makes his head-quarters for forty days at Northallerton,[1] and between that place and Malton a battle[2] is fought in which 7,000 men, under Sir Rauff Rymunt, are defeated and Sir Rauff is slain. Subsequently, parliament is—poetically — convened at Pomfret,[3] and battle is offered to Wallace on condition of his being crowned king[4]—an extraordinary condition which Wallace refuses, even for one day, and the English were diplomatically deceived on this score,[5] although the poet afterwards corrects himself in this particular.[6] When the forty days expired, Edward had failed to keep his promise of battle, and Wallace 'bauchillyt his seyll' and put him to shame. Then Wallace marched to York, which he besieged, but which ransomed itself for £5,000 after Wallace's banner had been set upon the walls.[7] Middleham and its lands were burnt and wasted.[8] The Scots meanwhile lived at will in Richmondshire.[9] In that region there was a castle of 'Ramswaith'[10] held by Fehew, a personality who somehow appears to have been Harry's chief antipathy. Fehew's brother, earlier in the poem, had gone as a false herald to Wallace at Tinto, and had for his offence against the laws of arms been put to death by Wallace. Fehew's castle[11] was the more bitterly attacked because of this episode of the brother's treason to chivalry.
A ryoll sted, fast by a forest sid,
With turrettis fayr and garrettis off gret prid.
Beildyt about, rycht lykly to be wicht,
Awfull it was till ony mannis sicht.
Wallace's army went vigorously to work:
The bulwerk wan thir men off armys brycht,
To the barmkyn layd temyr apon hecht.
Than bowmen schot to kep thaim fra the cast,
The wall about had festnyt firis fast.
