Battle of Neville's Cross

Chronicle of Henry Knighton. Therefore the Bishop of York, Lord William le Zouche, together with Lord Henry de Percy, and all the knights, squires, chaplains, and clerics of those parts, all, with unanimous agreement, prepared to live and die for the salvation of the kingdom, gathered together on one day, namely on the Monday next before the Feast of Saint Luke [17th October 1346]. They assembled about four leagues this side of Durham, while the Scots, in great strength and with uplifted hand, were encamped a little distance beyond them. Lord William Douglas, with his men, had advanced ahead of the main Scottish army; but the English unexpectedly fell upon him, and he was captured by a certain squire of Lord Deyncourt, while many of his men were slain there. When the King of Scotland learned of this, he hastily prepared himself for battle and arrayed his army in battle-lines. The air was filled with the sound of trumpets and clarions, and they directed their line against the English. But the English, placing all their hope in God, setting the justice of their cause before the fear of death, and having full confidence in the sign of the Cross, which was borne before them along with the other banners, committed themselves wholly to the divine mercy, from which none is deceived, and bravely gave themselves to the fight with great courage. Thus the two armies engaged, as though the whole world’s victory depended upon that hour, and they fought until about the hour of [blank]

At length, through the divine mercy granted to them, the English won a joyful and glorious victory over their enemies at Beaurepair, about three leagues from Durham, on the vigil of Saint Luke [17th October 1346]. The monks, who were in the belfry of their church and saw the Scots fleeing, lifted up their voices, and the clouds were filled with the sound of their cries. They shouted and praised God with tearful joy, singing, "Te Deum laudamus." The English heard that cry as though it were close behind them, and, taking from it greater courage in God, pursued their enemies more fiercely and crushed them more completely. For the monks of Durham had made an agreement with the Scots for their own safety and for that of their manors and tenants in the countryside, that on the following day they would pay one thousand pounds without further delay; and thus they were freed from the yoke of that oppression. The Scots had planned to march onward to Beverley, and from there to York, for they believed that no one remained in the land who could resist them, since all were said to be away at the siege of Calais. Captured in the battle These were taken prisoner in the battle: David, King of Scotland, the Earl of Fife, the Earl of Menteith, the Earl of Wigtown, the Earl of Carrick, Sir William Douglas and his brother, Sir William de Lemyngton, Sir William Ramsay and his son, Sir Malcolm Fleming, Sir David Bennet (Banaude), Sir John Sinclair, Sir William Mowbray. Slain in the battle of Durham These were slain in the battle of Durham: The Earl of Moray, the Earl of Sutherland, the Earl of Strathearn; Sir Philip Meldrum, Sir Humphrey de Boys, Sir Robert Montalent and his brother, Sir John Steward, Sir Alan Steward his brother, Sir Maurice Murray, Sir David de la Haye, Sir Edward Keith, Sir John Cranforth, Sir John Lummesey, Sir Adam Newton, Sir Alexander Strachan and his brother. Also slain in the battle were Sir William de la Haye, Sir John de la More, Sir Thomas Boyd, Brother Edmund of the Lord Keith, Sir William Ramsay the elder, Sir John Sinclair, Sir Adam Moygrave, Sir David FitzRobert, Sir William Mowbray, Sir Reginald Kirkpatrick, Sir William de Haliburton, and Sir Patrick Herring, and besides these, more than one hundred of the best knights of all Scotland, and of the common people more than twenty thousand. English losses On the side of the English, there were four knights and five squires slain. The capture of King David The King of Scotland fled from the field and was wounded in the head by an arrow. He was taken at Merrington by a valet of John de Coupland, and brought to the castle of Bamburgh, where for some time he remained under the custody of Lord Percy, because his wound prevented him from travelling. Later, together with many other nobles, he was, by command of the king, led to London.

