The Scots were too astute to offer battle.  While the English were employed at Berwick, Sir James Douglas led their main force into the heart of Yorkshire.  Douglas hoped to capture Queen Isabella, who was staying near York.  A spy betrayed this design to the English, and Isabella was hurried off by water to Nottingham, while Douglas pressed on into the heart of Yorkshire.  The Yorkshiremen had to defend their own shire while their best soldiers were with the king at Berwick.  A hastily gathered assembly of improvised warriors flocked into York.  Archbishop Melton put himself at their head, and the clergy, both secular and religious, formed a considerable element in the host.  Then they marched out against the Scots, and found them at Myton in Swaledale.  The Scots despised the disorderly mob of squires and farmers, priests and canons, monks and friars.  “These are not warriors,” they cried, “but huntsmen.  They will do nought against us.”  Concealing their movements by kindling great fires of hay, they bore down upon the Yorkshiremen and put them to flight with much loss.  The fight was called “the white battle of Myton” on account of the large number of white-robed monks who took part in it The archbishop escaped with the utmost difficulty.  Many fugitives were drowned in the Swale, and not one would have escaped had not night stopped the Scots’ pursuit.  The victors then pushed as far south as Pontefract.  On the news of the battle, the besiegers of Berwick were dismayed.  There was talk of dividing the army, and sending one part to drive Douglas out of Yorkshire while the other continued the siege.  But the magnates, in no mood to run risks, insisted on an immediate return to England.  Before Edward had reached Yorkshire, Douglas had made his way home over Stainmoor and Gilsland.  Thereupon the king sent back his troops, each man to his own house.  The magnificent army had accomplished nothing at all.  So inglorious a termination of the campaign naturally gave rise to suspicions of treason.  A story was spread abroad that Lancaster had received L4,000 from the King of Scots and had consequently done his best to help his ally.  The rumour was so seriously believed that the earl offered to purge himself by ordeal of hot iron.  In despair Edward made a two years’ truce with the Scots.  It was the best way of avoiding another Bannockburn.

Troublous times soon began again.  Since Edward surrendered himself to the guidance of Pembroke and Badlesmere, he had enjoyed comparative repose and dignity.  It was only when a great enterprise, like the Scots campaign, was attempted that the evil results of anarchy and the still-abiding influence of Lancaster made themselves felt.  But Edward bore no love to Pembroke and his associates, and was quietly feeling his way towards the re-establishment of the court party.  His chief helpers in this work were the two Despensers, father and son, both named Hugh.  The elder Despenser, then nearly sixty