Page:History of the life and death, of the great warrior Robert Bruce.pdf/23

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which he had scareely entered, when he found himself pursued by a band of the Scots, who were elose at his heels. These were Sir James Douglas with sixty horsemen. He immediately mounted his horse, and allowed himself not a moment's rest till he had reached Dunbar, where he was received by the Earl of March, who con- veyed him by sea to England. Such was the great and decisive battle of Ban- nockburn. Robert Bruce gained great honour by this humane treatment of the captives, many of whom he released without ransom. In return for the Earl of Hereford he received his queen and daughter, the Bishop of Glasgow, and the young Earl of Mar; and large sums were paid by the English for the ransom of other captives, which greatly enriched the coffers of the kingdom. Some years afterwards the English king was compelled by his subjeets to resign his power to his son, Edward the Third, then a boy about fifteen years of age. This young man, was be- ginning to meditate an attack upon Scotland, then Robert, became aequainted with his design, resolved to be before-hand with phim. He ordered Randolph and Douglas to mareh into England, and lay waste the northern counties. In the mean time Edward put himself at the head of his army, and crossed the Tweed, laid siege to Ber- wick; but all his efforts failed although he