1562.
The evill encreased, for the Erle assembled his folk out of all partes of the North. He martched forward towardis Abirdene, and upoun the twenty-twa day of October, the year of God Jm Vc threscoir twa yearis, cam to the Loch of Skein. His army was judged to sevin or aught hundreth men. The Quenis army, boyth in nomber and manhead, far surmounted his, and yitt he took no fear; for he was assured of the most parte of thame that war with the Quene, as the ishew did witness. Within the toune thei stood in great fear; and thairfoir it was concluded that thei wold assaile the uttermost upoun the feildis. The Forbesses, Hayes, and Leslyes, took the vantgard, and promessed to feght the said Erle without any other helpe. Thei passed furth of the toune before ten houris. Thei putt thame selfis in array, but thei approached not to the enemye till that the Erle of Murray and his cumpanye war come to the feildis, and that was efter two at efter none; for he was appointed with his cumpanye onlye to have beholden the battell. But all thingis turned otherwyese then the most parte of men supposed.
THE ERLE OF HUNTLEYIS PRAYER.
The Erle of Huntley was the nycht befoir determined to have retyred him self and his cumpanye; but that mornyng he could not be walkened before it was ten houres, and when he was up on foote his spreitis failed him, (be reassone of his corpolencie,) so that rychtlie a longe tyme he could do nothing. Some of his freindis, fearing the danger, left him. When that he looked upoun boyth the cumpanyes, he said, "This great cumpany that approcheth neyest to us will do us no harm, thei ar our freindis. I only fear yonder small cumpayne that stand upoun the hill-syd, yone ar our enemyes. But we ar anew for thame, yf God be with us." And when he had thus spoken, he fell upoun his knees, and maid his prayer in this forme. "O Lord, I have been a bloode thristye man, and by my meanes hes mekle innocent bloode bein spilt; but wilt thou geve me victory this day, and I shall serve thee all the dayis of my lyef."—Note and observe, good Readar, he confessed that be had bein a blood-thristy man, and that he had bein the cause of the schedding of much innocent bloode: but yitt wold he have had victorye; and what was that ellis, but to have had power to have schedd more, and then wold he have satisfied God for all togetther. Wherein is expressed the nature of hypocrytis, whiche neather farther feareth nor loveth God then present danger or proffeitt suadeth. But to our Historye.
CORRECHY BURNE, OR FARA BANK.
THE TREASSONABLE FACT OF THE NORTH.
SECRETARIE LETHINGTOUN HIS ORISONE ATT CORRECHIE.
The Leslyes, Hayes, and Forbesses, espying the Erle of Murray and his to be lyghted upoun thair foote, maid fordwarde against the Erle of Huntley and his, who stoode in Correchie Burne, (some call it Fara Bank;)[843] but or thei approched, ney by the space of the schote of ane arrow, they caist frome thame thair spearis and long weaponis, and fled directlie in the faces of the Erle of Murray and his company. The danger espyed, the Lard of Pettarro, a man boyth stout and of a reddy wytt, with the Maister, now Lord Lyndsay, and Tutour of Pettcur,[844] said, "Let us cast downe spearis to the formest, and lett thame nott come amanges us, for thair is no doubt but that this flying is by treassone." And so thei did: so that they that fled keapt thame selfis apart frome the few nomber that war marching upoun foote in ordour. The Erle of Huntley, seing the vantgard flie, said unto his company, "Oure freindis ar honest men, they have keapt promesse: lett us now rencounter the rest." And so he and his, as suyre of victorye, martched fordwarte.
The Secreatarie, in few wordis, maid a vehement orisoun, and willed everie man to call upoun his God, to remember his deuitie, and nott to fear the multitude; and, in the end, concluded thus: "O Lord, thou that reullis the heavin and the earth, look upoun us thy servandis, whose bloode this day is most unjustlie sought, and to man's judgement is sold and betrayed: Our refuge is now unto thee and our hope is in thee. Judge thou, O Lord, this day, betwix us and the Erle of Huntley, and the rest of our ennemyes. Yf ever we have injustlie sought his or thair destructioun and bloode, lett us fall in the edge of the sweard. And, O Lord, yf thou knowest our innocencye, manteane thou and preserve us for thy great mercyes saik."
THE RESPONSE OF THE ERLE OF HUNTLEIS WYTTCHES.