Page:Life of King Robert Bruce.pdf/22

22 he, "suffer me to pass the river, and leave me room for ranging my forces, or do you pass the river, and I will leave you room to range yours, and thus shall we fight on equal terms." To this the Scottish commanders replied, "We will do neither. On our road hither we have burnt and spoiled the country, and here we are fixed while to us it seems good; and if the king of England is offended, let him come over and chastise us."

The armies continued in sight of each other for two days; and the English, understanding that their enemies were distressed for provisions, resolved to maintain a blockade, and reduce them by famine. They were surprised, however, to find that the Scots had secretly decamped, and taken their position two miles up the river. The English encamped opposite to them near Stanhope Park. At midnight Douglas undertook a desperate enterprise, and with 200 horsemen approached the English camp, entered it in the disguise of a chief commander, and having thus eluded the sentinels, he passed on to the royal quarters, overthrew everything that opposed him, and furiously assaulted the king's tent. The domesties of Edward defended their master; and his chaplain, with many others of his household, were slain. The king, however, escaped; and Douglas, disappointed of his prey, rushed through the enemy, and retreated with inconsiderable loss.

Finding at length his authority established, and that Edward was sufficiently occupied by dissensions which had sprung up in his own country, Bruce resolved to retaliate in some measure the miseries inflicted on his kingdom; this he did by again invading England, ravaging the border counties and giving up the whole district to the license o'of [sic] the soldiery.