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200 SCOTTISH ANNALS
him. For this reason he was offended, and betook himself to
[Stephen's] enemies, to avenge the wrong inflicted upon him.
The men of Lothian formed the third rank, with the islanders
and the men of Lorn.
The king kept in his own line the Scots and Moravians ;
several also of the English and French knights he appointed
as his body-guard. And thus was the northern army arrayed. l
RICHARD OF HEXHAM, DE GESTIS REGIS STEPHANI, IN
CHRONICLES OF STEPHEN, ETC., VOL. Ill, PP. 162-1 63. 2
And presently some of [the English] erected the mast of a
ship in the middle of a machine which they had brought thither ;
and they called it " The Standard." And hence [wrote] Hugh
"
Sottewain, archdeacon of York : From the* stand it was
called the Standard, because there stood the brave knights to
3
conquer -or die."
And upon the summit of this tree they hung a silver pyx
with the body of Christ, and the banners of St. Peter the apostle
and of Saints John of Beverley and Wilfrid of Ripon, confessors
Now this they did with the purpose that Jesus
and bishops.
Christ our Lord should by the presence of his body be their
leader in the battle, which they had undertaken in defence of
his church and of their country.
In this they provided also for their men, that if by any
chance they should be separated and parted from the rest they
might have a plain and certain sign by which to return to their
comrades and ; might there regain their support.
Thereafter they had scarce donned their warlike arms when
behold, the king of Scotland was reported to be close upon them,
with his whole army most ready and 4
eager for battle.
"
[The Scots]
the cross of Christ
1 In A. of R.'s speech of Espec, Chr. of Ste., etc., iii, 189 :
are preceded by actors, dancers and dancing-girls ; we, by
and relics of the saints."
2
Cf. J. of H., in S. of D., ii, 293. R. de T., in Chr. of Ste., etc., iv, 135
Ann. of Wav., in A.M., ii, 227.
A. of R., in Chr. of Ste., etc., iii, 181-182 :
" And they planted the
royal banner, which in the common tongue is called the Standard, in the
very wide plain near Northallerton, and there decided to intercept the enemy."
Cf. H. of H., 262.
3 No more of this poem by H.S. has been preserved.
4 "
J. of W., in Fl. of W., ii, 111 : But our men were warned, though
and almost taken by surprise very quickly armed
late, by a certain esquire ;
and arrayed themselves, and sent forward archers before the van ; and by
them the army of Scots was "
greatly injured.
Then the king's barons themselves advanced with the knights, who
had all descended from their horses and were in the first rank ; and with
their hands and weapons they joined issue with the enemy."