Volume 3

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army to Norham, William the Lion led his to Berwick (u). Alexander II.,
entering into warfare with John, during the barons' war, from a hope of acquir-
ing the northern counties of England, involved his kingdom in misery. In 1216
John wasted Lothian with fire and sword, he stormed the castle of Berwick,
he burned Dunbar and Haddington, and, in his retreat, he set his torch to
Coldingham monastery and to Berwick town (x). More than seventy years
now elapsed before the Scottish borders were again involved in such de-
vastations.
It was the demise of Alexander III. in 1286, without issue, the competition
for his crown, and the ambition of Edward I., which brought infinite miseries
on the contiguous nations. On the 31st of May, 1291, the estates of Scotland,
after sitting at Norham, in Northumberland, were adjourned by the English
king to meet him at Upsettlington, within Berwickshire, on the opposite bank
of the Tweed. Here in a few days the estates of Scotland relinquished the
independence of the nation to Edward, to enable him, as the pretended Lord
Paramount, to decide the contest for the crown. He soon repaired to Berwick,
and an universal homage to the English king was here required under the pains
of forfeiture. On the 28th of June, 1291, the mayor, corporation, and inha-
bitants of Berwick now swore fealty to that ambitious sovereign within their
parish church (y). Many of the people of Berwickshire and of other counties
followed their servile example. Having thus obtained this important acknow-
ledgement, which comprehended so many consequences, Edward returned to
England in August, 1291, leaving the ultimate decision with respect to a
dependant crown to the subsequent year (z). The Lord Paramount returned
to Berwick castle on the 1st of June, 1292, and many a disgraceful scene here
ensued during some subsequent months. A parliament assembled at Berwick
on the 15th October, 1292, and on the 17th of November, 1292, in the great
hall of the castle, Edward adjudged the disputed crown to John Baliol (a).
A few feverish years of claims by the Lord Paramount, and of compliance
by a dependant king, ended at length in avowed enmity. A treaty with France
was sought by Baliol, and in March, 1296, an inveterate war began with the
(u) Lord Hailes' An., i., 137.                      (x) Chron. Melrose, 190 ; M. Paris, 191.
(y) Prynne, iii., 509.
(z) Rym., ii., 525; 567�73 ; Prynne, 450. Edward was at Caldstrem in Scoti�, says the record,
on the 2nd of August, 1291. Ib., 451. Here, in a happier age, a bridge was built to facilitate the
intercourse between the two united nations, by mutual compact.
(a) Rym., ii., 598.