The Scalacronica. 79 



homage from all the great men of Scotland, to which he had their 

 seals pendent, in perpetual commemoration. Thence he returned 

 to England, where, at the Abbey of Westminster, he entrusted the 

 wardenship of Scotland to the Earl of Warenne and gave him a 

 seal for the government thereof, and said to him, joking : " Good 

 business makes one free oneself of dirt." He also appointed 

 Hugh de Cressingham his chamberlain for Scotland and William 

 de Orme-sby his justiciary ; and commanded that all men above 15 

 years of age in Scotland should pay them homage, and that their 

 names should be enrolled, the clerks taking a penny from each 

 one; whereby they became rich men. The King also ordered 

 that all the Lords of Scotland should remain beyond Trent as 

 long as his war with France lasted. In this year of grace 1297 

 he took for each sack of English and Scotch wool a half mark 

 sterling, whereas before they paid only fourpence. Wherefore 

 it was called "the bad toll.'" The King set out for Gascony. 



At this time in the month of May William Walays was chosen 

 by the Commons of Scotland to be their chieftain to wage war with 

 the English. As a beginning he killed William de Hasilrig at 

 Lanark, who was Sheriff of Clydesdale for the King of England. 

 The said William Walays marched upon the said Sheriff and sur- 

 prised him. Here Thomas de Gray, who was in the company of 

 the said Sheriff, was left stript for dead, as if killed in the struggle 

 when the English defended themselves. The said Thomas lay all 

 ^ night stript between two burning houses, which the Scots had set 

 on fire, the heat from which saved his life. At the dawn of day 

 he was recognised and carried off by William de Loundy, who had 

 him tended. The next year William Walays laid the whole of 

 Northumberland waste. The Earl of Warenne, who had charge 

 of Scotland for the King of England, was in the south. He set 

 out for Scotland, where he was defeated by William Walavs, who 

 was in battle array near the bridge of Stryvelin. He allowed as 

 many of the English as he pleased to pass over the .said bridge, 

 and at the right moment he ran upon them, and caused the bridge 

 to be broken dofrn. There many of the English were killed, 

 including Hugh de Cressingham, the King's treasurer. It was 

 said that the Scots had him skinned, and in their revenge made 

 straps of his skhi. The Earl of Warenne retreated to Berwick. 

 William \\'alavs, to whom the Scots gathered immediatelv after 



