Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Then commanded he his trumpets to sound to the battell, which the Scots began with such a chéere|full shout, that the Picts euen vpon the first onset were so amazed, that if Drusken had not with com|fortable words relieued their fainting stomachs, the King Drus|ken imbolde|neth his peo|ple the Picts. most part of them had fled without anie stroke stric|ken. But being incouraged through the presence of their king, shewing himselfe with chéerefull counte|nance amongst them, and therewith exhorting them to stand by him at that present, there was fought a right sore and cruell battell betwéene them. The wo|men that were amongest the Picts, of whom there The women were a cum|brance to the Picts. was no small number, speciallie in the right wing, made such a wofull noise, when they beheld the men one kill an other, that they were a more cumbrance to the Picts, than aid, when it came to the point of seruice: by reason whereof that wing was shortlie beaten downe, and put to flight. Which when Ken|neth beheld, he set in with his horssemen on the Kenneth with the horssemen disordered the Picts araie. backs of the Picts, now left bare by the running thus away of those in the foresaid wing: and so entring in amongest them, disordred their araie in such wise, that by no means they were able to aid themselues, or come into anie order againe: so that in the end The right wing of the Picts is put to flight. they were faine to throw downe their weapons, and take them to their féete, thereby to escape the dan|ger. Such heaps of slaine men, armour, & weapons laie here & there strewed in the place of the battell, that the Scots were forced in following the chase to breake their araie, so to passe the more speedilie: by means whereof, falling amongest whole bands of the Picts, manie of them were slaine.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 This mischiefe Kenneth perceiuing, comman|deth Kenneth cau|seth the re|treat to be sounded. to sound the retreat, and so gathering his peo|ple about their standards, he appointed certeine companies in warlike order to pursue in chase of the enimies, whilest he himselfe with the residue a|bode still in the place (where the field was fought) all that day and the next night following. The Sco|tish capteins that were sent to follow the chase, earnestlie executing their kings commandement, made great slaughter of Picts in all places where they might ouertake them. Drusken the Pictish The king of the Picts slaine. king himselfe being pursued to the riuer of Taie, for that he could not passe the same, was there slaine with the whole retinue which he had about him. It is said, that the Scotishmen incountred with the Picts that day at seuen sundrie times, and in seuen sundrie places, and still the victorie abode with the Scots. The day after the battell, such as had followed the chase returned to the campe; where they presen|ted vnto Kenneth their king, the armour and other spoile of Drusken the Pictish K. which they brought with them, besides great abundance of other pil|lage and riches, which they had gotten of the enimies that were slaine. Druskens armour and other things belonging to his owne bodie, was offered vp to saint Colme, in the church dedicated to his name within the Ile of Colmekill, there to remaine as a monument of this victorie to such as should come after.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 After this the whole preie and spoile was gathered and diuided amongest the souldiers. Kenneth was counselled to haue discharged his armie, and to haue departed home; but he purposing now to make an end of the whole warres, sith he was in such a for|wardnesse, An oration of king Kenneth called togither the multitude, and in this wise began to vtter vnto them his mind and purpose.
¶ It is the dutie of a good capteine, when he hath the victorie in his hands, & as yet the warres not ended, if he mind the preseruation of himselfe and his countrie, and to vse the victorie as he ought, not to cease from pursuing the enimies once van|quished, till he haue either made them his friends, or else vtterlie destroied & rid them out of the way; for if anie man shall thinke it best to suffer the eni|mie to remaine in quiet, after he be once weakened and brought to a low ebbe, till time peraduenture he shall haue recouered his forces againe, he shall pro|cure to himselfe (as I gesse) more danger than hap|pilie he is well wareof. And that we may speake somewhat of this danger now present, the state of the Pictish kingdome (as ye know) is sore inféebled, their power being diminished by force of warre, is brought to that point, that it resteth in our hands vt|terlie to destroie and exterminat the whole nation. Which act ought to be abhorred, if it were possible for vs by anie meanes to draw them (our honor saued) EEBO page image 131 vnto our friendship. But the Picts are of such a stubborne nature, and so desirous of reuenge, that so long as there remaineth anie one of them aliue, they will beare in their hearts a desire to reuenge all such losses as they haue in anie wise susteined by this warre. Wherevpon I doo verelie belieue, that there is none of the Pictish nation from hencefoorth, will beare anie faithfull friendship towards the Scots. Therefore sith we can not make the Picts, thus latelie scourged by vs, our friends, I thinke it best (except we will neglect our owne safeties) vt|terlie to destroie the whole nation, by putting to the sword not onelie both men and women, but also all their youth and yoong children: least they being dés|cended of that linage, hereafter in time to come, arme themselues to the reuenge of their parents deaths, and that not without perill of the vtter losse of our countrie and kingdome.