Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 9.djvu/377

Rh ships, with the captains and crews, were brought into Leith, and presented to the king.

This event was most unwelcome to Henry VII. of England, and all the more especially, that on account of the truce he could not openly resent it. Still the flag of England had been soiled, and something must be done to purify it He therefore caused it to be announced underhand, that nothing would please him so much as the defeat or capture of Wood, and that whoever accomplished it should have a pension of £1000 a-year. This was a tempting offer considering the value of money at that period; but such at the same time was the re- nown of the Scottish captain, that the boldest of the mariners of England shrunk from the enterprise. At length, Stephen Bull, a venturous merchant and gallant seaman of the port of London, offered himself for the deed, and was furnished with three tall ships for the purpose, manned with numerous crews of picked mariners, besides pikemen and cross-bows, and a gallant body of knights, who threw themselves into this daring adventure as volunteers. Bull directed his course towards the Frith of Forth, and cast anchor behind the Isle of May, where he lay in wait for the Scottish admiral, who had gone as convoy of some merchant ships to Flanders, and was now on his return home; and to avoid the chances of mistake, the Englishman seized some fishing-boats, and retained their owners, that they might point out to him the expected ships as soon as they came in sight. In the meantime, Sir Andrew was sailing merrily home ward, little anticipating the entertainment prepared for him (for the truce with England still continued), and had already doubled St. Abb's Head. No sooner did he appear in sight, than Stephen Bull ordered his prisoners to the masthead, to ascertain if these ships were the Flower and Yellow Caravel; and on their hesitating to answer, he promised to set them free should these be the ships in question. On learning that his expected, prey was within reach, he prepared for battle with great glee, being confident of victory. He caused a cask of wine to be broached, and flagons handed among the crews; drank to his captains and skippers, bidding them be of good cheer, for their enemy was at hand, and ordered the gunners to their posts. In this trim he weighed anchor, and bore down with hostile signal upon the Scots. It was well on this occasion that Wood possessed one of the best attributes of a good sailor that he was not to be caught napping. Unexpected though this breach of the truce was, his ships were kept in such admirable order, that a few minutes of preparation sufficed. "My merry men," he said, "be stout against these your enemies, who have sworn and avowed to make you prisoners to the king of England, but who, please God, shall fail of their purpose. Therefore, set yourselves in order every man at his own station, and let your guns and cross-bows be ready. But above all, use the fire-balls well from the main-tops, keep the decks with your two-handed swords, and let every good fellow here think of the welfare of the realm and his own honour. For mine own part, with God to help, I shall show you a good example." He then distributed wine among the sailors, who blithely pledged each other, and stood to their weapons prepared for immediate action.

And now commenced an engagement such as, taking the numbers of the combatants into account, the ocean had seldom as yet witnessed; it was a fearful meeting, where skill and undaunted courage, and the determination to do or die, were animated by such professional rivalry and national hatred. The battle was commenced on the part of the English by a distant cannonade, but the Scottish vessels being smaller in size, the shot passed above their decks without