SIR WILLIAM BULMER AND FLODDEN FIELD

SCOTTISH RAID IN 1496

DEFENCE OF NORHAM CASTLE, 1497

BATTLE OF MYLFIELD, 1513

BATTLE OF FLODDEN. 1513

SCOTTISH WAR, 1522.

SIR WILLIAM BULMER .

"No carpet knight so trim,

But in close fight a champion grim,

In camps, a leader sage."

Sir W. Scott

In 1496, the jealousy usually subsisting between England and Scotland assumed an acute form, and James, having received Perkin Warbeck under his protection, made a sudden eruption into England, taking with him that adventurer, in the hope that his presence would attract to his standard some of the malcontents, to whom Henry VII was obnoxious.

The English forces at once assembled to repel the destroyers, and Sir William Bulmer, with his command, joined the army. Their services were, however, not required as the Scottish King, hearing of their approach, hurried back into his own country.

Henry made no further attempt to pursue the Scots for their inroads; and, encouraged by this apparent apathy, King James entered England the following year with a considerable army. On this occasion nearly all the military Notabilities of the North assembled and joined King Henry's army.

The Scots, immediately on crossing the Tweed, laid seige to Norham Castle, which at the moment, was in an admirable state of defence, having been thoroughly well furnished with men and munitions by the Bishop of Durham. The Scots made no progress in the siege and, on hearing of the approach of the English Army, King James made precipitate retreat into his own country. He does not appear to have made any attempt to protect his borders against the English, who thereupon advanced into the country and laid siege to some border fortresses.

Sir William Bulmer took part in these operations along with his kinsman, Lord Dacre of the North, and Sir William's friend, Lord Darcy, who afterwards was beheaded under pretence of his connection with the Pilgrimage of Grace.

Both the belligerants were eventually tired of these desultory proceedings and peace was soon afterwards effected.

The War with Scotland in 1513, is more generally known to the English of the present day than any previous war between the two nations.

This may be caused by the romantic incidents connected with the King of Scots himself, the shortness of the struggle and the catastrophe of the Field of Flodden; but still more, by the genius of Sir Walter Scott, who in his poem of 'Marmion' has cast a fascination over these events from which few readers are exempt.

That the Poet should have seized upon these miraculous stories, and have interwoven them into his Poem is not remarkable, and may so readily pass as the product of his mighty genius, that one is apt to forget that these stories have been recorded by grave historians.

Thus an English chronicler of that century relates "That this king intending to make war with England, a certain old man of venerable aspect, and clad in a long blue garment, came unto him, and leaning familiarly upon the chair where the king sate, said: "I am sent to thee O King, to give thee warning that thou proceed not in the war thou art about; for if thou do, it will be thy ruin." And, having so said, he passed through the company, and vanished out of sight; for by no enquiry, it could be known what became of him. But the king was too resolute to be frightened by phantasms, and no warnings could divert his destiny." And the historian adds "which had not been destiny if it could have been diverted."

It would be of little use for the present purpose to seek the real causes of this war.

It will help, without detaining us on the way, however, if we note the English view of the quarrel as related by a contemporary:-

"When the King of England was determined in his high court of Parliament to passe the see, in proper person for the recovery of his realme of France, he and his counsaill forgat not the old prankes of the Scottes, which is euer to inuade England when the kyng is out. And also he had knowledge that at Camphere in Zeeland, the Scottes daily shipped long speres, armure and artilerie, which dealing made his grace and his counsail to dowte, notwithstanding that the king of Scottes was sworn on the Sacrament to keep the peace; yet for voiding of all dowtes the king appoyncted the Lord Thomas Haward, Erle of Surrey, sonne to the Lord Jon. Haward, Duke of Norfolke, and high treasourer, and marshall of Englande, to be his lieutenaunt in the North parties, agaynste the sayde kynge of Scottes, if he fortuned to inuade, as he did in dede, accordinge to the olde traytorous accustome of his progenitors, and that the said erle should rayse the powers of the countrey, Chester, Lancaster, Duresme, Northumberland, Westmerlande and Cumberland, besides other aydes to be appointed by the Quene. And when the kyng should take ship at Doeur, he toke the Erle by the hande, and saide, "my lorde, I trust not the Scottes, therefore, I pray you be not negligent." Then sayde the Erle: "I shall so do my duety, that your grace shall find me diligent, and to fulfill your will shall be my gladness."

