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Ayr had invited the greater part of the Scottish no- ! Warren hesitated, for he was a skilful soldier, and bility and gentry in the western parts, to meet him he saw that to approach the Scottish army, his at some large buildings called the Barns of Ayr, for troops must pass over the long, narrow, wooden the purposes of friendly conference upon the affairs bridge; so that those who should get over first, of the nation. But the English Earl entertained the might be attacked by Wallace with all his forces, treacherous purpose of putting the Scottish gentle- before those who remained behind could possibly men to death. The English soldiers had halters come to their assistance. He therefore inclined to with running nooses ready prepared, and hung upon delay the battle. But Cressingham, the Treasurer, the beams which supported the roof, and as the who was ignorant and presumptuous, insisted that it Scottish gentlemen were admitted by two and two was their duty to fight, and put an end to the war at at a time, the nooses were thrown over their heads, once; and Warren gave way to his opinion, although and they were pulled up by the necks, and thus Cressingham, being a churchman, could not be so hanged or strangled to death. Among those who good a judge of what was fitting as he himself, an were slain in this base and treacherous manner, was, experienced officer. it is said, Sir Ranald Crawford, Sheriff of the county of Ayr, and uncle to William Wallace.

When Wallace heard of what had befallen, he was dreadfully enraged, and collecting his men in a wood near to the town of Ayr, he resolved to be revenged on the authors of this great crime. The English in the mean while made much feasting, and when they had eaten and drank plentifully, they lay down to sleep in the same large barns in which they had murdered the Scottish gentlemen. But Wallace, learning that they kept no guard or watch, not suspecting there were any enemies so near them, directed a woman who knew the place, to mark with chalk the doors of the lodgings where the Englishmen lay. Then he sent a party of men, who, with strong ropes, made all the doors so fast on the outside, that those within could not open them. On the outside the Scots had prepared heaps of straw, to which they set fire, and the Barns of Ayr, being themselves made of wood, were soon burning in a bright flame. Then the English were awakened, and endeavoured to get out to save their lives. But the doors, as I told you, were secured on the outside, and bound fast with ropes; and, besides, the blazing houses were surrounded by the Scotch, who forced those who got out to run back into the fire, or else put them to death on the spot; and thus, great numbers perished miserably. Many of the English were lodged in a convent, but they had no better fortune than the others; for the Prior, as he was called, of the convent, caused all the friars to arm themselves, and attacking their English guests they put most of them to the sword. This was called the Friar of Ayr's Blessing. We cannot tell if this story of the Barns of Ayr be exactly true; but it is probable there is some foundation for it, as it is universally believed in that country.

The English army began to cross the bridge, Cressingham leading the van, or foremost division of the army: for, in those military days, even clergymen wore armour and fought in battle. The danger took place which Warren had foreseen. Wallace suffered a considerable part of the English army to pass the bridge, without offering any opposition; but when about one half were over, and the bridge was crowded with those who were following, he charged them who had crossed with his whole army, slew a very great number, and drove the rest into the river Forth, where the greater part were drowned. The rest of the English, who remained on the southern bank of the river, fled in great confusion, having first set fire to the wooden bridge, that the Scots might not pursue them. Cressingham was killed in the very beginning of the battle, and the Scots detested him so much, that they flayed the skin from his dead body, and kept pieces of it, in memory of the revenge they had taken upon the English Treasurer. Some say they made saddle-girths of this same skin, a purpose for which I do not think it could be very fit. It must be owned to have been a dishonourable thing of the Scots to insult the dead body of their enemy, and shows that they must have been then a ferocious and barbarous people.

