E.ev. R. Jones on the Battle of Flodden Field. 365 



Whenever we miglit use the articles a or the, or an adjec- 

 tive, before such words, they are of course nouns, not partici- 

 ples, and ought to be written yng. 



Whenever, on the other hand, the verb to he precedes, as 

 in " I am coming," " he was seeking," " they will be dying," 

 or whenever the word takes the place of an adjective, as in 

 " the coming year," " the dying bird," of course it is a par- 

 ticiple, and in Northumbrian may properly be written com- 

 and, dyand, seekand, &c. 



In some instances different views may be taken as to 

 whether an English word with the termination ing be used as 

 a noun or as a participle; but this is not the place to enter 

 into such nice considerations, and sometimes either view may 

 be admissible. 



The Battle of Flodden Field. By the Rev. R. Jones, 

 Vicar of Branxton. 



When recording an event which has taken place more than 

 three hundred years ago, it is necessary that particular atten- 

 tion be paid to every historical fact, to every document, and 

 every circumstance bearing on that event. Our information, 

 as far as we are able to judge, must be gained from authentic 

 sources, and before we can substantiate any occurrence of 

 importance^ as a fact to be relied on, we must give our proofs 

 from history, or assign sufficient grounds why we conclude 

 that such and such things would have been done, and why 

 they were done. 



In my description of this great and important Border 

 battle, which shook the kingdom of Scotland from one end to 

 the other, and filled it with the deepest grief, I shall give a 

 succinct account of the state of feeling which predominated in 

 the two countries north and south of the Tweed ; describe 

 the assembling of the two armies, their dress and defensive 

 weapons ; and notice any other event or circumstance which 

 more particularly points out the identical Field on which the 

 battle was so obstinately and so heroically fought. 



A short time previous to this battle the two nations had 

 petty grievances to complain of, which, although of minor 

 importance, nevertheless stimulated each other to acts of re- 

 prisal, especially as neither would make concessions to the 



