Page:Prophecies of Thomas the Rhymer, the ancient Scotch prophet (2).pdf/16

 spot which has lately been enclosed for a garden at the north end of the village of New-house, and about a quarter of a mile from the Borough Port of Stirling.

This victory gave new spirits to the whole army, and made them so eager for the general engagement, that the night, though among the shortest of the year, seemed long to them. At length appeared the dawn of that important day, which was to decide whether Scotland was henceforth to be an independent kingdom, or subject to a foreign yoke. Early all was in motion in both armies; religious sentiments were mingled with the military ardour of the Scots: a solemn mass, in the manner of those times, was said by the Abbot of Inchaffrey a monastery in Strathearn, who also administered the sacrament to the King, and the great officers about him; while inferior priests did the same to the rest of the army. After this, they formed in order of battle, in a track of ground called Nether Touchadam, which lies along the declivity of a gentle rising hill.This situation had been previously chosen, because of its advantages. Upon the right they had a range of steep rocks, now called Murray’s Craig, and in their front were steep banks of the revulet of Bannockburn. Not far behind them was a wood, some vestages of which still remain. Upon the left was a morass, now called Milton bog, from its vicinity to a small village of that name; much of this bog is still undrained, and a part of it is at present a mill-dam. As it was then the middle of summer, it was almost quite dry. But King Robert had recourse to a stratagem in order to prevent any attack from that quarter.