Part 7

Efter the deliberatioun of twa dayis had at Enneresk,[135] the haill camp marchit fordwart with ordinance, and all preparatioun necessar for the seige, and came to Restalrig upoun the Palme Sunday Evin.[136] The Frensche haid put thamselffis in battell array upoun the Linkis without Leith, and had send furth thair skyrmissaris; quha begynning befoir ten houris, contyneuit skyrmissing till efter foure houris at efter none, quhan thair was gevin upone thame ane charge be sum horsmen of Scotland, and sum of Yngland. Bot because the principall Capitane of the horsmen of Yngland was not present, the haill troupis durst not charge; and swa was not the owerthraw and slawchter of the Frensche sa greit as it anis appeirit to haif bene; for the greit battell was anis at the trote; bot quhen thay persevit that the greit force of the horsemen stuid still, and chargeit not, thay returnit and gaif sum rescourse to thair fallowis that fled; and swa thair fell onlie in that defait about three hundreth Frenschmen. God wald nocht gif the victorie swa suddanlie, leist that man sould glorye in his awin strenth. The small victorie that was gottin, putt baith the Yngliss and Scottis in ower greit securitie, as the ischew declairit. The Frensche inclosit within the toun, the Yngliss armye began to plant thair palyeanis[137] betwix Leith and Restalrig.[138] The ordinance of the toun, and especiallie that quhilk lay upoun Sanct Anthonies Stepill[139] did thame greit annoyance: aganist quhilk place war bent aucht cannounis, quhilkis schott sa continewallie, and sua just, that within few dayis, that Stepill was condemnit, and all the ordinance that was on it dismontit, quhilk maid the Ynglismen sum quhat mair negligent than it became guid men of war to have bene; for persaiving that the Frensche maid na persute without thair wallis, they tuik oppinioun that they wald never ishe mair, and that maid sum of the Capitanis for pastyme, go to the toun:[140] the soldiouris, for thair ease, did lay thair armour besyde thame, and, as men without daingear, fell to the dice and cairtis. And sua, upoun the Pasche Mononday,[141] at the verray hour of noon, the Frenche ischeit baith on horse and fute, and with greit violence, enterit in to the Yngliss trynscheis, slew and putt to flycht all that was fund thairin. The watche was negligentlie keipit, and so was the succourse slow, and lang in cuming; for the Frenche, befoir that any resistance was made unto thame, approcheit hard to the greit ordinance. Bot than the horsmen troupit togidder, and the futemen gat thameselffis in array, and sua repulsit the Frenche back agane to the toun. Bot the slauchter was greit: sum sayis it doubill exceidit that quhilk the Frenche resavit the fyrst day. And this was the frute of thair securitie and oures, quhilk efter was remeidit; for the Ynglismen maist wyslie considdering thame selfis not abill to beseige the toun round about, devysit to mak montis at dyverse quarteris of it, in the quhilk thay and thair ordinance lay in as gude strenth as thay did within the toun. The common soldiouris keipit the trynscheis, and had the said montis for thair saifgaird and refuge, in case of any greiter persute than thay war abill to sustene. The patience and stowt curage of the Englismen, hot principallie of the horsmen, is worthy of all prayse: for, quhair was it ever hard that aucht thousand (thay never exceidit that number that lay in camp) sould beseige four thousand of the maist despairit throt-cuttaris that were to be found in Europe, and lye sua neir unto thame in daylie skyrmissing, the space of thre monethis and mair. The horsmen nycht and day keipit watche, and did sa valiantlie behaif thameselffis, that the Frenche gatt na advantage fra that day back to the day of the assault, quhairof we shall schortlie heir.

[135] In MS. G, "Inneresk;" in Vautr. edit., "Enresk." The village of Inveresk may be said to form part of Musselburgh, and is situated on the east side of the River Esk, near its confluence with the Frith of Forth, about six miles from Edinburgh.

[136] Saturday, the 6th of April, was the eve of Palm Sunday.

[137] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit., "pavilliones."

[138] The village of Restalrig lies about a-mile to the south-east of Leith.

