HOM'ILDON, RSTTLE OF. In the autumn of 1402 a Scottish army of about 10.000 men invaded England: finder the command of sir Murdaeh Stewart of Kiueleven, the eldest son of the regent Albany, and of Archibald earl of Douglas. They advanced to the gates of Newcastle without opposition, and were returning to Scotland laden with spoil, when they were encountered by an English force under the earl of Northumber land, his son Hotspur, and the exiled earl of March or Dunbar. The Scots took up their position ou Homildon IIill, near Wooler. On Sept. 14 Hotspur was advancing to charge them, when he was stopped by the earl of March until the English archers should do their work. Their shafts were poured with such effect that, in the words of a contemporary chronicler, they bristled in the dense ranks of she Scottish army like quills upon a hedgehog. At length a gallant knight, sir John Swinton, cried out: "Brave fellow-countrymen! what has this day bewitched you that you stand here to be shot like deer in a park, instead of proving your courage, as of old, by meeting your foemen hand to hand? Let those who will rush, rush down with me, in the hord's name, upon the enemy, and either save our lives or fall with honor." At these words,
Adam of Gordon, who was at mortal feud with Swinton, sprang forward, and throwing himself on his knees, besought the honor of knighthood from the warrior, whom he must now look upon as the best knight in Britain. His request was granted; and the two knights, followed by about a hundred retainers, rushed upon the English ranks. They were slain to is man, but not before they had made such slaughter that the English captains were said to have confessed that if all the Scots had fought as well, the day would have had a different issue. As it was, the English had an easy victory, and the Scots were utterly routed. Their leaders were taken prisoners; five of their best knights, with many of their bravest esquires, were slain; and besides the numbers that were killed on the field by the English arrows, about 500 were drowned in attempt ing to cross the Tweed