Biography of William of Blois 1st Earl Albemarle 1st Earl York 1101-1179

. 22nd August 1138. Irruption of the Scots, and Battle of the Standard.

During these events, David (age 54), king of Scotland, made a third irruption from the borders of his kingdom, with large bands both of horse and foot, and began to set on fire farms, towns, and castles, on the confines of Northumbria, and lay waste nearly all the country. But as he threatened at last to pursue his inroad as far as York and the Humber, Ralph, archbishop of Canterbury, archbishop of York, had a conference with the Yorkshiremen, and prevailed on them all, with one consent, to take the oath of fealty to king Stephen, and resist the king of Scots. David, however, was still more incensed at this, and rejecting all advice to the contrary, and reaching the river Tees on the octave of the Assumption of St. Mary [22nd August], which happened on a Monday, he determined to surprise our troops, there being a thick fog in the morning of that day. Hoping, in consequence, to come upon us unawares, he left many vills untouched, and would not suffer his men to set fire to any place, as they usually did. Meanwhile, our troops being warned by a squire, though somewhat late so that they were nearly taken by surprise, armed themselves, and drew up in order of battle with the utmost despatch, sending out archers in front, by whom the Scots were severely galled. Then the king's barons marched with the knights, having all dismounted and stationed themselves in the first rank, and thus fought hand-in-hand with the enemy. The conflict was ended, and victory secured at the very first onset, for the Scots gave way, and either fell or fled in the greatest alarm. Our men, however, being on foot, and having caused all their horses to be led to some distance, were unable to continue the pursuit long, otherwise they would have taken or put to the sword the king himself, with his son (age 24), and all his immediate attendants. Of his army, nearly ten thousand men fell in different places, and as many as fifty persons of rank were made prisoners. The vanquished king himself escaped by flight, overwhelmed with terror and shame. His chancellor, William Comyn, was taken by the bishop of Durham; but being set at liberty, he gave thanks to God, heartily hoping he should never again fall into such a scrape. The king's son reached Carlisle on foot, attended by a single knight; and his father escaped with some difficulty through the woods and thickets to Roxburgh. He had led an innumerable army consisting of French, as well as English, Scots, Galwegians, and the people of all the isles which owed him allegiance, but nineteen only out of two hundred of his mailed knights carried back their armour; for every one left nearly all that he had to become the spoil of the enemy, so that an immense booty, both of horses, arms, and clothing, and many other things, was taken from his army. Eustace Fitz-John (age 50), who had joined his expedition, met with a similar fate, having been wounded, and barely escaping with life to his castle. Among the valiant men who, in Christ's name, fought on behalf of king Stephen, were the earl of Albemarle (age 37), Bernard de Baliol, and many others, but the earl was distinguished for his bravery in the battle.¹

Note 1. A more detailed account of this famous "Battle of the Standard" will be found in Henry of Huntingdon's History, pp. 267, &c. [.Antiq. Lib.], and in Roger of Wendover, ibid, p. 489. Cf. also William of Newbury, Trivet, and Rieval "de Bello Standardi," in Twysden