Nottingham were in the neighbourhood on the other fide of the Tweed, on their" road to Rox-burgh, and that they were. in fufficient numbers to engage with all the force the Scots could bring againft them : on which account, they thought they might as well abandon their expedition, in order to fave themfelves and guard their prifooers. They had wifely determined to retreat without making any halt; for, had they returned that evening to their former quarters, they would have run a rifle of being conquered, as I fhall now relate. When the earls of Northumberland and Not-tingham, and the other barons of England had ieparated from fir Thomas Mufgrave, they ad-vanced dire&ly towards Roxburgh. They learnt from their fpies, that the Scots, whom they were fecking to fight with, were quartered at Honde-bray^ which pleafed them much, and they re-folved to have a fkirmifh with them : they were marching thither that fame night the enemy had left it : but in rained fo hard that they could not accom-plifh their purpofe : they therefore took up their quarters in the woods until the morrow, when they again fent out their fcouts to find where the Scots were, who returned, faying that they could not fee any thing of them. .' . They then determined to advance towards Mel* rofe, in order to gain intelligence of fir Thomas Mufgrave and his companions. When they had. dined, they marched along Tweedfide, on their way thither, apd fent fcouts over the river to learn Ibmc news of them* Toi.. IV* A a ' Jtitef » • 853