John duke of Albany (son of Alexander duke of Albany, the brother of James the Third) was regent of Scotland during the minority of James the Fifth; and this poem relates to his invasion of the borders in 1523; an expedition, which, according to Pinkerton, “in its commencement only displays the regent’s imprudence, and in its termination his total deficiency in military talents, and even in common valour.” _Hist. of Scot._, ii. 230. Mr. Tytler, however, views the character and conduct of Albany in a very different light; and his account of the expedition (_Hist. of Scot._, v. 166 sqq.) may be thus abridged. Albany’s army amounted in effective numbers to about forty thousand men, not including a large body of camp-followers. With this force,—his march impeded by heavy roads, the nobles corrupted by the gold and intrigues of England, they and their soldiers jealous of the foreign auxiliaries, and symptoms of disorganisation early appearing,—the regent advanced as far as Melrose. Having vainly endeavoured to persuade his discontented army to cross the Tweed, he encamped on its left bank, and laid siege to Wark Castle with his foreign troops and artillery. There the Frenchmen manifested their wonted courage; but the assaulting party, receiving no assistance from the Scots, and fearing that the river flooded by rain and snow would cut off their retreat, were obliged to raise the siege, and join the main body. The Earl of Surrey (see notes, p. 317. v. 769. p. 354. v. 150), who had in the mean while concentrated his troops, hearing of the attack on Wark Castle, now advanced against the enemy. At the news of his approach, the Scottish nobles being fixed in their resolution not to risk a battle, Albany retreated to Eccles, (a monastery six miles distant from Wark,) with his foreign auxiliaries and artillery; and the rest of his forces dispersed, rather with flight than retreat, amidst a tempest of snow. From Eccles Albany retired to Edinburgh, and, soon after, finally withdrew to France. His army had been assembled on the Burrow-Muir near Edinburgh towards the end of October; and its dispersion took place at the commencement of the following month. Page 68. v. 19. _Huntley banke_] See note, p. 221. v. 149. v. 20. _Lowdyan_] See note, p. 217. v. 59. v. 21. _Locryan_] See note, p. 217. v. 61. v. 22. _the ragged ray_]—_ray_ seems here to be merely—array; but Skelton in his _Replycacion_, &c., has, “ye _dawns_ all in a sute The heritykes _ragged ray_.” v. 168. vol. i. 214: and see note, p. 194. v. 170. v. 24. _Dunbar, Dunde_] See note, p. 219. v. 121. Page 69. v. 37. _With, hey, dogge, hay_] This line has occurred before, in _Elynour Rummyng_, v. 168. vol. i. 100.