III.

This is all that is known, perhaps more than CHAP. is really known, respecting the cause, and the circumstances of the murder. But the Scottish historians are better informed. They tell us, that Comyn had bound himself by oath and indenture to support the claim of Bruce to the crown: that he afterwards betrayed the secret to Edward, who one evening over the bottle revealed his intention of putting the whole family to death that the earl of Glocester gave Bruce a hint of his danger, by sending him a pair of spurs and twelve silver pennies: that the patriot, to prevent his being tracked in the snow, ordered the shoes of his horses to be inverted, rode through bye ways from London to Lochmaben in seven days, and meeting on the road a foot-traveller of suspicious appearance, killed hiin, and found on his person letters from Comyn to Edward: that he went immediately to Dumfries, sent for Comyn to the church, shewed him the intercepted letters, and, receiving from him the lie, dispatched the traitor.147 This ro

poet, whose lines are preserved by Fordun, is the ancient quarrel between the two families.

Causa suæ mortis est vetus discordia fortis.-Ford. xii. 7.

of

147 Fordun, xii. 5-7. Bocce, xii. Buch. viii. The genius of Hume has improved and embellished this tale. He first gilds the spurs sent by the earl of Glocester, and changes into a pursegold the paltry present of twelve pennies. Then, having conducted the hero to Dumfries with the Scottish writers, he adopts the opinion of the English, that the dispute arose respecting the succession to the crown, and therefore introduces Bruce to a council of Scottish nobles most providentially assembled at the very

IJI.

CHAP. mantic tale was long believed by the gratitude and partiality of the people: but later writers of the same nation have proved that in all its circumstances it is liable to strong objections, in many is contradicted by satisfactory evidence. There can be little doubt that it is a fiction, purposely invented to wash the guilt of blood from the character of Robert I., and to justify a transaction, which led to the recovery of Scottish independence.

Edward

Vows re

venge.¡

Or

Edward was rather irritated than alarmed at the intelligence. That so foul a murder could overturn his superiority, was an idea which never entered his mind: but, enfeebled as he was by years and disease, he looked forward with reluctance to the possibility of a war. ders were sent to his lieutenant Aymar de Valence earl of Pembroke, to chastise the presumption of Bruce and all the young nobility of England were summoned to receive, in company with prince Edward, the honour of knighthood. The more distinguished he admitted into the palace: for the accommodation of the others, tents were erected in the gardens of the Temple; and all received from the royal wardrobe vests of silk, and mantles of purple and

moment, astonishes them with the beauty, the address and the eloquence of the young patriot, composes for him an elegant harangue, and puts a string of cautious objections into the mouth of Comyn. The assembly breaks up: Bruce, in a fit of indignant patriotism, pursues Comyn, and the murder is perpetrated.—But all this again is fiction!

III.

gold. The king was too weak to expose him- CHAP. self to the heat caused by the crowd. He knighted his son in the hall of the palace: and the young prince, in the abbey church, conferred the same honour on his two hundred and seventy companions. It was the custom for the new knight to make a vow, the object of which was generally suggested by the circumstances of the time: but the vows of chivalry were not taken on the gospels, but, ridiculous as it may appear, in the presence of a peacock, or pheasant, or other bird of beautiful plumage. During the royal banquet, the minstrels placed on the table two swans in nets of gold. The king immediately vowed before God and the swans, that he would revenge the death of Comyn, and punish the perfidy of the rebels: and then addressing the company, besought them, in the event of his death on the expedition, to keep his body unburied, till they had enabled his son to accomplish his vow. The son swore, that he would not sleep two nights in the same place, till he had entered Scotland to execute his father's commands: the rest applauded his oath, and imitated his example. The next morning the prince, with his knights companions, departed for the borders: Edward himself followed by easy journeys; and his military tenants received writs to join him at Carlisle in the beginning of July.148

148 West. 433. Trivet, 343. Rym. ii. 1052. Ad. Murim. 37.

CHAP.

III.

Bruce, by the murder of Comyn, had staked his life he could save it only by winning a of Bruce, sceptre. He assumed the title of king, sum

Disasters

moned the Scots to his standard, and was Mar. 29. crowned without any opposition at Scone. When his wife, the daughter of the earl of Ulster, was informed of the coronation, she ventured to express a hope that he, who was a king in summer, might not prove an exile in winter. These words were noticed as a prediction: but it required not the spirit of prophecy, to foretel the disasters, which attended the first efforts of the new moJune 19. narch. In the wood of Methuen, and the neigh

bourhood of Perth, six of his bravest knights were made prisoners by Pembroke: and Bruce himself, thrown from his horse, must have shared their lot, had he not been rescued by Seaton, The Grampian hills offered a retreat to the fugi tives the deer of the forest, and fish of the stream, supplied them with food: occasionally they descended to the lowlands, and as often returned at the approach of the English: and during two months wandered like outlaws through Breadalbane and Athol. But their sufferings were lessened by the attentions of their female relatives, who, under the guidance of Nigel, a brother of Bruce, had arrived to share the lot of their fathers, brothers, and husbands. Near the banks of Loch Tay, they were discovered by Alexander lord of Lorn, who had married a Aug. 11. Comyn. He summoned his clan: Bruce and

III.

his followers were defeated: and it became ne- CHAP. cessary to separate for their safety. The ladies were conducted on horseback to the castle of Kildrummy the king, with only two or three companions, proceeded on foot to Loch-Lomond : crossed it in a boat; and received an hospitable welcome at the castle of Dunavarty, from the lord of Kintyre. After three days' rest, he embarked in a small ship, steered to the north of Ireland, and in the unfrequented island of Rachrin, buried himself during the winter from the knowledge and pursuit of his enemies.149

ment of

Edward, through weakness, was unable to Punishleave the neighbourhood of Carlisle: but he theprisoncould attend the deliberations of his council, ers. and issue instructions for the punishment of the prisoners. It was determined that the murderers of Comyn, their abettors and concealers, should be drawn and hanged: that all rebels taken with arms in their hands should be hanged or beheaded that of those who surrendered, the most dangerous should be imprisoned during the king's pleasure; the rest, with such as had joined the insurgents by compulsion, and the common people, should be punished according to the discretion of the king's lieutenant. In consequence of these orders, a few prisoners were tried, condemned,

149 Barbour, 29-61. Ford. xii. 2. West. 455. The adventures of Bruce are romantic and interesting in Barbour. Fordun bears testimony to his accuracy: but Barbour was a poet, and evidently avails himself of the privilege of his profession.