=16. Pacification of Berwick.=--While Montrose had been thus busy for the Covenant in the North, the King had been making ready to put down his rebellious Scottish subjects with the sword. Early in _May_ a fleet entered the _Forth_ under the command of _Hamilton_. But the Tables took possession of the strongholds, and seized the ammunition which had been laid in for the King. They then raised another army of twenty-two thousand foot and one thousand two hundred horse, and placed at its head _Alexander Leslie_, a veteran, trained in the _German_ war. Their army they sent southwards to meet the English host which the King was bringing to reduce Scotland. The two armies faced each other on opposite banks of the Tweed. The Scots were skilfully posted on _Dunse Law_, a hill commanding the _Northern road_. To pass them without fighting was impossible, and to fight would have been almost certain defeat. The King seeing this agreed to treat. By a treaty called the "_Pacification of Berwick_," it was settled that the questions at issue between the King and the Covenanters should be put to a free Assembly, that both armies should be disbanded, and that the strongholds should be restored to the King. June 9, 1639. =17. Assembly and Parliament.=--The Assembly which met at Edinburgh repeated and approved all that had been done at _Glasgow_. When the Estates met for the first time in the New Parliament-house, June 2, 1640, they went still further, for they not only confirmed the Acts of the Assemblies, but ordered everyone to sign the Covenant under pain of civil penalties. Now for the first time they acted in open defiance of the King, to whom hitherto they had professed the greatest loyalty and submission. Three times had they been adjourned by the King, who had also refused to see the Commissioners whom they sent up to London. Now they met in spite of him, and, as in former times of troubles and difficulties, they appealed to _France_ for help. When this intrigue with the French was found out, the _Lord Loudon_, one of their Commissioners, was sent to the _Tower_, and the English parliament was summoned to vote supplies for putting down the Scots by force of arms. But by this time the English were beginning to see that the cause of the Scots was the cause of freedom. There was much difficulty in raising an army to march against them, and when raised it was discontented and mutinous. =18. Invasion of England.=--As for the Scots they mustered stronger than before, and, on August 20, 1640, they crossed the _Tweed_, and entered _England_. At _Newburn_ they defeated a body of English, and crossing the _Tyne_, marched on to _Newcastle_, which yielded to them without offering resistance. They then took _Durham_, _Tynemouth_, and _Shields_ without a struggle. Meanwhile news came from Scotland that the two great strongholds of the East and of the West, _Edinburgh_ and _Dunbarton_, had again fallen into their hands.