flodden

many scotch people still lament their casualties at the battle of Flodden in northumbria. in fact i here that some scotch of aristocratic and some other lineages have handed down their "commissions of fire and sword" against the victors of flodden to this very day, and still to this day have been known to have killed or cuckolded (to "cut off" the lineage) descendants of the victors.

few people realise that flodden was fought on british territory, with a smaller british army defending britain from a larger and more modernly equipped scotch one. the scotch had invaded northumbria, raping, pillaging and burning their way south to newcastle, which they stayed out of on the payment of tribute. the northern english and northern welsh levies who fought against them were part time home guard troops, fighting to defend their homes, whereas the scotch were the scotch kings best attacking troops, augmented with french knights. the latest weapons of the day - firearms and long pikes had recently been issued to the scotch forces, the english stuck with longbow and bill-hook or halberd. the scotch also had big new cannons, the english had perhaps a few more but smaller artillery.

but as is most often the case in the anglo-scotch wars, smaller english forces especially fighting at home inflicted a telling defeat on the scotch.

but for some reason the unwise scotch who invaded this country of their own volition have blamed us for their casualties :~( hypocrisy!