Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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THE BATTLE OF THE STANDARD. 101<br />
Forth whistling came the grey goose wing,<br />
As the wildhailstones pelt and ring<br />
AdownDecember's blast;<br />
Nor mountain targe oftough hill-hide,<br />
Nor lowland mail that storm may bide;<br />
Woe, woe to Scotland's banneredpride,<br />
Ifthe fell shower may last!<br />
Last it did, with the most direful effects. Scotland's<br />
pride was trampled under foot, her warriors beaten and<br />
routed, leaving,it is said, 12,000 dead on the battle-field.<br />
During the fight the success of the English was greatly<br />
assisted by a trick which they played upon the Scots.<br />
The head of a fallen English soldier, who bore some<br />
resemblance to the Scottish king, was fixed on a spearpoint,<br />
and wavedin triumph by the English,whodeclared<br />
it to be the veritablehead of Davidhimself. The credulous<br />
Scots believed their king had been slain, and fled in<br />
the utmost confusion and dismay, though Davidran from<br />
rank to rank to disprove the report. They were chased<br />
with immense slaughter, and if the English armyhad<br />
been able to have continued the pursuit, scarcely a Scot<br />
would have survived to tell the tale. As it was, the<br />
pursuit was obliged to berelinquished, and the retreating<br />
forces committed, on their return, similar ravages to<br />
those described as theirfirst proceedings on entering the<br />
country.<br />
Thus the famous Battle of the Standard was ended — a<br />
complete victory for the English,and one which, though<br />
the Scots met the English on many a subsequent obstinate<br />
field, kept them long in awe of the might of their<br />
southern foes.