In Freedom's Cause : A Story of Wallace and Bruce Page 2

  Chapter II

  Leaving Home

  One day when "the Avengers" were engaged in mimic battle in a glensome two miles from the village they were startled with a loudshout of "How now, what is this uproar?" Bows were lowered andhedge stakes dropped; on the hillside stood Red Roy, the henchmanof Sir John Kerr, with another of the retainers. They had beencrossing the hills, and had been attracted by the sound of shouting.All the lads were aware of the necessity for Archie's avoiding thenotice of the Kerrs, and Andrew Macpherson, one of the eldest ofthe lads, at once stepped forward: "We are playing," he said, "atfighting Picts against Scots."

  This was the case, for the English were so hated that Archie hadfound that none would even in sport take that name, and the sideswere accordingly dubbed Scots and Picts, the latter title not beingso repugnant, and the companies changing sides each day.

  "It looks as if you were fighting in earnest," Roy said grimly,"for the blood is streaming down your face."

  "Oh, we don't mind a hard knock now and again," Andrew saidcarelessly. "I suppose, one of these days, we shall have to go outunder Sir John's banner, and the more hard knocks we have now, theless we shall care for them then."

  "That is so," Roy said; "and some of you will soon be able to handlearms in earnest. Who are your leaders?" he asked sharply, as hiseye fixed on Archie, who had seated himself carelessly upon a rockat some little distance.

  "William Orr generally heads one side, and I the other."

  "And what does that young Forbes do?" Red Roy asked.

  "Well, he generally looks on," Andrew replied in a confidentialtone; "he is not much good with the bow, and his lady mother doesnot like it if he goes home with a crack across the face, and Idon't think he likes it himself; he is but a poor creature when itcomes to a tussle."

  "And it is well for him that he is," Red Roy muttered to himself;"for if he had been likely to turn out a lad of spirit, Sir Johnwould have said the word to me before now; but, seeing what he is,he may as well be left alone for the present. He will never causetrouble." So saying, Red Roy strolled away with his companion, andleft the lads to continue their mimic fight.

  News travelled slowly to Glen Cairn; indeed, it was only whena travelling chapman or pedlar passed through, or when one of thevillagers went over to Lanark or Glasgow, carrying the fowls andother produce of the community to market, that the news came fromwithout.

  Baliol was not long before he discovered that his monarchy was buta nominal one. The first quarrel which arose between him and hisimperious master was concerning the action of the courts. King Edwarddirected that there should be an appeal to the courts at Westminsterfrom all judgments in the Scottish courts. Baliol protested that itwas specifically agreed by the Treaty of Brigham that no Scotchmanwas liable to be called upon to plead outside the kingdom; butEdward openly declared, "Notwithstanding any concessions made beforeBaliol became king, he considered himself at liberty to judge inany case brought before him from Scotland, and would, if necessary,summon the King of Scots himself to appear in his presence." Hethen compelled Baliol formally to renounce and cancel not only theTreaty of Brigham, but every stipulation of the kind "known toexist, or which might be thereafter discovered." Another appealfollowed, and Baliol was cited to appear personally, but refused;he was thereupon declared contumacious by the English parliament,and a resolution was passed that three of the principal towns ofScotland should be "seized," until he gave satisfaction. All thiswas a manifest usurpation, even allowing Edward's claims to supremacyto be well founded.

  At this moment Edward became involved in a quarrel with his ownlord superior Phillip, king of France, by whom he was in turnedsummoned to appear under the pain of contumacy. Edward met thisdemand by a renunciation of allegiance to Phillip and a declarationof war, and called upon Baliol for aid as his vassal; but Baliolwas also a vassal of the French king, and had estates in Franceliable to seizure. He therefore hesitated. Edward further orderedhim to lay an embargo upon all vessels in the ports of Scotland,and required the attendance of many of the Scottish barons in hisexpedition to France. Finding his orders disobeyed, on the 16thof October Edward issued a writ to the sheriff of Northampton,"to seize all lands, goods, and chattels of John Baliol and otherScots."

  The Scotch held a parliament at Scone. All Englishmen holding officewere summarily dismissed. A committee of the estates was appointedto act as guardian of the kingdom, and Baliol himself was deprivedof all active power; but an instrument was prepared in his name,reciting the injuries that he and his subjects had sustained at thehands of the English king, and renouncing all further allegiance.Following this up, a league was concluded, offensive and defensive,between the French king and Scotland, represented by the prelates,nobles, and community. Edward Baliol, the king's son, was contractedto marry the French king's niece. Phillip bound himself to assistScotland against any invasion of England, and the Scotch agreed tocross the Border in case Edward invaded France.

