No wonder that this decisive victory should become a favourite theme of the poet and the minstrel. There are several old poems referring to the Lancashire men and the field of Flodden; one of these, which is certainly 300 years old, has been printed by the Chetham Society;[104] it consists of nearly 700 lines, of which the following will serve as a sample:

Lancashire, like lyons

layden them aboute!

All had been lost by our Lorde!

had not these leddes [lads] bene.

For the care of the Scottes

increased full sore

For their King was downe knocked

and killed in their sight,

Under the banner of a bishop