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 union was unpopular in Scotland, and was especially offensive to France, which, as a Catholic power, strongly objected to see a Catholic princess of a house long friendly with France allied to a Protestant prince of a house which was France's traditional enemy. The Lord Protector determined to endeavour to force Scotland to observe its undertaking. On the other hand, France determined to endeavour to secure the princess for the Dauphin, and dispatched Leo Strozzi, general of the galleys of France, with a force which on July 3rd, 1547, seized St. Andrews, in Fifeshire, and there captured the leading Scots Protestants who were partisans of the English match.

Before England could strike any forcible blow there were several border skirmishes and small encounters at sea. In one of the latter, if Hayward may be credited, an English man-of-war called the Pensée was attacked by a Scots ship called the Lion, which, although of superior force, she took. But the prize, with most of her men, was lost off Harwich as she was being brought south.

There was no unnecessary delay in England. A fleet of sixty-five sail, including thirty-four large ships and one galley, was placed under the command of Admiral Edward, Lord Clinton, and Vice-Admiral Sir William Woodhouse, and a large army under Somerset in person marched northward. On September 10th, the Scots were defeated with enormous slaughter at Pinkie Cleuch, near Musselburgh, the fleet co-operating with great effect on the Scots flank; and Leith was taken immediately afterwards and Edinburgh plundered. But in spite of this decisive English triumph, and of the damage done along the coast by the fleet, which burnt many towns, and practically annihilated the little Scots fleet, the Scots were more than ever determined to oppose the English marriage, and more than ever inclined to further a French one. France reciprocated in 1548 by sending to Scotland six thousand men under André de Montalembert, Baron d'Essé,