country of Liddesdale, within three or four miles of the English Border. This Sir William Douglas, called usually the Knight of Liddesdale, was a very brave man and a valiant soldier, but he was fierce, cruel, and treacherous, so that he did not keep up the reputation of his father the Good Lord James, as a man of loyalty and honour, although he resembled him in military talents. Besides these champions, all of whom declared against Baliol, there was Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell, who had married Christian, sister of Robert Bruce, and aunt of the young King David. He had so high a reputation that the Scottish Parliament appointed him Regent, in room of the Earl of Mar, slain at Dupplin. Edward III. of England now formally declared war against Scotland, proposing to support the cause of Baliol, to take possession of Berwick, which that pretended King had yielded up to him, and to chastise the Scots for what he called their rebellion. He placed himself at the head of a great army, and marched towards the frontier. the nominal King, the complete cession of great part of the southern counties, named governors of the castles and sheriffs of the counties, and exercised complete authority, as over a conquered country. Baliol, on his part, assumed once more the rule of the northern and western part of Scotland, which he was permitted to retain under the vassalage of the English monarch. It was the opinion of most people that the Scottish wars were ended, and that there no longer remained a man of that nation who had influence to raise an army, or skill to conduct one. CHAPTER XII. Siege of the Castle of Loch Leven-Battle of Kilblene-Siege of Dunbar Castle-Sir Andrew Murray-State of the CountryTournaments. THE English, a more powerful and richer nation, better able to furnish forth and maintain large armies, often gained great victories over the Scots; but, in In the mean time, the war had begun in a manner return, the Scots had a determined love of independmost unfavourable for Scotland. Sir Andrew Mur-ence, and hatred of foreign tyranny, which induced ray, and the Knight of Liddesdale, were both made prisoners in separate skirmishes with the English, and their loss at the time was of the worst consequence to Scotland. Archibald Douglas, the brother, as I have just said, of the Good Lord James, was hastily appointed Regent, in the room of Sir Andrew Murray, and advanced with a large army to relieve the town of Berwick, then closely besieged by Edward III. with all his host. The garrison made a determined defence, and the Regent endeavoured to relieve them by giving battle to the English, in which he showed more courage than military conduct. The Scottish army were drawn up on the side of an eminence called Halidon-hill, within two miles of Berwick. King Edward moved with his whole host to attack them. The battle, like that of Falkirk and many others, was decided by that formidable force, the archers of England. They were posted in a marshy ground, from which they discharged their arrows in the most tremendous and irresistible volleys against the Scots, who, drawn up on the slope of the hill, were fully exposed to this destructive discharge, without having the means of answering it. I have told you before, that these English archers were the best ever known in war. They were accustomed to the use of the bow from the time they were children of seven years old, when they were made to practise with a little bow suited to their size and strength, which was every year exchanged for one larger and stronger, till they were able to draw that of a full-grown man. Besides being thus familiarized with the weapon, the archers of England were taught to draw the bowstring to their right ear, while other European nations only drew it to their breast. If you try the difference of the posture, you will find that a much longer arrow can be drawn to the ear than to the breast, because the right hand has more room. While the Scots suffered under these practised and skilful archers, whose arrows fell like hail amongst them, throwing their ranks into disorder, and piercing the finest armour as if it had been pasteboard, they made desperate attempts to descend the hill and come to close combat. The Earl of Ross advanced to the charge, and had he been seconded by a sufficient body of the Scottish cavalry, he might have changed the fate of the day; but as this was not the case, the Earls of Ross, Sunderland, and Menteith were overpowered and slain, with all their followers, by the English cavalry, who advanced to protect the archers. The defeat of the Scots was then complete. A number of their best and bravest nobility were slain, and amongst them Archibald Douglas, the Regent very many were made prisoners. Berwick surrendered in consequence of the defeat, and Scotland seemed again to be completely conquered by the English. Edward once more overran the kingdom, seized and garrisoned castles, extorted from Edward