  In making this alliance the Scots took the only step possible; forthey had no choice between fighting England with France as theirally, or fighting France as the subjects of King Edward. The contestwhich was approaching seemed all but hopeless. The populationof England was six times as large as that of Scotland, and Edwardcould draw from Ireland and Wales great numbers of troops. TheEnglish were trained to war by constant fighting in France, Ireland,and Wales; while the Scots had, for a very long period, enjoyeda profound peace, and were for the most part wholly ignorant ofwarfare.

  Edward at once prepared to invade Scotland; in January he seizedthe lands owned by Comyn in Northumberland and sold them, directingthe money to be applied to the raising and maintenance of 1000men-at-arms and 60,000 foot soldiers, and in February issued a writfor the preparation of a fleet of 100 vessels.

  On the 25th of March he crossed the Tweed with 5000 horse and 30,000foot. The Scotch leaders were, of course, aware of the gatheringstorm, and, collecting their forces, attempted a diversion bycrossing the Border to the west and making a raid into Cumberland.King Edward, however, marched north and besieged Berwick, the richestand most flourishing of the towns of Scotland. With the exceptionof the castle, it was weakly fortified. The attack was commencedby the fleet, who were, however, repulsed and driven off. A landassault, led by the king in person, was then made; the walls werecaptured, and the town completely sacked. The inhabitants werebutchered without distinction of age, sex, or condition, and eventhose who fled to the churches were slain within the sanctuary.Contemporary accounts differ as to the numbers who perished on thisoccasion. Langtoff says 4000; Hemingford, 8000; Knighton, anotherEnglish writer, says 17,000; and Matthew of Westminster, 60,000.Whichever of these writers is correct, it is certain that almostthe whole of the men, women, and children of the largest and mostpopulous Scottish town were butchered by the orders of the Englishking, who issued direct orders that none should be spared. Fromthis terrible visitation Berwick, which was before called theAlexandria of the West, never recovered. The castle, which was heldby Sir William Douglas, surrendered immediately; and Sir William,having sworn fealty to the English king, was permitted to depart.

  The English army now marched north. Patrick, Earl of Dunbar,was with King Edward; but his wife, a noble and patriotic woman,surrendered the castle to the Scots. The Earl of Surrey, witha powerful army, sat down before it. The Scotch nobles and peoplemarched in great numbers, but with little order and discipline,to raise the siege. They were met by Surrey, whose force, inuredto arms, easily routed the Scotch gathering, no fewer than 10,000being killed in the conflict and retreat. The English army wasjoined by 15,000 Welsh and 30,000 from Ireland, and marched throughScotland, the castles and towns opening their gates to Edward ashe came, and the nobles, headed by James the Stewart, coming in anddoing homage to him. Baliol was forced to appear in the churchyardof Strath-Cathro, near Montrose, arrayed in regal robes, and toresign his kingdom to the Bishop of Durham as Edward's representative,and to repeat the act a few days afterwards at Brechin in presenceo
f the king himself. He was then, with his son, sent a prisoner toLondon, where they were confined in the Tower for several years.From Brechin Edward marched through the whole of Scotland, visitingall the principal towns. He had now dropped the title of LordParamount of Scotland, the country being considered as virtuallypart of England. Garrisons were placed in every stronghold in thecountry, and many new castles were raised to dominate the people.The public documents were all carried away to England, the greatseal broken in pieces, and the stone of Scone--upon which, forfive hundred years, every Scotch monarch had been crowned--wascarried away to Westminster, where it has ever since formed theseat of the thrones upon which English monarchs have been crowned.

  The tide of war had not passed near Glen Cairn; but the excitement,as from time to time the news came of stirring events, was verygreat. The tidings of the massacre of Berwick filled all withconsternation and grief. Some of the men quitted their homes andfought at Dunbar, and fully half of these never returned; but greatas was the humiliation and grief at the reverses which had befallenthe Scotch arms, the feeling was even deeper and more bitter at thereadiness with which the whole of the Scotch nobles flocked in tomake their peace with King Edward.

