Sée more hereof in Scotland.
An. Reg. 16.
The king goeth into Scotland with an army.
Ri. Southw.
Merimouth.
In the octaues of the natiuitie of saint Iohn Baptist, Robert Bruce entring into England by Carleill, kept on his waie through Cumberland, Coupeland, Kendall, and so into Lancashire, till he came to Preston in Andernesse, which towne he burnt, as he had doone others in the countries through which he had passed. There were some of the Scots that forraied the countrie fiue miles on this side Preston southwards, and thus being fourescore long miles within England, they returned homewards, and entred againe into Scotland without incounter, after they had béene at this time within England the space of thrée wéeks and thrée daies. King Edward being thus beset with two mischiefes both at one time, thought good first to prouide remedie against the néerer danger, which by the Scots was still at hand, and therefore he meant to go against them himselfe, and to send his brother Edmund earle of Kent into Guien, to defend that countrie from the Frenchmen. Herevpon now in the sixtéenth yeare of his reigne, after that the Scots were returned home with a great bootie and rich spoile, he got togither a wonderfull great armie of men, and entring into Scotland, passed far within the countrie, not finding any resistance at all (as the most part of our writers doo agrée) but at length, through famine and diseases of the flix and other maladies that fell amongst the Englishmen in the armie, he was constreined to come backe, and in his waie besieged the castell of Norham, which fortresse he wan within ten daies after he had begun to assault it.
Robert Bruce immediatlie after the English armie was retired home, raised a power, and entring into England by Sulwaie sands laie at a place called Beaumond, not past thrée miles frō Carleill, by the space of fiue daies, sending in the meane time the most part of his armie abroad to spoile and harrie the countrie on euerie side, and afterwards remouing from thence, he passed towards Blackamore, hauing knowledge by diligent espials, that king Edward was in those parts, giuing himselfe more to pastime in hunting there within the woods about Blackamore, than to the good ordering of his people which he had then about him. Wherevpon the Scotish king Bruce, entring into that wild and moorish countrie, where he had not béene afore, conueied his enterprise so warilie, and with such diligent industrie, that on saint Lukes daie, comming vpon the English armie at vnwares, he put the same to flight, so that the king himselfe was in great danger to haue béene taken prisoner. For (as some authors write) the Scots had almost taken him at dinner in the abbeie of Beighland. Sir Iohn Britaine earle of Richmond was taken at this battell, and the kings treasure was spoiled and carried awaie, with the prouision and ordinance that belonged to the host.
Rich. South.
Yorkeswoll spoiled by the Scots. Beuerlie ransomed. The earle of Carleill raiseth an armie.