Baliol, them always to maintain their resistance under the most unfavourable circumstances, and to regain, by slow, stubborn, and continued exertions, the losses which they sustained. Through the whole country of Scotland, only four castles and a small tower acknowledged the sovereignty of David Bruce, after the battle of Halidon; and it is wonderful to see how the patriots soon afterwards changed, by their efforts, that unfavourable and seemingly desperate state of things. In the several skirmishes and battles which were fought all over the kingdom, the Scots, knowing the country, and having the good will of the inhabitants, were generally successful, as also in surprising castles and forts, cutting off convoys of provisions which were going to the English, and destroying scattered parties of the enemy; so that, by a long and incessant course of fighting, the patriots gradually regained what they lost in great battles. I will tell you one or two of the incidents which befell during this bloody war. Loch Leven Castle, situated on an island upon a large lake, was one of the four which held out in name of David the Bruce, and would not submit to Edward Baliol. The governor was a loyal Scotsman, called Alan Vipont, assisted by Jacques or James Lamby. The castle was besieged by Sir John Stirling, a follower of Baliol, with an army of English. As the besiegers dared not approach the island with boats, Stirling fell on a singular device to oblige the garrison to surrender. There is a small river called the Leven, which runs out of the eastern extremity of the lake, or loch. Across this stream the besiegers reared a very strong and lofty mound, or barrier, so as to prevent the waters of the Leven from leaving the lake. They expected that the waters of the lake would rise in consequence of being thus confined, and that they would overflow the island, and oblige Vipont to surrender. But Vipont sending out at dead of night a small boat with four men, they made a breach in the mound, and the whole body of water breaking forth with incredible fury, swept away the tents, baggage, and troops of the besiegers, and nearly destroyed their army. The remains of the English mound are shown to this day, though some doubt has been expressed as to the truth of the incident. It is certain the English were obliged to raise the siege with loss. While these wars were proceeding with increased fury, the Knight of Liddesdale, and Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell, returned to Scotland, having been freed from their imprisonment, by paying a large ransom; the Earl of March also embraced the party of David Bruce. An equally brave champion was Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalwolsy, who, placing himself at the head of a brave troop of young Scotsmen, chose for his residence the large caves which are still to be seen in the glen of Roslin, from which he used to sally forth and fight with the Englishmen and their adherents. From this place of refuge he sometimes made excursions as far as Northumberland, and drove spoil from that country; No young Scottish soldier was thought fit to pretend to any renown in arms unless he had served in Ramsay's band. A considerable battle was fought in the North of Scotland, which turned to the advantage of the young King. Kildrummie Castle was one of the four which held out for David Bruce. It was defended by King David's aunt, a venerable matron, Christian Bruce, the wife of Sir Andrew Murray, and the sister of the brave King Robert; for in those warlike days women commanded castles, and sometimes fought in battle. This castle, which was one of the last places of refuge for the patriots, was besieged by David Hastings, the Earl of Athole, one of the disinherited Lords, who, having changed sides more than once during the war, had at length turned entirely to the English party. Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell, who had resumed his office of Regent, resolved to assemble the strongest force which the patriots could muster, and calling together the Knight of Liddesdale, Ramsay, and the Earl of March, he moved against the Earl of Athole, to compel him to raise the siege of Kildrummie, and relieve its heroic defender. All these great nobles were unable to raise above one thousand men, while Athole had three times that number under his command. castle, save raising a little dust, which a napkin could wipe away. The Earl of Salisbury then commanded them to bring forward to the assault an engine of another kind, being a species of wooden shed, or house, rolled forward on wheels, with a roof of peculiar strength, which, from resembling the ridge of a hog's back, occasioned the machine to be called a Sow. This, according to the old mode of warfare, was thrust up to the walls of a besieged castle or city, and served to protect from the arrows and stones of the besieged a party of soldiers placed within the sow, who were in the mean while to undermine the wall, or