like good knights, and dashed on their horses.  Their spears were broke to pieces, and Languerant was overthrown, and lost his helmet among the horses’ feet.  His attendants were coming up; but Bernard drew his dagger, and said, “Sir, yield ye my prisoner, rescue or no rescue; else ye are but dead.”  The dismounted champion spoke not a word; on which, Bertrand, entering into fervent ire, dashed his dagger into his skull.  Besides, the battle was not always finished by one warrior obtaining this advantage over the other.  In the battle of Nejara, the famous Sir John Chandos was overthrown, and held down, by a gigantic Spanish cavalier, named Martino Fernandez.  “Then Sir Johan Chandos remembred of a knyfe, that he had in his bosome, and drew it out, and struck this Martyne so in the backe, and in the sydes, that he wounded him to dethe, as he laye upon hym.”  The dagger, which the knights employed in these close and desperate struggles, was called the poniard of mercy.

BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE.

THE SCOTTISH EDITION.

* * * * *

The following edition of the Battle of Otterbourne, being essentially different from that which is published in the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, Vol.  I. and being obviously of Scottish composition, claims a place in the present collection.  The particulars of that noted action are related by Froissard, with the highest encomium upon the valour of the combatants on each side.  James, Earl of Douglas, with his brother, the Earl of Murray, in 1387 invaded Northumberland, at the head of 3000 men; while the Earls of Fife and Strathern, sons to the king of Scotland, ravaged the western borders of England, with a still more numerous army.  Douglas penetrated as far as Newcastle, where the renowned Hotspur lay in garrison.  In a skirmish before the walls, Percy’s lance, with the pennon, or guidon, attached to it, was taken by Douglas, as most authors affirm, in a personal encounter betwixt the two heroes.  The earl shook the pennon aloft, and swore he would carry it as his spoil into Scotland, and plant it upon his castle of Dalkeith.  “That,” answered Percy, “shalt thou never!”—­Accordingly, having collected the forces of the marches, to a number equal, or (according to the Scottish historians) much superior, to the army of Douglas, Hotspur made a night attack upon the Scottish camp, at Otterbourne, about thirty-two miles from Newcastle.  An action took place, fought, by moon-light, with uncommon gallantry and desperation.  At length, Douglas, armed with an iron mace, which few but he could wield, rushed into the thickest of the English battalions, followed only by his chaplain, and two squires of his body.[98] Before his followers could come up, their brave leader was stretched on the ground, with three mortal wounds:  his squires lay dead by his side; the priest alone, armed with a lance, was protecting his master from farther injury.