meum, et sigilla Hugonis filii et heredis et Johannis filii mei vna cum sigillis venerabilium patrum Dominorum Dauid et Thome Moraviensis et Rossensis Dei gracia episcoporum presentibus literis sunt appensa. Acta scripta et data apud Aldern in Morauia vltimo die mensis Octobris, Anno Regni dicti domini nostri Regis Roberti Tertio. Testibus venerabilibus patribus supradictis, Domino Bernardo Cancellario Regis, Dominis Willielmo de Haya, Johanne de Striuelyn, Willielmo Wysman, Johanne de Ffenton, Dauid de Berkeley, et Waltro de Berkeley militibus, magistro Waltero Heroc, Decano ecclesie Morauie, magistro Willielmo de Creswel eiusdem ecclesie precentore et multis aliis nobilibus clericis et laicis dictis die et loco congregatis. The copy of this curious document was supplied by my friend, Mr Thomson, Deputy Register of Scotland, whose researches into our ancient records are daily throwing new and important light upon the history of the country. Note 13. Stanza xiii. The monarch rode along the van. The English van-guard, commanded by the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, came in sight of the Scottish army upon the evening of the 23d of June. Bruce was then riding upon a little palfrey, in front of his foremost line, putting his host in order. It was then that the personal encounter took place betwixt him and Sir Henry de Bohun, a gallant English knight, the issue of which had a great effect upon the spirits of both armies. It is thus recorded by Barbour : And when Glosyter and Hertfurd were And towards him he went on haste. Saw bim come, forth all his feres 4 Sprent they same intill a ling 5 Sir Henry mised the noble king. The Scottish leaders remonstrated with the king upon his temerity. He only answered, «< I have broken my good battle-axe.»-The English van-guard retreated after witnessing this single combat. Probably their generals did not think it advisable to hazard an attack, while its unfavourable issue remained upon their minds. Note 14. Stanza xviii. "What train of dust, with trumpet-sound While the van of the English army advanced, a detached body attempted to relieve Stirling. Lord Hailes gives the following account of this manœuvre, and the result, which is accompanied by circumstances highly characteristic of the chivalrous manners of the age, and displays that generosity which reconciles us even to their ferocity upon other occasions. Bruce had enjoined Randolph, who commanded the left wing of his army, to be vigilant in preventing any advanced parties of the English from throwing succours into the castle of Stirling. << Eight hundred horsemen, commanded by Sir Robert Clifford, were detached from the English army; they made a circuit by the low grounds to the east, and approached the castle. The king perceived their motions, and, coming up to Randolph, angrily exclaimed, Thoughtless man! you have suffered the enemy to pass.' Randolph hasted to repair his fault, or perish. As he advanced, the English cavalry wheeled to attack him. Randolph drew up his troops in a circular form, with their spears resting on the ground, and protended on every side. At the first onset, Sir William Daynecourt, an English commander of distinguished note, was slain. The enemy, far superior in numbers to Randolph, environed him, and pressed hard on his little band. Douglas saw his jeopardy, and requested the king's permission to go and succour him. 'You shall not move from your ground,' cried the king; 'let Randolph extricate himself as he best may. I will not alter order of battle, and lose the advantage of my position.' 'In truth,' replied Douglas, 'I cannot stand by and see Randolph perish; and, therefore, with your leave, I must aid him.' The king unwillingly consented, and Douglas flew to the assistance of his friend. While approaching, he perceived that the English were falling into disorder, and that the perseverance of Randolph had prevailed over their impetuous courage.-' Halt,' cried Douglas, 'those brave men have repulsed the enemy; let us not diminish their glory by sharing it.'»> -DALRYMPLE'S Annals of Scotland, 4to. Edinburgh, 1779, pp. 44, 45. my Two large stones erected at the north end of the village of Newhouse, about a quarter of a mile from the south part of Stirling, ascertain the place of this memorable skirmish. The circumstance tends, were confirmation necessary, to support the opinion of Lord Hailes, that the Scottish line had Stirling on its left flank. It will be remembered that Randolph commanded infantry, Daynecourt cavalry. Supposing, therefore, according to the vulgar hypothesis, that the Scottish line was drawn up, facing to the south, in the line of 3 Without shrinking. the brook of Bannock, and consequently that Randolph was stationed with his left flank resting upon Milntown bog, it is morally impossible that his infantry, moving 6 Moan. 9 Broken. Responsive from the Scottish host, Pipe-clang and bugle-sound were toss'd. There is an old tradition, that the well known Scottish tune of «< Hey, tutti, taitti,» was Bruce's march at the battle of Bannockburn. The late Mr Ritson, no granter of propositions, doubts whether the Scots had any martial music, and quotes Froissart's account of each soldier in the host bearing a little horn, on which, at the onset, they would make such a horrible noise, as if all the devils of hell had been among them. He observes, that these horns are the only music mentioned by Barbour, and concludes, that it must remain a moot point whether Bruce's army were cheered by the sound even of a solitary bagpipe.