break an entrance through it with pickaxes and mining tools. When the Countess of March saw this engine advanced to the walls of the castle, she called out to the Earl of Salisbury in derision, and making a kind of rhyme, "Beware, Montagow, For farrow shall thy sow." At the same time she made a signal, and a huge fragment of rock, which hung prepared for the purpose, was dropped down from the wall upon the sow, whose roof was thus dashed to pieces. As the English soldiers, who had been within it, were running as fast as they could to get out of the way of the arrows and stones from the wall, Black Agnes called out, Behold the litter of English pigs!" But as the Scots approached the territory of Kil- The Earl of Salisbury could jest also on such drummie, they were joined by one John Craig. This serious occasions. One day he rode near the walls gentleman belonged to the royalists of Scotland, but with a knight dressed in armour of proof, having having been made prisoner by the Earl of Athole, he three folds of mail over an acton, or leathern jacket; had agreed to pay a large ransom, and the morrow notwithstanding which, one William Spens shot an was the time appointed for payment. He was there-arrow with such force that it penetrated all these fore anxious to bring about the defeat or death of defences, and reached the heart of the wearer. "That Athole before the money was paid to him, and thus is one of my lady's love-tokens," said the Earl, as to save his ransom. With this purpose, he conducted he saw the knight fall dead from his horse. Black the Scotsmen through the forest of Braemer, where Agnes's love-shafts pierce to the heart." they were joined by the natives of that territory, and Upon another occasion, the Countess of March thus came suddenly on the Earl of Athole, who lay had well nigh made the Earl of Salisbury her priencamped in the forest. Athole started up in sur- scner. She made one of her people enter into a prise when he saw the enemies appear so unexpect- treaty with the besiegers, pretending to betray the edly; but he was a stout-hearted man, though fickle castle. Trusting to this agreement, the Earl came in his political attachments. He looked at a great at midnight before the gate, which he found open, rock which lay beside him, and swore an oath that and the portcullis drawn up. As Salisbury was he would not fly that day until that rock should show about to enter, one John Copland, a squire of Northhim the example. A small brook divided the two umberland, pressed on before him, and as soon as parties. The Knight of Liddesdale, who led the van he passed the threshold, the portcullis was dropped, of the Scots, advanced a little way down the bank and thus the Scots missed their principal prey, on his side, then taking his spear by the middle, and and made prisoner only a person of inferior conkeeping his own men back with it, he bade them halt, dition. which occasioned some murmurs, The Earl of Athole, seeing this pause, exclaimed, "These men are half discomfited;" and rushed to charge them, followed by his men in some disorder. When they had passed the brook, and were ascending the bank on the other side, "Now is our time,' said the Knight of Liddesdale, and charged down hill with levelled lances, bearing Athole's followers backwards into the ford. He himself, disdaining quarter, was slain under a great oak tree. This was the battle of Kilblene, fought on St. Andrew's day, 1335. Among the warlike exploits of this period, we must not forget the defence of the Castle of Dunbar by the celebrated Countess of March. Her lord, as we have seen, had embraced the side of David Bruce, and had taken the field with the Regent. The Countess, who from her complexion was termed Black Agnes, by which name she is still familiarly remembered, was a high-spirited and courageous woman, the daughter of that Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, whom I have so often mentioned, and the heiress of his valour and patriotism. The Castle of Dunbar itself was very strong, being built upon a chain of rocks stretching into the sea, having only one passage to the main land, which was well fortified. It was besieged by Montague, Earl of Salisbury, who employed to destroy its walls great military engines, constructed to throw huge stones, with which machines fortifications were attacked before the use of cannon. Black Agnes set all his attempts at defiance, and showed herself with her maids on the walls of the Castle, wiping the places where the huge stones fell with a clean towel, as if they could do no ill to her At length, the Castle of Dunbar was relieved by Alexander Ramsay of Dalwolsy, who brought the Countess supplies by sea both of men and provisions. The Earl of Salisbury, learning this, despaired of success, and raised the siege, which had lasted nineteen weeks. The minstrels made songs in praise of the perseverance and courage of Black Agnes. The following lines are nearly the sense of what