Unde episcopus Eboracensis dominus Willelmus le Sowche, dominus de Percy et cæteri omnes de illis partibus milites armigeri, capellani et clerici, omnes unanimi assensu parati vivere et mori pro salvatione regni convenerunt in unum diem die Lunæ proximo ante festum sancti Lucæ per iiijor leucas citra Dunelmum, et Scoti fuerunt modico spatio ultra eos in ingenti fortitudine et elata manu. Dominus Willelmus Duglas cum suis præcesserat exercitum Scotia, et Anglici inopinate supervenerunt super eum, et captus est per unum armigerum dominum le Deyncourte, et multi de suis ibidem interfecti sunt. Quod cum Quod cum rex Scotia intellixisset cum festinatione paravit se ad bellum, distrinxitque exercitum per acies, repleverunt terram in sonitu tubarum et clarionum, et direxerunt aciem in occursum Angligenarum. Anglici vero spem suam totam in deo ponentes, et juris titulum morti suæ præponentes, et in signo crucis, quæ ante eos cum aliis vexillis ferebatur, plenam fiduciam habentes, divinæ clementiæ a qua nullus fallitur se totum commendaverunt, et se conflictui cum summa audacia fortiter dederunt, sicque miscuerunt se exercitus quasi Victory of tertia et pugaverunt usque ad horam ....

Tandem the English mediante divina clementia concessa est Anglicis de hostibus tripudialis victoria apud Beal repayr per tres leucas juxta Dunelmum in vigilia sancti Lucæ. Monachi existentes in campanili ecclesiæ suæ et videntes fugientes Scotos, levaverunt vocem nubesque repleverunt sonitu clamoris, clamantes et deum laudantes, flebilibusque lacrimis præ gaudio dicentes, Te deum laudamus, quam vocem Angli audierunt acsi a tergo eorum prope adessent, et fortiorem audaciam in deo inde sumentes inimicos acrius insecuti sunt et fortius eos protriverunt. Nam monachi Dunelmenses finem fecerant cum Scotis pro se et maneriis suis et suis tenentibus in patria in crastino sequenti pro mille libris solvendis absque ulteriori mora, et sic liberati sunt ab ipso jugo. Scoti proposuerant iter dirigere ad Beverlacum et abinde apud Eboracum. Crediderunt namque nullos esse in patria eis resistere valentes quin omnes essent ad obsidionem Calesiæ. Isti sunt capti in bello. David rex Scotia, comes de Fyth, comes de Meyntife, comes de Wygton, comes de Carryk, dominus Willelmus Duglas, et frater ejusdem Willelmi, dominus Willelmus de Lemyston, dominus Willelmus de Rameseye et filius, dominus Malcolmus Flemyng, dominus David Banaude, dominus Johannes Seyntclere, dominus Willelmus Moubraye. Isti fuerunt occisi in bello Dunelmensi. Comes de Moryf, comes de Suthlande, comes de Struernh. Dominus Philippus de Myldron, dominus Umfridus de Bloys, dominus Robertus Mantalent et frater ejus, dominus Johannes Styward, dominus Alanus Styward frater ejus, dominus Mauricius de Morref, dominus David de la Haye, dominus Edwardus de Keth, dominus Johannes de Cranforde, dominus Johannes de Lymesheye, dominus Adam de Nytfon, dominus Alexander Stragy et frater ejus. Item occisi in bello dominus Willelmus de la Haye, dominus Johannes de la Morre, dominus Thomas Boyde, frater Edmundus domini de Keth, dominus Willelmus de Rameseye pater, dominus Johannes Seynthillere, dominus Adam Moygrave, dominus David Fyth-Roberd, dominus Willelmus Moubray, dominus Reginaldus Kirkepatrik, dominus Willelmus de Halyburton, dominus Patonus Heryng. Et præter istos ultra centum milites meliores totius Scotiæ, et de communibus plusquam xx mille. Ex parte Anglorum the Engoccisi sunt quatuor milites et quinque armigeri. Rex Scotiæ fugit de prælio et vulneratus est de una sagitta in capite et captus apud Meryngton per unum valettum Johannis Coupelande, et ductus apud castellum de Bamburgh, ibique aliquamdiu moram traxit sub custodia domini de Percy, pro eo quod non potuit laborare, cum multis aliis magnatibus, quoadusque ex jussu regis ducti sunt Londonias.

