Page:History of the life and death, of the great warrior Robert Bruce.pdf/22

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the greatest disorder. At this critical moment, Robert rushed forward with a body he had held in reserve. The young Earl of Gloueester, nephew of the English king, attempted to bring baek the flying English to the charge, but fell among the pits prepared for the cavalry, and was dismounted and slain. While the disorder was thiekening among the English ranks, their consternation was augment- ed by the appearanee of a second Seottish army, which seemed to be advaneing along the edge of       a hill, as if for the purpose of cutting off their re- treat. This was the band of idle attendants be- fore notieed, and whom Bruce had provided with military standards and other equipments, so as to       give them the semblanee of an army. Panie- struck by this unlooked for and unwelcome ap- pearance, the English fled in dismay. Many of       them erowded to seek shelter among the rocks in the neighbourhood of Stirling Castle, and great numbers were drowned in attempting to       eross the Forth. Edward was attended during the battle by       Aymer de Valenee, Earl of Pembroke, and Sir Giles d'Argentine, a brave knight, who had high- ly distinguished himself in the wars of the Cru- sades. Pembroke, seeing that the battle was ir- retrievably lost, forced Edward of the field, who fled to Linlithgow without halting; the gates of