The occasion of the war was this. Harry the Eighth, King of England, had a great desire to have spoken with our King; and with that object he travailed long until he got a full promise made to his ambassador, Lord William Howard. The place of meeting was to be at York; and the King of England kept the appointment with such solemnity and preparation as never, for such a purpose, had been seen in England before. There was great bruit[30] of that journey, and some preparation was made for it in Scotland: but in the end, by persuasion of the Cardinal Beaton and others of his faction, the journey was stayed, and the King's promise was falsified. Thereupon, sharp letters of reproach were sent unto the King, and also unto his Council. King Harry frustrated, returned to London; and, after declaring his indignation, began to fortify with men his frontiers fornent[31] Scotland. Sir Robert Bowes, the Earl of Angus, and his brother, Sir George Douglas, were sent to the Borders. Upon what other trifling questions, as, for example, the Debateable Land and such like, the war broke out, we omit to write. The principal occasion was the falsifying of the promise. Our King, perceiving that the war would rise, asked the prelates and kirkmen what support they would make to the sustaining of the same; for rather he would yet satisfy the desire of his uncle than would he hazard war, when he saw that his forces were not able to resist. The kirkmen promised mountains of gold, as Satan their father did to Christ Jesus if He would worship him. They would have gone to hell, rather than that he should have met with King Harry: for then, thought they, farewell our kingdom; and, thought the Cardinal, farewell his credit and glory in France. In the end, they promised fifty thousand crowns a year, to be well paid, so long as the wars lasted; and further, that their servants, and others that appertained unto them and were exempt from common service, should not the less serve in time of necessity.
War with England: 1542. Halden Rig.
These vain promises lifted up in pride the heart of the unhappy king: and so began the war. The realm was quartered, and men were laid in Jedburgh and Kelso. All men, fools we mean, bragged of victory; and in very deed the beginning gave us a fair show. For at the first warden raid, which was made on St. Bartholomew's Day, in the year of God 1542, the Warden, Sir Robert Bowes, his brother Richard Bowes, Captain of Norham, Sir William Mowbray, knight, a bastard son of the Earl of Angus, and James Douglas of Parkhead, then rebels, with a great number of borderers, soldiers, and gentlemen, were taken. The Raid was termed Halden Rig. The Earl of Angus, and Sir George his brother, did narrowly escape. Our papists and priests, proud of this victory, encouraged the King. There was nothing heard but, "All is ours. They are but heretics. If we be a thousand and they ten thousand, they dare not fight. France shall enter the one part, and we the other, and so shall England be conquered within a year." If any man was seen to smile at such vanity, he was no more than a traitor and a heretic. And yet, by these means, men had greater liberty than they had before, as concerning their conscience; for then ceased the persecution.
Fala Raid.
The war continued until mid September; and then was sent down the old Duke of Norfolk, with such an army as for a hundred years before had not come into Scotland. The English were engaged in amassing their forces, and setting forward their preparations and munitions, which were exceeding great, until mid October, and after. Then they marched from Berwick and tended to the west, ever holding Tweed upon their one side, and never camping more than a mile from that river during the whole time they continued in Scotland, which was ten or twelve days. Day forays were run to Smailholm, Stitchel, and such places near about, but many snappers[32] they got. They burned some corn, besides that which the great host consumed, but they carried away small booty. The King assembled his force at Fala, for he had information that they had proposed to advance on Edinburgh. Taking the muster all at one hour, two days before Halloween, there were found with him eighteen thousand able men. Ten thousand men, with the Earl of Huntly and Lords Erskine, Seton and Home, were upon the borders, awaiting the English army. These were adjudged men enough to hazard battle, albeit the enemy were estimated at forty thousand.
The Lords plot against the Courtiers.
While the King lay at Fala, waiting for the guns and for information from the army, the Lords began to remember how the King had been long abused by his flatterers, and principally by the pensioners of the priests. It was at once concluded that they would make some new remembrance of Lauder-bridge, to see if that would for a season somewhat help the state of the country. But the Lords amongst themselves could not agree upon the persons that deserved punishment. Every man favoured his friend, and the whole escaped; and, besides, the purpose was disclosed to the King, and by him to the courtiers. After that, until they came to Edinburgh, the courtiers stood in no little fear; but that was suddenly forgotten, as we shall hear.
The English Army retires.
While time was thus protracted, the English army, for scarcity of victuals, as was rumoured, retired over Tweed by night, and so began to skaill.[33] The King, informed of this, desired the Lords and Barons to assist him to follow them into England. With one consent, answer was given that they would hazard life and whatsoever they had to defend his person and the realm; but, as for invading England, neither had they so just title as they desired, nor could they be then able to do anything to the hurt of England, considering that they had now been long absent from their houses, their provisions were spent, their horses were wearied, and, greatest of all, the time of year did utterly forbid. This answer seemed to satisfy the King; for in words he praised their prudent foresight and wise counsel. But the mint[34] made to his courtiers, and that bold repulse of his desires given to him in his own face, wounded his proud heart. Long had he governed as he himself chose, and he decreed a notable revenge. This, no doubt, he would not have failed to have executed had not God, by His own hand, cut the cords of his impiety. He returned to Edinburgh; and the nobility, barons, gentlemen, and commons dispersed to their own habitations. This was on the second and third days of November.
The Courtiers and Priests plot against the Lords.