In the eleuenth yeare of king Edward the second his reigne, vpon the saturdaie night before Midlent sundaie, the towne of Berwike was betraied to the Scots, through the treason of Peter Spalding. The castell held good tacke a while, till for want of vittels they within were constreined to deliuer it into the Scotishmens hands, who wan also the same time the castell of Harbotell, Werke, and Medford, so that they possessed the more part of all Northumberland, euen vnto Newcastell vpon Tine, sauing that certeine other castels were defended against them. In Maie they entred with an armie further into the land, burning all the countrie before them, till they came to Ripon, which towne they spoiled, and tarieng there thrée daies, they receiued a thousand marks of those that were got into the church, and defended it against them, for that they should spare the towne, and not put it to the fire, as they had alreadie doone the townes of Northalerton and Bourghbridge as they came forwards. In their going backe they burnt Knaresbourgh, and Skipton in Crauen, which they had first sacked, and so passing through the middest of the countrie, burning and spoiling all before them, they returned into Scotland with a maruellous great multitude of cattell, beside prisoners, men and women, and no small number of poore people, which they tooke with them to helpe to driue the cattell. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 12.] [Sidenote: Additions to _Triuet._] [Sidenote: The king & the earle of Lancaster made friends.] [Sidenote: Rob. Bruce pronounced accursed.] In the 12 yeare of Edward the seconds reigne, in August, the king and the earle of Lancaster came to talke togither in a plaine beside Leicester, where they were made fréends to the outward shew, so that in the yeare next following, the said earle went with the king to the siege of Berwike. About the feast of the Natiuitie of our ladie, the two cardinals, which were yet remaining in England, sent foorth commandements vnto all the prelats and priests within the realme, that thrée times in euerie solemne masse, they should denounce Robert Bruce that called himselfe king of Scotland accursed, with all his councellors and fautors, and on the behalfe of the pope, they depriued him by denunciation of all honour, and put all his lands vnder interdiction, disabling all their children [to the second degrée] that held with him, as vnworthie & vnfit to receiue or take vpon them any ecclesiasticall function. They denounced also all the prelats of Scotland and men of religion, exempt, and not exempt, excommunicate and accursed. [Sidenote: _Hen. Marl._] [Sidenote: _Th. Walsing._] [Sidenote: Continuation of _Triuet._]