island called Inchkeith, three miles from the haven of Leith. The place where we anchored hath, of long time, been called the English road: the Scots now take the same to be a prophesy of the thing which has now happened.
The next day, being the 4th day of May, the said army landed two miles by west of the town of Leith, at a place called Grantham Crag: every man being so prompt thereunto, that the whole army was landed in four hours. And, perceiving our landing to be so quiet, which we looked not for; having our guides ready, we put ourselves in good order of war marching forwards towards the town of Leith in three battles—whereof my Lord Admiral led the Vanguard, the Earl of SHREWSBURY the Arrieregard; and the Earl of HERTFORD being Lord Lieutenant, the Battle—having with us certain small pieces of artillery, which were drawn by force of men: which enterprise we thought necessary to be attempted first of all other, for the commodious lodging of our navy there, and the landing of our artillery and victail.
And in a valley, upon the right hand, near unto the said town, the Scots were assembled to the number of 5,000 or 6,000 horsemen, besides a good number of footmen; to impeach [prevent] the passage of our said army: in which place, they had laid their artillery at two straits [passes] through which we must needs pass, if we minded to achieve our enterprise. And seeming, at the first, as though they would set upon the Vanguard: when they perceived our men so willing to encounter with them, namely, the Cardinal, who was there present, perceiving our devotion to see his holiness to be such as we were ready to wet our feet for that purpose, and to pass a ford which was between us and them; after certain shot of artillery on both sides: they made a sudden retreat; and leaving their artillery behind them, fled towards Edinburgh. The first man that fled was the holy Cardinal [BEATON] like a valiant champion; and with him the Governor, the Earls of HUNTLEY, MURRAY and BOTHWELL, with divers other great men of the realm. At this passage, were two Englishmen hurt with the shot of their artillery; and two Scottish men slain with our artillery.
The Vanguard having thus put back the Scots, and eight pieces of their artillery brought away by our hackbutters [harquebussiers], who in this enterprise did very manfully