Annales of England by John Stow. [17th October 1346] The French king in this meanetime sent a number of Genowayes and other hired souldiours unto David king of Scots, earnestly requesting him that he would invade England with all his force: wherefore about the 7th of October [1346] he with a mighty power entred England, passing along by Berwicke, which was strongly defended by the Englishmen, and so, ranging over the forest of Alnewike, they wonne a certaine mannour place called Luden, belonging to the lord Walter Wake¹, who yeelded himselfe on condition to be ransomed, where (Selby a knight being desirous by law of armes to save his life) he was taken, which when it was known to David, he commanded him to be slaine : but Selby intreated for him that he might be brought alive to the presence of David, who having obtained his request, he falleth downe before David, requesting his life for ransotne, but he was againe adjudged to die. The malice of the tyrant was such, that he commanded two of the children of the poore knight to be strangled in sight of their father, and afterwards himselfe, being almost madde for sorrow, was beheaded. From thence the Scots passed forward, wasting along the countrey, wherein were many farmers belonging to the monasterie of Durham, and comming within two miles of Durham they tooke certaine of the monks, which they kept prisoners for their ransome, making covenant with the residue for a certaine summe of money and corne to redeeme their mannours from spoyling. The Englishmen of the marches fleeing before the face of the enemie, William de la Zouch, archbishop of Yorke, vicegerent to the king in the marches, calling together the bishop of Carleile, the earle of Anguise, the lord Mowbray, the lord Henry Percy, the lord Ralph Nevel, Ralph Hastings, with all their ayde, together with the archers of Lancashire, went towards the armie of the Scots, and on the eeven of saint Luke met them at a place called Bewre Parke, neere Nevils Crosse. The Scottish nation, not accustomed to flee, withstoode them stoutely, and having head-pieces on their heads and targets on their armes, preasing sore upon the Englishmen, they abode the brunt of the archers : but the men of armes, which were in the forefronts, gave their enemies many deadly wounds. The marshall of the Scottes, earle Patrike, who had the charge of the rereward, when he perceived his men to be beaten downe, he fled away with other that were privie to his cowardlines : he being fled, the residue of the Scottes, continuing faithfully with their king, stoode about him like a round tower, keeping him in the middle, who so continued till there was scarce fortie of them left alive, of the which not one of them could escape away. At length, David their king valiantly fighting and sore hurt, an esquire of Northumberland, named John Copland, tooke him, who with eight of his servants rode straite out of the field with the king, and so rode fifteen leagues from that place to a castle called Orgalus, the residue about him being taken or slaine ; the Englishmen pursued the chase after them which were fled, slaying and taking them as farre as Prudihow and Corbridge.

Note 1. It will be noticed that, owing to the corrupt state of the Latin text, Stow has fallen into great confusion regarding the death of Selby, substituting an imaginary 'lord Walter Wake' for the unfortunate man.