is preserved: She kept a stir in tower and trench, That brawling boisterous Scottish wench; I found Agnes at the gate. The brave Sir Andrew Murray of Both well, the Regent of Scotland, died in 1338, while the war was raging on all sides. He was a good patriot, and a great loss to his country, to which he had rendered the highest services. There is a story told of him, which shows how composed he could be in circumstances of great danger. He was in the Highlands, with a small body of followers, when the King of England came upon him with an army of twenty thousand. The Regent heard the news, but, being then about to hear mass, did not permit his devotions to be interrupted. When mass was ended, the people around him pressed him to order a retreat; "There is no haste," said Murray, composedly. At length his horse was brought out, he was about to mount, and all expected that the retreat was to commence. But the Regent observed that a strap of his armour had given way, and this interposed new delays. He sent for a particular coffer, out of which he took a piece of skin, and cut and formed with his own hand, and with much deliberation, the| strap which he wanted. By this time, the English were drawing very near, and as they were so many in number, some of the Scottish knights afterwards told the historian who narrates the incident, that no space of time ever seemed so long to them as that which Sir Andrew employed in cutting that thong of leather. Now, if this had been done in a mere vaunting or bragging manner, it would have been the behaviour of a vain-glorious foo!. But Sir Andrew Murray had already fixed upon the mode of his retreat, and he knew that every symptom of coolness and deliberation which he might show would render his men steady and composed in their turn, from beholding the confidence of their leader. He at length gave the word, and, putting himself at the head of his followers, made a most masterly retreat, during which the English, notwithstanding their numbers, were unable to obtain any advantage over him, so well did the Regent avail himself of the nature of the ground. You may well imagine, my dear child, that during these long and terrible wars which were waged, when castles were defended and taken, prisoners made, many battles fought, and numbers of men wounded and slain, the state of the country of Scotland was most miserable. There was no finding refuge or protection in the law, at a time when every thing was decided by the strongest arm and the longest sword. There was no use in raising crops, when the man who sowed them was not, in all probability, permitted to reap the grain. There was little religious devotion where so much violence prevailed; and the hearts of the people became so much inclined to acts of blood and fury, that all laws of humanity and charity were transgressed without scruple. People were found starved to death in the woods with their families, while the country was so depopulated and void of cultivation, that the wild deer came out of the remote woods, and approached near to cities and the dwellings of men. Whole families were reduced to eat grass, and others, it is said, found a more horrible aliment in the flesh of their fellow creatures. One wretch used to set traps for human beings as if for wild beasts, and subsisted on their flesh. This cannibal was called Christian of the Cleek, from the cleek or hook which he used in his horrid traps. In the middle of all these horrors, the English and 'Scottish knights and nobles, when there was any truce between the countries, supplied the place of the wars in which they were commonly engaged, with tournaments and games of chivalry. These were meetings not for the express purpose of fighting, but for that of trying which was the best manat-arms. But instead of wrestling, leaping, or running races on foot or horse, the fashion then was that the gentlemen tilted together, that is, rode against each other in armour with their long iances, and tried which could bear the other out of the saddle, and throw him to the ground. Sometimes they fought on foot with swords and axes, and although all was meant in courtesy and fair play, yet lives were often lost in this idle manner, as much as if the contest had been carried on with the purpose of armed battle. In later times they fought with swords purposely blunted on the edge, and with lances which had no steel point; but in the times we speak of at present, they used in tilts and tournaments the same weapons which they employed in wars. This may be supposed a peculiarly weighty and strong kind of armour, intended merely for this species of encounter. "Nay," said the Earl of Derby, "we shall gain little if we tilt in such safety; let us rather wear the lighter armour which we wear in battle." "Content are we," answered Sir Alexander Ramsay, "to fight in our silk doublets, if such be your lordship's pleasure." The Knight of Liddesdale was wounded on the wrist by the splinter of a spear, and