According to Froissard, there were three Lindsays in the battle of Otterbourne, whom he calls Sir William, Sir James, and Sir Alexander.  To Sir James Lindsay there fell “a strange chance of war,” which I give in the words of the old historian.  “I shall shewe you of Sir Mathewe Reedman (an English warrior, and governor of Berwick), who was on horsebacke, to save himselfe, for he alone coude nat remedy the mater.  At his departynge, Sir James Limsay was nere him, and sawe Sir Mathewe departed.  And this Sir James, to wyn honour, followed in chase Sir Mathewe Reedman, and came so nere him, that he myght have stryken hym with hys speare, if he had lyst.  Than he said, ’Ah!  Sir knyght, tourne! it is a shame thus to fly!  I am James of Lindsay.  If ye will nat tourne, I shall strike you on the back with my speare.’  Sir Mathewe spoke no worde, but struke his hors with his spurres sorer than he did before.  In this maner he chased hym more than three myles.  And at last Sir Mathewe Reedman’s hors foundered, and fell under hym.  Than he stept forthe on the erthe, and drewe oute his swerde, and toke corage to defend himselfe.  And the Scotte thoughte to have stryken hym on the brest, but Sir Mathewe Reedman swerved fro the stroke, and the speare point entred into the erthe.  Than Sir Mathewe strake asonder the speare wyth his swerde.  And whan Sir James Limsay sawe howe he had lost his speare, he cast away the tronchon, and lyghted a-fote, and toke a lytell battell-axe, that he carryed at his backe, and handled it with his one hand, quickly and delyverly, in the whyche feate Scottes be well experte.  And than he set at Sir Mathewe, and he defended himselfe properly.  Thus they journeyed toguyder, one with an axe, and the other with a swerde, a longe season, and no man to lette them.  Fynally, Sir James Limsay gave the knyght such strokes, and helde him so shorte, that he was putte out of brethe in such wyse, that he yelded himselfe, and sayde,—­’Sir James Limsay, I yeld me to you.’—­’Well,’ quod he; ’and I receyve you, rescue or no rescue.’—­’I am content,’ quod Reedman, ’so ye dele wyth me like a good companyon.’—­’I shall not fayle that,’ quod Limsay, and so put up his swerde.  ‘Well,’ said Reedman, ’what will ye nowe that I shall do?  I am your prisoner; ye have conquered me; I wolde gladly go agayn to Newcastell, and, within fiftene dayes, I shall come to you into Scotlande, where as ye shall assigne me.’—­’I am content,’ quod Limsay; ’ye shall promyse, by your faythe, to present yourselfe, within these foure wekes, at Edinborowe; and wheresoever ye go, to repute yourselfe my prisoner.’  All this Sir Mathewe sware, and promised to fulfil.”