m 



Lecture on the Battle of Flodden. 



By Commander F. M. Norman, R.N., President. 



(Plates XV. and XVI.) 



Having premised that it was in:ipossible within the time 

 to discuss the points of disagreement which existed among 

 different historians, but that his lecture was mainly founded 

 upon the able papers of the Rev. Robert Jones in Vol. iv. 

 of the Club's Proceedings, and of Dr Thomas Hodgkin in 

 Vol. XVI. of ArchcBologia uEliana, coupled with much personal 

 investigation on the spot, the lecturei", who was aided by 

 large coloured plans, said : — That in glancing retrospectively 

 along the avenue of our country's history, its surface was 

 seen to be ruffled with indications of innumerable conflicts 

 between the English and Scottish nations, many such being 

 comparatively unimportant, others being of a more prominent 

 character ; but one could not fail to notice two which obtrude 

 in boldest relief, namely, Bannockburn in 1314, between 

 Edward II. and King Robert the Bruce ; and Flodden in 

 1513, between James IV. and the Earl of Surrey representing 

 Henry VIII. Those two great historic battles, though differing 

 in some respects, coincided in one important particular — the 

 invader in each instance came to grief. The Scots, actuated 

 by the highest patriotic motives in endeavouring to secure 

 national independence, achieved at Bannockburn a signal 

 victory against enormous odds ; on the other hand, their 

 invasion of England, rashly undertaken two centuries later 

 without sufficient reason, resulted in the terrible catastrophe 

 of Flodden. It was true that in 1513 there was peace or 

 a truce between the two ancient enemies ; yet by the middle 

 of that year, the national atmosphere so to speak, on both 

 sides of the Border, but especially on the North side, was 

 charged with highly inflammable material which, apparently, 

 only needed a spark to set it ablaze. 



