prisoners.* The English historians mention as the most distinguished among the slain, the Earl of Gloucester, Sir Giles d'Argentine, Robert Clifford, Payen Tybetot, William le Mareshal, and the Seneshal of England Edmund de Mauley. Of esquires there fell seven hundred; the number of common men killed or made prisoners, is not related with any certainty.

The Welshmen who served in the English army were scattered over the country, and miserably butchered by the Scottish peasants.25

The English who had sought refuge among the rocks in the neighbourhood of Stirling castle, surrendered at discretion." Moubray the governor performed the conditions of his capitulation, yielded up the castle, and entered into the service of the King of Scots.

The privy-seal of the English King fell into the hands of the enemy.‡27

* In Trivet, contin. p. 14. there is a list of some of them. From the specimen there given, it may be presumed, that, if the list were complete, most of the ancient English families would find the names of their predecessors among the slain, or among the prisoners, at Bannockburn.

† "Scutiferorum septingentorum;" Walsingham, p. 105. As to the meaning of the word Esquire, it is said by Spelman, Gloss. p. 508. Scutifer, nobilitatis, scil. appellatio apud Anglos penultima, hoc est, inter equitem et generosum;" i.e. " A squire is that rank which is below that of a knight, and above that of a gentleman." This description is not satisfactory; it has a modern look.

‡ " Dominus Rogerus de Northburgh, custos Domini Regis targiae, ab eo ibidem ablatae, una cum Dominis Rogero de Wikenfelde et Thoma de Switone, Dicti Domini Rogeri cleri

25 Barbour, 276.
27-Trivet, contin. 15. Foedera, iii. 483.

26 Barbour, 276.280.

VOL. II.

E

The Scots were enriched by the spoils of the English camp, and the ransoms of many noble prisoners. 28

In the treatment of the prisoners who were allotted to him, the King of Scots displayed much generosity. He set at liberty Ralph de Monthermer, and Sir Marmaduke Twenge, * without ransom. By humane and courteous offices he alleviated the misfortune of the captives, won their affections,t and shewed the English how they ought to have improved their victories.

The King of Scots sent the dead bodies of the

cis, pariter detinebantur ibidem, ob quod Dominus Rex citò postea fieri fecit sigillum, volens illud privatum sigillum appellari ad differentiam targiae sic, ut praemittitur, ablatae;" Trivet, contin. p. 15. Spelman understood not the meaning of the word targia: He says, Glossar. p. 532. "Targia pro scuto, a Gall. Target. Wals. in Edw. II. A. D. 1314. p. 105. Rogerus de Northburgh, custos Targiae Domini Regis." The continuator of Trivet seems to distinguish this targia from the privy-seal. This is a matter of small importance; it may, however, be observed, that it is fully explained by an instrument in Foedera, T. iii. p. 483. "Rex, &c. quia privatum sigillum nostrum a nobis est elongatum, tibi praecipimus, &c. ne quis pro aliquo mandato sibi, sub dicto sigillo ex tunc porrigendo, seu etiam liberando, quicquam faciat, nisi aliud a nobis habuerit mandatum, de priore mandato sub dicto privato sigillo contento, specialem faciens mentionem," &c. ap. Berwick 27th June 1314. Bruce, to show that he meant nothing dishonourable by holding the seal in his possession, restored it to Edward, under the condition, however, that Edward should not use it; Trivet, cont. p. 16.

* He yielded himself up to the King in person, on the day after the battle; during that interval he had lurked in the field undiscovered; Barbour, p. 279.

† "Captivos quos ceperat tam civiliter tractari fecit, tam honorificè custodiri, quod corda multorum in amorem sui indivisibiliter commutarit;" Walsingham, p. 106.

Earl of Gloucester* and Lord Clifford to be interred in England with the honours due to their birth and valour.29

There was one Baston, a Carmelite friar, whom Edward had brought with him in his train, to be spectator, as was popularly reported, of his achievements, and to record his triumphs. 3o Baston was made prisoner, and paid a poet's ransom in a poem on the Scottish victory at Bannockburn.t

30

The Earl of Hereford had retreated after the battle to the castle of Bothwell.31 He was besieg

* Walsingham, p. 106. relates a singular incident concerning the succession of the Earl of Gloucester. He left no issue, and the pregnancy of his widow was waited for during two years (per biennale tempus). This is improbable. A learned friend ingeniously conjectures, that brumale ought to be read for biennale, which makes the sense to be, that her pregnancy was waited for until the end of winter.