was obliged to desist from the exercise. A Scottish knight, called Sir Patrick Grahame, tilted with a warlike English Baron named Talbot, whose life was saved by his wearing two breastplates. The Scottish lance pierced through both, and sunk an inch into the breast. Had he been only armed as according to agreement, Talbot had been a dead man. Another English knight challenged the Grahame at supper time, to run three courses with him the next day. "Dost thou ask to tilt with me?" said the Grahame; "rise early in the morning, confess your sins, and make your peace with God, for you shall sup in Paradise." Accordingly, on the ensuing morning, Grahame run him through the body with his lance, and he died on the spot. Another English knight was also slain, and one of the Scots mortally wounded. William Ramsay was borne through the helmet with a lance, the splinter of the broken spear remaining in his skull, and nailing his helmet to his head. As he was expected to die on the spot, a priest was sent for, who heard him confess his sins, without the helmet being removed. "Ah, it is a goodly sight," quoth the good Earl of Derby, much edified by this spectacle, "to see a knight make his shrift (that is, confession of his sins) in his helmet. God send me such an ending!" But when the shrift was over, Alexander Ramsay, to whom the wounded knight was brother, or kinsman, made him lie down at full length, and with surgery as rough as their pastime, held his friend's head down with his foot, while, by main strength, he pulled the fragment of the spear out of the helmet, and out of the wound. Then William Ramsay started up, and said, "that he should do wel enough." "Lo! what stout hearts men may bear," said the Earl of Derby, as much admiring the surgical treatment as he had done the religious. Whether the patient lived or died, does not appear. In fixing the prizes, it was settled that the English knights should decide which of the Scottish had done best, and the Scottish should, in like manner, judge the valour of the English. Much equity was shown in the decision on both sides, and the Earl of Derby was munificent in distribution of gifts and prizes. This may serve to show you the amusements of this stirring period, of which war and danger were the sport as well as the serious occupation. CHAPTER XIII. Departure of Edward Baliol from Scotland-Return of David 11.-Death of Sir Alexander Ramsay- Death of the Knight of Liddesdale-Battle of Neville's Cross-Captivity, liberation, and death of King David. NOTWITHSTANDING the valiant defence maintained by the Scots, their country was reduced to a most disastrous state, by the continued wars of Edward III., who was a wise and warlike King as ever lived. A very noted entertainment of this kind was given Could he have turned against Scotland the whole both to Scottish and English champions by Henry power of his kingdom, he might probably have of Lancaster, then called Earl of Derby, and after-effected the complete conquest, which had been so wards King Henry IV. of England. He invited the long attempted in vain. But while the wars in Knight of Liddesdale, the Good Sir Alexander Ram- Scotland were at the hottest, Edward became also say, and about twenty other distinguished Scottish engaged in hostilities with France, having laid claim men, to a tilting match, which took place near Ber- to the crown of that kingdom. Thus he was obliged wick. After receiving and entertaining his Scottish to slacken his efforts in Scotland, and the patriots guests nobly, the Earl of Derby began to inquire at began to gain ground decisively in the dreadful conRamsay in what manner of armour the knights test which was so obstinately maintained on both should tilt together. sides. "With shields of plate," said Ramsay, "such as men use in tournaments.' The Scots sent an embassy to obtain money and assistance from the French, and they received sup plies of both, which enabled them to recover their castles and towns from the English. Edinburgh Castle was taken from the invaders by a stratagem. The Knight of Liddesdale, with two hundred chosen men, embarked at Dundee, in a merchant vessel commanded by one William Curry. The shipmaster on their arrival at Leith, went with a party of his sailors to the Castle, carrying barrels of wine and hampers of provisions, which he pretended it was his desire to sell to the English governor and his garrison. But getting entrance at the gate, under this pretext, they raised the war shout of Douglas, and the Knight of Liddesdale rushed in with his soldiers and secured the Castle. Perth, and other important places, were also retaken by the Scots, and Edward Baliol retired out of the country in despair of making good his pretensions to the crown. The nobles of Scotland, finding the affairs of the kingdom more prosperous, now came to the resolution of bringing back from France, where he had resided for safety, their young King, David II., and his consort, Queen Joanna. They