Page:Life and adventures of Sir Wm. Wallace.pdf/22

                     (  22  ) King Robert after this passed into the north, leav- ing Sir James Douglas on the borders, who taking his own castle of Douglas by a stratagem razed it to the ground, and in a few days chased all the English out pf Douglas-dale, Ettrick forest, and Jedburgh fo- rest and took Sir Thomas Randal the King’s sister’ son, (who had followed the English ever since the captivity,) and Sir Alexander Stewart of Bunkle.

Sir Alexander and Simon Frazer meeting king Ro- bert in the north, shewed him how John Cumming earl of Buchan, David lord Brechin, Sir John Mou- bray, and the rest of the Cumming faction, were ga- thering an army against him.

Mean while, by the assistance of his friends in these quartets on a sudden.he surprized the castle of In- verness, the fame of which victory caused many oth- er strengths to yield : all which he overthrew and greatly increased the number of his friends.

In his return taking sickness at Inverary, Cumming, set upon him.

The King, after his friends had for a time defend : ed him, recovering somewhat, went out to the field : and hardly assaulted his enemy at Old Meldrum, that albiet their number was far greater, yet they took their flight.

With the like success he set upon the King, in Glenask in Angus, where, being shamefully put to flight, he fled into England, with .Sir John Moubray , and died there shortly after.

Lord David Brechin fortified his own castle, but David earl of Athol, forced him to yield it and himself to the King.

Mean time. Philip Frazer took the castle of Forfar and the King pursuing hi a victories, reduced all the north to his obedience, and joining with the Lord Douglas, returning from the south with his two cap