By all the laws of feudal sovereignty at that time known, they had by this act incurred the penalties of perjury and treason; and, by their invasion of Cumberland, they had commenced a war against their acknowledged lord. They rashly appealed to arms, and defied the power of England, wielded by the first captain of the age. They were overthrown, even before the waning of a single moon. But here, as everywhere, Edward’s clemency is the most remarkable feature in the case. Not Baliol only, but all those who had forced him into this war, were justly exposed to the loss of property, if not of life. Yet, the contest once ended by Baliol’s resignation, all that we hear of, on Edward’s part, is a willing amnesty and a ready forgiveness. Up to this point of the story, then, we must deem the king to stand clear of any kind of moral condemnation.
[60] Hume adds, very strangely, “Edward had thus fallen into _a like snare_ with that which he himself had spread for the Scots.” What “like snare”? Scotland had been placed in his hands on his promise to restore it, which promise he kept. Gascony was placed in the hands of Philip on a similar promise; but that promise was broken. Instead of likeness here is contrast.
[63] Turner’s History of England, vol. v., p. 75.
[65] Tytler’s History of Scotland, vol. i., p. 108.
[67] Turner’s History of England, vol. i., p. 76.
[68] Tytler’s History of England, vol. i., p. 110.
[69] Nor can we, in this instance, attempt to divide the credit between the king and his able chancellor. Robert Burnel had been taken from his side, by death, in October, 1292.
[71] Wyntoun, the Scottish chronicler, says—
For prisoners in such awhile, To kepe is dowte and grete perille.”
“What then did Sir Edward? Peer he had none like; Upon his steed Bayard first he won the dike.”
[73] Both Tytler and sir W. Scott condescend to borrow an exaggerated statement, that 17,000 persons fell in this storming of Berwick; but the complaint of the regents of Scotland, made a year or two after, states the number at “nearly 8000.” Allowing for some exaggeration, and remembering that some of the dead must have been English, we may believe that the Scotch lost some 5000 or 6000 men—a number not at all remarkable.