KING ROBERT BRUCE.
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The news of this successful inroad alarmed the besiegers of Berwiek. The barons, whose estates lay to the southward, remote from the Seottish depredations, were eager for continuing the siege. But they were opposed by those of the north, who were no less eager to abandon the enterprise, and return to the defence of their own country. With them the Earl of Lancaster coneurred in opinion; who, understanding that his favourite manor of Pontefract was exposed to the ravages of the Scots, departed with all his adherents. Upon this, Edward drew off the remainder of his army, and attempted to intercept Randolph and Douglas, but they eluded him, and returned in safety to Scotland. The failure of this last attempt induced Edward seriously to think of peace; and, accordingly, a trucc was concluded, December 31, 1319; which interval of tranquillity the Seots made use of to address a manifesto to the Pope in justification of their causc. This was drawn up in a spirited manner, and made a very considerable alteration in the councils of Rome. The Pope, secing that Bruce would not be terrified into submission, ordered Edward to make peace with him in the best manner he could. A negociation was, accordingly, set on foot, which soon terminated ineffectually; the truee was not renewed; and in 1322 a mutual invasion took place. The Scots penetrated into Lancashire by the western marches, and, after plundering the country, returned home with an extraordinary booty; while Edward made great preparations for an expedition into Scotland, which took place in August. In this, however, he was unsuccessful. Bruce had caused all the cattle to be driven off, and all the effects of value removed from Lothian and the Mcrse, fixing his camp at Culross, on the north of the river Forth. Edward, however, penetrated as far as Edinburgh, but without hopes of subduing the kingdom. For want of provisions many of his soldiers perished, and he was at last constrained to retire without having seen the enemy.
On their return to England, Edward's soldiers burnt the abbeys of Holyrood, Melrose, Dryburgh, &e., and killed many of the monks. As soon as they retired, they were pursued by the Scots, who laid siege to the castle of Norham. Edward lay at the abbey of Biland, in Yorkshire, with a body of troops advantageously posted near it. The Scots attempted to surprise the king, and it was with the utmost difficulty that he escaped to York, leaving all his baggago and treasure to the enemy. The English camp was supposed to be accessible only by a narrow pass, but Douglas undertook to force it, and Randolph presented himself as a volunteer in this dangorous service, under his friend Douglas. The
