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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower"


"Sir James Lindsay and Sir Walter Sinclair, with some other knights who
had followed Douglas, found him still alive. With his last words he
ordered them to raise his banner, and to shout 'Douglas!' so that
friends and foes should think that he was of their party. These
instructions they followed. We and others pressed forwards, on hearing
the shout; and soon, a large party being collected, resumed the battle
at this point. Moray and March both bore their arrays in the direction
where they believed Douglas to be battling, and so, together, we
pressed upon the English so hardly that they retreated, and for five
miles we pursued them very hotly. Very many prisoners were taken, but
all of quality were at once put to ransom, and allowed to depart on
giving their knightly word of payment within fifteen days.
"It was a great victory, and in truth none of us well knew how it had
come about, for the English had fought as well and valiantly as we did
ourselves; but it is ill for wearied men to fight against fresh ones.
Never was I more surprised than when we found that the battle, which
for a time had gone mightily against us, was yet won in the end.
Methinks that it was, to a great extent, due to the fact that each
Englishman fought for himself; while we, having on the previous day
received the strictest orders to fight each man under his leader, to
hold together, and to obey orders in all respects, kept in our
companies; and so, in the end, gained the day against a foe as brave,
and much more numerous, than ourselves.


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