arrived in 1341. David II. was still a youth, neither did he possess at any period of life the wisdom and talents of his father, the great King Robert. The nobles of Scotland had become each a petty prince on his own estates; they made war on each other, as they had done upon the English, and the poor King possessed no power of restraining them. A most melancholy instance of this discord took place, shortly after the young King's return from France. treaty with the King of England. In other respects, he was ranked so high in public esteem, that he was called the Flower of Chivalry; and an old writer has said of him, "He was terrible in armis, modest and gentle in peace, the scourge of England, and the buckler and wall of Scotland; one whom good success never made presumptuous, and whom evil fortune never discouraged." We return to the state of Scotland at the time when the young King was restored. Battles and skirmishes were fought on all sides; but the Scots having gained back the whole of their own country, the war became less inveterate; and although no settled peace took place, yet truces, to endure for a certain number of months and years, were agreed upon from time to time; and the English historians allege that the Scottish nation were always ready to break them when a tempting opportunity occurred. Such a truce was in existence about 1346, when Edward the Third being absent in France, and in the act of besieging Calais, David was induced, by the pressing and urgent counsels of the French King, to renew the war, and profit by occasion of the King's absence from England. The young King of Scotland raised accordingly a large army, and entering England on the west frontier, he marched eastward towards Durham, harassing and wasting the country with great severity; the Scots boasting, that, now the King and his nobles were absent, there were none in England to oppose them, save priests and base mechanics. But they were greatly deceived. The lords of the I have told you how Sir Alexander Ramsay and northern counties of England, together with the the Knight of Liddesdale assisted each other in Archbishop of York, assembled a gallant army. fighting against the English. They were great They defeated the vanguard of the Scots, and came friends and companions in arms. But Ramsay, upon the main body by surprise. The English ariny, having taken by storm the strong Castle of Roxburgh, in which there were many ecclesiastics, bore, as their the King bestowed on him the office of Sheriff of standard, a crucifix, displayed amid the banners of that county, which was before enjoyed by the Knight the nobility. The Scots had taken post among some of Liddesdale. As this was placing another person inclosures, which greatly embarrassed their movein his room, the Knight of Liddesdale altogether for- ments, and their ranks remaining stationary, were, got his old friendship for Ramsay, and resolved to as on former occasions, destroyed by the English put him to death. He came suddenly upon him with arrows. Here Sir John Grahame offered his services a strong party of men, while he was administering to disperse the bowmen, if he were intrusted with a justice at Harwick. Ramsay, having no suspicion body of cavalry. But although this was the moveof injury from the hand of his old comrade, and hav-ment which decided the battle of Bannockburn, he ing few men with him, was easily overpowered, and could not obtain the means of attempting it. In the being wounded, was hurried away to the lonely Castle mean time the Scottish army fell fast into disorder. of the Hermitage, which stands in the middle of the The King himself fought bravely in the midst of his morasses of Liddesdale. Here he was thrown into nobles, and was wounded twice with arrows. At a dungeon, where he had no other sustenance except length he was captured by John Copland, a Northsome grain which fell down from a granary above; umberland gentleman; the same who was made and after lingering a little while in that dreadful prisoner at Dunbar, He did not secure his royal condition, the brave Sir Alexander Ramsay died. captive without resistance; for in the struggle, the This was in 1341. More than five hundred years King dashed out two of Copland's teeth with his afterwards, that is, about forty years ago, a mason, dagger. The left wing of the Scottish army condigging amongst the ruins of Hermitage Castle, tinued fighting long after the rest were routed, and broke into a dungeon, where lay a quantity of chaff, at length made a safe retreat. It was commanded some human bones, and a bridle bit, which were by the Steward of Scotland and the Earl of March. supposed to mark the vault as the place of Ramsay's Very many of the Scottish nobility were slain; very death. The bridle bit was given to grandpapa, who many made prisoners. The King himself was led in presented it to the present gallant Earl of Dalhousie, triumph through the streets of London, and commita brave soldier, like his