23
the heroic achievement performed by him, raised their spirits to the highest pitch.
A singular occurrence, which is represented as an accidental sally of pariotic enthusiasm, suddenly altered the face of affairs. The servants and attendants of the Scottish army, amountng to 20,000, had been ordered, before the battle, to retire behind Murray's Crag. Having arranged themselves in martial form, they marched to the top of the hill, and, displaying their banners, moved towards the field of battle, with hideous shouts. The English, conceiving this motely crowd to be a fresh reinforcement, advancing to support the Scots, were siezed with so great a panic, that they began to give way. The Scots pursued, and great was the slaughter among the enemy. King Edward himself escaped with much difficulty; having been closely pursued, for above forty miles, by Sir James Douglas, with a party of light horse. He was on the point of being taken prisoner, when he was received
