Edward III – ‘Hammer of the Scots’ Mark 2
‘I believe myself cast in the mould of my grandfather, the illustrious Edward I!
For military glory of his like, I have an unquenchable thirst!’
Edward III was committed to finishing the work that his grandfather, Edward I had begun in Scotland. Edward was resolved to ‘putting things right.’
Edward III makes a statement of his intentions!
‘I wanna give you Scots a real hammering, so as to follow in the footsteps of my dear grandpapa!’
A Scotsman replies:
‘Ye can up if ye like, but we will see to it that you’ll no get far!’
Edward resolves to right the wrongs of the past!
Edward III was a great admirer of his grandfather, Edward I, ‘Hammer of the Scots’. So it was fitting that he begin his career as a royal commander in Scotland where the first Edward had finished his.
‘Oh come! Watch me attend to some unfinished business!
Pray stand, and to these actions, please bear witness!’
The young king was also determined to avenge his own father’s shameful defeat at Bannockburn. There were also his own bitter memories of almost being captured by the Scots during Roger Mortimer’s pathetic military campaign in 1327. Edward had only escaped the Scots in the nick of time.
‘Because dodging Roger failed to keep his eye on the Scots, up to the royal tent they were allowed to creep!
I spied the Scots savages as they approached and from the back flap, I did, just in time, manage to leap!
Not to mention the shameful treaty that the despicable old hound, Mortimer had signed with Robert Bruce. He simply did not have the stomach for a war with the Scottish king. Mortimer ceased fighting and engaged Bruce in diplomacy. Their conversation might well have followed the following lines:
Mortimer:
‘I am now withdrawing and handing Scotland over to you, king Scot!
Robert Bruce:
I am much obliged, noble Roger, here’s to you, and thanks a lot!’
My goodness, thought Edward III, I have lot to put right. Damn Mortimer, damn him!
Roger Mortimer.
‘On this face, thankfully, I no longer have to gaze!
The memories of his nefarious meddling, I am duty bound to erase!’
Go north, young man!
So into the north, Edward went forth, to exorcise the legacy of his own father’s shortcomings and also the incompetence and treachery of the unspeakable Mortimer! The king had decided to support Edward Balliol in his bid for the Scottish Crown against the king, David II and to further this endeavour, he lay siege to Berwick in May 1333.
The Battle of Halidon Hill!
A real, mean, first kill!
A large Scots army commanded by Sir Archibald Douglas marched to relieve Berwick. Edward had positioned his army, which was an English force combined with Balliol’s Scots adherents at Halidon Hill, a few miles north of Berwick on July 19th. Edward took the high ground and waited for the larger army to advance. Indeed, the very sight of the large Scots army approaching caused consternation amongst the English defenders. The Scots were brimming with confidence and clearly certain of victory.
It was at this point that the young Edward showed his strength of character. He went amongst his men with words of encouragement and the promise of generous rewards:
‘Oh ye fine fighting men be of good cheer!
The antics of the Scots this day will cost them dear!’
True to his word, Edward exacted a heavy toll from the Scots. The king would command from the centre, whilst Balliol would direct the left flank. Edward had chosen his ground well as the Scots would soon found out. In order to attack the English positions, the Scots were forced to cross a marsh, which slowed them down considerably. Quite literally stuck in the mud, they were an easy, slow moving target for Edward’s archers.
It was here that the longbow came into its own, reaping a truly grim harvest. Once clear of the marsh, the Scots had to climb Halidon Hill in order to engage the English. They were engulfed in a hailstorm of arrows as they made their ascent.
‘The Scots were cut down as surely as corn is cut by a man with a scythe!
The dead lay still, the wounded could only groan, wriggle and writhe!’
English casualties were minimal. Not so the Scots, they were slaughtered in their thousands. Bannockburn had been avenged.
‘Oh ye Scots, at Bannockburn in June 1314, the tide of conflict in your favour, did indeed turn!
But here, this July day of 1333, at Halidon Hill, an important lesson did ye all learn!’
It was a victory stunning in its magnitude, but Scotland would, despite Edward’s efforts remain outside of his grasp. But on that particular summer’s evening in 1333, Edward, in the fullest flush of victorious fervour, felt that he had now established himself as a great warrior king in the tradition of his grandfather, Edward I.