Robert de Manners, the constable, with a loss of nine or ten killed, and five prisoners, who were severely wounded. Either this must have been a local fray by a party of private marauders, or the friar, writing at a very confusing time, has confounded the dates.
The fact, however, remains that it was the Scots who broke the truce. Barbour explains that King Robert had applied in vain for redress on account of various acts of piracy committed by Englishmen on Scottish shipping, and that therefore he sent openly to King Edward renouncing the truce. Fordun bluntly avers that the bad faith of the English had become apparent. Probably each nation was suspicious of the other. The movement of Scottish troops towards the Border may have been no more than a precautionary measure, but it was interpreted, not unnaturally, as a hostile act. The English King's council were advised that the Scots intended instant invasion, unless peace were conceded on the only terms acceptable to them. Consequently, the English barons were summoned to meet their King at Newcastle on April 5th, where preparations on a large scale were made for the invasion of Scotland. The city of London, says the author of the Pauline Annals, sent one hundred well equipped volunteers—mera voluntate—by purely free will. But in addition to native troops, the young King of England secured the services of 2500 German cavalry under John of Hainault,[1]
- ↑ Brother of the Count of Hainault. His real title was Lord of Beaumont. He had been serving lately in the war of Queen Isabella of England with her son, Edward II.
