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A body of English, under the command of the Earl of Pembroke, landed in the north of Fife, Wallace attacked and defeated them at Blackironside, on the 12th June, 1298. But danger of a more serious nature now threatened this unhappy country, for Edward, who had gone over to Flanders before the battle of Stirling, where he remained till the spring of 1298, now summoned the Scottish nobles to a parliament at York. They, partly from a dread of Wallace, and partly from aversion to the king, disobeyed his summons. Upon this Edward raised a formidable army, composed of 3000 horsemen, armed at all points, and upwards of 4000 horsemen in armour, but whose horses were not armed. The king desired no infantry, but volunteers, and their numbers amounted to 80,000. At the head of this numerous and well disciplined army he advanced to subjugate Scotland. Few of the principal barons joined the national standard; those whose names are recorded were, Cumming of Badenoch; Sir John Stuart of Bonkill, brother to the Steward; Sir John Graham of Abercorn; and Macduff, grand-uncle of the Earl of Fife. Bruce again united himself with the patriots, and, with his vassals guarded the castle of Ayr, a place of great importance, as it kept open the communication between Galloway, Argyllshire, and the isles.
The castle of Dirleton alone offered any vigorous resistance to Edward in his progress through the south-east counties; but it yielded at last to Beck, bishop of Durham, to whom the care of the siege had been committed. Until the victualling ships should arrive, Edward fixed his head quarters at Templeliston, a village situated between Linlithgow and Edinburgh, and here, a dangerous mutiny having broke out in his cam, and his