The remains of Warren's great army fled out of Scotland after this defeat; and the Scots taking arms on all sides, attacked the castles in which the English soldiers continued to shelter themselves, and took most of them by force or stratagem. Many Wonderful stories are told of Wallace's exploits on these occasions; some of which are no doubt true, while others are either invented, or very much exaggerated. It seems certain, however, that he defeated the English in several combats, chased them almost Thus Wallace's party daily grew stronger and entirely out of Scotland, regained the towns and stronger, and many of the Scottish nobles joined castles of which they had possessed themselves, and with him. Amongst those was Sir William Doug- recovered for a time the complete freedom of the las, the Lord of Douglasdale, and the head of a great country. He even marched into England, and laid family often mentioned in Scottish history. There Cumberland and Northumberland waste, where the was also Sir John the Grahame, who became Wal- Scottish soldiers, in revenge for the mischief which lace's bosom friend and greatest confidant. Many the English had done in their country, committed of these great noblemen, however, deserted the cause great cruelties. Wallace did not approve of their of the country on the approach of the Earl of Surrey, killing the people who were not in arms, and he the English governor, at the head of a numerous and endeavoured to protect the clergymen and others, well-appointed army. They thought that Wallace who were not able to defend themselves. "Remain would be unable to withstand the attack of so many with me," he said to the priests of Hexham, a large disciplined soldiers, and hastened to submit them-town in Northumberland, "for I cannot protect you selves to the English, for fear of losing their estates. from my soldiers when you are out of my presence.' Wallace, however, remained undismayed, and at the head of a considerable army. He had taken up his camp upon the northern side of the river Forth, near the town of Stirling. The river was there crossed by a long wooden bridge, about a mile above the spot where the present bridge is situated.

The English general approached the banks of the river on the southern side. He sent two clergymen to offer a pardon to Wallace and his followers, on condition that they would lay down their arms. But such was not the purpose of the high-minded champion of Scotland.

"Go back to the Earl of Warren," said Wallace, "and tell him we value not the pardon of the King of England. We are not here for the purpose of treating of peace, but of abiding battle, and restoring freedom to our country. Let the English come on; -we defy them to their very beards!""

The English, upon hearing this haughty answer, called loudly to be led to the attack. The Earl of

The troops who followed Wallace received no pay, because he had no money to give them; and that was one great reason why he could not keep them under restraint, or prevent their doing much harm to the defenceless country people, He remained in England more than three weeks, and did a great deal of mischief to the country.

Edward I. was in Flanders when all these events took place. You may suppose he was very angry when he learned that Scotland, which he thought completely subdued, had risen into a great insurrection against him, defeated his armies, killed his Treasurer, chased his soldiers out of their country, and invaded England with a great force. He came back from Flanders in a great rage, and determined not to leave Scotland till he had finally conquered that kingdom; so he assembled a very fine army, and marched into Scotland.

In the mean time the Scots prepared to defend themselves, and chose Wallace to be Governor or

The spearmen of the Scottish army being thus thrown into some degree of confusion, by the loss of those who were slain by the arrows of the English, the heavy cavalry of Edward again charged, and broke through the ranks, which were already disordered. Sir John Grahame, Wallace's great friend and companion, was slain, with many other brave soldiers; and the Scots, having lost a very great number of men, were at length obliged to take to flight. This fatal battle was fought upon 22d July, 1298. Sir John the Grahame lies buried in the churchyard of Falkirk. A tombstone was laid over him which has been three times renewed since his death. The inscription bears, That Sir John the Grahame, equally remarkable for wisdom and courage, and the faithful friend of Wallace, being slain in battle by the English, lies buried in this place." A large oak tree in the adjoining forest was long shown as the spot where Wallace slept before the battle, or, as others said, in which he hid himself after the defeat. Nearly forty years ago, Grandpapa saw some of its roots; but the body of the tree was even then entirely decayed, and there is not now, and has not been for many years, the least vestige of it to be seen.

Protector of the kingdom, because they had no king | numbers around him. Their bodies were afterwards at the time. He was now titled Sir William Wallace, distinguished among the slain, as being the tallest Protector or Governor of the Scottish nation. But and handsomest men of the army. although Wallace, as we have seen, was the best soldier and bravest man in Scotland, and therefore the most fit to be placed in command at this critical period, when the King of England was coming against them with such great forces, yet the nobles of Scotland envied him this important situation, because he was not a man born in high rank, or enjoying a large estate. So great was their jealousy of Sir William Wallace, that they did not seem very willing to bring forward their forces, or fight against the English, because they would not have him to be general. This was base and mean conduct, and it was attended with great disasters to Scotland. Yet, notwithstanding this unwillingness of the great nobility to support him, Wallace assembled a large army; for the middling, but especially the lower classes, were very much attached to him.. He marched boldly against the King of England, and met him near the town of Falkirk. Most of his army were on foot, because, as I already told you, in those days only the nobility and great men of Scotland fought on horseback. The English King, on the contrary, had a very large body of the finest cavalry in the world, Normans and English, all armed in complete armour. He had also the celebrated archers of England, who were said to carry twelve Scotsmen's lives under their girdles; because they carried each of them twelve arrows stuck into their belt, and they were expected to kill a man with

every arrow.

