And Schyr Bryce als the Blar,
Hangyt in till a berne in Ar.
The Bruce, III. 260. V. Note.
This tallies very well with the account given by the Minstrel.
Four thousand haill that nycht was in till Ayr.
In gret bernyss, biggyt with out the toun,
The justice lay, with many bald barroun.
Wallace, VII. 334.
The testimony of the Complaynt of Scotland, a well known national work, written A. 1548, concurs. Speaking of the king of England, the writer says:
“Ony of you that consentis til his fals conques of your cuntre, ye sal be recompenssit as your forbears var at the blac perliament at the bernis of Ayre, quhen kyng Eduard maid ane conuocatione of al the nobillis of Scotland at the toune of Ayre, vndir culour of faitht and concord, quha comperit at his instance, nocht heffand suspitione of his tresonabil consait. Than thai beand in his subiectione vndir culour of familiarite, he gart hang, cruelly and dishonestly, to the nummer of sexten scoir of the maist nobillis of the cuntre, tua and tua ouer ane balk, the quhilk sextene scoir var cause that the Inglismen conquest sa far vithtin your cuntre.” Compl. Scotl. p. 144.