Imprisonment of John of Lorn
The presence of the king in the Western Isles was soon followed by the submission of all the little pirate chiefs who had given him disturbance, and by the capture and imprisonment of John of Lorn, who, since his defeat at Cruachin Ben, had been constantly in the pay of Edward, with the proud title of Admiral of the Western fleet of England.This island prince was first committed to Dumbarton castle, and afterwards shut up in the castle of Lochleven, where he died. J After the termination of his peaceful maritime campaign, the king indulged himself and his friends in the diversion of the chase; whilst, at home, his army, under Douglas, continued to insult and plunder the English Border counties.ยง On his return from the Western Isles, Bruce undertook the siege of Carlisle; but, after having assaulted it for ten days, he was compelled, by the strength of the works and the spirit of its townsmen and garrison, to draw off his troops. Berwick, too, was threatened from the side next the sea by the Scottish ships, which attempted to steal up the river unperceived by the enemy, but were discovered, and bravely repulsed.
Against these reiterated insults, Edward, unable from his extreme unpopularity to raise an army, contented himself with querulous complaints, and with some ineffectual advances towards a reconciliation which as yet was far distant.