heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

360 THE HERALDRY OF YORK MINSTER.
he remained until the October following. The Scotch crossed the Tweed
on August 6th, and the King having issued writs for 4,000 men, and
sealed letters patent for 8,800 marks in vain, and thus having neither
men nor money to repel them, again summoned the parliament at York,
which met and sat from September gth to 27th, Aymer de Valence
presiding ; Edward avoiding the disgrace of meeting them by the plea
of urgent business.
In 1318, Edward again held his parliament in York, which sat for
fifty-two days, on the same subject, viz., the intolerable aggression of the
Scotch, which resulted in 5,000 footmen being sent against them, and
an act being passed, long quoted as "the statute of York/' containing
important clauses for the due administration of justice.
In 1319, the parliament again assembled here, and sat twenty-one
days, eventually granting subsidies for carrying on the Scottish war; and
Edward, rousing himself to make a great effort, besieged Berwick, already
invested by the Earl of Lancaster, without success. But while so engaged
Randolph and Douglas made a diversion into England, ravaged the
country as far as York, and utterly destroyed the ill-disciplined rabble
brought against them by Archbishop William de Melton, and the mayor
Nicholas Fleming, at Myton ; after which Edward was glad to agree to
a peace for two years.
On the aoth of January following, he again called together his parliament
at York on the same subject, and on the vexed question of homage
for Guienne; and on May 2nd, 1322, they met here again
for the last
time in his reign, when the sentences on the Despencers were reversed,
and, subsidies being granted, another great English army advanced to the
north, but only to retreat for fear of starvation, for the Scots simply
repeated their previous policy and left them unattacked, and a truce was
concluded for thirteen years. In 1323 Edward recalled Baliol to reside
at court, when Bruce, with Douglas and Randolph, at once invaded the
borders; defeated Edward at Byland Abbey, near York, and repeated their
former tactics with more or less success until 1328, when the treaty of
Northampton was concluded, by which the independence of Scotland was
acknowledged, and Bruce recognized as king.
In 1332 both Robert Bruce and Edward II. were dead; and Baliol
taking advantage of the minority
of David Bruce and the discontent
existing therefrom, snatched at the throne, and, supported by a body of
disaffected nobles, defeated the King's army near Perth, and was crowned
at Scone, while David fled helplessly to France. On his acknowledging
the suzerainty of Edward III., however, Baliol was at once driven by the
Scots from his kingdom. Upon which Edward III. at once advanced to
the north, and called together his parliament, at York, in December, 1332.