re, by all likelihood they had taken the bishop
of Durham and the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I shall shew you how.
The same evening that the Percies departed from Newcastle, as ye have
heard before, the bishop of Durham with the rearband came to Newcastle
and supped: and as he sat at the table, he had imagination in himself
how he did not acquit himself well to see the Englishmen in the field
and he to be within the town. Incontinent he caused the table to be
taken away and commanded to saddle his horses and to sown the
trumpets, and called up men in the town to arm themselves and to mount
on their horses, and foot-men to order themselves to depart. And thus
every man departed out of the town to the number of seven thousand,
two thousand on horseback and five thousand afoot; they took their way
toward Otterburn, whereas the battle had been. And by that time they
had gone two mile[5] from Newcastle tidings came to them how their men
were fighting with the Scots. Therewith the bishop rested there, and
incontinent came more flying fast, that they were out of breath. Then
they were demanded how the matter went. They answered and said: 'Right
evil; we be all discomfited: here cometh the Scots chasing of us.'
These tidings troubled the Englishmen, and began to doubt. And again
the third time men came flying as fast as they might. When the men of
the bishopric of Durham heard of these evil tidings, they were abashed
in such wise that they brake their array, so that the bishop could not
hold together the number of five hundred. It was thought that if the
Scots had followed them in any number, seeing that it was night, that
in the entering into the town, and the Englishmen so abashed, the town
had been won.

[5] The word 'lieue' is translated 'mile' throughout.

The bishop of Durham, being in the field, had good will to have
succoured the Englishmen and recomforted his men as much as he could;
but he saw his own men fly as well as other. Then he demanded counsel
of sir William Lucy and of sir Thomas Clifford and of other knights,
what was best to do. These knights for their honour would give him no
counsel; for they thought to return again and do nothing should sown
greatly to their blame, and to go forth might be to their great
damage; and so stood still and would give none answer, and the longer
they stood, the fewer they were, for some still stale away. Then the
bishop said: 'Sirs, all things considered, it is none h