In this season, to wit, in the yeare 1319, a great murreine and death of cattell chanced through the whole realme, spreading from place to place, but speciallie this yeare it reigned in the north, where as in the yeares before it began in the south parts. The king desirous to be reuenged of the Scots, made preparation to leuie a mightie armie; and for want of sufficient numbers of men in other places towards the north parts, the king caused much people to come vnto him out of the south and east parts of the realme, amongst the which the citie of London was constreined to find at their costs and charges two hundred men, sending them to Yorke, where the generall assemblie of the armie was made. From thence, after he had receiued his men from sundrie countries and good townes of his realme, he went to Berwike, & laid siege to the towne. In which meane time the Scots being assembled, came to the borders, passed by the English host, and entring into England, came in secréet wise downe into the marches of Yorkeshire, and there slue the people, and robbed them in most cruell wise. [Sidenote: _Auesburie._] [Sidenote: The discomfiture of Mitton vpon Suale.] [Sidenote: _Caxton._] [Sidenote: _Polydor._] Wherefore the archbishop of Yorke, meaning in time of such necessitie to doo his indeuour in defense of his countrie, assembled such power as he could get togither, of clearkes, moonks, canons, and other spirituall men of the church, with husbandmen and such other vnapt people for the warres: and thus with a great number of men and few warlike or discréet chéefeteins, he togither with the bishop of Elie, as then lord chancellour, came foorth against the Scots, and incountred with them at a place called Mitton vpon Suale, the twelfth day of October. Here as the Englishmen passed ouer the water of Suale, the Scots set fire vpon certeine stacks of haie, the smoke whereof was so huge, that the Englishmen might not sée where the Scots laie. And when the Englishmen were once got ouer the water, the Scots came vpon them with a wing in good order of battell, in fashion like to a shéeld, egerlie assailing their enimies, who for lacke of good gouernement were easilie beaten downe and discomfited, without shewing any great resistance: so that there were slaine to the number of two thousand and the residue shamefullie put to flight. [Sidenote: _Auesburie._] [Sidenote: _Caxton._]