Eighty-seven of the most illustrious vassals of the Crown of England, with their retainers, were in this array, including knights of Bretagne, Lorraine, and renegades of Scotland, among whom we find Alexander de Baliol, brother to the King of Scots, Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, and his son, Sir Simon Frazer, Henry de Graham, and Richard Siward. This formidable and splendid assemblage of feudal power, which completely filled the road from Newcastle, halted about nine miles south of Dumfries, for the purpose of besieging the Castle of Carlaverock, a stronghold belonging to Herbert Maxwell, chief of a powerful border clan of that name, and who had refused to surrender to a summons which Edward had sent forward. The siege of this place has been passed over, or very slightly noticed, by the historians of both countries. Langtoft merely says-- “A pouere hamlete toke, The Castelle Karelauerok,”-- passing over, in this brief manner, a siege which not only engaged the attention of the King, but also interrupted the progress of his whole army. The account which is given by Walter of Exeter, is not only valuable from its being the only well-authenticated description extant, by an eye-witness of the leaguer of any of the Scottish fastnesses during this period, but also from its being extremely interesting, by the minuteness of its details, and the graphic manner in which the author has pourtrayed the appearance and demeanour of the combatants. It would be doing the reader injustice to present it to him otherwise than in the nervous, elegant, and appropriate language of the accomplished translator. “Carlaverock was so strong a castle, that it did not fear a siege, therefore the King came himself, because it would not consent to surrender. But it was always furnished for its defence, whenever it was required, with men, engines, and provisions. Its shape was like that of a shield; for it had only three sides all round, with a tower in each angle; but one of them was a double one, so high, so long, and so large, that under it was the gate, with a draw-bridge, well made and strong, and a sufficiency of other defences. It had good walls, and good ditches filled to the edge with water; and I believe there never was seen a castle more beautifully situated; for at once could be seen the Irish sea towards the west, and to the north a fine country, surrounded by an arm of the sea, so that no creature born could approach it on two sides, without putting himself in danger of the sea. “Towards the south it was not easy, because there were numerous dangerous defiles of wood, and marshes, and ditches, where the sea is on each side of it, and where the river reaches it; and therefore it was necessary for the host to approach it towards the east, where the hill slopes.