Lanercost Chronicle. [17th October 1346] So then, when the army was assembled, David summoned the Scots, those nations to be scattered who had desired war, and, like another Jabin against Joshua, he ordered three great and strong divisions to go out to meet the English. In the first division he appointed Earl Patrick; but he, as a cowardly waverer, refused the leadership that was offered him, more from weakness of mind than from prudence. His place was immediately taken by the Earl of Moray, who thus held the command of the foremost line of battle, and there, in the fight, he gave up his life. With him were many valiant men of Scotland, the Earl of Strathearn, the Earl of Fife, John Douglas, brother of Sir William Douglas, Sir Alexander Ramsay, and many other brave earls and barons, knights and squires, all raging furiously, frenzied in mind, advancing with one heart against the English. In their own strength they trusted firmly, rising up in pride like Satan himself, all thinking they would soar to the stars. The second division was led by King David himself, not the David of whom men sang in choir that he "put ten thousand to flight in battle," but that David of whom men in the marketplace declared that "his stench and filth defiled the altar." With him came the Earl of Buchan, Malcolm Fleming, Sir Alexander of Strathearn, father and son alike devoid of the Holy Spirit, the Earl of Menteith, and many others whose names we know not, and even if we did, it would be tedious to recount them all. In the third division was Earl Patrick, but better would he be called "of the homeland," for he did best of all by staying far away. He came not late, yet always stood afar off like another Peter, unwilling to await the end of the matter. In that battle he struck down no one, for he intended to take holy orders and to say Mass for the souls of the Scots who were slain, knowing that it is wholesome to pray the Lord for the rest of the departed. He was, indeed, a priest that day, for he gave the others a fine example of flight. His companion, Robert Stewart (later to be King Robert II), was no better, or rather, if one was worthless, the other was worse. Overcome with cowardice, he broke his vow to the Lord that he would never flee before the first blow was struck in battle. He fled with the priest, and as a good cleric thereafter, he will celebrate that "Mass" again! These two, turning their backs, fought manfully indeed, for with their whole company, and without a wound, they entered Scotland again, leading, as it were, a victory dance (and let David dance to it if he will). Around the third hour (about nine in the morning), a little distance from Durham, the English army met the Scots. In the first line stood the Earl of Angus, a noble man above all the nobles of England, of great courage and wondrous goodness, always ready to fight body and soul for his country, whose noble deeds scarcely tongue nor pen could express. Lord Henry de Percy, like another Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias, was a brave warrior; though young, he was wise and valiant. He placed his own body in the front of the battle, and by his example stirred up all the others to rise bravely in the field. Lord Ralph de Neville, a true and mighty man, bold, shrewd, and greatly to be feared, fought in that battle so fiercely that afterward the marks of his blows were found fast upon his enemies. Lord Henry de Scrope was not the last, but the foremost in the front of the fight, striking down the foe. In the second division the Archbishop of York was leader, a prudent father who, having called his sons together, blessed them all; and, by God's grace, his devout blessing had full effect. There was also with him another bishop, of the Order of Friars Minor (a Franciscan), who for his blessing charged the English to fight manfully, under pain of great punishment, never to spare the Scots. And whenever he met the enemy, he gave, with a certain staff of days, not penance nor pardon, but indulgence, granting great absolution and full remission to the English for smiting their foes. Such was his power at that time that without confession he absolved the Scots from every lawful act with that staff! In the third division was Lord John de Mowbray, a man whose name suits his deeds, filled with grace and goodness, whose happy fame, worthy of great praise, spread widely abroad. He and all his men bore themselves so well that their deeds will redound to their honor through the ages. Sir Thomas de Rokeby, a noble captain, offered the Scots such a draught from his cup that, once they had tasted it, they had no desire to drink again. Thus he gave to all who saw an example of how to fight bravely for the holy cause of one's country. John de Coupland dealt such heavy blows among the enemy that those who felt the weight of his fists, as men afterward said, had no wish to prolong the fight. Then the trumpets sounded, shields clashed, arrows flew, lances pierced, swords struck, shouts rang out, and war-cries echoed, arms were shattered, heads were crushed, and, alas! many fell dead upon the field. Around the hour of Vespers the battle ceased, the Scots fleeing, the English slaying, praise and honor be to the Most High! On that day the English gained the victory. And so, through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Cuthbert, confessor of Christ, David and the "flower of Scotland" fell by the just judgment of God into the pit which they themselves had dug. Thus, the battle between the English and the Scots was fought as described; and, though few English were slain, nearly the whole knighthood of Scotland was captured or killed. For in that fight fell Robert, Earl of Moray, and Maurice, Earl of Strathearn, together with the best of the Scottish nobility. But David, called King of Scots, was taken prisoner along with the Earls of Fife, Menteith, and Wigtown, and Sir William Douglas, and, besides them, a great number of armed men. Not long afterward, the said David, King of Scots, with many of the chief captives, was brought to London and cast into prison. There the Earl of Menteith was drawn, hanged, and quartered, and his limbs were sent to various parts of England and Scotland. One of the said captives, namely Malcolm Fleming, Earl of Wigtown, because of infirmity, was not taken to London with the others, but left at Bothal, where, alas! through the treachery of a certain squire, his keeper, one Robert de la Vale, he was released and returned to Scotland without any ransom.

