J. F. Campbell Collection > Minstrelsy of the Scottish border > Volume 1

THE SCOTTISH BOllDEK. 59
" prophecy, that a dead man shall gain a field,* and I
" hope it will be accomplished this night." — Gods-
croft. With these words he expired ; and the fight
was renewed with double obstinacy around his body.
When morning appeared, however, victory began to in-
cline to the Scottish side. Ralph Percy, brother to
Hotspur, was made prisoner by the Earl Mareschal,
and shortly after, Harry Percy t himself was taken by
Lord Montgomery. The number of captives, accord-
ing to Wintoun, nearly equalled that of the victors.
Upon this the English retired, and left the Scots mas-
ters of the dear-bought honours of the field. But the
Bishop of Durham approaching, at the head of a body
of fresh forces, not only checked the pursuit of the vic-
tors, but made prisoners of some of the stragglers, who
had urged the chase too far. The battle was not, how-
ever, renewed, as the Bishop of Durham did not ven-
ture to attempt the rescue of Percy. The field was
foughtlSth August, 1388. — Fordun, Froissaut, Hol-
LINSHED, GoDSCROFT.
The ground on which this memorable engagement
took place, is now the property of John Davidson, Esq.
of Newcastle, and still retains the name of Battle Cross.
A cross, erroneously termed Percy's Cross, has been
erected upon the spot where the gallant Earl of Douglas
is supposed to have fallen. The castle of Otterbourne,
" This prophecy occurs in the ballad as an ominous dream.
f Hotspur, for his ransom, built the castle of Penoon, in Ayrshire,
belongin.; to the family of Montgomery, now Earls of Eglintoun.