Spain: October 1557

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 13, 1554-1558. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1954.

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'Spain: October 1557', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 13, 1554-1558, (London, 1954) pp. 320. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol13/p320 [accessed 20 April 2024]

October 1557

345. News from Scotland, via France
October No certain news had come from Scotland for a long time, and two or three packets from the Queen Regent had been lost on the way. But a man arrived here recently who started from Scotland on 28 September. He says that all the merchant ships which the King had been able to obtain have left that country. Also, that the Scots had taken Fort Desmont, near Berwick, and that this place bridles (sic) Berwick and exposes it to such danger that unless the English relieve it it will shortly be lost.
The English had effected a landing on the Orkney Islands, where they put 8 or 10 pieces of heavy artillery ashore. But the islanders attacked them so vigorously that they killed more than 300; and a good 200 were drowned when attempting to regain their ships. Among these was the admiral of the fleet and three of the chief captains. The artillery and baggage remained on land.
M. d'Oysel with his Frenchmen and some Scots raided near Berwick and killed over 500 Englishmen. They defeated the Earl of Northumberland's company of light horse and captured its standard, which was sent to the King of France. All the hay that had been collected at the gates of Berwick, as much as 3,000 bottles of it, was burnt by the raiders, and this hay constituted the supply of Berwick. The raiders also carried off 500 or 600 horses. At another place on the Tweedsdale border, the Scots defeated 400 or 500 English and took some important prisoners. Thus the Scots have defeated or captured over 2,000 English and have carried off as many horses within 4 or 5 leagues of Berwick.
The Queen of Scotland is making all haste to fortify Desmont and is sending the Scottish army forward to the frontier, where it is to arrive on 11 October, in the hope of taking Berwick and other important places.
French.
Simancas, A.1490.
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