Biography of Elizabeth Heron

Chronicle of Scotland by Robert Lindesay Volume 1 Book 20 Chapter 18. Quhen the king campit on nicht in Ersilton¹ and on the morne went to Wark [Map] and Norhame [Map] and cast them doune and thairefter past to Furde [Map] and cast thame doune and greit slaughter maid of the kingis men² that stude about the house in the fallingis of the tymber. Sum sayis the lady of Furde³ was ane bewtiefull woman and that the king mellit witht hir and allso his sone the bischope of Sanct androis witht hir douchter, quhilk was against godis commandementis and against the order of all goode captanis of weir to begin at huredome and harlotrie befoir ony goode succes of battell or wictorie fallin into them. I beleif the stinkand adullterie and fornicatioun had ane greit pairt of⁴thair ewill succes⁵.

Note 1. I has "Ersiltoun".

Note 2. I adds "pioneris and vther."

Note 3. "Lady of Furde." This was Lady Heron, See Notes.

262. 19. Sum sayis the lady of Furde was ane bewltiefull woman and that the king mellit witht hir. Pitscottie evidently did not give implicit belief to the story, but only half credits it, because of the character of James in his relations with women (p. 263, I. 5, "I beleif," &c.)

The question whether an intrigue between James and the Lady Heron of Ford really affected the issue of Flodden has been keenly debated. Of the earlier Scotch historians, Pitscottie states it as a rumour, Buchanan as a fact, Leslie ignores it, Tytler follows Pitscottie, Hill Burton is sceptical, and Hume Brown, like Burton, qualifies the story by "it is said " (‘History of Scotland,' vol. i. p. 335).

The arguments of Mr T. Hodgkin, D.C.L., in 'Archaologia Eliana,' 1891, certainly deserve serious consideration. Mr Hodgkin thinks the story may have originated from Lady Ford having made personal suit to James for the delivery of her husband, then a prisoner in Scotland, and for the abstaining from casting down his castle, after which she went to the camp of Surrey, to whom she gave information as to the Scotch army (Hall's Chronicles, p. 558). The argument may be pushed even further than he has done. Ford Castle was cast down, and her husband was not released. To crave his release was not the act of an adulteress. He also points out that the dates leave very little time for an intrigue which could have delayed the campaign, and that while James may have been at Ford Castle from 29th August till 5th September, a stay of twenty days at Ford is impossible, as he entered England only seventeen days before Flodden. Lady Ford cannot have gone to Surrey at York, as Pitscottie says, from Ford, for Surrey left York on 26th August, and she must have gone to him in any case some days before 5th September.

Note 4. I inserts "the wytt of"—i.e., blame of.

Note 5. See Notes.

263. 5-29. I beleif the stinkand adullterie and fornicatioun had ane greit pairt of thair ewill succes .... And hie againe as ane feminnat prince subdewit and intyssit be the allurment and jfallis desait of this wickit woman. Pitscottie's doubts here disappear, and he treats Lady Ford and James's intrigue as a fact. The opportunity of preaching a moral sermon was too strong for him to resist.

Chronicle of Scotland by Robert Lindesay Volume 1 Book 20 Chapter 18. Nocht witht standing the king conteinued still thair the space of xx dayis but battell and no pretinnis¹ of the sam, quhilk² at last all the wictuallis and wiuerse of the commons was waistit away and money of the fer norland men and Illis men was waistit in the samin maner that it was forcest³ to thame to pase hame and everie lord and gentillman send ane or tua hame of thair spetiall servantis to bring them wictuallis. In this wyse thair baid nocht witht the king abone ten thowsand men by⁴ borderaris and countrie men zeit the kingis grace suspect nor tuik no feir because he beleiffit no battell of the Inglischemen at that tyme. Bot this wickit lady of Furde sieand the king so oft dispairit for lak of wictuallis and knawand all the secreittis that was amangis the kingis men and airme batht of the king him self and his secreit consall, and this experience scho had be hir frequent hurdome witht the king and also hir douchter witht his sone, quhilk movet hir to ask lecence at the king to pase invart in the contrie to speik witht certane of hir freindis, declairand that scho sould bring him all nowellis out of the south contrie quhat they war doand or quhat was their porpois or to do, desyring his grace to remaine all till hir cuming. And hie againe as ane feminnat⁵ prince subdewit and intyssit be the allurment and fallis desait of this wickit woman gaif hir ower hastielie credence in this behalf and beleiffit trewlie all had bene trew that scho had promissit to that effect, gart conwoy hir ane certane way frome the oist as scho desyrit. Bot this lady thinkand nothing that scho had promist to the king that on nowayis scho wald keip it for lufe scho buire to hir natiue contrie, bot haistalie passit witht ane dessaitfull mynd to the Earle of Surry quhair he was lyand at Zork at that tyme and schew to him the haill secreittis of the king of Scottland and his airme and quhat poynt he was at and how his men was depairtit frome him for lak of wictuallis and thair was nocht bidin witht him bot ten thowsand men of all his airme. Thairof scho thocht it expedient to the said Earle of Surray to come fordwart witht them that he might be at that tyme, scho promissand to him that he sould haue wictorie; be hir craft and ingyne scho sould disdaine that king sa far as scho could to put him in the Inglischemenis handis. Thir nowellis being shawin to the Earle of Surray be this wickit woman [he] was werie reioyssit thairof and thankit hir greatlie of hir labouris and trawellis that scho tuike for hir natiue contrie, promissand to hir withtin thrie dayis he sould meit the king of Scotland and gif him battell.

Note 1. "Pretinnis" — i.e., pretences.

Note 2. I has "quhill"—i.e., until.

Note 3. I has "force"—i.e., necessity.

Note 4. I.e., besides.

Note 5. Effeminate,