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



■with, the Roman Consul Varro ; it was in fact the Scottish 

 Cannse. Scarcely any family of note thronghout the length 

 and breadth of the land, who had not to mourn over the 

 death of a father, a husband, a son, or a brother. Most 

 nobly did they fulfil their sacred vows made on the Borough 

 Moor, that they would defend their king with their last drop 

 of blood. 



The battle continued from 4 to 8 o'clock, or till darkness 

 closed over the field of blood and carnage. Night alone put 

 an end to the strife, for the combatants were only separated 

 when they could not distinguish friend from foe. Numbers 

 of the slain were stripped naked during the night, especially 

 those Avho could be recognised by their armour as belong- 

 ing to the nobles. The king, as well as his lords, underwent 

 the same degradation ; there was no escaping the plundering 

 propensities of the Borderers, both English and Scotch, and 

 also of the men of Teviotdale and Tynedale. Bishop Ruthal 

 in his letter, when speaking of the Borderers says, in the 

 quaint language of the time : " The grettyst difiicltie that I 

 see therien is this, that such men of warre as shal be sent to 

 the Borders, dow not trust the Borderers, whiche be falser 

 than Scott^, and have done more harme at this tyme to o'' 

 folk* than the Scott^ dyd, and therefor if it wer Goddys 

 pleasis and the kyng% I wold all the horsme on the Borders 

 were in Fraunce w*^ you, for as I have Avretyn byfore, thay 

 neu lyghtyd fro thayr hor% but when the bataylis joyned, 

 than fell to ryflyng and robbyng as well on o'" syde as of the 

 Scott^" 



There are various accounts recorded respecting the king's 

 body, many of them bordering on the marvellous. It was 

 the age of credulity and superstition ; nothing remarkable 

 could take place unless it were involved in mystery. Every 

 event bearing on the king's death, let it be of what nature it 

 may, had its supporters and propagators, and the more it 

 bore the semblance to a preposterous origin, the more it was 

 revered and cherished throughout Scotland. By many it 

 was believed that he did not fall in battle, that he was seen 

 in the twilight of that eventful day crossing the T^veed in 

 company with four other horsemen ; and by many it was 

 firmly credited, that he had gone as a pilgrim to the Holy 

 Land. By others it is affirmed that the king's body was 

 found the day after the battle on the field dreadfully mutil- 

 ated, and that it was recognised by several who were well 

 -acquainted with his person; These various reports bear 