The Scotch had some good archers from the Forest of Ettrick, who fought under command of Sir John Stewart of Bonkill; but they were not nearly equal in number to the English. Far the greater part of the Scottish army were on foot, armed with long spears; they were placed thick and close together, and laid all their spears so close, point over point, that it seemed as difficult to break through them, as through the wall of a strong castle. When the two armies were drawn up facing each other, Wallace said to his soldiers, "I have brought you to the ring, let me see how you can dance;" meaning, I have brought you to the decisive field of battle, let me see how bravely you can fight.

After this fatal defeat at Falkirk, Sir William Wallace seems to have resigned his office of Governor of Scotland. Several nobles were named guardians in his place, and continued to make resistance, to the English armies; and they gained some advantages, particularly near Roslin, where a body of Scots, commanded by John Comyn of Badenoch, who was one of the Guardians of the kingdom, and a distinguished commander, called Simon Fraser, defeated three armies, or detachments, of English in one day.

Nevertheless, the king of England possessed so much wealth, and so many means of raising soldiers, that he sent army after army into the poor oppressed country of Scotland, and obliged all its nobles and great men, one after another to submit themselves once more to his yoke. Sir William Wallace alone, or with a very small band of followers, refused either to acknowledge the usurper Edward, or to lay down his arms. He continued to mainThe English made the attack. King Edward, tain himself among the woods and mountains of his though he saw the close ranks, and undaunted ap-native country for no less than seven years after his pearance of the Scottish infantry, resolved neverthe- defeat at Falkirk, and for more than one year after less to try whether he could not ride them down all the other defenders of Scottish liberty had laid with his fine cavalry. Accordingly, he gave his down their arms. Many proclamations were sent horsemen orders to advance. They charged accord-out against him by the English, and a great reward ingly at the full gallop. It must have been a terri- was set upon his head; for Edward did not think ble thing to have seen these fine horses riding as he could have any sure possession of his usurped hard as they could against the long lances, which kingdom of Scotland while Wallace lived. At length were held out by the Scots to keep them back; and he was taken prisoner; and shame it is to say, a there was a dreadful cry arose when they came Scotchman, called Sir John Menteith, was the peragainst each other. However, the Scots stood their son by whom he was seized and delivered to the ground, with their long spears; many of the foremost English. It is generally said that he was made priof the English horses were thrown down, and the soner at Robroyston, near Glasgow; and the trariders were killed as they lay rolling, unable to rise, dition of the country bears, that the signal made for owing to the weight of their heavy armour. But the rushing upon him and taking him at unawares, was, Scottish horse did not come to the assistance of their when one of his pretended friends, who betrayed infantry, but fled away from the battle. It is sup- him, should turn a loaf, which was placed on the posed that this was owing to the treachery or ill-will table, with its bottom or flat side uppermost. And of the nobility, who were jealous of Wallace. But it in after times it was reckoned ill-breeding to turn a must be considered that the Scotch cavalry were loaf in that manner, if there was a person named very few in number; and that they had much worse Menteith in company; since it was as much as to arms, and weaker horses, than their enemies. The remind him that his namesake had betrayed Sir WilEnglish cavalry attempted again and again to dis- liam Wallace, the Champion of Scotland. perse the deep and solid ranks in which Wallace had stationed his foot soldiers. But they were repeatedly beaten off with loss, nor could they make their way through that wood of spears as it is called by one of the English historians, King Edward then commanded his archers to advance; and these approaching within arrow-shot of the Scottish ranks, poured on them such close and dreadful volleys of arrows, that it was impossible to sustain them. It happened at the same time, that Sir John Stewart was killed by a fall from his horse; and the archers of Ettrick Forest, whom he was bringing forward to oppose those of King Edward, were killed in great

Whether Sir John Menteith was actually the person by whom Wallace was betrayed is not perfectly certain. He was, however, the individual by whom the patriot was made prisoner, and delivered up to the English, for which his name and his memory have been long loaded with disgrace.

