+Source.+--_Chronicle of Lanercost_ (translated by Sir Herbert Maxwell
in the _Scottish Historical Review_, vol. vii., pp. 383-384).
The King solemnly observed the thanksgiving services on Easter Day at
his Castle of Wark, and tried to persuade the head men of Berwick to
surrender, promising them safety in their persons, security for their
possessions, reform of their laws and liberties, pardon for their
offences, so that, had they considered their own safety, they would not
have slighted the proffered grace. But they, on the contrary, being
blinded by their sins, became more scornful, and, while he waited for
three days, they gave no reply to so liberal an offer; so that when he
came to them on the fourth day, addressing them personally in a friendly
manner, they redoubled their insults. For some of them, setting
themselves on the heights, ... reviled the King and his people; others
fiercely attacked the fleet which lay in the harbour awaiting the King's
orders and slew some of the sailors. The women folk, also, bringing fire
and straw, endeavoured to burn the ships. The stubbornness of these
misguided people being thus manifest, the troops were brought into
action, the pride of these traitors was humbled almost without the use
of force, and the city was occupied by the enemy. Much booty was seized,
and no fewer that fifteen thousand of both sexes perished, some by the
sword, others by fire, in the space of a day and a half, and the
survivors, including even little children, were sent into perpetual
exile. Nevertheless, this most clement Prince exhibited towards the dead
that mercy which he had proffered to the living, for I myself beheld an
immense number of men told off to bury the bodies of the fallen, all of
whom, even those who began to work at the eleventh hour, were to receive
as wages a penny apiece at the King's expense.
THE OPPRESSION OF SCOTLAND BY THE ENGLISH
(1296).
+Source.+--John Barbour, _The Bruce_, book i., ll. 179-224.
Quhen Schyr Edward, the mychty King,
Had on this wyss done his likyng
Off Jhone the Balleoll, that swa sone
Was all defawtyt and wndone,
To Scotland went he than in hy,[77]
And all the land gan occupy
Sa hale that bath castell and toune
War in-till his possessioune,
Fra Weik[78] anent[79] Orkenay
To Mullyr snwk[80] in Gallaway,
And stuffyt all with Ingliss men.
Schyrreffys and bailyheys maid he then,
And alkyn[81] othir officeris
That for to gowern land afferis[82]
He maid off Inglis nation;
That worthyt[83] than sa rych fellone,[84]
And sa wykkyt and cowatouss,
And swa hawtane and dispitouss,[85]
That Scottis men mycht do na thing
That euir mycht pleyss to thar liking.
Thar wyffis wald thai oft forly,[86]
And thar dochtrys dispitusly:
And gyff ony of thaim thair-at war wrath,
Thai watyt[87] hym wele with gret scaith;[88]
For thai suld fynd sone enchesone[89]
To put hym to destructione.
And gyff that ony man thaim by
Had ony thing that wes worthy,
As horss or hund or othir thing
That war plesand to thar liking,
With rycht or wrang it have wald thai.
And gyf ony wald thaim withsay,[90]
Thai suld swa do, that thai suld tyne[91]
Othir land or lyff, or leyff in pyne.[92]
For thai dempt[93] thaim eftir thair will,
Takand na kep[94] to rycht na skill.[95]
A! quhat[96] thai dempt them felonly.
For gud knychtis that war worthy,
For litill enchesoune or than nane
Thai hangyt be the nekbane.
Als that folk that euir wes fre
And in fredome wount for to be,
Throw thar gret myschance and foly
War tretyt than sa wykkytly
That thair fays[97] thair jugis[98] war.
Quhat wrechitnes may man have mar?
[77] Haste.
[78] Wick.
[79] Opposite.
[80] Neck.
[81] All kinds of.
[82] Pertains.
[83] Became.
[84] So monstrously rich.
[85] Despiteful.
[86] Lie with.
[87] Plundered.
[88] Hurt.
[89] Excuse.
[90] Gainsay.
[91] Lose.
[92] Misery.
[93] Judged.
[94] Heed.
[95] Reason.
[96] How.
[97] Foes.
[98] Judges.