-Historical Essay prefixed to Ritson's Scottish Songs. It may be observed in passing, that the Scottish of this period certainly observed some musical cadence, even in winding their horns, since Bruce was at once recognized by his followers from his mode of blowing. See Note 10 on Canto IV. But the tradition, true or false, has been the means of securing to Scotland one of the finest lyrics in the language, the celebrated war-song of Bruce, That they were in, to bide fighting; I wete not. But in a schiltrum Be them selwyn arrayed were. Who had been by, might have seen there And many a man of great valour, Note 17. Stanza xxi. See where yon bare-foot abbot stands, And blesses them with lifted hands. << Maurice, Abbot of Inchaffray, placing himself on an eminence, celebrated mass in sight of the Scottish army. He then passed along the front, bare-footed, and bearing a crucifix in his hands, and 'exhorting the Scots, in few and forcible words, to combat for their rights and their liberty. The Scots kneeled down. 'They yield,' cried Edward; 'see, they implore mercy.' 'They do,' answered Ingelram de Umfraville, but not ours. On that field they will be victorious or die.'»-Annals of Scotland, vol. II, p. 47. Note 18. Stanza xxii. « Forth, marshal, on the peasant foe! The English archers commenced the attack with their usual bravery and dexterity. But against a force, whose importance he had learned by fatal experience, Bruce was provided. A small but select body of cavalry were detached from the right, under command of Sir Robert Keith. They rounded, as I conceive, the marsh called Milntown bog, and, keeping the firm ground, charged the left flank and rear of the English archers. As the bowmen had no spears nor long weapons, fit to defend themselves against horse, they were instantly thrown into disorder, and spread through the whole English army a confusion, from which they never fairly reco vered. The English archers shot so fast, Assembled, and together go, And saw the archers shoot stoutly; When Scotts archers saw that they sua Were robutyt, they wax hardy, And with all their might shot eagrely, Among the horsemen that there rode; And wounds wide to them they made, And slew of them a full great deal. BARBOUR'S Bruce, pp. 147, 8. Although the success of this manœuvre was evident, it is very remarkable that the Scottish generals do not Almost appear to have profited by the lesson. every subsequent battle which they lost against England was decided by the archers, to whom the close and compact array of the Scottish phalanx afforded an exposed and unresisting mark. The bloody battle of Halidon-hill, fought scarce twenty years afterwards, was so completely gained by the archers, that the English are said to have lost only one knight, one esquire, and a few foot-soldiers. At the battle of Neville's Cross, in 1346, where David II was defeated and made prisoner, John de Graham, observing the loss which the Scots sustained from the English bowmen, offered to charge and disperse them, if a hundred men-at-arms were put under his command. But, to confess the truth,» says Fordun, « he could not procure a single horseman for the service proposed.>> Of such little use is experience in war, where its results are opposed by habit or prejudice. Note 19. Stanza xxiv. Each braggart churl could toast before, Roger Ascham quotes a similar Scottish proverb, whereby they give the whole praise of shooting honestly to English men, saying thus, that every English archer beareth under his girdle twenty-four Scottes.' Indeed, Toxophilus says before, and truly of the Scottish nation, the Scottes surely be good men of warre in theyre owne feates as can be; but as for shootinge, they can neither use it to any profite, nor yet challenge it for any praise.'»-Works of Ascham, edited by Bennet, 4to, p. 110. It is said, I trust incorrectly, by an ancient English historian, that the «good Lord James of Douglas>> dreaded the superiority of the English archers so much, that when he made any of them prisoner he gave him the option of losing the fore-finger of his right hand, or his right eye, either species of mutilation rendering him incapable to use the bow. I have mislaid the reference to this singular passage. prepared for them. Barbour does not mention this circumstance. According to his account, Randolph, seeing the slaughter made by the cavalry on the right wing among the archers, advanced courageously against the main body of the English, and entered into close combat with them. Douglas and Stuart, who commanded the Scottish centre, led their division