The King replied: "Is my son dead, unhorsed, or so badly wounded that he cannot support himself?" "Nothing of the sort, thank God!" rejoined the knight; "but he is in so hot an engagement, that he has great need of your help." The King answered: "Now, Sir Thomas, return back to those that sent you, and tell them from me not to send again for me this day, or expect that I shall come, let what will happen, as long as my son has life; and say that I command them to let the boy win his spurs, for I am determined, if it please God, that all the glory and honour of this day shall be given to him and to those into whose care I have entrusted him." DAVID BRUCE INVADES ENGLAND (OCTOBER, 1346). SOURCE.--_The Cronykil of Scotland_ in _The Historians of Scotland_, iii. 470 _et seq._ _Qwhen Kyng David passyt fra hame till[8] the Batell off Durame._ A thowsand and thre hundyr yhere And sex and fourty to tha clere, The Kyng off Frawns set hym to ras And set a sege befor Calays, And wrate in Scotland till oure Kyng Specyally be thra[9] praying To pas on were[10] in till Inglond; ... Oure Kyng Dawy That wes yhowng, stowt, and rycht joly, And yharnyd[11] for to see fychtyng, Grawntyt the Kyng off Frawncys yharnyng And gaddryd his folk haly bedene.[12] * * * * * Qwhat was thare mare? The Kyng Dawy Gaddryd his ost in full gret hy;[13] And with thame off the north cuntré Till Saynt-Jhonystown than come he. * * * * * He passyd swne the Scottis Se, And to the Marchis hym sped he, Qwhare-in the Pele[14] wes off Lyddale, His ost till hym assemblyd hale: Thare-in wes Watter off Selby On the Inglis mennys party. That Pele assaylyd thei sa fast, Qwhill it wes wonnyn at the last; And all thai slwe, that thai fand then, To sawff yhowng childyr and women. Than consalyd Williame off Dowglas, That off weris mast wys than was, To turne agayne in thaire cuntré: * * * * * The Dowglas thare mycht noucht be herd. Bot on thaire way all furth thai ferd; And in the Abbay off Hexhame All thare folk thai gert[15] aname, And in till all thare ost thai fand Off men armyd bot twa thowsande[16] That wes to fewe a folk to fycht Agayne off Ingland the mekill mycht. Efftyr[17] swne thai passyd syne, And held to Durame, or thai wald fyne; And in a park well nere thare-by Thai lugyd[18] thame, and tuk herbry.[19] Thai had bene in till Ingland Welle fourteyne dayis traveland, That thei couth get na wyttyng Off Inglis mennys gadryng: The gwethir[20] thai assemblid were In till a park besyd thame nere, Fra Trent northwartis all the floure Off folk, that owcht war off waloure. * * * * *