Page:History of King Robt. Bruce (1).pdf/13

 13 defeated with great slaughter. These successes proved of the greatest consequence to the cause of Bruce, which was strengthened still further by the death of Edward I., who died at Burgh-on-the-Sands, in Cumberland, July 7, 1307, in full sight of Scotland, and within three miles from its frontier. With his last breath he commanded that his body should accompany the army, until Scotland was entirely subdued; but his son, disregarding his injunction, buried his remains in Westminster Abbey.

Edward II., receiving intelligence that his dominions beyond seas were in a disturbed state, made a few domestic arrangements, and went over to France. Bruce, in his absence, resolved upon retaliation, twice invaded England, and returned with immense booty, without coming to any engagement. During the two following years, 1311 and 1312, he recovered almost all the fortified places which remained in possession of the English. In taking the town of Perth, which was carried by escalade, Bruce himself carried a ladder, and was the first to enter the ditch, the water of which stood to his throat. A French gentleman, who happened to be present, when he saw the king pass on, exclaimed, "What shall we say of our French lords, who spend their days in good cheer and jollity, while so worthy a knight hazards his life to win a miserable hamlet?" Saying this, with the gay valour which has always distinguished the French nobility, he threw hiniself into the water, followed the king, and shared his danger. Bruce, having put all the garrison, both Scotch and English, to the sword, levelled the walls, and filled up the ditch. The terror of this example constrained Dumfries, Lanark, Ayr, and Bute, besides many other places, to surrender. In the beginning of the spring, on Fastings-even, the night before Lent, usually celebrated by Bacchanalian rites, James Douglas surprised the castle of Roxburgh while the garrison were engaged in their revels; and, shortly after, the almost impregnable castle of Edinburgh was recovered hy Thomas Randolph. The Isle of Man likewise surrendered, and the fortresses were everywhere destroyed, lest they should afterwards prove receptacles for the English.

Edward, hearing of the great success which attended Bruce's career, resolved to raise a great army to extirpate a nation so often rebellious, and always unquiet, hostile, and troublesome. In this army, which consisted of 100,000 fighting men, were English, Welsh, Irish, and those of the Scotch who still adhered to the English faction, besides the crowd of servants, attendants, and sutlers, who brought provisions by sea and land to support them in a country not very fertile in itself,