Page:Robert the Bruce and the struggle for Scottish independence - 1909.djvu/398

336 the wardrobe, a treasurer, Sir Robert Toynge, nine ladies, five knights, no less than nine chaplains and clerics, thirty-eight esquires, four boys, three laundresses, thirty-six sergeants, two larderers, twenty grooms, and a page.

It had been stipulated under the treaty of Northampton that the King of Scots should not aid the King of England's enemies in Ireland; and thus it came to pass that King Robert was able to resume friendly relations with his brother-in-law, William Earl of Ulster, son of the Red Earl, against whom Robert and Edward de Brus had waged such relentless war. Among other tokens of amity, the King sent the earl a present of 200 lbs of stockfish from Cardross—an acceptable offering, no doubt, in the season of Lent.

Although, as has been shown, the Pope had promised absolution to the King of Scots, and his people, and had, besides, written in the most friendly tone to King Robert in October, 1328, requesting him to receive with favour the papal chaplain, James, Archdeacon of St. Andrews, and James, the new Bishop of St. Andrews, yet there seems to have been unsatisfactory delay in fulfilling his promise. The Bishop of Brechin was at Avignon at the beginning of 1329, on a mission to the Papal Court, attended by other ambassadors, and carrying the significant provision of 4000 marks to facilitate negotiations—pro negotiis regni ad curiam Romanam expediendis.