  It seemed so incredible that Scotland, which had so long successfullyresisted all invaders, should now tamely yield without a struggle,that the people could scarce believe it possible that their boastedfreedom was gone, that the kingdom of Scotland was no more, and thecountry become a mere portion of England. Thus, while the nobleswith their Norman blood and connections accepted the new state ofthings contentedly enough, well satisfied to have retained rank andland, a deep and sullen discontent reigned among the people; theyhad been betrayed rather than conquered, and were determined thatsome day there should be an uprising, and that Scotland would makea great effort yet for freedom. But for this a leader was needed,and until such a one appeared the people rested quiet and bidedtheir time.

  From time to time there came to Glen Cairn tales of the doings ofthat William Wallace who had, when the English first garrisoned theScottish castles, while Edward was choosing between the competitorsfor her throne, killed young Selbye at Dundee, and had been outlawedfor the deed. After that he went and resided with his uncle, SirRonald Crawford, and then with another uncle, Sir Richard Wallaceof Riccarton. Here he gathered a party of young men, eager spiritslike himself, and swore perpetual hostility to the English.

  One day Wallace was fishing in the Irvine when Earl Percy, thegovernor of Ayr, rode past with a numerous train. Five of themremained behind and asked Wallace for the fish he had taken. Hereplied that they were welcome to half of them. Not satisfied withthis, they seized the basket and prepared to carry it off. Wallaceresisted, and one of them drew his sword. Wallace seized the staffof his net and struck his opponent's sword from his hand; this hesnatched up and stood on guard, while the other four rushed uponhim. Wallace smote the first so terrible a blow that his head wascloven from skull to collarbone; with the next blow he severed theright arm of another, and then disabled a third. The other twofled, and overtaking the earl, called on him for help; "for," theysaid, "three of our number who stayed behind with us to take somefish from the Scot who was fishing are killed or disabled."

  "How many were your assailants?" asked the earl.

  "But the man himself," they answered; "a desperate fellow whom wecould not withstand."

  "I have a brave company of followers!" the earl said with scorn."You allow one Scot to overmatch five of you! I shall not returnto seek for your adversary; for were I to find him I should respecthim too much to do him harm."

  Fearing that after this adventure he could no longer remain insafety with his uncle, Wallace left him and took up his abode inLag Lane Wood, where his friends joining him, they lived a wildlife together, hunting game and making many expeditions through thecountry. On one occasion he entered Ayr in disguise; in the middleof a crowd he saw some English soldiers, who were boasting that theywere superior to the Scots in strength and feats of arms. One ofthem, a strong fellow, was declaring that he could lift a greaterweight than any two Scots. He carried a pole, with which he offered,for a groat, to let any Scotchman strike him on the back as hardas he pleased, saying that no Scotchman could strike hard enoughto hurt him.

  Wallace offered him three groats for a blow. The soldier eagerlyaccepted the money, and Wallace struck him so mighty a blow thathis back was broken and he fell dead on the ground. His comradesdrew their swords and rushed at Wallace, who slew two with thepole, and when it broke drew the long sword which was hidden inhis garments, and cut his way through them.

  On another occasion he again had a fracas with the English in Ayr,and after killing many was taken prisoner. Earl Percy was away,and his lieutenant did not venture to execute him until his return.A messenger was sent to the Earl, but returned with strict ordersthat nothing should be done to the prisoner until he came back.The bad diet and foul air of the dungeon suited him so ill, afterhis free life in the woods, that he fell ill, and was reducedto so weak a state that he lay like one dead--the jailer indeedthought that he was so, and he was carried out to be cast into theprison burial ground, when a woman, who had been his nurse, beggedhis body. She had it carried to her house, and then discovered thatlife yet remained, and by great care and good nursing succeededin restoring him. In order to prevent suspicion that he was stillalive a fictitious funeral was performed. On recovering, Wallacehad other frays with the English, all of which greatly increasedhis reputation throughout that part of the country, so that moreadherents came to him, and his band began to be formidable. Hegradually introduced an organization among those who were found tobe friendly to the cause, and by bugle notes taken up and repeatedfrom spot to spot orders could be despatched over a wide extent ofcountry, by which the members of his band knew whether to assembleor disperse, to prepare to attack an enemy, or to retire to theirfastnesses.