[139] The building thus converted by the French troops into a place of defence, was the Hospital or Preceptory of St. Anthony, founded by Robert Logan of Restalrig, in 1435. It stood near the Kirkgate Street, at the south-west corner of what is still called St. Anthony's Wynd; and is said to have been the only establishment in Scotland belonging to the Canons of St. Anthony. During the siege in May 1560, the building was probably nearly all demolished. On the 17th of that month, the English troops having raised earthen mounds for their great ordinance, "beganne to shoote at Sanct Anthonyes steeple in Leith, upon the which steeple the Frenche had monted som artillerie, which was very noisome to the campe; bot within a few hours after, the said steeple was broken and shott doune; likewise they shott doune some part of the east end of the kirk of Leith." (Historie of the Estate of Scotland, in the Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. p. 84.) Another old authority states,--"Upon the 20th day [of April] the principell blokhous within Leith, callit St Anthonies Kirk, was dung doun with cannones, and also the High Street where the viveris (provisions) lay, and many uther houssis upon the east syd of the toun."--(Lindesay of Pitscottie's Chronicles.)

[140] MS. G. has "go upe to the toun of Edinburgh."

[141] Easter Monday fell on the 15th of April.

In this meanetyme was this uther Band made of all the Nobilitie, Barronis, and Gentilmen, professing Chryst Jesus in Scotland, and of dyveris utheris that joynit with us, for expelling of the Frenche army; amangis quham, the Erle of Huntlie was principall. The Band followis:--

[ANE CONTRACT OF THE LORDS AND BARONS, TO DEFEND THE LIBERTY OF THE EVANGELL OF CHRIST.][142]

[142] In the MS. copies of Knox, this Band of Association by the Lords and Barons of Scotland, for setting forward the Reformation, is simply entitled, "The Last Band at Leyth." It was printed "from the Original" at Hamilton Palace, by Bishop Burnet, in his History of the Reformation, vol. iii. p. 287. It was probably not very accurately transcribed, but some slight corrections from that work have been adopted. It was reprinted in the Appendix to Crawford's Officers of State, p. 444; and in Keith's History, vol. i. p. 273. In all these copies, as well as in Knox, the names of the Lords and Barons who subscribed the Band are omitted. A contemporary copy in the British Museum, among the Harleian MSS. (No. 289. fol. 70.) has enabled me to supply this important omission.

[Sidenote: _NOTA._--HEIRUPONE CAME THE PERSUTE.][143]

[143] In Vautr. edit. "Now hereupon," &c.

AT EDINBURGH, the xxvij day of Aprile, the yeir of God ane thousand fyve hundreth threescoir yeiris: We, quhais namis ar underwrittin, haif promittit and oblist oure selffis faithfullie, in the presens of oure God, and be thir presentis promittis, that we altogidder in generall, and every ane of us in speciall, be him selff, with oure bodeis, guidis, freyndis, and all that we may do, sall sett fordwart the Reformatioun of Religioun, according to Goddes word; and procure, be all meanis possibill, that the treuth of Goddes word may haif free passage within this Realme, with due administratioun of the sacramentis, and all thingis depending upoun the said word: And siclik, deiplie weying with oure selfis the misbehavour of the Frenche Ministeris heir; the intollerabill oppressiouns commitit be the Frenche men of weir upon the poore subjectis of this Realme, by meyntenance of the Quene Dowager, under cullour and pretence of authoritie; the tyrannye of thair Capitanis and leadaris; and manifest danger of conqueist, in quhilk this countrey presentlie standis, be reasoun of dyverse fortificatiouns upoune the sea-coast; and uther novelties of lait attemptit be thame; promittis, that We sall, als weill every ane with uther, as altogidder, with the Quene of Englandis armie, presentlie cumit in for oure delyverance, effectuallie concur and joyne togidder, taiking anefald plane pairt,[144] for expulsioun of the said strangeris, oppressouris of oure libertie, furth of this Realme, and recovery of oure ancient fredomis and liberteis; to the end, that in tyme cuming, we may, under the obedience of the Kyng and Quene our Soveranis, be onlie rewllit be the lawis and customeis of the cuntrey, and borne men of the land: And that never ane of us sall haif pryvey intelligence be writting, message, or communicatioun with ony of oure saidis ennemeis or adversareis in this cause, bot be the advise of the rest (at least of fyve) of the Counsale. Attour, that we sall tender the commun cause, as gif it war the cause of everie ane of us in particular; and that the causses of everie ane of us now joinit togidder, being leifull and honest, sall be all oure causses in generall: And he that is ennemy to the causses foirsaid, sall be ennemy to us all: in sa far, that quhatsoever persone will planelie resist thir oure godlie interpryseis, and will not concur as ane guid and trew member of this Common weill, we sall fortifie the auctoritie of the Counsale, to reduce thame to thair dewitie. Lyke as we sall fortifie the auctoritie foirsaid of the Counsale, in all thyngis tending to the furtherance of the saidis causses: And gif ony particular debait, quarrell, or contraversie, sall arryse, for quhatsoever cause, bygane, present, or to cum, betwix ony of us, (as God forbid,) in that caise, we shall submit our selfis and oure saidis questionis, to the decisioun of the Counsale, or to arbitratouris to be namit[145] be thame. And providing alwayis, that this be not prejudiciall to the ordinarie jurisdictioun of Judgeis, but that men may persew thair actiouns by ordour of law civilie or criminallie, befor the Judges Ordinaris[146] gif thai please.