Quoting the same chronicler-

"He shortly sent for his gentlemen and tenauntes, which were 500 able men, which mustered the XXI. daye of July, and the XXII. daye he rode through London, Northward, and came to Doncaster."

It is not stated, but it is probable, that some of the northern nobility and gentry, either with of without summons, had met the Earl at that place, and amongst the rest, Sir William Bulmer, who had command of the Durham troops. The chronicler may therefore be accurate in stating that "the Earl there commanded Syr William Bulmer, Knight. to make haste to the marches of Scotlande, and to lye in the castels and fortresses on the frontiers, with 200 archers on horsebacke, for the Earl, by open tokens, dayly perceiued that the Scottes entended warre. Then the sayde Syr William, with spede departed and came to the borders.

After that Syr William Bulmer was come to the borders, one daye in August, the Lord Chamberlayne and warden of Scotlande with 7 or 8,000 men with banner displayed, entered into England, and brent and haryed a great preye in Northumberland; that hering, Syr William Bulmer called to him the gentelmen of the borders with his archers and all, they were not a thousand men. And when they were assembled they brought themselves into a broomf ield called Mylfield, where the Scottes should passe. And as ye Scottes proudlye returned with their preye, the Englishmen brake oute, and the Scottes on fote like men them defended, but the archers shotte so holy together, that they made the Scottes geue place, and V. or VI. hundred of them were slain, and IV. hundred or more taken prisoners, and the preye resqued, beside a great number of horses that were taken in the countrey, and the Lord Home, lord chamberlayne fled and his banner taken. This was the fyrst open token of warre shewed by the Scottes, whiche call this journey the 'YLL ROADE'".

It will be seen hereafter, that, in the ensuing battle of Flodden, where the forces came once more in contact, that my Lord Home had no better success. During this time the Earl of Surrey was making his way painfully and slowly towards the borders.

"He being at Durham, was aduertised how the King of Scottes with his great ordinaunce had rased the walles of the castell of Norham, and had made three great assaults three dayes together, and the Capitayne valyauntly defended him and so as at the VI. daye compelled to yelde him simply to the kynge's mercy. This chaunce was more sorrowful to the Erle then to the Bishoppe the owner of the same."

"The Erle hard mass (at Durham), and appointed with the prior for Saincte Cutberde's banner, and so that day, beynge the thirty daye of Auguste, he came to Newcastell. Thither came the Lord Dacre, Syr William Bulmer, Syr Marmaducke Constable, and many other substanciall gentelmen, whom he reteyned wyth hym as counsayilers."

The Earl then proceeded to Alnwick and "he was fayne to tarry there the fourthe daye, being Sndaye, which daye came to him the lorde Admyrall, hys sonne, with a compagnye of valyaunt Capitaynes and able souldiers and mariners, which all came from the sea. The commynge of hym muche rejoyced his father, for he was very wyse, hardy and of greate credence and experience. Then the Erle and his counsayll with great deliberacion appoynted his battayles in order, with wings and with ryders necessarie."

The Chronicler then proceeds :-

"Fyrste of the forwarde was Capitayne the Lord Howarde, Admyrall of Englande, with such as came from the sea, and with him Syr William Sydney, the lorde Clyfforde (so well known in after times as the Shepherd lord). the lorde Conyers, Sir William Bulmer, with the power of the Bishoprycke of Durham and many others."

"Of the wynge on the right hande of the forwarde was Capytaine Syr Edmonde Howarde, knyght, Marshall of the Hoste, Syr Bryan Tunstall, and others."

The centre was under the command of the Earl of Surrey in person.

"On the left hande wynge was Syr Edwarde Stanley, knyghte, with the residue of the power of the countye Palatime of Chester and of Lancaster."

The lord Dacre with his cavalry was in reserve. Some communications took place between the Scottish King and the Earl of Surrey, with the view, on the part of the Earl, to draw the king from his vantage ground. One of these was a challenge, or defiance, signed by the Earl and some of the other leaders, amongst whom was Sir William Bulmer, in respect of the Palatinate.

The King declined to accept the challenge, which appears to be the only wise action of the valiant king, during this disastrous campaign.

