the town completely sacked. The inhabitants were
butchered without distinction of age, sex, or condition, and even
those who fled to the churches were slain within the sanctuary.
Contemporary accounts differ as to the numbers who perished on this
occasion. Langtoff says 4000; Hemingford, 8000; Knighton, another
English writer, says 17,000; and Matthew of Westminster, 60,000.
Whichever of these writers is correct, it is certain that almost
the whole of the men, women, and children of the largest and most
populous Scottish town were butchered by the orders of the English
king, who issued direct orders that none should be spared. From
this terrible visitation Berwick, which was before called the
Alexandria of the West, never recovered. The castle, which was held
by Sir William Douglas, surrendered immediately; and Sir William,
having sworn fealty to the English king, was permitted to depart.

The English army now marched north. Patrick, Earl of Dunbar,
was with King Edward; but his wife, a noble and patriotic woman,
surrendered the castle to the Scots. The Earl of Surrey, with
a powerful army, sat down before it. The Scotch nobles and people
marched in great numbers, but with little order and discipline,
to raise the siege. They were met by Surrey, whose force, inured
to arms, easily routed the Scotch gathering, no fewer than 10,000
being killed in the conflict and retreat. The English army was
joined by 15,000 Welsh and 30,000 from Ireland, and marched through
Scotland, the castles and towns opening their gates to Edward as
he came, and the nobles, headed by James the Stewart, coming in and
doing homage to him. Baliol was forced to appear in the churchyard
of Strath-Cathro, near Montrose, arrayed in regal robes, and to
resign his kingdom to the Bishop of Durham as Edward's representative,
and to repeat the act a few days afterwards at Brechin in presence
of the king himself. He was then, with his son, sent a prisoner to
London, where they were confined in the Tower for several years.
From Brechin Edward marched through the whole of Scotland, visiting
all the principal towns. He had now dropped the title of Lord
Paramount of Scotland, the country being considered as virtually
part of England. Garrisons were placed in every stronghold in the
country, and many new castles were raised to dominate the people.
The public documents were all carried away to England, the great
seal broken in pieces, and the stone of Scone--upo