[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._] [Sidenote: The lord Stafford.] About the latter end of October, Iohn of Eltham earle of Cornewall the kings brother departed this life at saint Iohns towne in Scotland: his bodie was afterwards conueied to Westminster, & there buried with all solemne funerals. The Scotish writers affirme that he was slaine by his brother king Edward for the crueltie he had vsed in the west parts of Scotland, in sleaing such as for safegard of their liues fled into churches. Moreouer, in December there deceassed at S. Iohns towne aforesaid, Hugh de Fresnes, that in right of the countesse of Lincolne was intituled earle of Lincolne. He died of the flix, or (as was said) through excessiue cold, which in those quarters in that cold time of the yeare sore afflicted the English people. ¶ In the meane time, about the feast of saint Luke the euangelist, the king went with an armie into Scotland toward the castell of Bothuille, and comming thither repared the same, which by the Scots had latelie before béene destroied. The baron Stafford at the same time comming towards the king with a power of men, took Dowglas Dale in his waie, taking in the same a great preie of cattell and other things. [Sidenote: A statute ordeined by the Scots in fauour of the K. of England.] [Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: Townes fortified by king Edward in Scotland.] Before Christmasse the king returned into England, but the king of Scots remained all the winter in saint Iohns towne with a sober companie. When the king had setled the state of Scotland vnder the gouernement of the Balioll, those Scotishmen which tooke part with the Balioll, ordeined as it were in recompense of king Edwards friendship a statute, whereby they bound themselues to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England, that they should aid and assist him against all other princes: and whensoeuer it chanced that either he or any king of England being rightfull inheritor, had any wars against any prince, either within the land or without, the Scotishmen of their owne proper costs and expenses should find thrée hundred horssemen, & a thousand footmen well and sufficientlie arraied for the warre, the which thirtéene hundred men the Scots should wage for a whole yeare: & if the king of England ended not his warres within the yeare, then he to giue wages to the said number of thirtéene hundred Scots, as he dooth to other of his souldiers and men of warre. There be that write, that the king of England should not onelie fortifie saint Iohns towne about this time, as before is mentioned, but also saint Andrews, Cowper, Aberdine, Dunfermeling, with certeine other castels, leauing garisons of men in the same. But for so much as ye may read sufficientlie of those troubles, in Scotland; and of the returne of king Dauid foorth of France, and how his realme was recouered out of the Baliols hands in the Scotish chronicles: we néed not here to make anie long discourse thereof.