Edward having thus obtained possession of the person whom he considered as the greatest obstacle to his complete conquest of Scotland, resolved to make Wallace an example to all Scottish patriots who should in future venture to oppose his ambitious projects. He caused Wallace to be brought to trial in Westminster-hall, before the English judges,

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and produced him there, crowned, in mockery, with
a green garland, because they said he had been king
of out-laws and robbers among the Scottish woods.
He was accused of having been a traitor to the Eng-
lish crown; to which he answered, "I could not be
a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject."
He was then accused of having killed many men,
and done much evil. He replied, with the same
calm resolution, that it was true, he had killed
very many Englishmen, but it was because they had
come to subdue and oppress his native country of
Scotland; and far from repenting what he had done,
he declared he was only sorry that he had not put
to death many more of them."
Notwithstanding that Wallace's defence was a good
one, both in law and in common sense, (for surely
every one has not only a right to fight in defence of
his native country, but is bound in duty to do so,)
the English Judges condemned him to be executed.
So this brave patriot was dragged upon a sledge to
the place of execution, where his head was struck
off, and his body divided into four quarters, which,
according to the cruel custom of the time, were ex-
posed upon pikes of iron upon London Bridge, and
were termed the limbs of a traitor.

No doubt King Edward thought that by exercising this great severity towards so distinguished a patriot as Sir William Wallace, he would terrify all the Scots into obedience, and so be able in future to reign over their country without resistance. But though Edward was a powerful, a brave, and a wise king, and though he took the most cautious, as well as the most strict measures, to preserve the obedience of Scotland, yet his claim, being founded in injustice and usurpation, was not permitted by Providence to be established in security or peace. Sir William Wallace, that immortal supporter of the independence of his country, was no sooner deprived of his life in the cruel and unjust manner I have told you, than other patriots arose to assert the cause of Scottish liberty.

CHAPTER VI.

Of the Rise of Robert the Bruce.

I HOPE, my dear child, that you have not forgotten that all the cruel wars in Scotland arose out of the debate between the great lords who claimed the throne after King Alexander the Third's death, which induced the Scottish nobility rashly to submit the decision of that matter to King Edward of England, and thus open the way to his endeavouring to seize the kingdom of Scotland to himself. You recollect, also, that he had dethroned John Baliol, on account of his attempting to restore the independence of Scotland; and that John Baliol had resigned the crown of Scotland into the hands of Edward as Lord Paramount. This John Baliol, therefore, was very little respected in Scotland; he had renounced the kingdom, and had been absent from it for fifteen years, during the greater part of which time he remained a prisoner in the hands of the King of England.

It was therefore natural that such of the people of Scotland as were still determined to fight for the freedom of their country from the English yoke, should look around for some other king, under whom they might unite themselves, to combat the power of England. The feeling was universal in Scotland, that they would not any longer endure the English government; and therefore such great Scottish nobles as believed they had a right to the crown, began to think of standing forward to claim it.

Amongst these, the principal candidates, (supposing John Baliol, by his renunciation and captivity, to have lost all right to the kingdom,) were two powerful noblemen. The first was Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, the grandson of that elder Robert Bruce, who, as you have heard, disputed the throne with John Baliol. The other was John Comyn, or Cuming, of Badenoch, usually called the Red Comyn, to distinguish him from his kinsman, the Black Comyn,

