Rev. R. Jones on the Battle of Flodden Field. 371 



The men from the Lowlands wore the iron cap fastened under 

 the chin with scale iron clasps, and their coats or jerkins 

 were made of leather, or strong linen quilted with light 

 scales of iron, overlapping each other, hut perfectly flexible 

 and strong, and proof against the arrow point. The High- 

 land men retained the tartan and plaid, together with the 

 blue bonnet and eagle's feather, much the same as those of the 

 present Highland regiments, but of a coarser quality. Most of 

 the foot soldiers carried on their left arm the round shield or 

 target made of sheet iron, plated tin, or wood covered with 

 leather. Their weapons were the long spear, fifteen feet in 

 length, fashioned after those used by the Grecian phalanx, 

 and by the English at the battle of Crecy; their swords were 

 both long and short, either curved or straight, depending 

 whether they were worn by horse or foot soldiers ; the former 

 had also the short battle-axe, with edge and spear point, a 

 most formidable weapon in close combat, made either to cut 

 through the helmet or coat of mail, or to penetrate the head 

 or body; and many carried the long Moorish pike, the bow 

 and sheaf of arrows. 



Thus accoutred and equipped, the army set forward on its 

 march for England ; all were animated with hope, and 

 acclamations and prayers for its success met it on every side, 

 and in every town and village through which it passed. The 

 heavy artillery, consisting of seventeen great guns, but accord- 

 ing to some historians, twenty-four, was drawn by oxen, and 

 generally went in advance of the army, and the horse and foot 

 followed in large divisions. In this manner the army passed 

 through the country from Edinburgh to the banks of the 

 Tweed. 



On Sunday, the 21st August, 1513, the town of Coldstream 

 was full of soldiers. The Lee's haugh and the country round 

 were covered with men and tents. Never before or since had 

 such an armed host of Scotchmen met on the banks of the 

 Tweed, and thousands on that night slept for the last time 

 on Scottish ground. The sun had no sooner risen on Monday 

 morning, the memorable 22nd August, than this vast assem- 

 blage of 100,000 men were all astir. The king, in all the 

 panoply of martial glory, passed from rank to rank; while his 

 nobles, dressed in mail armour, headed their respective divi- 

 sions, and the enthusiastic shouts of the men of all ranks were 

 heard far and wide on the English side of the Tweed. The ford 

 at the mouth of the Leet, and the one in those days on the 

 haugh, a little to the west of the Dedda and nearly opposite the 