also to the charge, and the battle becoming general along the whole line, was obstinately maintained on both sides for a long space of time; the Scottish archers doing great execution among the English men-at-arms, after the bowmen of England were dispersed. Note 21. Stanza xxiv. And steeds that shriek in agony. I have been told that this line requires an explanatory note; and, indeed, those who witness the silent patience with which horses submit to the most cruel usage may be permitted to doubt that, in moments of sudden or intolerable anguish, they utter a most melancholy cry. Lord Erskine, in a speech made in the House of Lords, upon a bill for enforcing humanity towards animals, noticed this remarkable fact, in language which I will not mutilate by attempting to repeat it. It was my fortune, upon one occasion, to hear a horse, in a moment of agony, utter a thrilling scream, which I still consider the most melancholy sound I ever heard. Note 22. Stanza xxviii. Lord of the Isles, my trust in thee Rush on with Highland sword and targe; I, with my Carrick spearmen, charge. When the engagement between the main bodies had lasted some time, Bruce made a decisive movement, by bringing up the Scottish reserve. It is traditionally said, that at this crisis he addressed the Lord of the Isles in a phrase used as a motto by some of his descendants, «< My trust is constant in thee.>> Barbour intimates, that the reserve «< assembled on one field,» that is, in the same line with the Scottish forces already engaged; which leads Lord Hailes to conjecture, that the Scottish ranks must have been much thinned by slaughter, since, in that circumscribed ground, there was room for the reserve to fall into the line. But the advance of the Scottish cavalry must have contributed a good deal to form the vacancy occupied by the re serve. Note 23. Stanza xxx. To arms they flew,-axe, club, or spear,- The followers of the Scottish camp observed, from the Gillies' hill in the rear, the impression produced upon the English army by the bringing up of the Scottish reserve, and, prompted by the enthusiasm of the moment, or the desire of plunder, assumed, in a tumultuary manner, such arms as they found nearest, fastened sheets to tent-poles, and lances, and showed themselves like a new army advancing to battle. Yeomen, and swanys,1 and pitaill, On their foes assembled were; One of their selwyn that were there And said that they would see the fight, Fifteen thousand they were or ma, Then all at once they gave a cry, « Slay! Slay! Upon them hastily!" BARBOUR'S Bruce, vol. II, Book XIII, pp. 153, 4. The unexpected apparition, of what seemed a new army, completed the confusion which already prevailed among the English, who fled in every direction, and were pursued with immense slaughter. The brook of Bannock, according to Barbour, was so choked with the bodies of men and horses, that it might have been passed dry-shod. The followers of the Scottish camp fell upon the disheartened fugitives, and added to the confusion and slaughter, Many were driven into the Forth, and perished there; which, by the way, could hardly have happened, had the armies been drawn up east and west, since in that case, to get at the river, the English fugitives must have fled through the victorious army. About a short mile from the field of battle is a place called the Bloody Folds. cester is said to have made a stand, and died gallantly at the head of his own military tenauts and vassals. He was much regretted by both sides; and it is said the Scottish would gladly have saved his life, but neglecting to wear his surcoat with armorial bearings over his armour, he fell unknown, after his horse had been stabbed with spears. army, fled towards Linlithgow, pursued by Douglas with about sixty horse. They were augmented by Sir Lawrence Abernethy with twenty more, whom Douglas met in the Torwood upon their way to join the English army, and whom he easily persuaded to desert the defeated monarch, and to assist in the pursuit. They hung upon Edward's flight as far as Dunbar, too few in number to assail him with effect, but enough to harass his retreat so constantly, that whoever fell an instant behind, was instantly slain, or made prisoner. Edward's ignominious flight terminated at Dunbar, where the Earl of March, who still professed allegiance to him, << received him full gently.» From thence, the monarch of so great an empire, and the late commander of so gallant and numerous an army, escaped to Bamborough in a fishing vessel. Bruce, as will appear from the following document, lost no time in directing the thunders of parliamentary turn to their natural allegiance, after the battle of Bancensure against such part of his subjects as did not re nockburn. APUD MONASTERIUM DE CAMBUSKENNETH, XVI DIE NOVEMBRIS M.CCC.XIV. Judicium redditum apud Kambuskinet contra omnes illos qui tunc fuerunt contra fidem et pacem Domini Regis. Anno gracie millesimo tricentesimo quarto decimo Here the Earl of Glou-sexto die Novembris tenente parliamentum suum excelScottorum Illustri