so named from his swarthy complexion. These two great and powerful barons had taken part with Sir William Wallace in the wars against England; but, after the defeat of Falkirk, being fearful of losing their great estates, and considering the freedom of Scotland as beyond the possibility of being recovered, both Bruce and Comyn had not only submitted themselves to Edward, and acknowledged his title as King of Scotland, but even borne arms, along with the English, against such of their countrynien as still continued to resist the usurper. But the feelings of Bruce concerning the baseness of this conduct, are said, by the old tradition of Scotland, to have been awakened by the following accident. In one of the numerous battles, or skirmishes, which took place at the time between the English and their adherents on the one side, and the insurgent or patriotic Scottish upon the other, Robert the Bruce was present, and assisted the English to gain the victory. After the battle was over, he sat down to his dinner without washing his hands, on which there were spots of blood, which he had shed during the action. The English lords observing this, whispered to each other in mockery, "Look at that Scotsman, who is eating his own blood!" Bruce heard what they said, and began to reflect, that the blood upon his hands might be indeed called his own, since it was that of his brave countrymen, who were fighting for the independence of Scotland, whilst he was assisting its oppressors, who only laughed at and mocked him for his unnatural conduct. He was so much shocked and disgusted, that he arose from table, and going into a neighbouring chapel, shed many tears, and, asking pardon of God for the great crime he had been guilty of, made a solemn vow that he would atone for it, by doing all in his power to deliver Scotland from the foreign yoke. Accordingly, he left, it is said, the English army, and never joined them again, but remained watching an opportunity for restoring the freedom of his country.

Now, this Robert the Bruce was a remarkably brave and strong man: there was no man in Scotland that was thought a match for him except Sir William Wallace; and now that Wallace was dead, Bruce was held the best warrior in Scotland. He was very wise and prudent, and an excellent general; that is, he knew how to conduct an army, and place them in order for battle, as well or better than any great man of his time. He was generous, too, and courteous by nature; but he had some faults, which perhaps belonged as much to the fierce period in which he lived as to his own character. He was rash and passionate, and in his passion, he was sometimes relentless and cruel.

Robert the Bruce had fixed his purpose, as I told you, to attempt once again to drive the English out of Scotland, and he desired to prevail upon Sir John, the Red Comyn, who was his rival in his pretensions to the throne, to join with him in expelling the foreign enemy by their common efforts. With this purpose, Bruce posted down from London to Dumfries, on the borders of Scotland, and requested an interview with John Comyn. They met in the church of the Minorites in that town, before the high altar. What passed betwixt them is not known with certainty; but they quarrelled, either concerning their mutual pretensions to the crown, or because Comyn refused to join Bruce in the proposed insurrection against the English; or, as many writers say, because Bruce charged Comyn with having betrayed to the English his purpose of rising up against King Edward. It is, however, certain, that they came to high and abusive words, until at length Bruce, who I told you was extremely passionate, forgot the sacred character of the place in which they stood, and struck Comyn a blow with his dagger. Having done this rash deed, he instantly ran out of the church and called for his horse. Two gentlemen of the country, Lindesay and Kirkpatrick, friends of Bruce, were then in attendance on him. Seeing him pale, bloody, and in much agitation, they eagerly inquired what was the matter.

"I doubt," said Bruce, "that I have slain the Red Comyn."

"Do you leave such a matter to doubt ?" said

SCOTTISH HISTORY.

Kirkpatrick. "I will make sicker"-that is, I will
Accordingly, he and his companion Lindesay,
rushing into the church, despatched the wounded
Comyn with their daggers. His uncle, Sir Robert
Comyn, was slain at the same time.

The slaughter of Comyn was a cruel action; and
the historian of Bruce observes, that it was fol-
lowed by the displeasure of Heaven; for no man
ever went through more misfortunes than Robert
Bruce, although he at length rose to great honour.
After the slaughter of Comyn, Bruce might be
called desperate. He had committed an action
which was sure to bring down upon him the ven-
geance of all Comyn's relations, the resentment of
the King of England, and the displeasure of the
Church, on account of having slain his enemy within
consecrated ground. He determined, therefore, to
bid them all defiance at once, and to assert his pre-
tensions to the throne of Scotland. He drew his own
followers together, summoned to meet him such
barons as still entertained hopes of the freedom of
the country, and was crowned King at the Abbey of
Scone, the usual place where the Kings of Scotland
assumed their authority.