[144] In MS. G, "taking and hald plain parte;" Vautr. edit. has "take and holde ane playne parte." In Burnet, "taking one fold and plain part of the expulsion."

[145] In MS. G, "to be maid."

[146] In Knox these four words are omitted.

[In wytnes of the quhilk we have subscrivit this present Band with our hands, day, zeir, and place above wryttine.

JAMES. JAMES HAMMYLTON. HUNTLEY. AR^D. ARGILL. GLENCARN. ROTHES. MORTOUN. A. GORDOUN.

JAMES JOHNSON, _Apparand of Elphistoun_. PATRYK DOWGLASS. ROBERT CAMPBELL. ANDREW JHONSON. ROBYN CAR.

JAMES STEWART. JHON MONTEY^T. RUTHWEN. R. BOYD. OGYLWYE. VCHILTREE. JHON MAXVEL. PATRYK LYNDSAY. JHON MAISTER PHORBES. LORD SOMERWELL. JAMES HALYBURTOUN.

ALEX^R. DUNBAR _of Cumnok_. GRAYTLY. W^M. DOUGLAS _of Whyttingeym_. GEORGE HWME _of Spott_. JHON GORDON, _of Finlatter_. ALEX^R. SETON, _Younger of Meldrum_. HENRY GRAHAME, _Youngar of Morphy_. ALEX^R. GORDOUN _of Abyrzelde_. DRUMLAYNRYK. FAUNHAUS.[147] CRAYNSTON _of that Ilk_. WEDDERBURN. ALEX^R. HUME. JHONSON.

GEORGE NYSBYT, _with my hand at the pen_. CUNNYNGAYMHYD. LESLYE _of Bowquhane_. JHON INNES _of that Ilk_. ARTHUR PHORBES. W^M. LESLEY _Youngar of Wardes_. JHON WISHART. DRUMLOYGHIE.

CESFUIRD. HUNDHILL. MARK KAR.]

[147] I suspect some of these names may have been mistaken; such as "Graytly," and "Faunhaus," which an examination of the original might correct.

[Sidenote: THE DOCHTER WILL NOT TAK EXAMPILL BY THE MOTHER.]

[Sidenote: THE 20 OF MAIJ, ANNO 1566.][148]

[148] In all the other copies this marginal note forms part of the text. It is in the same hand with the MS.: see note 1, page 68.

This Contract and Band came not onlie to the eiris, bot alssua to the sycht of the Quene Dowager; quhairat sche stormit nott a little, and said, "The maledictioun of God I gif unto thame that counsaleit me to persecute the prechearis, and to refuise the petitiouns of the best pairt of the trew subjects of this realme. It was said to me, That the Yngliss army could not ly in Scotland ten dayis; bot now thay [have] lyin near ane moneth, and ar mair lyk to remane than the first day thay came." Thay that gaif sick informatioun to the Quene, spak as wardlie wyise men, and as thingis appeirit to have bene; for the cuntrey being almaist in all the partis thairof waistit, the victuallis nixt adjacent to Leith either brocht in to thair provisioun, or ellis destroyit; the mylnis and uther placeis, as befoir is said, being cassin doun, it appeirit that the camp could not have bene furnissit (except it haid bene by thair awin schippis, and as that could nocht have bene of ony lang continewance, sua sould it have bene nathing confortable:) Bot God confoundit all warldlie wisdome, and maid his awin benedictioun als evidentlie to appeir as gif in ane maner he had fed the army from above. For all kind of victuallis thair was mair aboundante, and of mair easie priceis, in the camp all the tyme that it lay, efter that aucht dayis war past, than either thay haid bene in Edinburgh any of the twa yeires of befoir, or yit hes bene in that toun to this day. The pepill of Scotland sa mekill abhorrit the tyrrannye of the Frenche, that thay wald have gevin the substance that thay had, to have bene ridd of that chargeable burding, quhilk oure synnis had provockit God to lay upoun us, in geving us in the handis of ane woman, quhom our Nobilitie in thair fulischnes sauld unto strangearis, and with hir the libertie of the Realme. "God, for his greit mercies saik, preserve us yitt from farther bondage, in the quhilk we ar lyke to fall, gif he provyde not remedy; for oure Nobilitie will yett remane blynd still, and will follow hir affectiouns, cum efter quhat sua may." Bot to returne to oure Historie.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: THE ASSAULT OF LEITH, THE 7 OF MAIJ 1560.]

