Macbeth the King by Nigel Tranter Read Free Book Online Page A

the Scots moved until they were flanking their fellows who lined the causeway itself for most of its mile in length.
    Canute's attack was sudden, and fierce as it was unsubtle. At the blowing of a bull's horn, a mass of swordsmen and spearmen carrying painted cowhide shields, came racing down to the bridge, and across. The Scots defence was placed well back from the bridge-end, to be out of range of English arrows. The shield-carriers ran to as near these as they dared, and then flung themselves down on the causeway and into a rough formation, so holding their shields one above the other to create a fairly solid barrier, which arrows could not penetrate, so that the Scots archers were frustrated. Some of the enemy had already fallen to these, but most survived. Now another wave of the English came running out—or, since these were all bowmen, they may well have been Welshmen, the finest archers. These raced on, to the cover of the shields, where they crouched, strung arrows to their bows, and commenced to shoot without delay.
    Now it was the Scots turn to fall back, lacking any such barrier of shields, and well within bowshot. As they did so, more enemy came on, in surges. When these were in position, the shieldmen made their next leap forward.
    So that was to be the pattern.
    It would have been an excellent pattern, for the enemy, had it not been for Malcolm's flanking forces out in the moss. These were unable to penetrate to the south end of the causeway, so that they could not affect the early stages of the advance. But as the Scots defenders fell back, every move brought them, and the English, nearer—as was the plan. Each retiral covered perhaps 150 yards. At the fourth, the range was right and the waiting men, crouching in bog and slime, could act at last.
    It was arrows at first, and a hail of these winged in upon the enemy from both sides. They were now unprotected, with their shields facing only to the front, and insufficient by far to cover both elongated sides as well. Enfiladed, the English fell in scores.
    Now both armies rushed in reinforcements. But the fact was that only those in the bog itself were really effective, for the causeway was so narrow that only a few on each front thereon could bring their weapons to bear; the rest could only wait to fill dead men's shoes. And to act as very prominent and easy targets for the men in the moss.
    It was a skilfully laid trap.
    When it became abundantly apparent to the foremost of the English that their position was untenable and that no further advance was possible, they had only one course to take, backwards. And now the third stage of Malcolm's plan was brought into action. The most southerly companies of the force in the moss moved in on the causeway from both sides, like great pincers. It was a difficult, almost desperate floundering business and not achieved with either speed or exactitude. But eventually, coated in mud and slime, the claws met, and all the enemy to the north of that point were trapped.
    There followed a dire slaughter, Canute and his great host on the south shore powerless to intervene in time. Some fought fiercely to the end. But probably the majority jumped into the bog, preferring to take their chances there. Some of these undoubtedly managed to scrabble and plouter through the mires and pools to the river, through the Scots lines, and across. Others lay hidden under banks and in reed-clumps, until darkness might enable them to escape. But most died there, one way or another. And presently the causeway was again clear of the foe.
    It was no great victory, to be sure. Probably not more than 800 or so were involved on each side, and the vast English army remained but little diminished and unblooded. But it was a resounding defeat for Canute the Mighty, and its significance as great as it was undeniable.
    "He will not try that again, I think," Malcolm Foiranach commented. "Since we can repeat it."
    The Scots stood to arms again that night, but