Igitur, confiderato populo, David Scottos convocat, gentes diffipandas quæ bella voluerunt, et, ut alter Jabyn contra Jofue, ad occurrendum Anglicis tres magnos exercitus et fortes ordinavit. In prima acie constituit comitem Patrik, fed ipfe, ficut sciolus, abnegans principium fiet poftulavit, magis ex vecordia quam ex profecutione. Ejus autem gradum comes de Moravia statim perpetravit, et fic in prima acie exercitus primarie primatum gerebat, qui in conflictu postea spiritum exhalavit. Cum illo erant multi valentes de Scotia, puta, comes de Strathern, et comes de Fife, Johannes de Douglas germanus domini Willelmi de Douglas, dominus Alexander de Rampsei, et multi alii valentes comites et barones, milites et armigeri, furiose furibundi, mente effrænati, omnes uno animo contra Anglicos, et proni procedentes nolebant cessare, in poteftate propria firmiter confifi, præ nimis superbia furgentes [ut] Sathana, omnes putabant ad stellas evolare. Secundum exercitum duxit ipse rex David, non tamen de quo canebant in choro quod decem millia in bello fugavit, fed ille David de quo in foro firmabant quod ejus fetor et fæx altare fedavit. Secum vero conduxit comitem de Boghane, Malcolm Flemynge, dominum Alexandrum de Straghern, fine spiritu fancto patrem et filium, comitem de Mentite, multos etiam alios quorum nefcimus, et si sciremus effet tædiofum omnia recitare. In tertio exercitu erat comes Patrik, fed melius vocaretur de patria, non hic ipfe venit tarde fed fecit optime, stetit femper a longe, ficut alter Petrus, finem tamen facti noluit exfpectare. In illo conflictu neminem mutulavit, quia intendebat ordines fufcipere, et pro Scottis interfectis missam celebrare, sciens quod falubre est pro defunctorum requiem Dominum exorare; tunc vero fuit prefbyter, quia aliis ad fugendum ipfe præbuit iter. Socius autem fuus Robertus Stewarde, si unus nequam alter nequaquam, ipse victus vecordia votum violavit Domino, quod primum ictum in prælio nunquam exfpectabit, qui fugit cum prefbytero, et ut bonus clericus illam miffam celebrare de cætero rimabit. Hi duo dorfa vertentes valide pugnaverunt, quia cum eorum exercitu fine aliquo vulnere Scotiam intraverunt, et fic ad tripudium (tripudiet fi voluerit David) eduxerunt. Circa horam tertiam modicum juxta Dunelmiam exercitus Anglicanus Scottis obviabat, tunc in prima acie comes de Angos inter omnes Angliæ nobilis persona, ingentis audaciæ et miræ bonitatis, in conflictu et anima pugnare pro patria femper est paratus, cujus optima facta vix lingua vel lingua poterant explicari. Dominus Henricus de Percy, ut alter Judas Machabæus filius Matathiæ, bonus præliator, hic parvus miles et providus ad occurrendum hoftibus in prima belli acie proponens corpus proprium, cunctos fic confurgere in campo confortabat. Dominus Radulfus de Neville, vir verax et validus, audax et aftutus et multum metuendus, in prædicto prælio iste sic pugnavit quod, ficut poftea patuit, veftigia ejus ictuum hoftibus inhærebant. Dominus Henricus de Scrope non erat ultimus, fed primus in fronte conflictus stationem ceperat, hoftes deprimendo. In fecundo exercitu dominus archiepifcopus Eboracenfis eorum ductor erat, qui, convocatis filiis, omnes benedixit, cujus, Dei gratia, devota benedictio locum habuit. Erat etiam alius epifcopus de ordine fratrum Minorum, hic pro fua benedictione viriliter pugnare præcepit Anglicis fub pœna maxima, ne quis Scottis parceret femper addidit, et quando hoftibus obviabat nec a pœna nec