Scotland under her early kings, Volume 1 (of 2) : $b a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth centuryRobertson, Eben William
History
Scotland under her early kings, Volume 1 (of 2) : $b a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth century
Robertson, Eben William
Scotland -- History -- To 1603
the confederates, promptly taking advantage of the confusion, advanced
at once to the charge. The Saxons of the Lothians broke at the first
onset; and though David, leaping from his horse, and placing himself at
the head of the reserve, bravely endeavoured to stem the advance of the
enemy, the Scots wavered and were carried away in the rout; whilst the
king, maddened at the thought of defeat, refused to fly until he was
forced off the field by his own body-guard. High above his head still
fluttered the ancient Dragon of Wessex, contradicting the report of
his death, and numbers who had been swept away in the first confusion
of the flight, disengaging themselves from the crowd of fugitives,
and rallying around the banner of their king, presented a formidable
front to the advancing foe. The foremost of the pursuers were either
cut down or captured, and the rest soon gave up following the Scottish
army, which, without further molestation, retreated in perfect order to
Carlisle.[247]
The losses of the Scots upon this memorable occasion were estimated at
ten thousand men, a number probably exaggerated, together with all the
plunder they had accumulated, the place where it was captured being
long remembered as Baggage Moor. More perished in the flight than in
the battle--and such was generally the case--for not only were the
fugitives massacred by the exasperated peasantry, but whenever they
came into contact with each other, Angles, Scots, and Picts of Galloway
fought with all the animosity of mutual hatred. The victors, deprived
of their horses by Prince Henry’s charge, could make no attempt at
following up their success: so, separating with mutual congratulations,
they dispatched intelligence of their victory to Stephen, who, in
acknowledgment of their important services, raised two of their
number to the dignity of earls; Robert Ferrers obtaining the Earldom
of Derbyshire, whilst that of Yorkshire was conferred upon William
Albemarle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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