To use his conquest boldly won; Fell faintly on his ear. "Save, save his life!" he cried; "oh, save He raised his red-cross shield no more, gore; Yet, as he saw the King advance, He strove even then to couch his lance The effort was in vain! The spur-stroke failed to rouse the horse; 230 Wounded and weary, in mid course He stumbled on the plain. Then foremost was the generous Bruce Yet this may Argentine, As boon from 'ancient comrade, crave,— It stiffened and grew cold; And, "O farewell!" the victor cried, The 'courteous 'mien, the noble race, ad-verse, turned against; opposing. cai-tiff, like a slave; mean; cowardly. 240 250 259 men-aced, made threats. rear-ward, toward the rear. shrine, altar. stiffened, became stiff. tre-men-dous, very great; dreadful. rested. His right wing was flanked by the Bannock Burn. His army thus faced the south-east. 7 Late'-wake, a corruption of lyke 3 Col'onsay, an island in the south-wake, or liche-wake, the act of watching west of Scotland, south of Mull. a dead body during the night by the 4 In rest, couched, or pointed to- friends of the deceased, lest it should wards the enemy. 5 Cuish, armour for the thighs. 6 Nin'ian's con'vent.-The village of St. Ninians is about 1 mile south of Stirling. On it Bruce's left wing be interfered with by evil spirits. The custom still prevails among the lower classes in Ireland, where it sometimes leads to scenes of debauchery and excess. Robert I.] THE TREATY OF NORTHAMPTON. 93 8.-SCOTLAND FREE. A.D. 1. THE English did not at once give up all hope of conquering Scotland. Again and again, during the next fourteen years, fighting was renewed. In 1319 Edward besieged 1319 Berwick, which had been taken by Bruce in the 'preceding year. Thereupon Douglas and Randolph, two of Bruce's trustiest captains, 'invaded England on the west, and the English were forced to raise the siege. 2. About this time the Burghs rose in importance, and began to send representatives to the National Council. The time when burgesses first appeared in Parliament is not exactly known. It is certain, however, that members for the burghs were present in the Parliament which King Robert held at the Abbey of Cambuskenneth in the summer of 1326 1326. It was nearly the last Parliament of his reign, for his health was already broken. In this Parliament the burgesses took their place; and from that time forward the great National Council comprised the Three Estates of King, Lords, and Commons. A.D. 3. Edward II. was 'deposed in 1327. The reign of Edward III. opened with a great mustering at York for the invasion of Scotland. The young King in person went with the army. The Scots, on hearing of this, invaded England. One dark night Douglas entered the English camp with two hundred followers, and nearly carried off the King! The Scots suddenly decamped, and the English returned to York. 4. At length, in 1328, an English Parliament, met at 1328 York, agreed to regard Scotland as a free country; and A.D. by the Treaty of Northampton, made a few months later, the English King gave up for ever the claim to be overlord. This peace was confirmed by the marriage of David Bruce, the King's only son, with Joanna, sister of Edward III. of England. 5. One year later King Robert the Bruce died at his 'rural 'palace of Cardross,1 and was buried in a fair tomb of marble in the choir of Dunfermline2 Abbey. The whole nation mourned for him bishop and noble, knight and burgher, were there. The funeral chant rose and swelled beneath the sombre 'aisles; but ever, in the pauses of the 'dirge, the voice of wailing was heard through all the stately throng. 6. The Bruce's dying charge to Lord James Douglas was, that he should bury his heart in Jerusalem. In the following year Douglas set out for the Holy City, with a goodly company of knights and squires. He bore the King's heart in a silver casket hung from his neck. On his passage to the East he learned that Alfonso, King of Spain, was waging war against Eager for any chance of fighting against the the Moors. 'infidel, he joined the Spaniards. 7. The two armies met in array of battle close by Gibraltar.4 The King of Spain gave to Lord James the command of the centre division. The Scots headed the charge; which 1330 was made with such success that the enemy were routed A.D. and their camp was taken. While the Spaniards were engaged in 'plunder, the Scottish leader, at the head of the small band of his own knights, chased the flying infidels. But before he was aware, the Moors rallied, and he was 'surrounded by a cloud of their horsemen, which thickened every moment. 8. Taking from his neck the casket containing the Bruce's heart, he cast it into the densest mass of the enemy, saying— "Forward, gallant heart, as thou wert wont! Douglas will follow thee!" With that he made so furious an onset that he soon cleared a space about him. But his valour was vain against the numbers of the Moors, and he fell covered with wounds. 9. Not far from his dead body the 'precious casket was found. His knights took him up with reverent care. His flesh was *separated from the bones, and buried in holy ground in Spain. His bones were carried to Scotland, and buried in his own church of Douglas.5 The heart of Bruce, in its silver casket, was placed in the Abbey of Melrose. Living, that heart had been for all Scotland, and none but Scottish earth could be its meet resting-place. 10. In the year 1818, workmen engaged in clearing a space for a new church among the ruins of Dunfermline Abbey, came on the tomb of Robert the Bruce. A leaden case, shaped at the head in the form of a crown, enclosed the body. Frag ments of a rich cloth of gold, which had been spread over it, were still visible. On examining the skeleton, it was found that the ribs of the left breast had been sawn asunder, that the heart might be taken out. The jaw had been broken at the chin, as the knitted bone showed-doubtless in some stern fight. THE BODY OF ROBERT THE BRUCE ENCASED IN LEAD. Men looked with wonder and awe upon the skull where once had dwelt 'counsel so sage and high, and upon the 'mouldering bone which had once been the strong right arm that had struck down "the fierce De Boune." aisles (iles), the wings or side parts of a church. con-firmed', made strong; fixed. coun-sel, advice; wisdom. de-camped', broke up their camp. de-posed', put off the throne. ex-am-in-ing, looking closely at. |