The one army, the royal one, was reinforced by the forces of the
Scottish barons, under men whose names became afterwards
historical, such as John Balliol and Robert Bruce. Prince Edward, a
master of the art of war, although still young, and already marked
by that sternness of character which distinguished his latter days,
was in chief command, and he pursued his devastating course through
the Midlands. Nottingham and Leicester, whence his great opponent
derived his title, opened their gates to him. He marched thence for
London, but Earl Simon threw himself into the city, returning from
Rochester, which he had cleverly taken by means of fire ships which
set the place in a blaze.

Edward marched vice versa, from London to Rochester, relieved the
castle, which still held out for the king after the town had been
taken. Thence Edward marched to Tunbridge, on the northern border
of the Andredsweald, en route for Lewes.

It was the ninth of May, in the year 1264, and the morning sun
shone upon the fresh spring foliage of the Andredsweald, upon
castle, town, and hamlet, especially upon our favourite haunt, the
Castle of Walderne, and the village of Cross-in-Hand on the ridge
above. Even then a windmill crowned that ridge. Let us take our
stand by it:

And all around the widespread scene survey.

What a glorious view as we look across the eddying, billowy tree
tops of the forest to the deep blue sea, sixteen miles distant,
studded with the white sails of many barks which have put out from
land, lest they should be seized by the approaching host, and