Page:The Queens of England.djvu/138

 u6 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. by the downfall of Wallace was not doomed to be of long con- tinuance. Scotland was again in arms, and Robert Bruce was crowned king of Scotland in the abbey of Scone. Great was the wrath of Edward at learning these events. Without a moment's delay he assembled an army, and, previous to his taking the field himself, despatched his son and a chosen band of nobles to check the progress of Bruce. Aymer de Valence, Henry de Percy, and Robert de Clifford, who had preceded the prince, came upon the Scottish army, near Me- thuen, and attacked them so suddenly, that, though they made a vigorous resistance, they were compelled to fly, and Bruce's wife, daughter, and three brothers, were, among many other important persons, taken prisoners. This was the last victory achieved against the Scots by the great "Sire Edward." While on his way to join his army, he was attacked with a violent ill- ness^ at Burgh-on-the-Sands, and, feeling his end approaching, he summoned Prince Edward to receive his parting admonitions. In these he commanded "that he should carry his father's bones about with him in some coffin till he had marched through all Scotland and subdued all his enemies, for that none should be able to overcome him while his skeleton marched with him ;" that he should "love his brethren, Thomas and Edmund ; but especially treat with tenderness and respect his mother Queen Margaret." Shortly after this, while his servants were raising him up to ■ take some refreshment, he expired in their arms. Of his person Carte gives us the following description : — "He was one of the goodliest personages that could be seen ; taller than most men, finely shaped, and well made ; a lively, piercing eye ; a manly beauty in his visage ; a majestic air, mixed with an indescribable sweetness a noble port ; an easy and en- gaging manner of address, which, without lessening his dignity, was full of goodness and condescension; an inimitable grace- fulness in his look, his speech, his gestures, and behavior ; in a word, all his exterior commanded reverence, and inspired at once affection and admiration." To this may be added, that he was seldom ill ; never lost his teeth, nor was his sight dimmed by age. He was temperate ; never wore his crown after his coronation, thinking it a burden, but going about in the plain garments of a citizen, excepting on festival days. Marguerite's grief for his death was as sincere as had been her affection. A curious record of this still exists in the docu- ment of John o'London, who was employed by the queen to