Every thing relating to the ceremony was hastily performed. A small circlet of gold was hurriedly made, to represent the ancient crown of Scotland, which Edward had carried off to England. The Earl of Fife, descendant of the brave Macduff, whose duty it was to have placed the crown on the King's head, would not give his attendance. But the ceremonial was performed by his sister, Isabella, Countess of Buchan, though without the consent either of her brother or husband. A few barons, whose names ought to be dear to their country, joined Bruce in his attempt to vindicate the independence of Scotland.

Edward was dreadfully incensed when he heard
that, after all the pains which he had taken, and all
the blood which had been spilled, the Scots were
making this new attempt to shake off his authority.
Though now old, feeble, and sickly, he made a
solemn vow, at a great festival, in presence of all
his court, that he would take the most ample ven-
geance upon Robert the Bruce and his adherents;
after which he would never again draw his sword
upon a Christian, but would only fight against the
unbelieving Saracens for the recovery of the Holy
Land. He marched against Bruce accordingly, at
the head of a powerful army.

The commencement of Bruce's undertaking was
most disastrous. He was crowned on 29th March,
1306. On the 18th May he was excommunicated by
the Pope, a sentence which excluded him from all
the benefits of religion, and authorized any one to
kill him. Finally, on the 19th June, the new King
was completely defeated near Methven by the Eng-
lish Earl of Pembroke. Robert's horse was killed
under him in the action, and he was for a moment a
prisoner. But he had fallen into the power of a
Scottish knight, who, though he served in the Eng-
lish army, did not choose to be the instrument of
putting Bruce into their hands, and allowed him to
escape. The conquerors executed their prisoners
with their usual cruelty. Among these were some
gallant young men of the first Scotch families-Hay,
ancestor of the earls of Errol, Somerville, Fraser,
and others, who were most mercilessly put to death.
Bruce, with a few brave adherents, among whom
was the young Lord of Douglas, who was after-
wards called the Good Lord James, retired into the
Highland mountains, where they were chased from
one place of refuge to another, placed in great dan-
ger, and underwent many hardships. The Bruce's
wife, now queen of Scotland, with several other
ladies, accompanied her husband and his few fol-
lowers during their wanderings. There was no
other way of providing for them save by hunting
and fishing. It was remarked, that Douglas was
the most active and successful in procuring for the
unfortunate ladies such supplies as his dexterity in
fishing or in killing deer could furnish to them.
Driven from one place in the Highlands to an-

but he found enemies every where. The M'Dou
other, Bruce attempted to force his way into Lorn,
gals, a powerful family, then called Lords of Lorn,
were friendly to the English, and putting their men
panions as soon as they attempted to enter their
in arms, attacked Bruce and his wandering com-
country. The chief of these, M'Dougals, called John
of Lorn, hated Bruce on account of his having slain
the Red Comyn in the church at Dumfries, to whom
defeated by this chief, through force of numbers, at a
this M'Dougal was nearly related. Bruce was again
place called Dalry; but he showed, amidst his mis-
fortunes, the greatness of his strength and courage.
He directed his men to retreat through a narrow
pass, and placing himself last of the party, he fought
with and slew such of the enemy as attempted to
press hard on them. Three followers of M'Dou-
gal, a father and two sons, called M'Androssor, all
very strong men, when they saw Bruce thus protect-
ing the retreat of his followers, made a vow that
they would either kill or make him prisoner. The
whole three rushed on the King at once. The King
was on horseback, in the strait pass we have de-
struck the first man who came up and seized his
scribed, betwixt a steep hill and a deep lake. He
bridle, such a blow with his sword as cut off his
hand and freed the bridle. The man bled to death.
The other brother had seized him in the mean time
by the leg, and was attempting to throw him from
horseback. The King, setting spurs to his horse,
made the animal suddenly spring forward, so that
the Highlander fell under the horse's feet, and, as he
was endeavouring to rise again, the King cleft his
head in two with his sword. The father, seeing his
two sons thus slain, flew at Robert Bruce, and
grasped him by the mantle so close to his body, that
But with the heavy pommel, or, as others say, with
he could not have room to wield his long sword.
an iron hammer which hung at his saddle-bow, the
King struck his third assailant so dreadful a blow,
that he dashed out his brains. Still, however, the
Highlander kept his dying grasp on the King's man-
tle, so that, to be free of the dead body, Bruce was
obliged to undo the brooch, or clasp, by which it was
fastened, and leave that and the mantle itself behind
him. The brooch, which fell thus into the possession
of M'Dougal of Lorn, is still preserved in that an-
cient family as a memorial that the celebrated Ro-
bert Bruce once narrowly escaped falling into the
this attack upon him; and when he was in happier
hands of their ancestor. Robert greatly resented
circumstances, did not fail to take his revenge on
The King met with many such encounters amidst
M'Dougal, or, as he is usually called, John of Lorn.
his dangerous and dismal wanderings; yet, though
almost always defeated by the numbers of the Eng-
lish, and of such Scots as sided with them, he still
kept up his own spirits and those of his followers.
He was a better scholar than was usual in those days,
when, except clergymen, few people learned to read
and write. But King Robert could do both very well;
and we are told, that he sometimes read aloud to his
companions to amuse them, when they were crossing
the great Highland lakes in such wretched leaky boats
as they could find for that purpose.

