Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough Voume 2. [Before 11 Sep 1297]. Our men, thus provoked and unwilling to endure such things any longer, marched armed to the town of Stirling. There, the Steward of Scotland, the Earl of Lennox, and certain other magnates of Scotland came and requested that our forces hold off a little longer, to see if they might somehow pacify their people and the Scots. This was granted to them, and after returning again, on the 10th of September, they answered plainly that they could not justify them. However, they promised that they would come to our aid the next day with sixty armed horsemen. Believing them, we let them go.

Nostri vero sic irritati, cum nollent talia ulterius sustinere, processerunt armati ad villam de Strivelyn; ubi senescallus Scotie, et comes de Leuenax, et quidam alii magnatum Scotiæ venientes rogaverunt nostros ut adhuc sustinerent per modicum, si forte suos et populum Scotorum pacificare possent quoquomodo. Quod cum eis esset concessum, iterato venientes, quarto scilicet idus Septembris, responderunt pracise quod eos justificare non poterant, promittentes tamen quod in auxilium nostrorum venirent die crastina cum 'LX.'¹ equis armatis. Credideruntque eis, et dimiserunt eos.

Note 1. 'XL^a.' MS. Cott. Tib.

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough Voume 2. [11 Sep 1297]. In the initial clash between our forces and the Scots, the Steward of Scotland and the Earl of Lennox, who had come in peace before, upon seeing our men fall, immediately withdrew to their own forces who were hiding in the woods near the poles. Witnessing the outcome of this wicked event, they came out to meet our men and killed many, especially those who were fleeing, at the poles, taking away numerous spoils and heavily laden carts. The carts and wagons could not be easily removed by those fleeing, due to the lakes and marshes. Our earl, who remained beyond the bridge, ordered that the bridge be broken and burned after Sir Marmaduke (age 40) and his men had returned. He entrusted the custody of the castle at Stirling to Sir Marmaduke, promising him faithfully that within the first ten weeks he would come to his aid with a strong force. However, he did not fulfill his promise.

In primo congressu nostrorum cum Scotis, senescallus Scotiæ et comes de Levenax, qui prius pacifice venerant, cum vidissent nostros corruisse confestim recesserunt ad suos qui in silvis latitabant juxta polles qui nefandæ rei videntes eventum, egressi sunt obviam nostris, et multos particulariter fugientes peremerunt ibidem ad polles, asportantes spolia multa et quadrigas onustas abducentes; non enim poterant quadrigæ vel summarii a fugientibus abduci de facili in lacubus et mariscis. Comes vero noster citra pontem semper existens, reverso domino Marmeduco cum suis, præcepit pontem frangi et comburi, et commissa custodia ejusdem castri de Stryvelyn prædicto domino Marmeduco, promisit ei fideliter data fide quod infra primas decem ebdomadas veniret in ejus auxilium cum manu forti; non tamen adimplevit quod promisit.