History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

J 52 HISTORY OF THB
truth can hardly be belied, and if partiality will not, yet in-
differency will bear witness to it. Froysard, a stranger, and-
favouring more the English, concludeth concerning this bat-
tie, that in all history there is none so notable, by the bravery
of the captains and valour of the soldiers, fought so long,
so hardly, so variable, the victory inclining diversly several
times, and at last obtained, not by the cowardice of the over-
come, but by the valour of the overcomers. Neither is that
virtue of valour only remarkable in this place, and marked
by him, but their modesty, when they had overcome, rare
and wonderful to him, (as it is indeed to others) but com-
mon enough to the Scottish nation, practised by them often
in their victories, and almost ever where some great enor-
mity hath not irritated them, contrary to their nature and
custom; yet here very singularly: for in the heat of the con-
flict no men ever fought more fiercely; in the victory obtain-
ed none ever behaved themselves more mercifully; taking
prisoners, and having taken them, using them as their dearest
friends with all humanity, courtesy, gentleness, and tender-
ness, curing their wounds, sending them home, some free
without ransom, some on small ransom, almost all on their
simple word and promise to return at certain times appointed,
or when they should be called upon. So that of 1000 pri-
soners scarcely 400 were brought into Scotland, the rest all re-
mitted in that same manner with Ralph Percy; and by his
example, who because of his wounds, desired this courtesy
of the Earl of Murray, and obtained it, and was sent to New-
castle, on his naked word to return when he should be called
for. But what courage and confidence was it, that they
durst adventure with so great peril to be so courteous as they
were? When the Bishop of Durham approaching to invade
them the next day, with 10,000, as some say, with 7000, as.
others, of fresh men; yet they would not kill their prisoners
that were within their camp, equal almost to the half of their
own number, but on their own promises t9 remain true pri-
soners, however the field went, and with a small guard, hav-
ing only pinioned them together with small cords, suffered