ise. These one night placed themselves in ambush
among some bushes hard by the castle gate. Bunnock himself concealed
eight chosen men with arms in a wagon of hay. The horses were
driven by a stout peasant with a short hatchet under his belt,
while Bunnock walked carelessly beside the wagon. As he was in the
habit of supplying the garrison with corn and forage, the gate was
readily opened on his approach. As soon as the wagon was exactly
between the gate posts Bunnock gave the signal and struck down the
warder at the gate; the driver with his hatchet cut the traces, the
men leapt up from their concealment in the hay, and the main body
lying in ambush close by rushed up, and, taken wholly by surprise,
unarmed and unprepared, the garrison was speedily overpowered and
the castle taken.

It was in the spring of 1311 that this important capture took place.
Bruce, as usual, had the castle levelled to the ground. Bunnock was
rewarded by a grant of land which still bears his name, softened
into Binney. Again the English made preparations for a renewed
invasion, but the barons were too much occupied by their private
broils and their quarrels with the king to assemble at his order,
and nothing came of it. Bruce's position at home was so established
that he resolved upon a counter invasion, and accordingly, having
assembled a larger force than had hitherto gathered under his
banner, crossed the Border near the Solway, burnt and plundered the
district round Gilsland, ravaged Tynedale, and after eight days'
havock returned with much booty to Scotland. In the following
month he again entered England, carried fire and sword through the
country as far as Corbridge, swept Tynedale, ravaged Durham, and
after levying contributions for fifteen days returned with much
booty to Scotland.

Although the English made much outcry at this invasion, the English
author of the Chronicle of Lanercost, whose monastery was occupied
by the king during the raid, distinctly states that he slew none
save in actual conflict; and again, that though "all the goods of
the country were carried away, they did not burn houses or slay
men." Thus, though Bruce's wife and daughter were still prisoners
in England, though his brothers had been executed in cold blood,
he conducted his warfare in England in a manner which contrasts
strongly indeed with the conduct of the English in Scotland.

After this Bruce marched north again and laid siege to Perth. For
six