took that way, either tint[44] their horses or else themselves and horses both.
To be short, a greater fear and discomfiture, without cause, has seldom been seen. It is said that, where the men were not sufficient to take the hands of prisoners, some ran to houses and surrendered themselves to women. Stout Oliver was taken, without stroke, fleeing manfully; and so was his glory (stinking and foolish pride we should call it) suddenly turned to confusion and shame. In that discomfiture were taken the two Earls foresaid, the Lords Fleming and Somerville, and many other barons and gentlemen, besides the great multitude of servants.
Worldly men may think that all this came but by misorder and fortune, as they term it; but whosoever has the least spunk[45] of the knowledge of God, may as evidently see the work of His hand in this discomfiture, as ever was seen in any of the battles left to us on record by the Holy Ghost. For what more evident declaration have we that God fought against Benhadad, King of Aram, when he was discomfited at Samaria, than that which we have that God fought with His own arm against Scotland? In the former discomfiture, two hundred and thirty persons in the skirmish, with seven thousand following them in the great battle, did put to flight the said Benhadad, with thirty kings in his company. But here, in this shameful discomfiture of Scotland, very few more than three hundred men, without knowledge of any back or battle to follow, did put to flight ten thousand men without resistance made. There did every man rencounter his marrow,[46] until the two hundred slew such as matched them. Here, without slaughter, the multitude fled. There those of Samaria had the prophet of God to comfort, to instruct, and to promise victory unto them. England, in that pursuit, had nothing. But God by His providence secretly wrought in these men that knew nothing of His working, nor yet of the causes thereof; no more than did the wall that fell upon the rest of Benhadad's army know what it did. Therefore, yet again we say that such as behold not in that sudden dejection the hand of God, fighting against pride for the freedom of His own little flock, unjustly persecuted, do willingly and maliciously obscure the glory of God. But the end was yet more notable.
The Blow falls on the King.
The King waited upon news at Lochmaben, and when the certain knowledge of the discomfiture came to his ears he was stricken with a sudden fear and astonishment, so that scarcely could he speak, or hold purposed converse with any man. The night constrained him to remain where he was, and so he went to bed; but he rose without rest or quiet sleep. His continual complaint was, "Oh, fled Oliver! Is Oliver ta'en? Oh, fled Oliver!" These words in his melancholy, and as if he were carried away in a trance, he repeated from time to time, to the very hour of his death. Upon the morn, which was St. Katherine's Day, he returned to Edinburgh, as did the Cardinal from Haddington. But the one being ashamed of the other, the bruit of their communication came not to the ears of the public. The King made inventory of his poise,[47] and of all his jewels and other substance; and departed to Fife. Coming to Hallyards, he was humanely received by the Lady Grange, an ancient and godly matron: the Laird was absent. There were in his company only William Kirkaldy, now Laird of Grange, and some others that waited upon his chamber. At supper, the lady, perceiving him pensive, began to comfort him, and urged him to take the work of God in good part. "My portion of this world is short," he replied, "for I will not be with you fifteen days." His servants, repairing unto him, asked where he would have provision made for Yuletide, which then approached. He answered with a disdainful smirk, "I cannot tell: choose ye the place. But this I can tell you, ye will be masterless before Yule day, and the realm without a King." Because of his displeasure, no man durst make contradiction unto him. After he had visited the Castle of Carny, pertaining to the Earl of Crawford, where was the said Earl's daughter, one of his paramours, he returned to Falkland and took to bed. No sign of death appeared about him, but he constantly affirmed that, before such a day, he would be dead.
The Birth of Mary Stuart.
In the meantime the Queen was upon the point of her delivery in Linlithgow, and on the eighth day of December, in the year of God 1542, was delivered of Mary, that then was born, and now does reign for a plague to this realm, as the progress of her whole life to this day hath declared. The certainty that a daughter was born unto him coming to his ears, the King turned from such as spake with him, and said, "The devil go with it! It will end as it began: it came from a woman; and it will end in a woman." After that, he spake not many words that were sensible. But ever he harped upon his old song, "Fie, fled Oliver! Is Oliver ta'en? All is lost."
The Death of James V.
In the meantime came the Cardinal, in the King's great extremity, an apt comforter for a desperate man. He cried in his ear, "Take order, Sire, with your realm: who shall rule during the minority of your daughter? Ye have known my service, what will ye have done? Shall there not be four regents chosen, and shall not I be principal of them?" Whatsoever the King answered, documents were taken that things should be as my Lord Cardinal thought expedient. As many affirm, a dead man's hand was made to subscribe a blank, that they might write above the signature what pleased them best. This finished, the Cardinal posted to the Queen. At the first sight of the Cardinal, she said, "Welcome, my Lord. Is not the King dead?" Divers men are of divers opinions as to what moved her so to conjecture. Many whisper that of old his part was in the