David the Second died in the castle of Edinburgh, in the 42d year of his reign, and the 47th of his age.
The crown now passed to Robert, the High Stew ard of Scotland. Ile was experienced in the art of government, as well as in the duties' of a subject.
William, earl of Douglas, at first opposed the ac cession of the steward, and claimed the crown for himself, as uniting in his own person the pretensions of Comyn and the title of hut this claim he was compelled to withdraw Ov the unanimous oppo sition of the barons. Daher' ri. Second was crowned at Scone, and an act was pass c,, urclaring John, earl of Carrick, the king's eldest son, the heir-apparent to the throne; while, in order to the friendship of France, the treaty with taut —miry was renewed, the French monarch engaging- to support the Scots against the influence and i,rins England. It was also enacted, that, failing t. r a•:t,.-apparent and his issue, the following noblemen r. teir heirs should succeed to the throne: firs:, :.•1 of Fife and Mon teith; second, Alexander, 1(A. Badenoch; third, The Earl of Stratherne; and a, Walter, earl of A tholl.
The national tranquillity . interrupted by the accession of Richard tile ,nd to the English throne. An affray at Roxl,nr,,h w as the ostensible cause for commencing hostilit es, followed by a naval engagement between a small ficet of Scottish, French, and Spanish vessels, and sonic l'nglish merchantmen, which were captured off Scarborough.
While the English and Scottish governments were prosecuting measures for pacification, Alexander Ram say assaulted and took the castle of Berwick by sur prise. The earl of Northumberland soon invested the town ; and, except Ramsay, none of the garrison escaped from slaughter. The English army marched into the south of Scotland and ravaged the country. A detachment of six hundred lancemen and archers fell into an ambuscade of the Scots commanded by Archibald Douglas.
In two years after, another inroad into England was made by the Scots under Douglas, who surround ed the town of Penrith by night, and burned it; but they carried home with them the plague, which then desolated England, and expiated the miseries they had inflicted. The duke of Lancaster advanced to the frontiers of Scotland with a numerous army, with secret instructions to conclude a peace on the best terms he could obtain. A truce was concluded
for two years. Notwithstanding that tranquillity was thus apparently established, the Scots sent an embas sy to France, and obtained promises of support and subsidy, as a compensation for being ready to make war upon England when the affairs of their allies ren dered it necessary.
The truce with England was permitted to expire, and a short truce was entered into between the Eng lish and the French, in which the Scots were not in cluded. The duke of Lancaster, conceiving this a sufficient reason for commencing hostilities, entered Scotland and advanced to Edinburgh; which he spar ed, in gratitude for the hospitality he had there expe rienced.
The Scottish nobles now took up arms, and plun dered the northern counties of England with impunity. Conformably to the late treaty, the French monarch despatched de Vienne, admiral or France, with the stipulated supply into Scotland, with the view of car rying the war into England, and delivering France from invasion. He arrived at Leith, but was greatly shocked at the poverty of the Scots. The equipments for war were scantily supplied; even the necessaries of life could hardly be procured. The French wished to return home; and, in order to afford them employ ment, a numerous force was prepared to invade Eng land. Thirty thousand men took the field under the command of the earls of Fife and Douglas; and their French allies entered the English territories, and ra vaged the country as far as Newcastle ; but learning that Lancaster was approaching, retired with their prey into Scotland. Richard the Second advanced with a large army against the Scots. Dryburgh, Newbottle, and Edinburgh, were successively given to the flames. Stirling, Perth, and Dundee, were de stroyed: and the English vanguard advanced to Aber deen. In return, the Scots entered England by the Western Marches, ravaged Cumberland, and besieged Carlisle; and the English, beginning to feel the pres sure of scarcity, were reduced to retrace their steps, and were allowed to retire unmolested.