+ "They are excellent rhymes," says the continuator of Fordun, " and ought not to be hid under a bushel, but to be set in a candlestick;" L. xii. c. 22. This poem is well known; and although the rhymes may not be so excellent as the historian imagined, they are curious. The poet begins with lamenting the subject of his work:

"De planctu cudo metrum cum carmine nudo,
Risum retrudo, dum tali themate ludo."

He prudently disclaims any knowledge of the merits of the quarrel between the two nations,

" Sub quo Rege reo, nescio, teste Deo."

The intemperance of the English soldiery, mentioned by Th. de la More, affords matter for two lines.

" Dum se sic jactant cum Baccho nocte jocando, Scotia, te mactant, verbis vanis reprobando." His own singular fate is aptly enough described thus:

" Nescio quid dicam, quam non sevi meto spicam." I suspect that this unhappy poet had great part of the description of the battle ready made when he was taken prisoner. His poem is a most extraordinary performance, and must have

ed there by Edward Bruce, and soon capitulated. He was exchanged for the wife, sister, and daughter of Bruce, for the Bishop of Glasgow, and the young Earl of Marre. * 32

Edward Bruce and Douglas entered England by the eastern marches, wasted Northumberland, and laid the bishoprick of Durham under contribution.33 After having penetrated to Richmond, they proceeded westward, burnt Appleby and other towns, and returned home loaded with plunder. Walsingham avers, that many Englishmen, at that time, revolted to the Scots, and aided them in their depredations.34 "The English," adds he, were so bereaved of their wonted intrepidity, that a hundred of that nation would have fled from two or three Scotsmen."†

66

The English King summoned a parliament at York, in order to concert measures for the public security. 35 To repress the incursions of the Scots, he appointed the Earl of Pembroke, formerly Guardian of Scotland, to be Guardian of the country between the Trent and Tweed,

* Barbour says, p. 285. that Wishart Bishop of Glasgow was now become blind. John de Segrave had been made prisoner at the battle of Bannockburn; he was now exchanged for David de Lindesay, Andrew Murray, Reginald de Lindesay, and Alexander his brother, (20th November 1314); Foedera, iii. p. 502.

† "Nempe tunc Anglis consueta adempta fuit audacia, ut a facie duorum aut trium Scotorum fugerunt Angli centum;" Walsingham, p. 106. Never were the consequences of a national panic more severely felt.

At this season of dejection, the King of Scots made overtures of peace. 36 He wrote to Edward, that a lasting concord between the two nations was his chief wish, and he desired a passport for commissioners to treat on his part.* Edward granted the passport, and appointed commissioners to treat with the Scots, (18th Sept. and 7th October). But the conclusion of this ruinous war still remained at a distance. The Scots were too prosperous to make any concessions, and the English were not yet sufficiently abased by ill fortune, or enfeebled by faction, to yield every thing.

The Scots again invaded England; and, without meeting resistance, levied contributions in different places. 37 During the winter, they continued to infest, or to threaten, the English borders.t

* Ralph Chilton, a friar, was the messenger sent by Bruce. The Scottish commissioners were four knights, Nigel Campbell, Roger de Kirkpatrick, Robert de Keith, and Gilbert de la Haye; Foedera, T. iii. p. 495. Edward granted the passport, 18th September 1314, and consented to the negociating a peace, 7th October 1314, (at York); Foedera, T. iii. p. 495. 497.

† Tyrrel, vol. iii. p. 262. says, from the MS. Chronicle of Lanercost, "The Scots again entered England by Redesdale and Tindale, driving away the cattle, burning the towns, and destroying the inhabitants; none being able to resist them. Then they went and reduced all Gillesland (in Cumberland), so that the people in all those parts swore allegiance to the King of Scots, and paid him tribute. In the space of six months, the county of Cumberland alone paid no less than six hundred merks for its share." Tyrrel observes, that this happened even whilst the English parliament was sitting; as if that assembly could have been formidable to the Scots while dissensions and party animosities prevailed in it.