An assembly of the Scottish nobles met at Aber deen, and agreed on an expedition into England, un der the command of the king's second son Robert, earl of Fife, and the earl of Douglas. The Northum brian chiefs prepared to make reprisals, and a spy succeeded in gaining admission into the chapel where the Scottish nobles were deliberating upon their in tended operations; but in retiring, was suspected and apprehended. Douglas on this penetrated into Dur ham, and pillaged the country to the gates of York. The earl of Northumberland despatched his two sons, Henry, sit named Hotspur, and Ralph, in quest of the Scots. They had retreated northward as far as Ot terburn, when they were overtaken by Percy, attended by six hundred lancers and eight thousand infantry, armed with long-bows; and after an obstinate contest, the English were routed. The defeat was complete: the elder Percy was taken prisoner, and the English were almost all slain or taken. Douglas lived but to hear of his countrymen's success.
The convention of estates appointed the earl of Fife, the king's second son, to the office of Regent. By consenting to this act, Robert virtually abdicated his throne. A truce for a short time was negotiated between England and France, in which Scotland was included.
Robert died at his castle of Dundonald, in the se year of his age, and the nineteenth of his reign.
Robert the the eldest son of the late monarch, assumed the government, but his name be ing deemed inauspicious, it was changed to Robert. After his coronation at Scone, he intrusted the go vernment to his brother, the earl of Fife; who, for the first eight years of his reign, succeeded in maintain ing peace with England and France. But to main tain domestic tranquillity was a more arduous task. Duncan Stewart, the king's nephew, made a descent upon Strathmore, and plundered the country. They were attacked by the sheriff of Angus, assisted by Sir David Lindsay, who were defeated, with the loss of sixty men.
Richard of England was dethroned by the earl of Lancaster, who successfully usurped the English throne. The Scottish borderers availed themselves of the opportunity offered by these domestic troubles, to make an inroad into England; set fire to the castle of Nark, and wasted the adjacent country. A repe tition of similar insults compelled the English mon arch to deliberate on retaliation; and Henry the Fourth resolved to send an army into Scotland, being the last invasion conducted by an English monarch in person. The earl of March, enraged by an insult received from the Scottish government, swore fealty to Henry; and upon his arriving at the borders, Henry despatched an order to the Scottish king, the prelates, and the nobles, to meet him at Edinburgh, and pay him ho mage as lord paramount. In answer to this mandate,
the Scots composed a ballad; and the invaders ad vanced to Edinburgh, and assailed the castle without success. Albany collected a numerous force, with which he boasted he should drive the invader from the kingdom ; but this was followed by no active operations.
The moderation and clemency of Henry during this invasion, merit eulogium. The towns that submitted were saved from plunder; and no instance of wanton cruelty was committed. A threatened insurrection in England induced the invaders to retire.
An unhappy difference occurred between the dukes of Albany and Rothsay. Albany, by his intrigues, had alienated the affections of the king from his son; the queen, however, had the prudence to interpose ; and, to counteract the ambition of Albany, she pro posed that the prince should marry. Alarmed at this measure, the regent involved the king and the prince in a quarrel with the earl of March. His castle at Dunbar was reduced by Douglas. Being joined by Percy, he made an irruption into Scotland, but was chased by Douglas into England.
A variety of petty incursions were made into Eng land with various success. Engaged in crushing a rebellion in Wales, Henry left the protection of the northern counties to the wardens. Of these irrup tions, that which led to the battle of Homeldon was the most remarkable. The earl of Douglas, assisted by Murdoc, Albany's son, entered England with an army of ten thousand men, and carried devastation to the walls of Newcastle. The earl' of Northumber land, his son Hotspur, and the earl of March, collected their vassals, and overtook the Scots at Homeldon hill. The English bow decided the fate of the day. Douglas was taken prisoner, after being severely wounded. Murdoc was also made prisoner, but li berated soon after.
The remainder of this reign is marked by few im portant events. During the rebellion in England, raised by Hotspur, the regent Albany collected a nu merous army, with the intention of making an irrup tion into Northumberland. Upon the news of Hot spur's defeat and death, he abandoned the design and dismissed his troops.
It is probable that a disclosure of Albany's conduct induced the secluded monarch to provide for the safety of his only son, James earl of Carrick. By the ad vice of Wardlaw, bishop of St. Andrews, the prince was put on board a vessel to be conveyed to France. He had proceeded on his voyage as far as Flambo rough Head, when he was captured by an English ship, and conveyed to London. He was then only eleven years of age. His father sunk under his mis fortunes in the seventeenth year of his reign.