Series 1 > History of Greater Britain, as well England as Scotland

CHAP. XX.]
OF GREATER BRITAIN
295
into England with some light-armed troops, with instruction
to harry the country. And as they well knew that the
English would not delay to bring together an army against
the Scots, they enjoined on Ramsay that he should dissemble,
flying as it were before them, and thus step by step draw the
English after him as far as Nisbet moor;—all which he did,
and well. Whereupon the Frenchmen, with the Scots, went Conflict with
against that English army, and a fierce battle took place. In the Engllsh'
this conflict fell, on the side of the Scots, that gallant Soldier The Scots that
John Haliburton, and James Turnbull, both of knightly rank ; uweinf1"
but the Englishmen were worsted. Thomas Gray, the lieu- The English
tenant of the English king, with Thomas, his son and heir, and'taien?'1
James Dares, and many other good men, were taken prisoners.
For their ransom no small sum had to be paid. In the same
year Thomas, seneschal, and earl of Angus, and the earl of
March laid siege to Berwick and took the town ; but this was Siege of
done with difficulty. In the defence of the town Alexander Berwick is
Ogill, a man of good birth, with many of the English, lost his taken-
life ; and Eugene of Garrenter and his Frenchmen played their The valour of
part like men in this conflict. Robert the seneschal bestowed Lnd^hei^return
upon them costly presents, and sent them back to France, home-
seeing they had now accomplished to the full the design of the
king in sending them into Scotland ; albeit he did not doubt
but the English king would soon make a fresh attack upon
Scotland, seeing that he had in his keeping the king of Scots,
mindful of that common word amongst the Britons: ‘ Who
aims at conquering France must needs make a beginning with
the Scots.’ Froissart, when he deals with this matter, Froissart.
observes that many of the Scots refused to bear their part with
the Frenchmen when these were storming the ramparts1 of
Berwick; and so much I will here allow: that Gascons and Which nation
southern peoples in general, being more agile, are better endowedfor
fitted for the besieging of cities and the climbing of walls the taking of
, , ° , i & , cities by assault,
than our northern peoples; and this is plain from what we
know of the Swiss and the Gascons. Northerners, however,
when once they are arrayed for battle, will do better service
than southrons. For their temper is warmer, by reason of the
Gallis conscendentibus ascendere recusarunt.