and most flourishing of the towns of Scotland. With the exception
of the castle, it was weakly fortified. The attack was commenced
by the fleet, who were, however, repulsed and driven off. A land
assault, led by the king in person, was then made; the walls were
captured, and 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