Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (2).pdf/16

16 THE HISTORY OF wards Argyll, meaning to lark for a time with his brother in law, Sir Neil Campbell, but he was encountered by the way, by John of Lorn, couſin to John Cumming and conſtrained to flee, albeit with ſmall ſlaughter of his own folk. After this ſecond diſcomfiture, he ſent his Queen, (being daughter to Gratney earl of Mar,) with his brother Sir Neil Bruce, and John earl of Athol, to the caſtle of Kildrimmy, in Mar. The King of England ſent his ſon, prince Elward with a mighty hoſt, to beſiege this caſtle. The Queen hearing this, fled to the frith of Tain in Roſs: but the earl of Roſs took her, and her daughter and ſent them captives into England. The caſtle of Kildrimmy was traitorouſly burnt by one of the garriſon: all that were therein taken and hanged, at the command of the Engliſh king.

Robert, ſeeing winter approaching, and finding no retreat in the main land, retired with his moſt entire friends, to his old friend Angus, lord of the iſles; with whom he ſtayed a ſhort time in Kintyre, and thereafter failed over into the iſle of Rauchline, where he lurked all the winter; every man ſuppoſing him to be dead. The next ſpring he landed quietly in Carrick, and on a ſudden intercepted his own cattle of Turnberry. The Lord Piercy flying home out of it to his own country. Sir James Douglas departing thence ſecretly, came into Douglas dale, and by means of Thomas Dickſon, an old ſervant of his father's, he recovered his own caſtle of Douglas, and caſt it down once and again; thereafter he returned to king Robert to Cumnock, ſhewing him that Aymer de Vallance, and John of Lorn, with an army, were coming against him. The King with 500 valiant men kept themselves in a ſtrong place, waiting while Sir Aymer would invade; but took no heed to John of Lorn, who fetching a compaſs; ſet upon his back with 800 highland men, and had well nigh incloſed them about, The king perceiving the danger, divided his men in three: and appointing where they ſhould meet at night; fled three ſundry ways. John of Lorn having a ſloth-bound, purſued ſtill after the King, who putting away all that were in his company, ſave one man, fled into the next wood, and with great difficulty eſcaped the ſloth-bound. Sir Aymer, diſappointed of this enterprize, ſhortly thereafter, with 1500 choſen men, very near ſurpriſed the King in Glentole wood: But the King with his men taking courage, reſolutely defended the place, which was very ſtrong, and