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They fastened instead of banners,
Upon long trees and spears.

And said that they would see the fight,
And help their Lords at their might.
When here-till all assented were,
In a rout assembled er,'

Fifteen thousand they were or ma,
And than in great haste gan they go,
With their banners, all in a route,
As they had men been styve2 and stout,
They came with all that assembly,
Right till they might the battle see;
Than 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

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mile from the field of battle is a place called the Bloody Folds. Here the Earl of Gloucester is said to have made a stand, and died gallantly at the head of his own military tenants 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.

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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 ransom. The other prisoners were all 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.

Note XXIV.

O! give their hapless prince his due.—St. XXXI. p. 235. Edward II., according to the best authorities, shewed, 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 admit

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tance; 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 menat-arms, and, avoiding the field of battle and the victorious 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 censure against such part of his subjects, as did not return to their natural allegiance after the battle of Bannockburn.

APUD MONASTERIUM DE CAMBUSKENNETH.

VI 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 sexto die Novembris tenente parliamentum suum Excellentissimo principe domino Roberto Dei gracia Rege Scottorum Illustri in monasterio de Cambuskyneth concordatum 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 infra regnum Scocie perpetuo sint exheredati et habeantur de cetero tanquam inimici Regis et Regni 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 dicti Regni presenti ordinacioni Judicio et statuto sunt appensa.

Sigillum Domini Regis

Sigillum Willelmi Episcopi Sancti Andree Sigillum Roberti Episcopi Glascuensis Sigillum Willelmi Episcopi Dunkeldensis

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Sigillum Alani Episcopi Sodorensis

Sigillum Johannis Episcopi Brechynensis

Sigillum Andree Episcopi Ergadiensis Sigillum Frechardi Episcopi Cathanensis

Sigillum Abbatis de Scona

Sigillum Abbatis de Calco

Sigillum Abbatis de Abirbrothok

Sigillum Abbatis de Sancta Cruce

Sigillum Abbatis de Londoris

Sigillum Abbatis de Newbotill

Sigillum Abbatis de Cupro

Sigillum Abbatis de Paslet

Sigillum Abbatis de Dunfermelyn

Sigillum Abbatis de Lincluden

Sigillum Abbatis de Insula Missarum

Sigillum Abbatis de Sancto Columba

Sigillum Abbatis de Deer

Sigillum Abbatis de Dulce Corde

Sigillum Prioris de Coldinghame

Sigillum Prioris de Rostynot

Sigillum Prioris Sancti Andree

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