In Flodden’s empty field I lie

My eyes no longer see the sky

Sent north to fight the coming Scot

I lie here now all but forgot

Under St Cuthbert we marched to war

I had done so many times before

Our band of men with bill’s held high

We marched towards the dawning sky

At Flodden then we came to rest

Ahead was James, unwelcome guest

With cannon and bow we drew our line

And waited the appointed time

With sudden fury they came at last

The cannon fire so very fast

From up the hill their fire rained

The ground with blood became stained

And then at once a mighty cry

That thundered cross the graying sky

The Scots are coming, battle is near

Time now to try and quench the fear

With sweating hands on weapons large

We set ourselves to meet the charge

A torrent of men ran down the hill

We planted our feet and readied the bill

They crashed upon us, the charge immense 

The weight of men was so intense

Their pikes were not the match for us

Our bills were deadly, there was no fuss

Our line it held though many died

Then James himself, he was espied

Charging with his knights intact

He aimed for Howard, a clever tack

He cleaved the line and broke on through

I did what any knight would do

I raised my bill and offered fight

He slashed his sword with all his might

The high pitched cry that then I heard

Seemed not from me but a distant bird

To knees then chest I graced the ground

The battle sounded all around

Despite my pain my throat was dry

And no more did I speak or cry

With gasping breath as blood pulsed out

I lay forgotten through the rout

We won that day, our army did

But trampled in grass my body was hid

No honoured burial then for me

I thought I died most valiantly

To save our captain I had tried

But all that ended when I died

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