ancestor Sir Alexander ted to the Tower a close prisoner. This battle was Ramsay, from whom he is lineally descended. fought at Neville's Cross, near Durham, on 17th October, 1346. The King was much displeased at the commission of so great a crime on the person of so faithful a subject. He made some attempts to avenge the murder, but the Knight of Liddesdale was too powerful to be punished, and the King was obliged to receive him again into friendship and confidence. But God in his own good time revenged this cruel murder. About five years after the crime was committed, the Knight of Liddesdale was taken prisoner by the English at the battle of Neville's Cross, near Durham, and is suspected of having obtained his liberty by entering into a treacherous league with the English monarch. He had no time to carry his treason, however, into effect; for, shortly after his liberation, he was slain whilst hunting in Ettrick Forest, by his near relation and godson, William Lord Douglas. The place where he fell was called from his name, William-hope. It is a pity that the Knight of Liddesdale committed that great crime of murdering Ramsay, and entered into the treasonable VOL. VI.-F Thus was another great victory gained by the English over the Scots. It was followed by farther advantages, which gave the victors for a time possession of the country from the Scottish Border, as far as the verge of Lothian. But the Scots, as usual, were no sooner compelled to momentary submission, than they began to consider the means of shaking off the yoke. William Douglas, son to that Douglas who was killed at Halidon Hill, near Berwick, now displayed his share of that courage and conduct which seemed the birthright of that extraordinary family. He recovered his own territories of Douglasdale, drove the English out of Ettrick Forest, and assisted the inhabitants of Teviotdale in regaining their independence. On this occasion, indeed, the invasion of the English was not attended with the same extensively had effects as on former victories obtained by them. The 42 TALES OF A GRANDFATHER. title of Baliol was not again set up, that nominal scendants of Walter Stewart and Marjory Bruce are sovereign surrendered to the English monarch all his the family meant by that term. It is said, that the Stewarts were descended from Fleance, the son of right and interest in the kingdom of Scotland, in testimony of which he presented him a handful of earth Banquo, whose posterity the witches declared were belonging to the country, and a crown of gold. to be Kings of Scotland, and who was murdered by Edward, in reward of this surrender of the Scottish Macbeth. But this seems a very doubtful tradition. Walter, the Steward of Scotland, who married crown, fixed a large annual income upon Baliol, who retired from public affairs, and lived ever afterwards Bruce's daughter, was a gallant man, and fought in such obscurity, that historians do not even record bravely at Bannockburn, where he had a high comthe period of his death. Nothing which he after-mand. But he died young, and much regretted. Rowards did bore the same marks of courage and talent, bert Stewart, his son by Marjory Bruce, grandson, as the enterprise in which he commanded the Dis- of course, of King Robert, was the person now called to the throne. He was a good and kind-tempered inherited Barons, and obtained the great victory at the battle of Dupplin. It seems therefore likely, that prince. When young he had been a brave soldier; he had upon that occasion some assistance which he but he was now fifty-five years old, and subject to a violent inflammation in his eyes, which rendered did not afterwards enjoy. them as red as blood. From these reasons he lived a good deal retired, and was not active enough to be at the head of a fierce and unmanageable nation like the Scots. Edward III. was not more fortunate in making war on Scotland in his own name, than when he use the pretext of supporting Baliol. He marched into East-Lothian in spring 1355, and committed such ravages that the period was long marked by the name of the Burned Candlemas, because so But the many towns and villages were burned. Scots had removed every species of provisions which could be of use to the invaders, and avoided a general battle, while they engaged in a number of skirmishes. In this manner Edward was compelled to retreat out of Scotland, after sustaining much loss. After the failure of this effort, Edward seems to have despaired of the conquest of Scotland, and entered into terms for a truce, and for setting the King at liberty. This David II. at length obtained his freedom from the English, after he had been detained in prison eleven years. The Scots agreed to pay a ransom of one hundred thousand marks, a heavy charge on a country always poor, and exhausted by the late wars. The people were so delighted to see the King once more, that they followed him every where; and, which shows the rudeness of the times, broke even