290 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
[No, 19. 
they must help to do it,” has, thanks to the kind 
assistance of our friends, grown, from a mere 
statement of opinion, to the dignity of a predic- 
tion. We undertook our task in faith and hope, 
determined to do our best to realize the inten- 
tions we had proposed to ourselves, and en- 
couraged by the feeling that if we did so labour, 
our exertions would not be in vain, for — 
“ What poor duty cannot do, 
Noble respect takes it in might not merit.” 
And the success with which our efforts have been 
crowned shows we were justified in so doing. 
And so, gentle reader, to the banquet of dainty 
delights which is here spread before you! 
CAPTIVITY OF THE QUEEN OF BRUCE IN ENGLAND. 
I perceive, in one of the recent interesting 
communications made to the “ Norres anp QuE- 
rigs,” by the Rev. Lambert B. Larking, that he 
has given, from a wardrobe roll in the Surrenden 
collection, a couple of extracts, which show that 
Bruce’s Queen was in 1314 in the custody of the 
Abbess of Barking, To that gentleman our thanks 
are due for the selection of documents which had 
escaped the careful researches of Lysons, and 
which at once throw light on the personal history 
of a royal captive, and illustrate the annals of a 
venerable Abbey. I am glad to be able to answer 
the concluding query as to the exact date when 
the unfortunate lady, (Bruce’s second wife,) left 
that Abbey, and to furnish a few additional par- 
ticulars eerie to her eight years’ imprisonment 
in England. History relates, that in less than 
three months after the crown had been placed 
upon the head of Bruce by the heroic Countess of 
Buchan, sister of the Earl of Fife (29th March, 
1306), he was attacked and defeated at Methven, 
near Perth, by the English, under Aymer de 
Valence, Earl of Pembroke. After this signal 
discomfiture, the king fled into the mountains, 
accompanied by a few faithful followers: his 
Queen, daughter, and several other ladies, for 
awhile shared his misfortunes and dangers; but 
they at length took refuge at the Castle of Kil- 
drummie, from whence they retreated, in the 
hope of greater security, to the sanctuary of St. 
Duthac, at Tain, in Ross-shire. The Earl of 
Ross, it is said, violated the sanctuary, and de- 
livered the party up to the English, who (as sings 
Chaucer’s contemporary, Barbour, in his not 
very barbarous Scottish dialect) straightway pro- 
ceeded to 
“put the ladyis in presoune, 
Sum in till castell, sum in dongeoun.” 
Among the captives were three ecclesiastics, 
who had taken a prominent part at the king’s 
coronation — the Bishops of Glasgow and St. An- 
drews, and the Abbot of Scone, arrayed in most 
uncanonical costume.* Peter Langtoft patheti- 
eally bewails their misfortune : — 
“The Bisshop of Saynt Andrew, and the Abbot of 
Scone, 
The Bisshop of Glascow, thise were taken sone : 
Fettred on hackneis, to Inlond ere thei sent, 
On sere stedis it seis, to prison mad present.” 
An instrument in Norman French, printed in 
Rymer’s great collection (Federa, vol. i. part ii. 
p- 994, new ed.), directs the manner in which the 
prisoners were to be treated. As this document 
is curious, I will give that portion which refers 
particularly to Bruce’s wife, the ‘Countess of 
Carrick :” — 
“a. p. 1306, (34 Edw. 1.) Fait a remembrer, qi, 
quant la Femme Je Conte de Carrik sera venue au 
Roi, ele soit envee a Brustewik [on Humber], & ge 
ele eit tieu mesnee, & sa sustenance ordenee en la 
manere desouz escrite: cest asavoir, 
“Qe ele eit deux femmes du pays ovesge li; cest 
asaver, une damoisele & une femme por sa chambre, 
qi soient bien d’age & nyent gayes, & qi eles soient de 
bon & meur port; les queles soient entendantz, a li 
por li servir : 
«Et deux vadletz, qi soient ausint bien d’age, & 
avisez, de queux ]’un soit un des vadletz le Conte de 
Ulvestier [the Earl of Ulster, her father], cest asaver 
Johan de Benteley, ou autre qil mettra en lieu de li, 
& l'autre acun du pays, qi soit por trencher devant li: 
‘*‘ Et ausant eit ele un garzon a pee, por demorer en 
sa chambre, tiel qi soit sobre, & ne mie riotous, por 
son lit faire, & por autres choses ge covendront por sa 
chambre : 
“ Et, estre ce, ordenez est qeele eit un Vadlet de 
mestier, qe soit de bon port, & avisez, por port ses 
cleifs, por panetrie, & botellerie, & un cu: 
“ Et ele deit ausint aver trois leveriers, por aver son 
deduyt en la garrene illueqnes, & en les pares, quant 
ele voudra: 
“ Et qe ele eit de la veneison, & du peisson es pes- 
cheries, selene ce ge mester li sera ; 
« Et qe ele gisse en la plus bele maison du manoir 
a sa volunte: Et, qe ele voit guyer es pares, r’aillois 
entor le manoir, a sa volunte.” 
These orders are apparently not more severe 
than was necessary for the safe custody of the 
Queen ; and, considering the date of their issue, 
they seem to be lenient, considerate, and indulgent. 
Not so, however, with the unfortunate Countess 
of Buchan, who was condemned to be encaged i 
a turret of Berwick Castle (“en une kage de fort 
latiz, de fuist & barrez, & bien efforcez de ferre 
ment;” 7. e. of strong lattice-work of wood, 
barred, and well strengthened with ironTf), whe 
she remained immured seven years. Bruce's 
* Loricati, (in their coats of mail.) — Matthew o 
Westminster, 
{ See the order at length in Rymer, ué sup. 
