In 1333 Edward again commenced a furious war on Scotland. His faithful Philippa went with him as far as she could, and while he laid siege to Berwick took up her residence at Bamborough Castle. It was during this siege that the king committed a deed so atrocious that it must forever be a dark stain upon his character. Douglas, the defender of Scotland, left King Edward before Berwick and made a forced march to the castle that contained Queen Philippa, hoping to frighten the king and to force him to fly to her assistance. But he was mistaken, for Edward had too much confidence in the strength of the castle and the firmness of his wife to budge. It is probable though {222}that this attempt to capture Philippa aggravated his ferocious temper and prompted him to the cruel deed to which we have referred. The two young Seatons, sons of the Governor of Berwick, had been taken as prisoners, and the king had them put to death because the father refused to surrender the town. His object was to take Berwick by a desperate blow and fly to the relief of his queen, and he succeeded, for the poor grief-stricken father of the Seatons was so perfectly stunned by the infamous murder of his boys, that he could offer no further resistance. Douglas and Edward fought not far from Benwick, where the former was killed and the king entered the town in triumph with Philippa at his side. During the queen's residence in the north of England quite an amusing circumstance occurred. King Edward had returned from Scotland, and his wife, who had been separated from him for a long time, went as far as Durham to welcome him back. He lodged at St. Cuthbert's Priory near the castle. After supper the queen entered her husband's apartments, where, feeling fatigued from her journey, she hoped to have a good night's rest. Scarcely had she undressed than there came a loud knocking at her door. Upon opening it several monks presented themselves with a pathetic appeal to her not to offend their holy patron St. Cuthbert, who during his life avoided the fair sex and would be dreadfully angry if one of them, no matter how high her rank, should sleep beneath the roof of his convent. The pious Philippa was distressed at the idea of having unintentionally displeased the saint, and fled in her night-clothes to the castle, which was fortunately not far away.