58 The Scalacronica. 



James de Douglas took the said Castle by surprise in the dark 

 night of Shro\-e Tuesday. The said Gilmyug was killed with an 

 arrow while he was defending the great tower. Piers Leband, 

 knight, the Sheriff of Edinburgh, had charge of the Castle of 

 Edinburgh, from whom it was taken by the men of Thomas 

 Randolf, Earl of Murref. They climbed to the highest part of 

 the rock, and took the Castle without resistance. The said 

 Piers became Scotch and swore allegiance to Robert de Bruys, 

 who soon after accused him of treason, and had him hanged and 

 drawn. It was said that he feared him to be untrustworthy and 

 thought that at heart he was for the English, and therefore it was 

 best not to put up with him. King Edward resolved to march 

 into these parts ; but there in trying to relieve the Castle of 

 Strivelyn (Stirling) 'he was defeated, and a great number of his 

 • men slain, including the Earl of 'Gloucester and other nobles of 

 the highest rank. The Earl of Hereford was captured at Both- 

 well ; for he had retreated thither. He was betrayed by the 

 warden of the Castle. He was afterwards exchanged for the wife 

 of Robert de Bruys and the Bishop of St. Andrews. How that 

 defeat occurred the chronicles give the following account. The 

 Earl of Athole captured the city of St. John (Perth) by surprise 

 from William Olifart, the warden on behalf of the King of 

 England. At that time the said Earl was an adherent of Robert 

 de Bruys, and he took the city in the interest of Robert ; but 

 soon after deserted him. After this Robert marched with his 

 army to the Castle of iStrivelyn, where Philip de Moubray, knight, 

 had charge to guard it on behalf of the King of England. He 

 made a bargain with Robert de Bruys to surrender the said Castle, 

 when he should besiege it, unless he were relieved. He agreed to 

 surrender the said Castle of Strivelyn, if the army of England did 

 not come within the distance of three leagues from the said Castle 

 within a week after St. John's day (24 June), in the approaching 

 summer. King Edward came thither for this rea.son, and Philip, 

 the warden of the Castle, met him three leagues from the Castle, 

 on Sunday, St. John's eve. He told him that he need not come 

 further, for he considered himself relieved. He informed him 

 that the enemy had dug up the narrow roads in the wood. The 

 young men would not stop, but held on their way. The advance 

 guard under the command of the Earl of Gloucester entered the 

 rpad within the park, where they were soon repulsed by the Scots, 



