Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (7 of 9): Henrie the Seauenth, Sonne to Edmund Earle of Richmond, Which Edmund was Brother by the Moothers Side to Henrie the SixtHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (7 of 9): Henrie the Seauenth, Sonne to Edmund Earle of Richmond, Which Edmund was Brother by the Moothers Side to Henrie the Sixt
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry VII, 1485-1509; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
When the Scots had diuerse waies assaulted and beaten the castell of
Norham, but could make no batterie to enter the same, they determined
of their owne accord to raise the siege, and returne; and that so
much the sooner in verie déed, bicause they heard that the earle of
Surrie was within two daies iournie of them, with a great puissance.
Wherefore king Iames raised his siege, and returned home into his owne
realme. When the earle knew of the kings returne, he followed him with
all hast possible, trusting suerlie to ouertake him, and to giue him
battell. When the earle was entred Scotland, he ouerthrew and defaced
the castell of Cawdestreimes, the tower of Hetenhall, the tower of
Edington, the tower of Fulden: and he sent Norreie king at armes to
the capteine of Haiton castell, which was one of the strongest places
betwixt Berwike and Edenburgh, to deliuer him the castell. Which he
denied to doo, affirming that he was sure of spéedie succours.
The earle héerevpon laid his ordinance to the castell, and continuallie
beat it, from two of the clocke till fiue at night, in such wise, that
they within rendered vp the place, their liues onelie saued. The earle
caused his minors to raise & ouerthrow the fortresse to the plaine
ground. The Scotish king was within a mile of the siege, and both
knew it, and saw the smoke, but would not set one foot forward to the
rescue. While the erle laie at Haiton, the king of Scots sent to him
Machemont, and an other herald, desiring him at his election, either to
fight with whole puissance against puissance, or else they two to fight
person to person; requiring that if the victorie fell to the Scotish
king, that then the earle should deliuer for his ransome, the towne of
Berwike, with the fishgarths of the same.
[Sidenote: The valiant hart of the erle of Surrie reioising at his hap
likelie to fight hand to hand with the K. of Scots.]
The earle made answer hereto, that the towne of Berwike was the king
his maisters, and not his, the which he neither ought nor would laie
to pledge, without the king of Englands assent; but he would gage his
bodie, which was more pretious to him than all the townes of the world,
promising on his honour, that if he tooke the king prisoner in that
singular combat, he would release to him all his part of the fine and
ransome; and if it chanced the king to vanquish him, he would gladlie
paie such ransome as was conuenient for the degrée of an earle, and
thanked him greatlie for the offer: for suerlie he thought himselfe
much honored, that so noble a prince would vouchsafe to admit so poore
an earle to fight with him bodie to bodie. When he had rewarded and
dismissed the heralds, he set his armie in a readinesse, to abide the
comming of the king of Scots, and so stood all daie.
[Sidenote: An ambassadour from the K. of Spaine to treat a peace
betwixt England and Scotland.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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