  The first enterprise of real importance performed by the band wasan attack by Wallace and fifty of his associates on a party ofsoldiers, 200 strong, conveying provisions from Carlisle to thegarrison of Ayr. They were under the command of John Fenwick,the same officer who had been at the head of the troop by whichWallace's father had been killed. Fenwick left twenty of his mento defend the wagons, and with the rest rode forward against theScots. A stone wall checked their progress, and the Scotch, takingadvantage of the momentary confusion, made a furious charge uponthem with their spears, cutting their way into the midst of themand making a great slaughter of men and horses. The English roderound and round them, but the Scots, defending themselves with spearand sword, stood so staunchly together that the English could notbreak through.

  The battle was long and desperate, but Wallace killed Fenwick withhis own hand, and after losing nigh a hundred of their number theEnglish fled in confusion. The whole convoy fell into the hands ofthe victors, who became possessed of several wagons, 200 carriagehorses, flour, wine, and other stores in great abundance; withthese they retired into the forest of Clydesdale.

  The fame of this exploit greatly increased the number of Wallace'sfollowers. So formidable did the gathering become that convoys byland to Ayr were entirely interrupted, and Earl Percy held a councilof the nobility at Glasgow, and consulted them as to what had bestbe done. Finally, Sir Ronald Crawford was summoned and told thatunless he induced his nephew to desist from hostilities they shouldhold him responsible and waste his lands. Sir Ronald visited theband in Clydesdale forest, and rather than harm should come uponhim, Wallace and his friends agreed to a truce for two months. Theirplunder was stowed away in places of safety, and a portion of theband being left to guard it the rest dispersed to their homes.

  Wallace returned to his uncle's, but was unable long to remaininactive, and taking fifteen followers he went with them in disguiseto Ayr. Wallace, as usual, was not long before he got into aquarrel. An English fencing master, armed with sword and buckler,was in an open place in the city, challenging any one to encounterhim. Several Scots tried their
fortune and were defeated, and thenseeing Wallace towering above the crowd he challenged him. Wallaceat once accepted, and after guarding himself for some time, witha mighty sweep of his sword cleft through buckler, arm, headpiece,and skull. The English soldiers around at once attacked him; hisfriends rallied round him, and after hard fighting they made theirway to the spot where they had left their horses and rode to LagLane Wood.

  When Earl Percy heard that Wallace had been the leader in thisfray, and found on inquiry that he had slain the sword player infair fight after having been challenged by him, he refused to regardhim as having broken the truce, for he said the soldiers had donewrong in attacking him. Earl Percy was himself a most gallantsoldier, and the extraordinary personal prowess of Wallace excitedin him the warmest admiration, and he would fain, if it had beenpossible, have attached him to the service of England.

  As soon as the truce was over Wallace again attacked the English.For a time he abode with the Earl of Lennox, who was one of thefew who had refused to take the oath of allegiance, and havingrecruited his force, he stormed the stronghold called the Peelof Gargunnock, near Stirling. Then he entered Perth, leaving hisfollowers in Methven Wood, and hearing that an English reinforcementwas upon the march, formed an ambush, fell upon them, and defeatedthem; and pressing hotly upon them entered so close on their heelsinto Kincleven Castle, that the garrison had no time to close thegate, and the place was captured. Great stores and booty were foundhere; these were carried to the woods, and the castle was burnedto the ground, as that of Gargunnock had been, as Wallace's forcewas too small to enable him to hold these strongholds. Indignantat this enterprise so close to their walls the English moved outthe whole garrison, 1000 strong, against Wallace, who had with himbut fifty men in all. After a desperate defence, in which Sir JohnButler and Sir William de Loraine, the two officers in command,were killed by Wallace himself, the latter succeeded in drawing offhis men; 120 of the English were killed in the struggle, of whommore than twenty are said to have fallen at the hands of Wallacealone. Many other similar deeds did Wallace perform; his fame grewmore and more, as did the feeling among the Scotch peasantry thatin him they had found their champion and leader.

  Archie eagerly drank in the tale of Wallace's exploits, and his soulwas fired by the desire to follow so valiant a leader. He was nowsixteen, his frame was set and vigorous, and exercise and constantpractice with arms had hardened his muscles. He became restlesswith his life of inactivity; and his mother, seeing that her quietand secluded existence was no longer suitable for him, resolvedto send him to her sister's husband, Sir Robert Gordon, who dweltnear Lanark. Upon the night before he started she had a long talkwith him.

