Page:The Queens of England.djvu/160

136 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. "When the Queen of England, who had tarried in Newcastle while the battle was fought, heard that her army had won the victory, she mounted on her white palfrey, and went to the battlefield. She was informed on the way that the King of Scots was the prisoner of a squire named John Copeland, who had rode off with him no one knew whither. The queen ordered him to be sought out, and told him that he had done that which was not agreeable to her, in carrying off her prisoner without leave. All the rest of the day the queen and her army remained on the battlefield they had won, and then returned to Newcastle for. the night. "Next day, Philippa wrote with her own hand to John Cope- land, commanding him to surrender the King of Scots to her. John answered in a manner most contumacious to the majesty then swaying the scepter of England with so much ability and glory. He replied to Philippa, that he would not give up his royal prisoner to woman or child, but only to his own lord, King Edward, to whom he had sworn allegiance. "The queen was greatly troubled at the obstinacy of this northern squire, and scarcely knew how to depend on the as- surance he added, bidding her knight tell the queen, that she might depend on his taking good care of King David. In this dilemma, Philippa wrote letters to the king her husband, wru«T she sent off directly to Calais. In these letters she informed him of the state of his kingdom. "The king then ordered John Copeland to come to him at Calais, who, having placed his prisoner in a strong castle in Northumberland, set out, and landed near Calais. When the King of England saw the squire, he took him by the hand, say- ing, 'Ha ! welcome my squire, who by thy valor hast captured my enemy the King of Scots.' "John Copeland fell on one knee, and replied, 'If God out of his great goodness has given me the King of Scotland, and permitted me to conquer him in arms, no one ought to be jealous of it ; for God can if he pleases send his grace to a poor squire as well as to a great lord. Sire, do not take it amiss, if I did not surrender King David to tl"u orders of my lady queen ; for I hold my lands of you, and not of her, and my oath is to you, and not to her, unless indeed through choice.' "King Edward answered : 'John, the loyal service you have done us, and our esteem for your valor is so great, that it may well serve you as an excuse, and shame fall on all those who bear