At last dangers increased so much around the brave
King Robert, that he was obliged to separate himself
from the ladies and his queen; for the winter was
coming on, and it would be impossible for the women
to endure this wandering sort of life when the frost
and snow should arrive. So he left his queen, with
the Countess of Buchan and others, the only castle
which remained to him, which was called Kildrum-
mie, and is situated near the head of the river Don in
Aberdeenshire. The King also left his youngest bro-
ther, Nigel Bruce, to defend the castle against the
English; and he himself, with his second brother Ed-
ward, who was a very brave man, but still more rash
and passionate than Robert himself, went over to an
island called Rachrin, on the coast of Ireland, where
Bruce and the few men that followed his fortunes
seemed to pursue all his friends in Scotland. The
passed the winter of 1306. In the mean time, ill luck
castle of Kildrummie was taken by the English, and

[graphic]

Nigel Bruce, a beautiful and brave youth, was cruelly put to death by the victors. The ladies who had attended on Robert's queen, as well as the queen herself, and the Countess of Buchan, were thrown into strict confinement, and treated with the utmost severity. This news reached Bruce while he was residing in a miserable dwelling at Rachrin, and reduced him to the point of despair.

It was probably about this time that an incident took place, which, although it rests only on tradition in the families of the name of Bruce, is rendered probable by the manners of the times. After receiving the last unpleasing intelligence from Scotland, Bruce was lying one morning on his wretched bed, and deliberating with himself whether he had not better resign all thoughts of again attempting to make good his right to the Scottish crown, and, dismissing his followers, transport himself and his brothers to the Holy Land, and spend the rest of his life in fighting against the Saracens; by which he thought perhaps he might deserve the forgiveness of Heaven for the great sin of stabbing Comyn in the church at Dum

fries.

But then, on the other hand, he thought it would be both criminal and cowardly to give up his attempts to restore freedom to Scotland, while there yet remained the least chance of his being successful in an undertaking, which, rightly considered, was much more his duty than to drive the infidels out of Palestine, though the superstition of his age might think otherwise.

While he was divided betwixt these reflections, and doubtful of what he should do, Bruce was looking upward to the roof of the cabin in which he lay, and his eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end of a long thread of his own spinning, was endeavouring, as is the fashion of that creature, to swing himself from one beam in the roof to another, for the purpose of fixing the line on which he meant to stretch his web. The insect made the attempt again and again without success; and at length Bruce counted that it had tried to carry its point six times, and been as often unable to do so. It came into his head that he had himself fought just six battles against the English and their allies, and that the poor persevering spider was exactly the same situation with himself, having made as many trials, and been as often disappointed in what it aimed at. "Now," thought Bruce, as I have no means of knowing what is best to be done, I will be guided by the luck which shall attend this spider. If the insect shall make another effort to fix its thread, and shall be successful, I will venture a seventh time to try my fortune in Scotland; but if the spider shall fail, I will go to the wars in Palestine, and never return to my native country again.'

