The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 1 (of 3)Hogg, James
History
The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Hogg, James
Historical fiction; Scotland -- History -- Robert II, 1371-1390 -- Fiction
pursued the flyers that escaped as far as the head of the Market-street,
and put the great Douglas himself into no little dismay; for he found it
next to impossible to rally his men amid the storm and darkness, such a
panic had seized them by this forthbreaking of their enemies. Clavering
would, doubtless, have rifled a part of the city, if not totally ruined
that division of the Scottish army, had he not been suddenly called back
to oppose a more dangerous inroad behind.
When Musgrave first broke through the right wing of the Scottish lines,
the noise and uproar spread amain, as may well be conceived. The warders
on the heights then sounded the alarm incessantly: and a most incongrous
thing it was to hear them sounding the alarm with such vigour at their
posts, after the enemy had passed quietly by them, and at that time were
working havoc in the middle of their camp. They knew not what was astir,
but they made plenty of din with their cow-horns, leaving those that
they alarmed to find out the cause the best way they could.
The Scottish army that beleaguered the castle to the westward caught the
alarm, and rushed to the support of their brethren and commander. The
infantry being first in readiness, were first put in motion, but, on the
narrowest part of the castle green, they fell in with the firm set
phalanx of the English, who received them on the point of their lances,
and, in a few seconds, made them give way. The English could not however
pursue, their orders being to keep by the spot where they were, and
stand firm; so that the Scots had nothing ado but to rally at the head
of the green, and return to the charge. Still it was with no better
success than before. The English stood their ground, and again made them
reel and retreat. But, by this time, the horsemen were got ready, and
descended to the charge at a sharp trot. They were clad in armour, and
had heavy swords by their sides, and long spears like halberds in their
hands. The English lines could not withstand the shock given by these,
for the men were famishing with hunger and benumbed with cold, the wind
blowing with all its fury straight in their faces. They gave way; but
they were neither broken nor dispersed. Reduced as they were, they were
all veterans, and retreated fighting till they came to the barriers
before the draw-bridge; and there, having the advantage of situation,
they stood their ground.
The horsemen passed on to the scene of confusion in the camp, and came
upon the rear of the English host, encumbered with prisoners and spoil.
When Clavering was called back, Douglas, who had now rallied about one
hundred and forty men around him, wheeled about, and followed Clavering
in the rear; so that the English found themselves in the same
predicament that the Scots were in about an hour before,--beset before
and behind,--and that principally by horsemen, which placed them under a
manifest disadvantage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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