sore hurt.' The earl was joyful of these words
and said: 'Maxwell, thou hast well won thy spurs.' Then he delivered
sir Ralph Percy to certain of his men, and they stopped and wrapped
his wounds: and still the battle endured, not knowing who had as then
the better, for there were many taken and rescued again that came to
no knowledge.

[1] Or, according to another reading, 'Cocherel.'

Now let us speak of the young James earl of Douglas, who did marvels
in arms or he was beaten down. When he was overthrown, the press was
great about him, so that he could not relieve, for with an axe he had
his death's wound. His men followed him as near as they could, and
there came to him sir James Lindsay his cousin and sir John and sir
Walter Sinclair and other knights and squires. And by him was a gentle
knight of his, who followed him all the day, and a chaplain of his,
not like a priest but like a valiant man of arms, for all that night
he followed the earl with a good axe in his hands and still
scrimmished about the earl thereas he lay, and reculed back some of
the Englishmen with great strokes that he gave. Thus he was found
fighting near to his master, whereby he had great praise, and thereby
the same year he was made archdeacon of Aberdeen. This priest was
called sir William of North Berwick: he was a tall man and a hardy and
was sore hurt. When these knights came to the earl, they found him in
an evil case and a knight of his lying by him called sir Robert Hart:
he had a fifteen wounds in one place and other. Then sir John Sinclair
demanded of the earl how he did. 'Right evil, cousin,' quoth the earl,
'but thanked be God there hath been but a few of mine ancestors that
hath died in their beds: but, cousin, I require you think to revenge
me, for I reckon myself but dead, for my heart fainteth oftentimes. My
cousin Walter and you, I pray you raise up again my banner which lieth
on the ground, and my squire Davie Collemine slain: but, sirs, shew
nother to friend nor foe in what case ye see me in; for if mine
enemies knew it, they would rejoice, and our friends discomforted.'
The two brethren of Sinclair and sir James Lindsay did as the earl had
desired them and raised up again his banner and cried 'Douglas!' Such
as were behind and heard that cry drew together and set on their
enemies valiantly and reculed back the Englishmen and many overthrown,
and so drave the Englishmen back beyond the place whereas the earl
lay, wh