296 BATTLE OF FLODDEN 



after acquitting himself with signal bravery, he was killed 

 in the battle. During the short stay of the English at 

 Wooler, 2^our-2)arlers took place between James and Surrey, 

 the outcome of which was, that though the former declined 

 to accept the invitation of the latter to fight on Milfield 

 Plain, he agreed to do so someivhere — the exact locality not 

 being specified — on Friday, September 9th. Consequently on 

 September 8th the English army quitted Wooler, crossed the 

 Till near Doddington, and encamped at Barmoor, seven miles 

 Northwards. The aspect of the country then was sufficiently 

 indicated by the name — Bar(e)moor. The only wood to be 

 seen, except perhaps a little aboriginal scrub-oak here and 

 there, such as still exists on the Northern slopes of Yeavering 

 Bell, was confined to the river-sides and swamps, in the 

 shape of native biroh, alder, and willow. Thus the march 

 of the English, where not concealed by undulations, must 

 have been more or less apparent to James, whose perplexity 

 was doubtless great at the sight of an army, pledged to meet 

 him on the following day, moving away in the direction of 

 Berwick. Surrey, however, had "a method in his madness" 

 and a very definite one, conceived, most likely, only a day 

 or two before, under the inspiration of John Heron. Early 

 in the morning of September 9th, dividing his army into two 

 divisions, called respectively the Van Guard and the Rear 

 Guard, he broke up his encampment at Barmoor. The Van 

 Guard, commanded by Admiral Lord Howard, with all or 

 most of the artillery, was directed to cross the Till by Twizell 

 Bridge — the identical bridge, beyond reasonable doubt, which 

 spans that river at the present day — and to make the best 

 of its way along the road or moor-track, vid Cornhill, to the 

 West end of Branxton Moor, rounding, in order to reach it, 

 the Western extremity of Branxton Marsh, long since drained, 

 and now represented by Paulinus's Burn, or Pallinsburn. 

 Having arrived at its destination, it was directed to form 

 in line with the Rear Guard as soon as that appeared, if 

 ever it did, (which surely must have seemed anything but 

 certain), thus constituting the right wing of the English 

 army, Howard's march, absolutely unsuspected by the Scots, 

 there is good reason to believe, was canied out with complete 