On the 7th September, 1513, the Scottish army, having crossed the Tweed a few days previously, was encamped on a lofty hill near Flodden, in a position, deemed in those days impregnable. In addition to its strength on account of height, the Scottish camp was on the easternly side on which the English were approaching, protected by the river Till. which flowed in a deep ravine towards the Tweed.

While the English were approaching, and taking up their ground, the Scottish king abandoned the impregnable hill of Flodden, and advanced to a lower one in his front, nearer the English. On effecting this operation. the Scots set fire to their camp and refuse on the hill of Flodden, the smoke from which blew down between the armies, and in a measure hid them from each other. The extreme West of the English right wing was composed of troops under the command of Sir Edmond Howard. These were separated, by an open space, from the remainder of the wing under the command of the Lord Admiral Howard, consisting of the veterans who landed at Newcastle, and also the troops of the Bishopric of Durham, led by the able and intrepid Sir William Bulmer, the victor of Millfield.

The poorness of the Scottish Generalship was met by great military skill on the part of the English. The Lord Admiral and Sir William Bulmer, with the men of Durham, bearing the victory-giving, sacred banner of St Cuthbert, hastened to the scene of tumult and dispersed the marauders. The reserve of cavalry, under Lord Dacre, arrived in the meantime, and, by a prompt and vigorous onslaught, swept the remainder of the enemy off the field. Perceiving the absolute importance of immediate further action, in order to reap the advantages of their recent success, the Lord Admiral and Sir William Bulmer threw their whole force upon the Scottish troops in their immediate front, and, after another bloody encounter, completely overthrew them.

In combination with the cavalry, under Lord Dacre, they slowly and surely forced their way "destroying that they might reach, and destroying what they reached," until they gained the rear of the Scottish centre. Here the King was vainly struggling with undaunted courage against the Earl of Surrey.

After this great exploit, the victory was no longer doubtful. The band of heroic Scots, who sought, at once to save their King and restore the broken fortunes of their army, gradually melted away, until night closed upon a heap of slain.

An eminent modern historian says: "This was probably the latest occasion on which this remarkable standard of St Cuthbert's, which, ever as it has been hazarded, brought victory home, was displayed in open field. Sir William Bulmer's command at Flodden is mentioned in the Poem edited under that title by Lambe, and since by Weber:

"And under Bulmer's banner brave,

The Bishopric of Durham went."

In a ballad preserved in the border minstrelsy, where, by mistake, called Sir Ralph, he is said to have

"Led the force of Bishopric,

When Thomas Ruthall bare the sway."

"After the victory the shrine of St Cuthbert, in addition to its ancient trophies was decorated with the banners of many of the Scottish nobility, won on that memorable day."

As a conclusion to this, may be mentioned a melancholy juxta-position, at a future, but not remote time, of two names prominent in this story. Sir Brian Tunstall, it will be remembered, was killed, while serving under Sir Edmond Howard, in the rout of his part of the right wing of the English, and that Sir William Bulmer and the Durham men, effectively assisted in rallying and rescuing the remnants of Tunstall's comand. In 1537, Sir John (the son of this Sir William) was attained for his participation in the Pilgrimage of Grace. The lands in the Palatinate of the unfortunate Sir John, passed to the then Bishop, Cuthbert Tunstall, the brother of the slain Sir Brian. The Bishop, regarding the forfeiture, not as an accretion to the property of his See, but as a windfall to increase his private wealth, granted to his nephew, Brian Tunstall, the manor of Thorpe-Bulmer, expressed to be "late parcel of the lands of Sir John Bulmer, late of Wilton, of high treason attainted."

Another still more melancholy juxta-position of names occurred when, in the year 1536-7, Lord Edmund Howard, having become Duke of Norfolk as a reward for his success at Flodden, which he achieved by the assistance of Sir William Bulmer, came in contact with Sir William's son, Sir John, and Lady Bulmer, his wife, and was, apparently, the primal cause of their deaths, under most tragic circumstances, under the pretence of their participation in the Pilgrimage of Grace.

SCOTTISH WARS OF 1522-23.

In 1522, Albany, who had been some time in France, returned to Scotland, and to strengthen his position as Regent, determined upon a war with England.

Accordingly he marched an army southwards with the view of entering England at Solway Firth. The Nobility, who were with him, were mainly adverse to the expedition, and finally refused to proceed further. Albany thereupon disbanded his forces, and himself returned to France.

