HISTOEY OP BISHOP AUCKLAND. 11 grounds, halted at Merrington, from whence the motions of the Scots on the western hills might be plainly distinguished. The English leaders hesitated whether to advance or to observe the enemy, and expect his attack in so favourable a position ; but the marshals and standard-bearers moving a little forward, the troops insensibly followed them, and thus they proceeded slowly along to Ferryhill. Here a strong foraging party of the Scots, under Douglass, fell unexpectedly into the midst of the English troops, and were pursued, with the loss of 500 men, as far as Sunderland Bridge. The English halted again on the high grounds above the Wear, but the standard-bearers went forward, and the army moved slowly on in order of battle, leaving Durham on the right, to the moor near Neville's Cross. Douglass, who had escaped from the slaughter of his followers, meanwhile reached the Scottish camp, and gave the first information of the approach of the English force. David had employed the preceding day in drawing out his troops (as if in defiance of opposition) on Durham Moor in order of battle, with standards flying, and had passed the night in Beaurepaire park and wood without the precaution of a scout or sentinel on the watch. The prudent advice of Douglass to retreat to the hills and avoid an engagement was rejected with disdain ; and the Scots advancing to meet the attack, the armies joined battle on the Red-hills, a piece of broken and irregular ground rising swiftly from the Wear. The Scots were formed in three divisions, under the King, the Earl of Moray, with Sir William Douglass and the High Steward of Scotland. The English distributed their force in four bodies : Lord Percy led the first. Lord Neville the second. Sir Thomas Rokeby, Sheriff of Yorkshire, commanded the third, and a strong body of cavalry under Edward Baliol, formed the reserve. On a little hillock in the depth of Sherwood, called the " Maiden's Bower," the Prior, with his attendants, knelt around the holy corporax cloth of St. Cathbert, which, in obedience to a miraculous viedon, was elevated on the point of a spear within sight of both armies. The city of Durham lay in dreadful suspense, a prize to the conqueror ; and whilst the remaining brethren of the convent poured forth their hymns and prayers from the highest towers of the cathedral, their eyes wandered with anxious doubt over the field of approaching combat The Scots were severely galled as they advanced by the English archers ; and John Graham, impatient at seeing his men fall without the means of resistance, requested of the King a hundred lancers to break the archers. His request was denied, and the troops were ordered to keep the lineof battle. Actuated at once by courage and indignation, Graham threw himself singly, or with few attendants, amongst the archers, dispersed them on every side, and fought till his horse was struck by a broad arrow, and himself, wounded and bleeding, was scarcely able to regain the ranks of his countrymen with life. The High Steward immediately led his division to the charge with broad swords and battle axes ; the archers were driven back througih the ranks of Lord Percy's division, which they disordered in their retreat, and the Scots, pursuing their advantage, threw the whole of the body into confusion. Victory hovered on the side of the invaders, but the day was restored by the courage and decision of Edward Baliol. With a powerful body of cavalry he made an impetuous charge on the High Steward's division, and drove them from the field. King David was, meanwhile, engaged with equal fortunes against Lord Neville ; and Baliol, suffering the High Steward to retreat unmolested, threw himself on the flank of the royal troops, which was left uncovered by his flight The disorder of the Scots became irretrievable, and their third body, under the Earl of Moray, were cut to pieces amongst the enclosures which prevented their escape. After all was lost, a gallant body of nobles threw themselves around their Eling, and fought, with the courage of despair, till only eighty of their number survived. David, after receiving two arrow wounds, and resisting several attempts to take him captive, was compelled to surrender to John Copeland, a Northumbrian esquire, two of whose teeth he had first dashed out with his clenched steel gauntlet. Besides the King, the Earls of Fife and Monteith and Sir William Douglass were made prisoners : the Earls of Moray and Strathem, John and Allan Steward, and a long list of Scottish nobility, were amongst the slain. Of the English leaders. Lord Hastings alone felL Copeland was rewarded by the English King with £500 Sryear in land, and made a knight banneret. Out of an army of 30,000 Scots and French auxiliaries, 15,000 were left dead upon the field, whilst the loss of the English was very trifling. In this battle a holy cross, taken out of Holyrood House in Scotland by King David, was taken from the said King. On that spot of ground whereon was exhibited, during the battle, the holy corporax cloth of St. Cuthbert, was afterwards erected, to commemorate the victory, an elegant cross of stone work, built at the expense of Ralph, Lord Neville, and which was called "Neville's Cross." This cross was a most beautiful structure, having seven steps up to it, and much curious carved work, including the Neville arms, the four Evangelists, Christ Qnicified, the Blessed Virgin, &c. It waa broken down and defaced by some lewd persons in the year 1589, though some portion of the steps yet remain. Lord Neville, who fought in the above battle, died the year following, and was the first layman whose remains were iuterred within the walls of the Cathedral of Durham.*
- Bitson, in his "fiiahopric Garland/' gives the following carioas old *< Lamentation*' on the death of Sir Bobert De Neyill, Lord
of Raby, allodinfl; to an ancient enstom of offering a stag to the Prior ab the high altar of Durham Abbey on Holy-rood-day, aooompanied with the winding of horna, as a part of the tenure of Raby : — " Wel-i-wa sal ys homes blaw» Holy-rode this day ; Now es he dede, and lies law, Was wont to blaw tham ay." Digitized by Google
