Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (2).pdf/14

14 THE HISTORY OF journey into Scotland, John Cumming and Robert Bruce meeting together, after a long conference on the ſtate of their country, perceived, that notwithſtanding he had promiſed to each of them apart his help to obtain the crown of Scotland, yet his intention was only to uſe their aſſiſtance to conquer and ſecure it to himſelf, as he well declared, by ſpoiling the country of all monuments, public and private. Hereupon they agreed, that Cumming ſhould quit all his rights to the crown in favours of Bruce, and that Bruce ſhould give him all his hands for his aſſiſtance, and this contract was written and ſealed by both parties. Upon this Bruce, watching an opportunity to riſe in arms, left his wife and children in Scotland, and went to the court of England. After his departure, Cumming (as it is reported) either repenting himſelf of this agreement, or elſe endeavouring fradulently to oppoſe his co-rival, and ſo obtain an eaſier way to the kingdom, revealed their ſecret combination to Edward; and in evidence of it, he ſent him the covenant ſigned by them both. Upon that, Bruce was impleaded as guilty of high treaſon: he was forbidden to depart the count, and a private guard ſet over him to inſpect his words and actions. The king's delay to puniſh him for a crime ſo manifeſt, proceeded from a deſire he had to take his brethren too, before they had heard any noiſe of his execution.

Bruce advertiſed of his danger by the earl of Glouceſter (ſome call him the earl of Montgomery) his old friend, who had ſent him a pair of ſharp ſpurs, and ſome crowns of gold, as if he had borrowed the ſame, gueſſing the meaning of this propine, cauſed by night, ſhoe three horſes backward, and poſted away from court with two in his company, and on the fifth day (the way being deep in winter,) arrived at his own caſtle of Lochmabane, where he found his brother Edward, with Robert Fleming, James Lindſay, Robert Kilpatrick, and Thomas Charters, who told him how Wallace was betrayed by Sir John Monteith, and the Cumming faction a few days before. Immediately thereafter they intercepted a meſſenger with letters from Cumming to king Edward, deſiring that Bruce ſhould be diſpatched in haſte, leſt being a nobleman much favoured by the commons) he ſhould raiſe greater ſtirs. The treachery of John Cumming, before only ſuſpected, was hereby made manifeſt, which ſo incenſed the Lord Bruce, that rid-