The following year, Henry sent an army into Scotland, under the Earl of Surrey, who ravaged the Merse and Teviotdale, and captured and burnt the town of Jedburgh.

A letter from Lord Surrey to King Henry VIII, in reference to this transaction, is set out by Sir Walter Scott in the "Border Minstrelsy". It is addressed from Berwick, and, after stating that he had returned to that town with little or no loss of men, thanked be God "saving some slayme and dyvers hurt at skirmyshes and saults of the towne of Gedwurth and the fortereissis", he proceeds "which towne is 800 surely brent that ne garnysons ner noue other shall be lodged there, unto the time it bee newe buylded. The brennyng I comytted to twoo sure men, Sir William Bulmer and Thomas Tempeste ----- the towne was much better than I weened it had been, for there was twoo tymys moo houses therein then in Berwick. Undoubtedly there was noo journey made into Scotland ---- that is recounted to be soo high an enterprise as this, nor of truth so much hurte doon. But in th' ende a great misfortun did fall onely by foly, ---- the manner whereof hereaftir shall ensue. Before myn entred into Scotland, I appointed Sir William Bulmer and Sir William Evers to be marshallis of the army; Sir William Bulmer for the vanguard, and Sir William Evers for the rearguard. In the vanguard I appointed my Lord Westmoreland, in chief, Sir William Bulmer with all the bushopripricke ---- my lord Dacre, with all his company.----"

The writer then describes the ordering of his camp, and an attack on Fernhurst by my Lord Dacre, and continues, "and being with me at souper, about 8 a clock, the horses of his company brak lowse, and sodenly ran out of his feld, in such nombre, that it caused a marvellous alarome in our feld; and the horses cam ronnyng along the campe, at whome were shot above one hundred shief of arrowes, and dyvers gonnys, thinking they had been Scots that wold have saulted the campe; fynally, the horses were so madd that they ran like wild dere into the feld, above 1500 at the least, in dyvers companys; and in one place above 50 felle down a grete rock, and slew theymself, and above 200 ran into the towne being on fire, and by the women taken, and taken away right evill brent, and many were taken agayne ---- I dare not write the wondres that my Lord Dacre and all his company do say they saw that night, six tyms of spirits and fereful sights; and uniwersally all their company saye playnely, the devil was that nyght among them six tymes; which misfortune hath blemyshed the best journey that was made in Scotland many yeres.

Your most bownden. T. Surrey."

These events happened in September. Albany had promised his friends to return from France during the summer, and had been delayed by the vigilance of the English Fleet.

At this time, Sir William Bulmer, always the "sure man" as Lord Surrey called him, occupied the post of danger, as governor of Norham Castle. the most exposed and important fortress on this part of the Scottish border. With the prevalent rumours of an impending invasion, the first blow of which would probably be struck at Norham, Sir William felt the necessity of obtaining the earliest information of the enemy's movements. upon which the safety of his stronghold might depend.

Sir William wrote to the Lord Treasurer a letter dated the 22nd October 1523, and which gives some idea of the difficulty, in those troublous times, of obtaining any knowledge of what was transpiring a few miles away, in a neighbouring country.

He first mentions that Sir William Lisle had that day told him "he spak with a Scotishman that is verry preve (privy) with the Duk of Albany, in so moche he hath th' orderyng of the commission made between the Ffrenshe King and the Duk, for the invasion of England." He then adds, "the said Scotishman hath promised him (Sir William Lisle) that from time to time of the Duk's provision and purpose, he shall be ascertained, (informed) for the which he hath geven him a large reward, and hath promised him more." The writer then proceeds: "My lord I have three espials at Edinburgh, bot as yet I have no woorde from them this three dayes. I am affraed the chef of them be either hanged, or som mischief fallen upon him, for he com to me when the water was byg. He left his hors on the Scots-syde, and ther com Scots and toox his hors, and had him away. I sent hym ageyn, and gaf hym money to by hym ane other hors, but sen I cannot here of hym. My lorde, even in the tyme that I was writing this lettre, com to me one of myn espial wifes, and shewed me that hir husband is suspecte, so that he durstt not com hymself. And she saith playnly that the Duk and the lordes is togethers. amd comyth of Edinburgh this same day; and that the Lord Hoome is charged to keep the Borders for espials that non shall pass. Also he sent me woorde that the Duk wold be in eyther at Wark or Norham."