Link LinkAfter remaining three weeks from the time of this affray, the king issued a proclamation by his marshals, that every one in the course of the ensuing week should be provided with carts, tents, and everything necessary for their march towards Scotland: when everyone was properly equipped, the king and his barons marched out of the city, and encamped six leagues from it. Sir John de Hainault and his company were encamped near the king, as a mark of distinction, and to prevent the archers from taking any advantage of him, the king and this first division remained there two days and to nights, waiting the arrival of money for his expenses, as well as to examine if whether any thing were wanting. On the third day the army dislodged, and before day-break marched till they came to the city of Durham, a long day's journey, at the entrance to a country called Northumberland, which is wild, full of deserts and mountains, and poor in everything except cattle. The river Tyne runs through it, full of flints and large stones. Upon this river is situated the town called Newcastle upon Tyne. The lord marshal of England was there, with a numerous army to guard the country against the Scots. At Carlisle was a considerable body of Welsh, under the command of lord Hereford and lord Mowbray, to defend the passage of the Eden; for the Scots could not enter England without passing one of these rivers. The English could get no certain information of the Scots until they arrived at this place: they had passed the river so privately, that neither those of Carlisle nor those of Newcastle had the smallest knowledge of it.These towns are said to be distant from each other four-and-twenty English leagues.
The Scots are bold, hardy, and much inured to war. When they make their invasion into England, they march from twenty to four-and-twenty leagues without halting1, as well by night as by day; For they are all on horseback, except the camp followers, who are on foot. The knights and esquires are well mounted on large bay horses, the common people on little galloways. They bring no carriages with them, on account of the mountains they have to pass in Northumberland; neither do they carry with them any provisions of bread or wine; for their habits of sobriety are such, in time of war, that they will live for a long time on flesh half sodden, without bread, and drink the river-water without wine. They have, therefore, no occasion for pots or pans; for they dress the flesh of their cattle in the skins, after they have taken them off: and, being sure to find plenty of them in the country which they invade, they carry none with them. Under the flaps of his saddle, each man carries a broad plate of metal; behind the saddle, a little bag of oatmeal: when they have eaten too much of the sodden flesh, and their stomach appears weak and empty, they place this plate over the fire, mix with water their oatmeal, and when the plate is heated, they put a little of the paste upon it, and make a thin cake, like a cracknel or biscuit, which they eat to warm their stomachs: In this manner the Scots entered England, destroying and burning every thing as they passed. They seized more cattle than they knew what to do with. Their army consisted of four thousand men at arms, knights and esquires, well mounted; besides twenty thousand men, bold and hardy, armed after the manner of their country, and mounted upon little hackneys, that are never tied up or dressed, but turned, immediately after the day's march, to pasture on the heath or in the fields. This army was commanded by two valiant captains. The king of Scotland himself, who had been very brave, yet being old, and labouring under a leprosy, appointed for one that gallant prince, so renowned in arms, the earl of Moray, who bore upon his banner three pillows gules; the other was sir James Douglas, esteemed the bravest and most enterprising knight in the two kingdoms:he bore for arms azure on a chief argent. These two lords were the greatest barons, and most renowned for their prowess and other feats of arms.