  "I have long observed, my boy," she said, "the eagerness withwhich you constantly practise at arms; and Sandy tells me that hecan no longer defend himself against you. Sandy, indeed is not ayoung man, but he is still hale and stout, and has lost but littleof his strength. Therefore it seems that, though but a boy, you maybe considered to have a man's strength, for your father regardedSandy as one of the stoutest and most skilful of his men-at-arms.I know what is in your thoughts; that you long to follow inyour father's footsteps, and to win back the possessions of whichyou have been despoiled by the Kerrs. But beware, my boy; you areyet but young; you have no friends or protectors, save Sir RobertGordon, who is a peaceable man, and goes with the times; whilethe Kerrs are a powerful family, able to put a strong body in thefield, and having many powerful friends and connections throughoutthe country. It is our obscurity which has so far saved you, forSir John Kerr would crush you without mercy did he dream that youcould ever become formidable; and he is surrounded by ruthlessretainers, who would at a word from him take your life; thereforethink not for years to come to match yourself against the Kerrs.You must gain a name and a following and powerful friends beforeyou move a step in that direction; but I firmly believe that thetime will come when you will become lord of Glencairn and the hillsaround it. Next, my boy, I see that your thoughts are ever runningupon the state of servitude to which Scotland is reduced, and havemarked how eagerly you listen to the deeds of that gallant youngchampion, Sir William Wallace. When the time comes I would holdyou back from no enterprise in the cause of our country; but atpresent this is hopeless. Valiant as may be the deeds which Wallaceand his band perform, they are as vain as the strokes of reeds uponarmour against the power of England."

  "But, mother, his following may swell to an army."

  "Even so, Archie; but even as an army it would be but as chaff beforethe wind against an English array. What can a crowd of peasants,however valiant, do against the trained and disciplined battle ofEngland. You saw how at Dunbar the Earl of Surrey scattered themlike sheep, and then many of the Scotch nobles were present. Sofar there is no sign of any of the Scottish nobles giving aid orcountenance to Wallace, and even should he gather an army, fearfor the loss of their estates, a jealousy of this young leader,and the Norman blood in their veins, will bind them to England,and the Scotch would have to face not only the army of the invader,but the feudal forces of our own nobles. I say not that enterpriseslike those of Wallace do not aid the cause, for they do so greatlyby exciting the spirit and enthusiasm of the people at large, asthey have done in your case. They show them that the English arenot invincible, and that even when in greatly superior numbersthey may be defeated by Scotchmen who love their country. They keepalive the spirit of resistance and of hope, and prepare the timewhen the country shall make a general effort. Until that timecomes, my son, resistance against the English power is vain. Evenwere it not so, you are too young to take part in such strife, butwhen you attain the age of manhood, if you should still wish tojoin the bands of Wallace--that is, if he be still able to makehead against the English--I will not say nay. Here, my son,is your father's sword. Sandy picked it up as he lay slain on thehearthstone, and hid it away; but now I can trust it with you. Mayit be drawn some day in the cause of Scotland! And now, my boy,the hour is late, and you had best to bed, for it were well thatyou made an early start for Lanark."

  The next morning Archie started soon after daybreak. On his backhe carried a wallet, in which was a new suit of clothes suitablefor one of the rank of a gentleman, which his mother had with greatstint and difficulty procured for him. He strode briskly along,proud of the possession of a sword for the first time. It was initself a badge of manhood, for at that time all men went armed.

  As he neared the gates of Lanark he saw a party issue out and ridetowards him, and recognized in their leader Sir John Kerr. Pullinghis cap down over his eyes, he strode forward, keeping by the sideof the road that the horsemen might pass freely, but paying no heedto them otherwise.

  "Hallo, sirrah!" Sir John exclaimed, reining in his horse, "whoare you who pass a knight and a gentleman on the highway withoutvailing his bonnet in respect?"

  "I am a gentleman and the son of a knight," Archie said, lookingfearlessly up into the face of his questioner. "I am Archie Forbes,and I vail my bonnet to no man living save those whom I respectand honour."

  So saying, without another word he strode forward to the town. SirJohn looked darkly after him.

  "Red Roy," he said sternly, turning to one who rode behind him,"you have failed in your trust. I told you to watch the boy, andfrom time to time you brought me news that he was growing up buta village churl. He is no churl, and unless I mistake me, he willsome day be dangerous. Let me know when he next returns to thevillage; we must then take speedy steps for preventing him frombecoming troublesome."