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In 1544, great part of the town of Musselburgh, including the Town-House and the celebrated “Chapelle of Lauret,” was destroyed by the English army under the Earl of Hertford; and, three years after that event, it became the mustering-place for the Scottish forces — news having arrived of the approach of the Duke of Somerset to Newcastle, at the head of an army of sixteen thousand men, including two thousand horse. To oppose this well-appointed force, “the fiery cross” was sent through the country; and, in an incredibly short time, not less than thirty-six thousand men were congregated at Edmonstone Edge, between the capital and Dalkeith. The English were ultimately drawn up on Falside Brae, in the parish of Tranent, their right extending over the grounds of Walliford and Drummore towards the sea; but, on reconnoitring the position of the Scotch, the Protector found it so very strong — the steep banks of the Esk defending them in front, the morass of the Shirehaugh on the left, and the village of Inveresk, the mounds of the churchyard of St Michael's, and the bridge over the river protected with cannon on the right— that he declined to attack them.

This caution was fatal to his enemies; for, leaving their intrenched position on the morning of the 9th September, Lord Hume, with fifteen hundred light horse, appeared on Edgebricklin Brae, immediately beneath the English, and rushed forward with such impetuosity that Somerset, in the belief that they must be supported by some much more considerable force, gave strict orders to his men to keep their ranks. Impatient of such provocation, Lord Grey extorted leave to oppose them; and, when within a stone's cast, charged them down the hill at full speed with a thousand men-at-arms. The onset was terrible; but the demi-lances and barbed steeds of their opponents were more than a match for the slight hackneys of the Borderers, added to a fearful disadvantage of ground; and, after an unremitting conflict of three hours, the greater part of them were cut to pieces, thirteen hundred men being slain in sight of the Scottish camp, Lord Hume himself severely wounded, and his son taken prisoner.

For very interesting and circumstantial details of this illomened preface to the great battle of Pinkie, vide Patten's Account, p. 46-7; Hayward in Kennet, vol. ii. p. 282; Tytler's History, vol. vi. p. 26-7, edit. first.

Subsequent to this preliminary action, the English made overtures to be allowed to retire unmolested back to England, which, being unfortunately mistaken by the Scotch for a proof of weakness, were rejected by them; and, voluntarily abandoning their strong position, they crossed the Esk to meet the English, whose fleet, consisting of thirty-five ships of war, was anchored in the bay, and continued pouring cannon-shot among them as they crossed the bridge—by which the Master of Graham, son of the Earl of Montrose, with many others, was slain. It were superfluous to give an account of the well-known battle which followed. It is sufficient to remind the reader that, after five hours' tremendous fighting, during which the English cavalry had repeatedly, but in vain, attempted to break through the foot battalions commanded by the Earl of Angus, the Highlanders, mistaking a partial success on their own part for complete victory, prematurely gave way to their plundering propensities. At this time a retrograde movement was regarded by them as flight; the same panic seized the borough troops, who also threw down their arms. The Scots fled by three different ways—some towards Edinburgh, some towards the coast, and some towards Dalkeith; and on each route the carnage was dreadful, as a subsequent note from Patten—an eye-witness—testifies.

The fame of the Douglas of Otterburn was well supported by his descendant, the Earl of Angus—the hero of the battle of Ancrum-Moor, which was fought only two years preceding that of Pinkie, on which field also he exhibited his wonted gallantry. On the former occasion, he is said to have uttered an exclamation which is exceedingly characteristic. When the Scots began to charge, seeing a heron arise out of the marsh, Angus cried out—“O that I had my white hawk here, that we might all join battle at once!”

—The Expedicion into Scotlāde of the Most Woortheley Fortunate Prince, Edward Duke of Soomerset, &c. By W. Patten, Londoner, ap. Dalzell's Fragments of Scottish History. 4to, Edinburgh, 1798.

The celebrated chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Loretto stood beyond the eastern gate of Musselburgh, and on the margin of the Links; and pilgrimages from all parts of the country were performed to this shrine. According to Keith, (280,) it was connected with the nunnery of Sciennes, in the south wing of Edinburgh; and Gough the antiquarian says regarding it (Camden's Britannica, vol. iii. 316) that ladies sent handsome presents to it with their baby-linens, which latter were consecrated to promote their safe recovery. Lesley relates (442) that, in August 1530, James V. performed a pilgrimage to it on foot from Stirling, before setting sail for France to woo and win a partner for his throne. The celebrity of the place was upheld by the residence of a hermit, who inhabited a cell adjoining the chapel, and by the pretended performance of miracles. That the hermit was a notable man in his day, is evident from the circumstance of his having a satire addressed to him by Alexander, earl of Glencairn, exposing the hypocrisy of the Roman Catholic clergy. It is entitled Ane Epistill direct fra the Halie Hermeit of Alareit, to his Brethren, the Gray Friars, and thus begins—

(Vide as quoted in Knox's History of Reformation, fol. xxiv.-v. Edin. 1732.)

For an account of the miracles, the curious reader is referred to a very remarkable passage in Row's History of the Kirk of Scotland, 1558 to 1639, p. 448 et seq. Wodrow Society's edition, 1842.

Local tradition reports that the rivulet or burn of Pinkie— which was principally fed from the marsh of the Howmire, which lies almost in the centre of the battle-field, and around which the carnage was greatest — ran tinged with blood for three days after the fatal conflict.

Thus was literally fulfilled the prophecy attributed to Thomas the Rhymer, (vide Hart's Collection:)

Whether we agree with the accurate Lord Hailes or not regarding the antiquity of the above as relating to Thomas of Ercildoune, (see dissertation annexed to Remarks on the History of Scotland,) there can be no doubt of the genuineness of another rhyme on the same subject, as it is quoted in Patten's contemporary account:

“This battell and felde,” says Patten, “the Scottes and we are not yet agreed how it shall be named. We cal it Muskel-borough felde, because that it is the best towne (and yet bad enough) nigh the place of our meeting. Sum of them call it Seton felde, (a toune thear nie too,) by means of a blinde prophecy of theirs, which is this or sume suche saye,—“Betwene Seton and the say, many a man shall die that day.”

In the centre of a circle of trees, at the eastern extremity of the grounds of Eskgrove, and opposite to Pinkie Burn, a square pillar, surmounted by an antique stone representing a fleur-de-lis, marks the spot where the royal tent was pitched on the eve of the battle, and bears the following inscription—

The Protector, Duke of Somerset, Encamped here, 10th September, 1547.

The pillar was erected by the late Lord Eskgrove.