an exile in France, began to lay claim to the throne, which caused great troubles and civil wars in the kingdom. Disputes and differences also arose between England and Scotland about this time; and the English took part with Baliol against David; the latter being but a child, Scotland was governed by a regent. a regent. After many battles, and much cruelty committed on both sides, the party of Baliol became so strong that he also was crowned at Scone, on the 24th of Sept. 1332, and he meanly surrendered the liberty of Scotland to the English; acknowledged king Edward for his liege lord, and bound himself to serve him in all wars in which he might be engaged. Many of the Scottish nobles, indignant at this degradation of their country, assembled a body of horsemen at Moffat, in Annandale, suddenly crossed the country, and unexpectedly attacked Baliol, at Annan. His brother Henry made a gallant resistance for some time, but was at last killed, together with several other persons of consequence. Baliol himself escaped, almost naked, with scarcely one attendant, and fled to England; but, being joined by some English barons, he soon returned to Scotland; where he reduced a castle, which he burned, and prepared to besiege the town of Berwick. Just after his arrival, Archibald Douglas, brother of the renowned Douglas,

invaded England with three thousand men, plundered the country, and carried off a great deal of booty; but in revenge, Sir Anthony de Lucy made an inroad into Scotland, and defeated and took prisoner Sir William Douglas, a celebrated warrior, called the Knight of Liddesdale, whom king Edward ordered to be put in irons. About the same time, Sir Andrew Murray, the regent, attacked Baliol, and a sharp combat took place; but the regent was taken prisoner as he was attempting to rescue a soldier; and the loss of these two brave commanders was very great. Archibald Douglas was now declared regent, and king Edward prepared to invade Scotland, in order to take dreadful revenge on its inhabitants, for daring to assert their rights, and shake off his yoke. His chief design was to get possession of the town of Berwick, which Baliol had shamefully ceded to him; but the Scots, who were as desirous of keeping it as he was of wresting it from them, made an obstinate resistance. It was certain, however, that they must soon yield, if they were not speedily relieved. At length, the regent appeared with a numerous army, and did all in his power to succour the town, as well as to provoke the English to battle: but all his efforts were vain ; they obstructed every passage, and would only fight on the defensive. The regent then entered

Northumberland, and attacked Bamborough castle, where Philippa, the young queen of England, resided, hoping this would make king Edward give up the siege of Berwick; but the latter still persevered in his plan. During a general assault, the town was set on fire, and great part of it burned. The inhabitants, being in great dread of the English army, now implored their two commanders, the earl of March, and Sir William Keith, to offer terms of capitulation; and a truce was obtained, by which it was agreed that the town and castle should be delivered up on honourable terms, unless succours should arrive before the evening of the 19th July. Sir W. Keith was allowed to have an interview with the regent, whom he found with his army in Northumberland, and whom he entreated to return, and save Berwick, which would be lost for ever, if it were not relieved immediately. Persuaded by his arguments, the regent determined to make the English fight, and to save Berwick, or lose the kingdom. In the afterbatttle, and

noon of the 19th, he prepared for divided his army into four bodies: the first was commanded by John earl of Moray, son of the great Randolph; but as he was young, and inexperienced in war, James and Simon Fraser, soldiers of high reputation, were joined with him in the command. The second body was led by the Steward

of Scotland, a youth of sixteen, under the guidance of his uncle Sir James Stewart of Rosyth. The third was led by the regent himself, having with him the earl of Carrick, and other barons of high consequence; and the fourth body, or the reserve, was led by Hugh earl of Ross. Historians say, that, besides earls and other great barons, the Scottish army consisted of fifty-five knights, eleven hundred men at arms, and thirteen thousand five hundred commoners, lightly armed, amounting in all to fourteen thousand six hundred and sixty-five men; and the servants who attended the horses of the people of distinction and of the men at arms, with the followers of the camp, were more in number than the combatants. The English were posted to great advantage on a rising ground at Halydon, with a marshy hollow in their front; and Baliol himself commanded one of the wings of the army. The Scottish men at arms attempted to force their passage into the town of Berwick, but king Edward opposed them in person, and repulsed them with great slaughter. The Scottish army then rushed on to a general assault, but they had to descend into the marshy hollow, before they could get up the height of Halydon. After struggling with the difficulties of the ground, where they were continually harassed by the English archers, they at length reached the enemy;

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and, though much fatigued and disordered in their ranks, they fought as became men who had con- . quered under the banners of Robert Bruce. The English, with equal valour, had great advantages of situation, and were better disciplined than their antagonists. The earl of Ross led the reserve to attack that wing where Baliol commanded, but he was repulsed and slain; and there fell with him Kenneth, earl of Sutherland, and Murdock, earl of Menteith, two powerful chiefs. In other parts of the field, the events were equally unfortunate the regent was mortally wounded; the Scots gave way on all sides; and the number of killed and prisoners was so great, that few of the Scottish army escaped. Among the slain was Malcolm, earl of Lenox, a gallant and aged baron, who had been one of the first to join Robert Bruce, and whose last exertions were for his country; Alexander Bruce, earl of Carrick; John Campbell, earl of Athol, nephew of the late king; James and Simon Fraser; John de Graham; Alexander de Lindesay; Alan Stewart; and many other persons of high rank. The regent, mortally wounded, and deserted on the field of battle, only lived to see his army defeated, and himself a prisoner. The English suffered very little loss, having only one knight, one esquire, and twelve foot-soldiers. killed; which is accounted