Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/593

1543.] on the 20th of July. So hot had grown the war fever of the fiery churchman, that he was said to have threatened to challenge an English knight, Sir Ralph Evers, to single combat; and, although there was a doubt whether report was telling the truth, yet a message, professedly in Beton's name, was brought to Berwick; while Evers, in reply, signified his entire pleasure at the prospect which was opened to him, and offered, sooner than balk the Cardinal's wishes, to go to Edinburgh to meet him.

The wild humours gathered rapid strength. The appeal from the Parliament to the nation, based as it was upon the antipathy of centuries, was fatally successful; and Holy Church and freedom became a popular war-cry. 'Such malicious and despiteful people,' Sir Ralph Sadler wrote bitterly, 'live not in the world as is the common people of this realm, specially towards Englishmen.' He was himself shot at in the garden of his house at Edinburgh; and he was advised, if he did not wish to be murdered, to take refuge in Tantallon Castle. 'What will follow,' he said, 'God knoweth; for undoubtedly there is great appearance of mischief.' From England only came hope or comfort. Misfortune in the shape of six English cruisers, had overtaken the French fleet. Two of the enemy's ships were taken, three were driven back to France, eleven only crawled into the Forth, having suffered so severely as to make their retreat desirable as