The chase and slaughter extended almost to Edinburgh, upon the one part, and be-west Dalkeith upon the other. The number of the slain upon the Scottish side was judged to be nigh ten thousand men. The Earl of Huntly was taken, and carried to London; but he relieved himself, being surety for many ransoms. Whether he did so honestly or unhonestly we know not; but, as the bruit passed, he used policy with England. In the same battle was slain the Master of Erskine, dearly beloved of the Queen, who made great lamentation for him, and bare his death in mind for many days. When the certainty of the discomfiture came, she was in Edinburgh, waiting for tidings; but with expedition she posted that same night to Stirling, with Monsieur D'Oysel, who was as fleyed[106] as "a fox when his hole is smoked." Thus did God take the second revenge upon the perjured Governor and such as assisted him to defend an unjust quarrel; albeit many innocents fell with the wicked. The English army came to Leith, and, after securing their prisoners and spoil, returned to England with this unlooked-for victory.
During the following winter, great hardships were inflicted upon all the Borders of Scotland. Broughty Craig was taken by the Englishmen, besieged by the Governor, but still kept. There Gavin, the best of the Hamiltons, was slain, and the ordnance lost. The Englishmen, encouraged, began to fortify the hill above Broughty House. The position was called the Fort of Broughty, and was very noisome[107] to Dundee. This it burned and laid waste; as it did the most part of Angus, which was not assured and under friendship with England.
At the Easter following, Haddington was fortified by the Englishmen. The most part of Lothian, from Edinburgh east, was either assured or laid waste. Thus did God plague in every quarter; but men were blind, and would not, or could not, consider the cause. The Lairds of Ormiston and Brunstone were banished, and afterwards forfeited, and so were all those of the Castle of St. Andrews.
The sure knowledge of the troubles of Scotland coming to France, there was prepared a navy and army. The navy was such as never was seen to come from France for the support of Scotland.... They arrived in Scotland in May 1549. Preparations were made for the siege of Haddington; but it was another thing that they meant, as the issue declared.
The Parliament at Haddington: Queen Mary is sold to France.
The whole body of the realm having assembled, the form of a Parliament was held in the Abbey of Haddington. The principal head was the marriage to the King of France of the Princess, who had formerly been contracted to King Edward; and her immediate transfer to France, by reason of the danger to her from the invasion of our old enemies of England. Some were corrupted with buds,[108] some were deceived by flattering promises, and some for fear were compelled to consent, for the French soldiers were the officers of arms in that Parliament. The Laird of Buccleuch, a bloody man, sware, with many "God's wounds," that "they that would not consent should do worse." The Governor got the Duchy of Châtelherault, with the order of the Cockle, a full discharge of all intromissions with the treasure and substance of King James the Fifth, and possession of the Castle of Dumbarton, until issue of the Queen's body should be seen. Upon these and other conditions, he stood content to sell his sovereign. Huntly, Argyll, and Angus were likewise made knights of the Cockle; and, for that and other good deeds received, they also sold their interest. In short, none was found to resist that unjust demand; and so the Queen was sold to go to France, to the end that in her youth she should drink of the liquor that should remain with her all her lifetime, for a plague to this realm, and for her final destruction. Therefore, albeit there now comes out from her a fire that consumes many, let no man wonder. She is the hand of God, who, in His displeasure, is punishing our former ingratitude....
The Siege of Haddington.
Once it was decided that our Queen, without further delay, should be delivered to France, the siege continued. There was great shooting, but no assaulting; and yet they had fair occasion offered unto them. For the Englishmen, approaching the town with powder, victuals, and men for the comforting of the besieged, lost an army of six thousand men. Sir Robert Bowes was taken prisoner, and the most part of the Borderers were either captured or slain. The town might justly have despaired of any further succour, but yet it held good; for the stout courage and prudent government of General Sir James Wilford did so inspire the whole captains and soldiers that they determined to die upon their walls. From the time that the Frenchmen had gotten the bone for which the dog barked, the pursuit of the town was slow. The siege was raised, and the Queen was conveyed by the west seas to France; and so the Cardinal of Lorraine got her into his keeping, a morsel meet for his own mouth....
That winter Monsieur de Dessé remained in Scotland with the bands of Frenchmen. They fortified Inveresk, to prevent the English from invading Edinburgh and Leith. Some skirmishes there were betwixt the one and the other, but no notable thing was done, except that the French almost took Haddington, as we shall see.
The French Fruits: Arrogance of the French Soldiery.