The campe abounding in all necessarie provisioun, ordour was taikin for confirmatioun of the Seige;[149] and sa the trynches war drawin als neir the toun, as thay gudlie mycht. The greitt campe removit fra Restalrig to the west syde of the Watter of Leith; and sa war the cannounis plantit for the batterie, and did schute at the south-west wall. But be reassone all was eird, the brek[150] was nott maid sa greit upoun the day bot that it was sufficientlie repairit upoun the nycht. Quhairof the Inglismen begynning to weary, determinit to gyve the brusche and assault; as that thay did upoun the sevint day of Maij, beginning befoir the day-licht, and contineuing till it was neir sevin houris. And albeit that the Ingliss and Scottis, with greit slauchter of the suldiouris of baith, were repulsit, yitt was thair never ane scharpar assault gevin of so few handis; for thay exceidit not ane thousand men that assaultit the haill twa quarteris of the toun, and yitt thay dampnit the haill blok-housses; yea, thay anis pat the Frenche clene of thair wallis, and were upoun baith the west and eist blokhousses. Bot thay wantit baking; for thair ledderis wantit sax quarteris of the just hicht; and sua quhill the former wer compellit to fecht upoun the tope of [the] wall, thair fellowis could nott win to support thame, and sa war thay be multitude dung back agane, quhen it was anis thocht the Toune was win.

[149] In Holinshed's Chronicles is contained a minute account of the Siege of Leith, in May 1560. Thomas Church-yard, the English Poet, who was present among the troops commanded by Lord Gray de Wilton, published in "The First Part of Churchyarde's Chippes," (a kind of Poetical Miscellany,) "The Siege of Leith," written in stanzas of seven lines. It was first printed at London in 1565; again in 1575, and 1578. This poem referred to, is included in the volume of "Churchyard's Chips concerning Scotland," edited by George Chalmers, Lond. 1817, 8vo.

[150] In MS. G, "Bot be ressoun the wall was eirthe, the breiche," &c.; Vautr. edit. has, as in the text, "But by reason all was earth, the breache," &c.

Sir James Croftis[151] was blamit of mony for not doing his dewitie that day; for he was appoyntit, with ane sufficient nomber of the maist abill men, to haif assaultit the north-west quarter upoun the sey-syde, quhair, at an low-water (as at the tyme of the assault) [the passage] was easy:[152] bot neather he nor his approchit to thair quarter appoyntit. He had befoir, at thair first cuming in, spokin with the Quene Regent[153] at the foir blok-house of the Castell of Edinburgh. Quhidder sche had enchantit him we knew nott, but by suspitioun of that day, in the quhilk he desaivit the expectation of many, and, sa far as man could judge, was the caus of that greit repulse; for sum ascribit the schortnes of the ledderis to him: bot that omittit, quhilk mycht have proceidit of negligence, his absens frome the persute of his quarter, was the cause that sick Frenche as war appointit thair to defend, seing na persewar, came to the releif of thair fellowis, and sa the twa joyning togidder, with greit slauchter gaif the repulse to oure company. The Frenche menis harlotis, of quhom the maist pairt war Scottis hureis, did na less creweltie than did the souldiaris; for besydis that thay chargeit thair peceis, and ministrit unto thame uther weaponis, sum continewallie cast staneis, sum careit chymnayis of burnyng fyre, sum brocht tymmer and uther impedimentis of wecht, quhilk with great violence thay threw over the wall upoun oure men, bot especiallie quhen thay began to turne backis. Now, albeit in all this we acknawlege the secreit wark of God, quha by sick meanis wald beat doun alsweill the pryde of Ingland as of Scotland, yitt neather aucht the febilnes nor falsett of man to be excusit, neather yitt the cruelty of the adversareis be conceilit. The Quene Regent satt all the tyme of the assault (quhilk was baith terribill and lang) upon the foir-wall of the Castell of Edinburgh; and quhen sche perceivit the overthraw of us, and that the ensenyeis of the Frenche war agane displayit upoun the wallis, sche gaif ane gawfe of lauchter, and said, "Now will I go to the Messe, and prayse God for that quhilk my eyes have sene!" And sa was Freir Black[154] reddy for that purpose, quhom sche hir self a little of befoir had deprehendit with his harlott in the chapell: But huredome and idolatrye aggre weill togidder, and that oure Courte can witnesse this day, 16 Maij 1566.[155]

[151] As mentioned by Knox, _supra_, page 31, Sir James Crofts was captain of the Town and Castle of Berwick, and warden of East Marches. "He had," says Sir Walter Scott, "a good military reputation; having governed Ireland, and defended Haddington (in 1547) against the French and the Scotch. He was attainted by Queen Mary, but restored by Queen Elizabeth, and made Governor of Berwick; an office which he enjoyed at the date of these letters." (State Papers, vol. i. p. 387.) But Crofts, for his conduct at this time, was impeached by the Duke of Norfolk, and removed from his office as Governor, which was conferred on Lord Gray. He afterwards became Comptroller of the Household, and died in 1595.