in monasterio de Cambuskyneth conlentissimo principe domino Roberto Dei gracia Rege cordatum fuit finaliter judicatum (ac super) hoc statutum de consilio et assensu episcoporum et ceterorum prelatorum comitum baronum et aliorum nobilium regni Scocie nec non et tocius communitatis regni predicti quod omnes qui contra fidem et pacem dicti domini regis in bello seu alibi mortui sunt (vel qui dic) to die ad pacem ejus et fidem non venerant licet sepius vocati et legitime expectati fuissent de terris et tenementis et omni alio statu intra regnum Scocie perpetuo sint exheredati et habeantur de cetero tanquam inimici regis et regui ab omni vendicacione juris hereditarii vel juris alterius cujuscunque in posterum pro se et heredibus suis in perpetuum privati Ad perpetuam igitur rei memoriam et evidentem probacionem hujus judicii et statuti sigilla episcoporum et aliorum prelatorum nec non et comitum baronum ac ceterorum nobilium Sir Marmaduke Twenge, an English knight, contrived to conceal himself during the fury of the pursuit, and when it was somewhat slackened, approached King Robert. << Whose prisoner are you, Sir Marmaduke?» said Bruce, to whom he was personally known. « Yours, sir,» answered the knight. <<I receive you,» answered the king; and, treating him with the utmost courtesy, loaded him with gifts, and dismissed him without ranThe other prisoners were well-treated. There might be policy in this, as Bruce would naturally wish to acquire the good opinion of the English barons, who were at this time at great variance with their king. But it also well accords with his high chivalrous character. som. Note 24. Stanza xxxi. O! give their hapless prince his due. Edward II, according to the best authorities, showed, in the fatal field of Bannockburn, personal gallantry not unworthy of his great sire and greater son. He remained on the field till forced away by the Earl of Pembroke, when all was lost. He then rode to the castle of Stirling, and demanded admittance; but the governor remonstrating upon the imprudence of shutting himself up in that fortress, which must so soon surrender, he assembled around his person five hundred men-atarms, and, avoiding the field of battle and the victorious dicti regni presenti ordinacioni judicio et statuto sunt appensa. Sigillum Abbatis de Londoris Sigillum Abbatis de Newbotill Sigillum Abbatis de Cupro Sigillum Abbatis de Insula Missarum Sigillum Prioris de Insula de Lochlevin Sigillum Willelmi Comitis de Ros Sigillum Gilberti de la Haya Constabularii Scocie Sigillum Roberti de Keth Mariscalli Scocie Sigillum Hugonis de Ros Sigillum Jacobi de Duglas Sigillum Johannis da Sancto Claro Sigillum Thome de Ros Sigillum Alexandri de Settone Sigillum Walteri Haliburtone Sigillum Davidis de Balfour Sigillum Duncani de Wallays Sigillum Thome de Dischingtone Sigillum Andree de Moravia Sigillum Archibaldi de Betun Sigillum Ranulphi de Lyill Sigillum Malcomi de Balfour Sigillum Normanni de Lesley Sigillum Nigelli de Campo bello Sigillum Morni de Musco Campo Note 25. Stanza xxxv. Nor for De Argentine alone, Through Ninian's church these torches shone, The remarkable circumstances attending the death of De Argentine have been already noticed (p. 321). Besides this renowned warrior, there fell many representatives of the noblest houses in England, which never sustained a more bloody and disastrous defeat. Barbour says that two hundred pairs of gilded spurs were taken from the field of battle; and that some were left the author can bear witness, who has in his possession a curious antique spur, dug up in the morass not long since. To see samyn sa fele dead lie, Two hundred spurs that were reid.2 I am now to take my leave of Barbour, not without a sincere wish that the public may encourage the undertaking of my friend, Dr Jamieson, who has issued proposals for publishing an accurate edition of his poem, and of Blind Harry's Wallace. 1 Together. edition of the Bruce was published by Mr Pinkerton, in 3 vols., in 1790; and the learned editor having had no personal access to consult the manuscript, it is not Of without errors; and it has besides become scarce. Wallace there is no tolerable edition: yet these two poems do no small honour to the early state of Scottish poetry, and the Bruce is justly regarded as containing authentic historical facts.1 The following list of the slain at Bannockburn, extracted from the continuator of Trivet's Annals, will show the extent of the national calamity. Barons and Baronets. Henry de Boun, Earl of Hereford, Lord John Giffard, And in sum, Giles de Beauchamp, John Cyfrewast, John Bluwet, Roger Corbet, Gilbert de Boun, Bartholomew de Enefeld, Radulph and Thomas Bot tetort, John and Nicolas de Kingstone (brothers), Thomas and Odo Lele fard, And thirty-four other knights not named by the historian. there were there slain, along with the Earl of Gloucester, forty-two barons and bannerets. The num 1 Both these works have now been published, in a splendid The only good form, and with extreme accuracy, by the learned and reverend 2 Red, or gilded. |