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his horn repeatedly. Now, the chief of the strangers who had taken the castle, was James Douglas, whom we have already mentioned as one of the best of Bruce's friends. When he heard Robert Bruce's horn, he knew the sound well, and cried out, that yonder was the King, he knew by his manner of blowing. So he and his companions hastened to meet King Robert, and there was great joy on both sides.

The Bruce was now within sight of Scotland, and not distant from his own family possessions, where the people were most likely to be attached to him. He began immediately to form plans with Douglas, how they might best renew their enterprise against the English. The Douglas resolved to go disguised to his own country, and raise his followers, in order to have revenge on an English nobleman called Lord Clifford, upon whom Edward had conferred his estates, and who had taken up his residence in the castle of Douglas.

Bruce, on his part, opened a communication with the opposite coast of Carrick, by means of one of his followers called Cuthbert. This person had directions, that if he should find the countrymen in Carrick disposed to take up arms against the English, he was to make a fire on a headland, or lofty cape, called Turnberry, opposite to the island of Arran. The appearance of this fire on this place was to be a signal to Bruce to put to sea with such men as he had, who were not more than three hundred in number, for the purpose of landing in Carrick and joining the in

surgents.

Bruce and his men watched eagerly for the signal, but for some time in vain. At length a fire on Turnberry head became visible, and the King and his followers merrily betook themselves to their ships and galleys, concluding their Carrick friends were all in arms and ready to join with them. They landed on the beach at midnight, where they found their spy Cuthbert alone in waiting for them, with very bad news. Lord Percy, he said, was in the country, with two or three hundred Englishmen, and had terrified the people so much, both by actions and threats, that none of them dared to think of rebelling against King Edward.

"Traitor!" said Bruce, "why, then, did you make the signal?"

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'Alas," replied Cuthbert, "the fire was not made by me, but by some other person, for what purpose I know not; but as soon as I saw it burning, I knew that you would come over, thinking it my signal, and therefore I came down to wait for you on the beach, to tell you how the matter stood."

Bruce, after some hesitation, determined that since he had been thus brought to the main land of Scotland, he would remain there, and take such adventure and fortune as Heaven should send him.

Accordingly, he began to skirmish with the English so successfully, as obliged the Lord Percy to quit Carrick. He then dispersed his men various adventures against the enemy, in which they were generally successful. But then, on the other hand, the King being left with small attendance, or sometimes almost alone, ran great risk of losing his life by treachery, or by open violence. Several of these incidents are very interesting. I will tell you some of them.

While Bruce was forming this resolution, the spider made another exertion with all the force it could muster, and fairly succeeded in fastening its thread on the beam which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. Bruce seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own fortune; and as he never before gained a victory, so he never afterwards sustained any considerable check or defeat. I have often met with people of the name of Bruce, so completely persuaded of the truth of this story, that they would not on any account kill a spider, because it was such an insect which had shown the example of perseverance, At one time, a near relation of Bruce's, in whom and given a signal of good luck, to their great name- he entirely confided, was induced by the bribes of the sake. English to attempt to put him to death. This vilHaving determined to renew his efforts to obtain lain, with his two sons, watched Bruce one mornpossession of Scotland, notwithstanding the small-ing, till he saw him separated from all his men, ness of the means which he had for accomplishing so excepting a little boy, who waited on him as a page. great a purpose, the Bruce removed himself and his The father had a sword in his hand, one of the sons followers from Rachrin to the island of Arran, which had a sword and a spear, the other had a sword and lies in the mouth of the Clyde. The King landed, and a battle-axe. Now, when the King saw them so inquired at the first woman he met, what armed men well armed, when there were no enemies near, he were in the island. She returned for answer, that began to call to mind some hints which had been there had arrived there very lately a body of armed given to him, that these men intended to murder him. strangers, who had defeated an English officer, who He had no weapons excepting his sword; but his was governor of the Castle of Brathwick, had killed page had a bow and arrow. He took them both him and most of his men, and were now amusing from the little boy, and bade him stand at a distance; themselves with hunting about the island. The King "for," said the King, "if I overcome these traitors, having caused himself to be guided to the woods thou shalt have enough of weapons; but if I am which these strangers most frequented, there blew slain by them, you may make your escape, and tell

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