[152] In MS. 1566, "of the assault it was easy."

[153] The interview of Crofts with the Queen Regent that Knox alludes to, took place on the 6th April 1560, during the skirmish at Restalrig. "In this meantyme (says Bishop Lesley) the Lord Gray, and Sir George Hawart, and Sir James Croftis to the Castell of Edinburgh, to speik with the Quein to this effect (viz. the cause of the coming of the army, &c.); quha had long conference with hir upoun the blok hous at the uter yeit of the saide Castell, the same day, during the tyme of the scarmishe," &c. (Hist. p. 283.) See also the Historie of the Estate of Scotland, in the Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. p. 82.

[154] Some notices of this Frier Black will be given in the Appendix.

[155] This date, like that on the margin at page 65, is in the same hand with the MS., and serves to show that this portion of the volume was written or transcribed in May 1566. In MS. G. the date, by mistake, is May 1560.

[Sidenote: THE INUMANITIE OF THE MERCYLES FRENCHE.]

[Sidenote: THE QUENE REGENTIS CREWELL HART.]

The Frenche, prowd of the victorie, strypeit naikit all the slayne, and laid thair deid[156] carcassis befoir the hot sune alang thair wall, quhair thay sufferit thame to lye ma dayis nor ane: unto the quhilk, quhen the Quene Regent luikit, for myrth sche happit and said, "Yonder are the fairest tapestrie that ever I saw: I wald that the haill feyldis that is betwix this place and yon, war strowit with the same stuiffe." This fact was sene of all, and hir wordis war hard of sum, and mislykeit of many. Against the quhilk Johnne Knox spak oppinlie in pulpeit, and baldlie affirmeit, "That God sould reveange that contumelye done to his image, not onlie in the furiouse and godless souldiaris, bot evin in sick as rejoysit thairat." And the verray experience declairit, that he was nott deceavit; for within few dayis thair efter, (yea sum say that same day,) began hir bellie and lothsome leggis to swell, and sa continewit, till that God did execute his judgementis upoun hir, as efter we sall heir.

[156] In MS. G, "dead" is omitted.

The defait receavit, it was fully perswadit to the Queen Regent and hir factioun, that the Seige wald ryse, and that the Ingliss army wald depairt: and sua began the Papistis wondrouslie to brag; and yitt God did frustratt thair expectation; for the army concludit[157] to remane till new adverteisment came fra the Quene in Counsall.

[157] In MS. G, "determined."

[Sidenote: THE COMFORTABLE LETTER OF THE DUICK OF NORTHFOLK.]

The Duck of Northfolk, quha than lay at Berwick, commandit the Lord Gray to continew the seige, and promeisit "That he sould not laick men sa lang as ony war to be had betwix Trent and Tweid, for sa far was he lieutennent." He farther promeisit his awin presens, in caise he sould be requyreit; and for assurance thairof, he send his awin palzeounis,[158] sic as seldome befoir had bene sene in Scotland, with his officiaris and provisioun. And with expeditioun war send twa thousand fresche men, quhairby the campe, greitlie confortit, began to forgett the former disconfiture, and to sustene the daylie skyrmissing as thay did befoir; in the quhilk the Frenche, efter the day of the assault, did ever resaif the hurt and the repulse, as the slauchter of many that came to the cockill-raik[159] did witnesse. The greatest damage that ather Ingliss or Scottis receavit efter that day, was the slauchter of twa gentilmen, the ane Master of Househald to my Lord James, Robert Colvene of Cleysche,[160] ane man stowt, modest, and wise; quha was schot in the thigh with ane falcone or haquebute of crock, and depairtit the miserie of this lyfe within twa houris efter. The uther was Alexander Lockart, brother to the Laird of Barr,[161] quha raschelie discovering him selff in the trynschis, was schot in the heid, and immediatlie thairefter depairtit this lyff.

[158] In MS. G, "paviliounes;" in Vautr. edit., "pallions."

[159] In MS. G, "the Cole-raik;" Vautr. edit. follows the text.