Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/128

 After these exploits done at Edinburgh, and all the country thereabouts devastated; the King's said Lieutenant thinking the Scots not to be condignly punished for their falsehood used to the King's Majesty, determined not to return without doing them more displeasure. He therefore gave orders to the said Sir CHRISTOPHER MORICE for the reshipping of the great artillery; reserving only certain small pieces to keep the field: giving also commandment to every captain to receive victuals out of the said ships for their companies for six days. And for the carriage of the same, caused one thousand of our worst horsemen to be set on foot; and the same horses divided equally to every captain of hundreds, for the better carriage of their victuals. The men that rode upon the said horses being appointed to attend upon the said victuals. Which was done. Besides there were divers small carts, which we recovered [captured] in the country; the which with such cattle as we had there, did great service in drawing of our victuals, tents, and other necessaries.

These things being supplied, the 14th day of May, we brake down the pier of the haven of Leith, and burnt every stick of it; and took forth the two goodly ships, manned them, and put them in order to attend upon the King's Majesty's ships. Their ballast was cannon shot of iron; which we found in the town to the number of 80,000. The rest of the Scottish ships meet to serve, we brought away: both they and our own being almost pestered [encumbered] with the spoil and booty of our soldiers and mariners.

That done, we abandoned ourselves clearly from the ships: having firm intent to return home by land. Which we did. And to give them [the Scots] better occasion to show themselves in the field against us; we left neither pile, village, town, nor house in our way homewards, unburnt.

In the meantime of the continuance of our army at Leith, as is aforesaid; our ships upon the seas were not idle; for they left neither ship, crayer, nor boat belonging to either village, town, creek or haven of either side of the Frith between Stirling and the mouth of the river, unburnt or not brought away; which containeth in length fifty miles. Continuing of time, they also burnt a great number of towns and villages on both sides the said water; and won a fortress situated on a strong island called Inchgarve, which they razed and destroyed.