David the Second was five years old when he suc ceeded to the throne; and Randolph assumed the au thority of regent.
Edward of England had taken Edward Baliol, the son of the exiled king, under his protection; and, supported by the Lords Wake and Beaumont, with others who had been disinherited by Robert Bruce, he resolved to invade Scotland and vindicate their rights. In consequence of these preparations, Ran dolph assembled an army, and advanced to the fron tier of East Lothian; but learning that the enemy had prepared to invade Scotland by sea, he returned north wards to provide for the defence of the interior of the kingdom, where he died. Donald, earl of Mar, was elected his successor, destitute of political abilities, and inexperienced in war. A naval armament under Baliol appeared in the Frith of Forth, and disembark ed in the neighbourhood of Kinghorn. They routed the earl of Fife, and advanced to Dunfermline, whence they proceeded to Forteviot, on the south banks of the Erne.
The regent Mar encamped on the opposite bank, while another army, commanded by the earl of March. had advanced through the districts of Lothian and Stirling to Auchterarder. Baliol took the resolution of crossing the river in the night, and attacking them by surprise, the Scots were routed and slaughtered, and the next day Perth was delivered up to Baliol. He was afterwards crowned at Scone, met Edward at Roxburgh, and acknowledged himself his liegeman, as his father had done. Edward, in return, engaged to support the rights and titles of Baliol to the Scot tish crown. Many of the nobles submitted to the con queror.
The Earl of March, and Archibald Douglas, with Simon Fraser, assembled a body of horse, and sur prised him at Annan. His followers were overpow ered, and he himself escaped, and took refuge in England.
As he had ceded Berwick to the English, Edward resolved to besiege it without delay. He was assisted by Baliol, who vigorously prosecuted the siege. The Scots made an obstinate defence, and burned a great part of the English Beet. The regent immediately proposed to give battle to the enemy. Edward oppos ed them in person, and repulsed them with great slaughter, and so complete was the discomfiture, that few of the Scots escaped. On the side of the English
scarcely twenty were killed; and the town and castle of Berwick immediately surrendered. It was now be lieved that the Scottish war was ended. The castles of Dumbarton, Lochleven, Urquhart, and Ki!drummy, were commanded by the faithful friends of David. That prince and his consort were conveyed to France, until a more favourable season should arrive to assert his claims. Baliol, with the concurrence of the Scot tish parliament, surrendered, by a solemn instrument, a great part of the Scottish dominions, to be annexed for ever to the crown of England, did homage, and swore fealty for the kingdom of Scotland and the isles adjacent.
Many of the nobles, disgusted by Baliol's submis sions, retired to their castles, or abjured their alle giance. Baliol concluded a treaty with the Lord of the Isles, who consented to be his liegeman, and who received in return the islands of Mull, Sky, and Isla, with the lands of Kintyre and Knapdale.
Sir Andrew Moray, having been liberated from England, was acknowledged as regent, and was inde fatigable in harassing the partisans of Baliol. Ed ward, resolved to overrun the country, led an army into the north, wasted Moray, and penetrated to Inver ness; but he had scarcely departed, when the regent traversed the kingdom, surprising and discomfiting his enemies. Edward, busied in preparing for war with France, relaxed his military operations against the Scots; and Sir Andrew Moray having died, was succeeded in that office by Robert, the Steward of Scotland. The new regent despatched the knight of Liddesdale into France, to implore the aid of the French king, and to acquaint king David with the state of affairs. Meantime the regent prepared to be siege Perth, which had been the head quarters of the English for many years. Liddesdale, who had re turned from France with some ships, contributed to the reduction of the town, which was surrendered by capitulation. Stirling castle, after a feeble resistance, was likewise surrendered to the regent. Having thus expelled the enemy from every post to the north of the Frith of Forth, he made a progress through Scot land, to administer justice, redress grievances, and establish good order.