a culpa sed cum quodam baculo dierum indulgentiam, magnam pœnitentiam et bonam abfolutionem illis tribuit; talem poteftatem tunc temporis habebat quod fine confeffione aliqua cum prædicto baculo ab omni actu legitimo Scottos abfolvabat. In tertio exercitu dominus Johannes de Moubrai, qui habet nomen a re, repletus erat gratia et cum bonitate, cujus felix fama larga laude digna per diversa loca latius divulgatur, ipfe, et omnes fui, ita fe habebant quod cedet eis in decus per tempora diuturna. Dominus Thomas de Rokeby, ficut ductor nobilis, ipse talem poculum Scottis propinavit, quod poftquam femel fenferint non defiderabant iterum degustare, et fic exemplar exftitit omnibus videntibus pro pia caufa patriæ fortiter pugnare. Johannes de Couplande distribuit tales ictus inter inimicos quod ejus alaparum pondera portantes, ficut erat dictum, non dignabantur diu debellare. Tunc tubis clangentibus, scutis concurrentibus, sagittis volantibus, hastis perforantibus, percuffis proclamantibus, et turmis ululantibus, armis penetratis, capitibus conquassatis, pluribus, proh dolor! in campo prostratis, circa horam vefperarum conflictus cessavit, Scottis fugientibus, noftri occiderunt, laus, honor fit Altissimo! illo die Anglici victoriam habuerunt. Et fic precibus beatæ virginis Mariæ fanctique Cuthberti, Christi confefforis, David et flos Scotiæ justo Dei judicio cadebant in foveam quam ipfimet fecerunt. Commissum est igitur bellum inter Anglicos et Scottos, ut prædicitur, ubi, paucis Anglicis interfectis, pene tota militia Scotiæ capta fuit vel occifa; nam in illo prælio comes Moraviæ Robertus, et comes de Stratherne Mauricius, cum meliori militia Scotiæ pariter ceciderunt; David autem, dictus rex Scotiæ, cum comitibus de Fife, et de Mentef, et de Wightoun, ac domino Willelmo de Douglas, ac infuper [ ] armatorum copiofa, captus fuit, et non multo poft prædictus David rex Scottorum cum multis nobilioribus captis usque Londonias est perductus, et carcere mancipatus, ubi comes de Mentethe tractus fuit et suspensus, quarterizatus, et ejus membra ad diversa loca Angliæ et Scotiæ funt transmissa. Unus autem prædictorum captivorum, scilicet, dominus Malcolmus Flemyng, comes de Wyghtoun, [propter] infirmitatem Londonias cum aliis captis nullatenus tranfmiffus, fed apud Bothale, proh dolor! dimiffus, proditione cujufdam armigeri custodis fui, dicti Roberti de la Vale, in Scotiam fine redemptione aliqua est reverfus.

Original Chronicle of Scotland by Andrew of Wyntoun. [17th October 1346] The Erle off Murrawe and his menyhé

Than nere wes that assemblé:

At hey dykis assemblid thai,

And that brak gretly thaire aray;

Tharfor thai war swne dyscumfyte.

Thai, that held hale, sped thame full tyte

To the Kyng, that assemblid was

In till a full anoyus plas,

Than nane, but hurt, mycht lyfft his hand,

Qwhen thai thaire fayis mycht noucht wythstand.

To the Stwartis rowt than went thai,

That was assemblyd nere that way.

Thare had thai rowme to stand in fycht;

Thare mycht thai welle assay thare mycht.

Than bathe the fyrst rowtis rycht thare

At that assemblé Wencust war.

Thare wes hard fechtyng; as man sayis,

Swilk wes nevyre sene befor thai dayis:

Swa hard fechtyng than wes thare,

That qwhen the flearis twa myle and mare

‘War fled, the banaris war standand,

And thai ware face to face fychtand,

As mony sayd; bot noucht for-thi

Thai war syne wencust wtarly.

Mony fled, and noucht agayne

Repayrid, and thaire war mony slayne.