52 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
marched under a white banner, on which was painted a female kneeling before a crucifix,
her hair dishevelled, and embroidered underneath the motto ‘‘ Afflicts Ecclesis ne
obliviscaris.”
Preparatory to determining their differences by force of arms, the Earl of Huntly made
offer to the English leader to decide the issue by single combat ; but this he rejected, and
after skirmishing for several daya with various success in the neighbourhood of Prestonpans,
where the English army was encamped,-a scene long afterwards made memorable
by the brief triumph of Mary’s hapless descendant, Charles Stuart-the two armies at
length came to a decisive engagement on Saturday the 10th of September 1547, long
after known by the name of ‘‘ Black Saturday.”
The field of Pinkie, the scene of this fatal contest, lies about six miles distant from
Edinburgh, and so near to the sea, that the English ships did great injury to the Scottish
army, as they marched towards the field of battle. The stately mansion of Pinkie House,
formerly the residence of the Abbots of Dunfermline, still remains in perfect preservation,
in the immediate vicinity of the scene where the fatal battle of Pinkie was fought. The
Scots were at first victorious, and succeeded in driving back the enemy, and carrying off
the royal standard of England ; but being almost destitute of cavalry, they were unable to
follow up their advantage, and being at length thrown into disorder by the enemy’s menat-
arms, consisting principally of a body of mounted Spanish carabineers in complete mail,
they were driven from the field, after a dreadful slaughter, with the loss of many of their
nobles and leaders, both slain and taken prisoners.
Immediately after the battle, the English advanced and took the town of Leith, where
they tarried a few days, during which the Earl of Huntly, and many other Scottish
prisoners of every degree, were confined in St Mary’s Church there, while treating for
their ran~om.~T hey also made an unsuccessful attempt on Edinburgh, whose provost
had fallen on the field, and where it is recorded that this fatal battle had alone made
three hundred and sixty widows ; ’ but finding the Scottish nation as resolute as ever in
rejecting all terms of accommodation, they again pillaged and burned the town of Leith,
spoiled the Abbey of Holyrood, from which they tore off the leaden roof, and re-embarked
on board t,heir fleet. They wreaked their vengeance on some defenceless fishing towns
and villages along the coast of the Firth, and then returned to England, where Archbishop
Cranmer prepared a general thanksgiving to be used throughout all the churches
in the kingdom, for the great victory God had vouchsafed them over their enemies 1 So
differently are the same actions estimated, according as our interests are affected ; for the
Duke of Somerset had so exasperated the Scottish nation by his cruelty, and disgusted
even the barons who had inclined to the English party by his impolitic conduct, that they
were more unanimous than ever against the proposed alliance. ‘‘ The cruelty,” says
Qtler, “of the slaughter at Pinkie, and the subsequent severities at Leith, excited
universal indignation ; and the idea that a free country was to be compelled into a pacific
matrimonial alliance, amid the groans of its dying citizens, and the flames of its seaports,
was revolting and absurd.”
The Queen Dowager availed herself of the popular feeling thus so strongly excited with
1 Tytler, vol. vi. p. 31. ‘ Herries’ Memoirs, p. 21.
2 Diumd of Occurrenta, p. 44,
6 Tytler, vol. vi, p. 42.
a Bishop Lesiie’s History, p. 198.
