BATTLE OF FLODDBN 303 



Dacre, about the same time, cliarging with his horse on tlieir 

 left. Thus hennied in on all sides, the Scottish condition 

 seemed almost hopeless ; yet, 



" No thought there was of dastard flight, 

 Linked in the serried phalanx tight, 

 Groom fought like noble, squire like knight, 

 As fearlessly and well." 



Even, liowever, at that eleventh hour, if Home with his 

 10,000 men, flushed with victory and uninjured, could only 

 have been available, the scale would almost certainly have 

 been turned in favour of the Scots ; 



" Where's now their victor vanguard wing, 

 Where Huntly and where Home ? 

 Oh ! for a blast of that dread horn, 



Such blast might warn them not in vain 

 To quit the plunder of the slain, 

 And turn the doubtful day again." 



But not till it was too late were they forthcoming ; not, 

 indeed, till the following morning, when, strange to say, 

 they were seen for a short time hovering abt)ut their old 

 station on the Western slopes of Branxton Hill. Various 

 conjectures had been hazarded to account for their uiysterious 



achievements at Flodden has b(!en perpetuated in "Teribus" — a chant 

 which to this day is sung every year with great enthusiasm in the 

 Common Riding at Hawick : 



" Bravely was the field defended, 

 Victory's palm was long suspended, 

 Till some English, like tornado, 

 Bushed from deepest arabuscado. 



Now the struggle was unequal, 

 Dreadful carnage crowned the sequel, 

 Hardy Scots borne down by numbers 

 Strewed the field in deatji's cold slumbers." 



