The battle began about nine o’clock, and lasted until noon. The Scots had very hard and sharp axes, with which they dealt deadly blows; but at last the English gained the field, though it cost them dear by the loss of their men. On the part of the Scots, there fell in the field the Earl of Sys, the Earl Dostre, the Earl Patris, the Earl of Furlant, the Earl Dastredure, the Earl of Mar, the Earl John Douglas, Sir Alexander Ramsay who bore the king’s banners, and many other barons, knights, and squires. The King of Scotland was taken prisoner, fighting most gallantly, and badly wounded before he was captured by a squire of Northumberland named John Copeland; who, as soon as he got him, pushed through the crowd, and with eight other companions rode off, and never stopped until he was distant from the field of battle about fifteen miles. He came about vespers to Ogle Castle, on the river Blythe, and there declared that he would not surrender his prisoner, the King of Scotland, to man or woman, except to his lord the King of England. That same day were taken prisoners the Earls of Murray and March, Lord William Douglas, Lord Robert de Wersy, the Bishops of Aberdeen and St. Andrews, and many other barons and knights. There were about fifteen thousand slain, and the remainder saved themselves as well as they could. This battle was fought near Newcastle, in the year 1346, on a Saturday preceding Michaelmas Day. [The old ballad of “Durham Feilde” sings the battle of Neville’s Cross described in the foregoing chapter, calling it “Durham Field” after the Bishop of Durham, who led the English. The poem is divided into two parts, of which only the second is here given on account of its length. The First Part relates, in true old-servant style, how the King of Scotland was informed that the King of England was gone into France with all his soldiers, leaving none behind but “Shepherds and millers, And priests with shaven crowns;” whereupon “the King of Scots in a study stood,” and resolved to seize such a favorable moment to overrun England in the absence of its king. He calls together his lords, and in a boastful mood proceeds to divide out the whole of England among them, as if he had nothing to do but march forward and take possession. Presently, however, his army is confronted with “the comminaltye of litle England;” the King of Scots brags that “They be but English knaves, But shepherds and millers both, And mass priests with their staves;” and sends his herald to view them. When the herald returns,