Sir William Oliphant fought at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296, where the Scots, under their king John Balliol, were defeated by the invading English.
[2] He was freed on 8 September 1297 and with his fellow prisoner John of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl returned to Scotland to serve in King Edward I's army.
[6] A six-week siege by Robert the Bruce had little effect so the Scots withdrew in open sight of the English garrison.
Little more than a week later after nightfall, the Scots crossed the Lade, Perth's moat at the time, and climbed the wall.
[8] Since Oliphant was not executed but was sent in chains to the western Isles,[2][7] where he apparently died a prisoner there is some reason to think Barbour was correct.