Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (1).pdf/17

Rh minding to besiege St. Johnstoun. But finding his power too weak, he retired to Methven, where he was unexpect- edly affaulted and difcomtfited by Sir Aymer de Vallance, but with fmall lofs of men, except fome who were taken, as Randal, Barclay, Frazer, Inchmartine, Somerville, and Sir Hugh Hay, who were conftrained to fwear homage to king Edward. The commons difcouraged with this hard fuc- cefs, fearing the Englifh, forfook the new king; who had a fmall company of gentlemen about him, with whom he tra- velled towards Argyll, meaning to lurk for a time with his brother-in-law, Sir Neil Campbell, but he was encountered by the way, by John of Lorn, coufin to John Cumming and conftrained to flee, albeit with fmall flaughter of his own folk. After this fecond difcomfiture, he fent his Queen, (being daughter to Gratney earl of Mar.) with his brother Sir Neil Bruce, and John earl of Athol, to the caftle of Kil- drimmy, in Mar. The king of England fent his fon, prince Edward with a mighty hoft, to befiege this caftle. The Queen hearing this, fled to the Frith of Tain in Rofs: but the earl of Rofs, took her and her daughter, and fent them captives into England. The caftle of Kildrimmy was trai- toroufly burnt by one of the garriton: all that were therein taken and hanged, at the command of the Englifh King. Robert, feeing winter approaching, and finding no retreat in the main land, retired with his moft entire friends, to his old friend Angus, lord of the ifles : with whom he ftayed a fhort time in Kintyre, and thereafter failed over into the ifle of Raughfine, where he lurked all the winter; every man fuppofing him to be dead. The next fpring he landed quietly in Garrick, and on a fudden intercepted his own caftle of Turnberry. The Lord Piercy flying home out of it to his own country. Sir James Douglas departing thence fecretly, came into Dougias-dale, and by means of Thomas Dickfon, an old fervant of his father’s, he recov- ered his own caftle of Douglas, and caft it flown once and again; thereafter he returned to king Robert, to Cumnock, fhewing him that Aymer de Vallance, and John of Lorn, with an army, were coming agaift him. The King with 500 valiant men kept themfelves in a ftrong place, waiting while Sir Aymer would inade : but took no heed to John of Lorn, who fetching a compefs, fit upon his back with 800 highlandmen, and had well nigh inclofed them about. The king perceiving the danger, divided his men in three: and appointing where they fhould meet at night, fledj three fundry ways. John of Lorn having a floth-hound, purlu- ed ftill after the king ; who putting away all that were in his company, fave one man, fled into the next wood, and with great difficulty efcaped the floth- hound, , difappointed of this enterprize, thereafter, with