III. CHAP. summit of Snowdun: the Welsh in despair burst into the marches: and at Caurscastle, Madoc, the leader of the insurgents, threw himself at the feet of the conqueror. A second time the conquest of Wales was achieved. Edward condemned the chieftains who had joined in the rebellion to close confinement in separate castles: their estates he gave to their heirs, but with a threat, that if they should imitate the perfidy of their fathers, they must expect a more severe punishment. The admonition was remembered: and from that period, says the historian, the Welsh began to attend to the cultivation of the soil, the profits of commerce, and the arts of peace.53 War with It was midsummer before Edward returned to his capital. Again he prepared to recover his transmarine dominions: again he was recalled to oppose his adversaries within the island. The Scottish barons longed to assert the independence of their country; but, warned by the fate of the Welsh insurgents, sought to fortify their efforts with the aid of the French monarch. The timid mind of Baliol wavered. He calculated the power of Edward, and trembled at the consequences of a failure. At last he allowed himself to be carried away by the current of public opinion; and resigned the management of the war to a committee composed of four prelates, 59 Heming. i. 57. West. 423. Walsing. 63. III. four earls, and four barons. An alliance offen- CHAP. sive and defensive was hastily concluded with France. If Edward should invade Scotland, Oct. 23. Philip engaged to employ all his forces against the weakest part of Edward's dominions: if he should transport an army to France, Baliol bound himself to pour his Scots into the north of England and at the same time, to cement the union between the two crowns, a treaty of marriage was concluded between Edward the heir of Baliol, and Jane the eldest daughter of Charles of Valois, and the niece of Philip.54 These transactions could not be concealed from the jealousy of Edward. He sent to Guienne a small force under his brother Edmund, who died soon after his arrival, and was succeeded in the command by the earl of Lincoln: but remained himself in England to watch the motions, and ascertain by experiment the real designs, of his Scottish vassal. He first called on Baliol for aid in his intended expedition into Guienne; then demanded the castles of Roxburgh, Jedburgh, and Berwick, as a security during his absence; and lastly cited the king of Scots before his court to be held at Newcastle upon Tyne in the beginning of March. Had Baliol obeyed the summons, he would have found himself in the midst of an army of forty thousand men: 55 but his barons were careful to keep him 54 Anderson, Diplom. Scot. Tab. xli. 55 Edward's army consisted of 30,000 foot, and 4000 horse. The 1296. March. CHAP. secluded in the Highlands, and made the most III active preparations for the invasion of England. Accident allotted to the Scots the glory or the blame of commencing hostilities. Robert de Ros the lord of Werk, who was enamoured of a Scottish lady, had at her persuasion embraced the cause of her countrymen. His brother, who commanded in his absence, sent the information to Edward; and a body of a thousand men, who marched to take possession of the castle, were surprised in the night, and cut off almost to a man. Edward expressed his satisfaction that the Scots had been the first to draw the sword, and advancing to Werk, remained there during Mar. 26. the festival of Easter. A feeble attempt was made to withdraw him from the borders by the invasion of Cumberland. But the king steadily Berwick pursued his object. The English army invested Berwick: the next day it was carried by assault, and seven thousand men perished in the massacre.56 For this loss the Scots consoled themselves with the destruction of Corbridge and April 5. Hexham and Baliol sent to the English monarch a formal renunciation of homage in his taken. Mar. 30. : bishop of Durham joined him with 1000 foot, and 700 horse: to which must be added a body of Welsh, and another of Irish. Heming. i. 85, 56 Heming. 87-92. Walsing. 66. 483. Trivet, 285. 288.. About this time Robert Bruce died. His son refused to join his countrymen against Edward: and his lands were in consequence taken from him and given to the earl of Buchan, Heming. 67. 83. “ Felon CHẤP. own name and that of his barons,57 66 57 Rym. ii. 707. III. Victory at Dunbar. III. tion of Baliol. July 2. CHAP. burgh, and Jedburgh opened their gates: Edinburgh made but a shew of resistance: Stirling was deserted by its garrison: and Perth, Brechin, Forfar, and St. Andrew's, submitted.58 The June 24. unfortunate Baliol, mounted on a galloway, and bearing a white wand, the emblem of vassalage, met his conqueror in a churchyard, and expressed his sorrow for his alliance with the French king, and rebellion against his liege lord. But he did not move the resolution of the king Resigna- of England. He had refused to hold Scotland of Edward: he was therefore unworthy to recover it: and he was compelled to sign at Kincardin an instrument, in which he acknowledged the right of the superior lord to enter into possession of his fee after the renunciation of homage, and transferred to him the fealty, which the Scottish barons and freeholders had sworn to himself.59 The king granted to the deposed monarch every indulgence compatible with his own interests. With a princely retinue, and the tower of London for his residence, he enjoyed the full liberty of a circle of twenty miles round the walls of the city. If we may believe Baliol himself, he parted from his crown without regret. The feuds and violence of the Scots, their dissimulation, perfidy, and attempts upon his life, had effectually subdued his desire of reigning and his only ambition was to retire to Ilis captivity, re lease, and death. 58 Heming. 93-100. Walsing. 67. 484. Fordun, xi, 24. 26. 59 Rym. ii. 709. |