204 BUITTLE. 



allegiance to Edward. Edward I. at once summoned his army to 

 assemble at Newcastle-on-Tyne, preparatory to a descent on 

 Scotland. Balliol, on the other hand, invaded England. He 

 was repulsed at Carlisle, but burned Hexham and Corebridge. 

 Edward marched along the west of Scotland, and seized Rox- 

 burgh, Jedburgh, Dunbar, Edinburgh, and entered Stirling. 

 Balliol, thus cut off, was forced to abdicate the throne in favour 

 of Edward, and he was carried captive to London. Henry de 

 Percy wai appointed Warden of (lallowa} , and custodian of the 

 Castles of Ayr, Wigtown, Cruggleton, and Botle. Thus Botle 

 became a royal fortress. Patrick of Botle was therefore, in 1296, 

 forced to swear fealty to Edward. 



In 1300 Edward I., nicknamed " The Hammer of Scotland," 

 continued his conquering march southward, and through Gallo- 

 way, seizing all the castles and exacting homage from the inhabi- 

 tants. Botle was, of course, included among the others. 



About this time young Robert the Bruce came into promi- 

 nence as a staunch supporter of Edward I., and a foe to our great 

 national hero, Sir William Wallace. In this paper, however, we 

 do not propose to enter into particulars regarding the early history 

 of Bruce, except in so far as it relates to Botle and its historic 

 familv. We have no desire to do so, because it forms very pain- 

 ful reading. Historians in their enthusiasm for his heroic struggle 

 for the independence of Scotland may gloss over the ugly facts of 

 his early history, but they can never make straight his early 

 crooked career, or erase the foul stains from his escutcheon. We 

 cannot condone his desertion of Wallace, especially as Wallace 

 was fighting for the very self-same independence of Scotland as 

 Bruce fought for in after years. Neither can we approve of his 

 secret treaty with Bishop Lamberton, and Comyn, or his corre- 

 spondence with King Philip of France, while at the same time he 

 had not only sworn a solemn oath over our Lord's body, the Hol\ 

 Relics, and the Holy Gospels, to give good advice, and all pos- 

 sible assistance in maintaining Edward's supremacy in Scotland, 

 but he had actually received letters from Edward applauding him 

 for his diligence in hunting the patriots, and urging him to bear 

 in mind that, "as the cloak is made, so also the hood." Even 

 worse are the details of his treachery to Comyn, whom he assassi- 

 nated in Greyfriars' Church. This was the unpardonable act 

 which completely alienated the sympathy and support of all the 



