Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Danes came to the riuer of Tay.From thence, the army of the Danes paſſed through Angus vnto the riuer of Tay, all the people of the countreys by the whiche they mar|ched fleing afore them. King Kenneth at the ſame time lay at Sterlyng, where hearing of theſe grieuous newes,King Kenneth gathered a great armie. determined foorthwith to reyſe his people, and to go againſt the enimies. The aſſemble of the Scottiſhe army was ap|pointed to be at the place where the riuer of Erne falleth into the riuer of Tay. Here when they were come togither in great numbers at the day appointed, the day next following, woorde was brought to the king, that the Danes hauing paſ|ſed ouer Tay,They lay ſiege before Bertha. were come before the towne of Bertha, and had layde ſiege to the ſame. Then without further delay, he rayſed with the whole armie, and marched ſtreight towardes his eni|mies, comming that night vnto Loncarte a vil|lage not farre diſtant from the riuer of Tay, fa|mous euer after, by reaſon of the batayle fought then neare vnto the ſame. The Danes hearing that the Scottes were come, detracted no time, but foorthwith prepared to giue battayle.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 King Kenneth ſet his men in aray.Kenneth as ſoone as the ſunne was vp, behol|ding the Danes at hand, quickly brought his ar|mie into order. Then requyring them earneſtly to ſhewe theyr manhood, he promiſeth to releaſſe them of all tributes and payments due to the kings cofers for the ſpace of fiue yeares next en|ſuyng: and beſides that he offered the ſumme of tenne pound, or els landes ſo muche woorth in value to euery one of his armie, that ſhould bring him the head of a Dane.The king ex|horted the Scottes vnto valiantneſſe. He willed them there|fore to fight manfully, and to remember there was no place to attaine mercie: for eyther muſte they trie it out by dinte of ſwoorde, or els if they fledde, in the ende to looke for preſent death at the enimies handes, who would not ceaſſe till time they had founde them foorth, into what place ſo euer they reſorted for refuge if they chanced to be vanquiſhed. The Scots being not a litle encou|raged by the kings woordes, kepte their order of bataile according as they were appointed, ſtil lo|king when the onſet ſhould be giuen.The order of the Scottiſhe batayle aray. Malcolme Duffe prince of Cumberland led the right wing of the Scots: & Duncane lieutenãt of Atholl the left: king Kenneth himſelf gouerned the battell. The enimies on the other parte had taken theyr ground at the foote of a litle moũtaine right fore aneynſt the Scottiſh campe:The Danes had the aduan|tage of a litle mountayne. & thus bothe the ar|mies ſtoode ready araũged in the field, beholding either other a good ſpace, till at length the Scots deſirous of batayle, and doubting leſt the Danes would not come foorth vnto any euen grounde, aduaunced forewarde with ſomewhat more haſte than the caſe requyred,The Scottes begin the ba|tayle. beginning the ba|tayle with ſhotte and throwing of dartes right freſhly. The Danes being backed with the mountaine, were conſtreyned to leaue the ſame, and with al ſpeede to come foreward vpon their enimies, that by ioyning they mighte auoyde the daunger of the Scottiſhmens arrowes and dartes: by this meanes therefore they came to hand ſtrokes, in maner before the ſigne was gi|uen on eyther parte to the batayle. The fighte was cruell on bothe ſides: and nothing hinde|red the Scottes ſo muche as going about to cut off the heades of the Danes euer as they mighte ouercome them: whiche maner being noted of the Danes, and perceyuing that there was no hope of lyfe but in victorie, they ruſhed foorth with ſuche violence vppon theyr aduerſaries,The twoo wings of the Scottes fledde. that firſte the righte, and then after the lefte winge of the Scottes, was conſtrayned to retyre and flee backe, the middle warde ſtout|ly yet keepyng theyr grounde: but the ſame EEBO page image 216 ſtood in ſuche daunger, being now left naked on the ſides that the victorie muſte needes haue re|mayned with the Danes, had not a renewer of the batayle come in time, by the appointment as is to be thought of almightie God. For as it chaunced there was in the nexte fielde at the ſame time a huſbandman, with .ij. of his ſonnes buſie about his worke named Hay,Hay with his two ſonnes. a man ſtrong and ſtiffe in making and ſhape of bodie, but en|dewed with a noble and valiant courage. This Hay beholdyng the king with the moſte parte of his Nobles fighting with greate valiauncie in the middle warde now deſtitute of the winges, and in greate daunger to be oppreſſed by the great violence of his enimies, caught a plough beame in his hande, and with the ſame exhor|ting his ſonnes to do the lyke, haſted towardes the batayle, there to die rather amongſt other in defence of his countrey, than to remayne alyue after the diſcomfiture in miſerable thraldome and bondage of the cruell and moſte vnmercy|full enimies. There was neare to the place of the batayle, a long fane fenſed on the ſides with ditches and walles made of turfe, through the whiche the Scottes whiche fledde were beaten downe by the enimies on heapes.