84 The Scalacronica. 



that we can do him harm m no way." "See," said he, "the 

 result will be well. Leave me to arrange." He took the said 

 John Comyn, and they appeared at the Altar. "Sir," said 

 Robert de Bruys, " this land of Scotland is placed entirely in 

 servitude to the English through ithe remissness of the leader, who 

 allows his right and the freedom of the realm to be lost. Choose 

 one of two courses. Either take my heritage and help me to 

 become king, or pledge me yours, if I help you to become king, 

 since you are of his blood who has lost the throne. I hoped to 

 leave it in succession to my ancestors who claimed the right to 

 possess it ; but they were defeated by yours. Now is the time 

 in the old age of the English King. ' ' " Verily, ' ' said John 

 Comyn, " I will never be false to my English Lord, for I am 

 bound to him by oath and homage. It is a thing that would make 

 me commit treason." " No !" said Robert de Bruys, " I had other 

 hope in you, by promise of you and yours. You have betrayed 

 me to the King in your letters. Wherefore if you live I carmot 

 accomplish my wish. You shall have your reward." He struck 

 him with his knife, and others cut him down in the church 

 before the altar. His uncle, a knight, struck the said Robert de 

 Bruys with his sword upon the breast, but as he was in armour it 

 did not pierce him. The uncle was also killed there. The said 

 Robert had himself crowned King of Scotland at Scone on the 

 Feast of the Annunciation of our Lady (25th of March), by the 

 Countess of Buchan, on account of the absence of the Earl, her 

 son, who always lived in England at the manor of Vitvick, near 

 Leicester. To him belonged the duty of crowning the kings of 

 Scotland hereditarily, in the absence of the Earl of Fife, who at 

 that time was in England in the King's ward. The said 

 Countess was taken by the English in the same year and con- 

 ducted to Berwick. By the order of King Edward she was put 

 into the cage made of spars in a tower uf the Castle of Berwick, 

 the sides of which were latticed, so that all might lie able to 

 observe her carefully. 



When King Edward heard of the rebellion which Robert de 

 Bruys and his adherents had made, he sent thither Eymer de 

 Valoyns, Earl of Pembroke, with other Barons of England, and 

 several of Scotland who were connected by consanguinity with 

 John Comyn. These all got ready to meet Robert de Bruys. 