into his private chamber, till, incensed at their troublesome and intrusive loyalty, the King snatched a mace from an officer, and broke with his own royal hand the head of the liegeman who was nearest to him. After this rebuke, saith the historian, he was permitted to be private in his apartment. The latter years of this King's life have nothing very remarkable, excepting, that after the death of Joanna of England, his first wife, he made an imprudent marriage with one Margaret Logie, a woman of great beauty, but of obscure family; he was afterwards divorced or separated from her. He had no children by either of his wives. David the Second died at the age of forty-seven years, in the Castle of He had reigned Edinburgh, 22d February, 1370-1. forty-two years, of which eleven were spent in captivity. CHAPTER XIV. Accession of Robert Stewart-War of 1885, and arrival of Robert II. Robert Stewart's ascent to the throne was not unopposed, for it was claimed by a formidable competitor. This was William Earl of Douglas. That family, in which so many great men had arisen, was now come to a great pitch of power and prosperity, and possessed almost a sovereign authority in the south parts of Scotland. The Earl of Douglas was on the present occasion induced to depart from his claim, Stewart therefore was upon his son being married with Euphemia, the But the exdaughter of Robert II. crowned without farther opposition. treme power of the Douglasses, which raised them almost to a level with the crown, was afterwards the occasion of great national commotion and distress. There were not many things of moment in the hisBut the wars with England were tory of Robert II. less frequent, and the Scots had learned a better way of conducting them. The following instances may be selected. In 1385, the French finding themselves hard pressed by the English in their own country, resolved to send an army into Scotland, to assist that nation in making war upon the English, and thus finding work for the latter people at home. They sent, therefore, one thousand men-at-arms, knights, and squires, that is, in full armour; and as each of these had four or five soldiers under him, the whole force was very considerable. They sent also twelve hundred suits of complete armour to the Scots, with a large sum of money, to assist them to make war. This great force was commanded by John de Vienne, High-Admiral of France, a brave and distinguished general. In the mean time, the King of England, Richard II. summoned together, on his side, a larger army perhaps than a King of England had ever before commanded, and moved towards the Scottish Border. The Scots also assembled large forces, and the French Admiral expected there would be a great pitched battle. He said to the Scottish nobles, have always said, that if you had some hundred of French men-at-arms to help you, you would give battle to the English. Now, here we are to give you aid-Let us give battle." You The Scottish nobles answered, that they would not run so great a hazard, as risk the fate of the country in one battle; and one of them, probably Douglas, conveyed John de Vienne to a narrow pass, where, unseen themselves, they might see the army of England march through. The Scot made the Admiral remark the great multitude of archers, the number and high discipline of the English men-atarms, and then asked the Frenchman, as a soldier, whether he could advise the Scottish to oppose these clouds of archers with a few ill-trained Highland bowmen, or encounter with their small trotting nags The Admiral de Vienne could not but own that the onset of the brilliant chivalry of England. "But yet, if you do not the risk was too unequal. fight," he said, "what do you mean to do? If you do not oppose this great force, the English will destroy your country.' As David the Second died childless, the male line of his father, the great Robert Bruce, was at an end. But the attachment of the Scottish nation naturally turned to the line of that heroic prince, and they resolved to confer the crown on a grandson of his by the mother's side. Marjory, the daughter of Robert Bruce, had married Walter, the Lord High Steward of Scotland, and the sixth of his family who had enjoyed that high dignity, in consequence of possessng which the family had acquired the surname of Stewart. This Walter Stewart, with his wife Marjory, were ancestors of that long line of Stewarts who afterwards ruled Scotland, and came at length to be Kings of England also. The last King of the Stewart family lost his kingdoms at the great national Revolution in 1688, and his son and grandsons died in exile. The female line have possession of the crown at this moment, in the person of our sovereign, King William the Fourth. When, therefore, you hear" of the line of Stewart, you will know that the de "Let them do their worst," said Douglas, smiling; they will find but little to destroy. Our people are all retired into woods, hills, and morasses, and have |