1610), that he was slain
by one of his own men, the Scottish versions are ALL deeply affected in
an important point by Froissart's contemporary narrative, which has not
affected the English versions. The point is that the death of Douglas
was by his order concealed from both parties.
When both the English version in Percy's Reliques (from a MS. of about
1550), and Scott's version of 1806, mention a "challenge to battle"
between Percy and Douglas, Colonel Elliot calls this incident "probably
purely fanciful and imaginary," and suspects Scott's version of being
made up and altered from the English text. But the challenge which
resulted in the battle of Otterburn is not fanciful and imaginary!
It is mentioned by Froissart. Douglas, he says, took Percy's pennon in
an encounter under Newcastle. Percy vowed that Douglas would never
carry the pennon out of Northumberland; Douglas challenged him to come
and take it from his tent door that night; but Percy was constrained
not to accept the challenge. The Scots then marched homewards, but
Douglas insisted on besieging Otterburn Castle; here he passed some
days on purpose to give Percy a chance of a fight; Percy's force
surprised the Scots; they were warned, as in the ballads, suddenly, by
a man who galloped up; the fight began; and so on.
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