BRUCE, ROBERT. 



BRUCE, ROBERT. 



oame into hi* pos*eraion, or of the prootss obeerved in preparing them 

 for publication, but mingled with the poems of other author*, without 

 any explanation by which they might be distinguished. Thii error 

 wa* in come decree corrected by the labours of Dr. Anderaon, who 

 gave the poem* of Bruce a place for the flrat time in a collection of the 

 poet* of thi* country, and prefixed a memoir of the author. A new 

 edition, including several of Bruce'i unpublished piece*, WM brought 

 ont by subscription in 1807, umltr the care of Dr. Baird, for the 

 benefit of the poet'i mother, then in her ninetieth year. An edition 

 of the poem* of Bruce, with a memoir by the Rev. W. Mackelvie, D.D, 

 of BelgVdie, wai published in 1837. 



BRUCE, ROBERT, king of Soote, was born on the 21t of March, 

 1274. He wai descended from Robert de Bnu, who being brought up 

 at the court of England with Earl David, afterward* King David I. 

 of Scotland, became an intimate of that monarch, and received from 

 hi* bounty a grant of the lordship of Annaudale. Hi* grandfather, 

 Robert de Brut, the seventh lord of Annandale, bad, on the death of 

 hi* mother Isabel, second daughter of David, earl of Huntingdon, livery 

 of her lands in England, and shortly afterwards was constituted sheriff 

 of Cumberland and constable of the caxtU of Carlisle. He was then 

 also appointed one of the fifteen regents of Scotland ; and in 1 264, with 

 Comyn and Baliol, led the Scottish auxiliaries to the assistance of 

 King Henry III. at the battle of Lewes. Robert de Bruce, the son of 

 this baron, accompanied King Edward I. to P.deatine in 1269, and was 

 ever after greatly regarded by that monarch. In 1271 he married 

 Margaret, counteas of Carrick, in whose right he became Earl of Carrick, 

 and by whom he had twelve children. 



Of these Robert Bruce was the eldest son. He waa in the tenth 

 year of hi* age when his father and grandfather concurred with the 

 other magnates of the realm in a solemn acknowledgment to King 

 Alexander III. that bis grand-daughter Margaret, ' the maiden of 

 Norway,' was heir-presumptive to the Scottish throne. Two years 

 afterwards the king died, and Margaret succeeded to the crown ; but 

 in September 1286, parties having now begun to be formed among the 

 nobles with a view to a competition for the crown, Robert de Brut, 

 the grandfather, met several important personages of the kingdom at 

 Turn berry Castle, the seat of his son the Earl of Carrick, and there 

 entered into a league or bond to support the person who should be 

 found the true heir to the throne. The chief competitors were Robert 

 de l',i ii-s the grandfather, and John lialiol. [BALIOL. ] King Edward I. 

 of England having obtained the office of umpire in this contest, on the 

 16th of November 1292 pronounced for Baliol, "as, in all indivisible 

 heritages, the more remote in degree of the first line of descent is 

 preferable to the nearer in degree of the second." It waa accordingly 

 01 dered "that John Baliol should Lave seisin of the kingdom of 

 Scotland ;" and seisin being given, Baliol did homage and fealty to 

 Kdward for his kingdom. To avoid no doubt the humiliating task of 

 doing homage to a successful rival, the aged De Brus immediately 

 resigned the lordship of Annandale to his son Robert, who, probably 

 from a like motive, had about a fortnight before resigned the earldom 

 of Carrick, which he bad held in right of bis wife, just deceased, to Bruce, 

 their eldest son and heir, and shortly afterwards, retiring into England, 

 left the administration of the family estates in the same hands. 



Edward could not but see that his determination had disappointed 

 the powerful lords of the house of Brus; but he had already experienced 

 their friendship, as he had no doubt heard also of the attachment of 

 the family to the English crown, and he was now anxious to foster the 

 submission to his award which their retirement held out. Accordingly 

 in 121*5, the atme year in which the aged De Brus died, Edward 

 appointed the father of Bruce constable of the castle of Carlisle. 

 .: Baliol'a revolt the Bruce* remained subject to Edward ; and 

 in 1896 they att ;nded the parliament of Berwick, where they renewed 

 their oalb of fealty and submission to him. Even the nobler stand of 

 Wallace did not for some time route their patriotism ; and when those 

 to whom the peace of the western districts had been committed sum- 

 mooed them to Carlisle, Bruce not only obeyed the citation and swore 

 fidelity to Edward, but to evince the sincerity of his declaration 

 immediately after laid waste the possessions of the knight of Liddes- 

 dale, and tarried off hi* wife and family prisoners to Annandale. 

 Scarcely however was this act of violence committed, when he 

 abandoned the English party and joined the national standard, 

 expressing at the same time his hope of absolution from the oath 

 which he laid had been extorted from him. A few month* afterwards 

 the Scot* were obliged to capitulate at Irviur, and Bruce with others 

 made hi* peace with Edward. Wallace retired into the northern parts 

 of the kingdom with a few adherent*. 



The nignal victory gained by Wallace at Stirling on the 12th of 

 September 1297 induced Bruce once more to join the national standard. 

 11* took no very active part in the struggle however, but while Wallace 

 and his followers fought at Kalkirk, shut himself up in Ayr Castle. 

 where indeed, by preserving the communication open between Galloway 

 and the western highland*, he did essential service to the cause. 

 Edward, following up hi* victory, marched into the went with a deter- 

 mination to chastise Bruce, who, after burning the fortress, retreated 

 into the fastnenes of Carrick, and Edward at length directed a willing 

 army to return into England. In bis progress be took possession of 

 Lochinaben Castle, and watted the estate* of it* lord ; but among the 

 confiscations of property which followed, the laud* of Anoandale and 



Carrick remained unalienated a favour probably accorded to the 

 house of Bruce for it* former *ervice* to England. The defeat of the 

 Scot* at the battle of Kalkirk destroyed much of the confidence reposed 

 in Wallace; and in 1809 the Bishop of St. Andrews, Bruce, and 

 Comyn, were appointed guardian* of Scotland in the name and place 

 of Ballot It was perhaps to destroy the authority of Wallace that 

 Brace wai willing to be associated for a time with bis great rival 

 Comyn ; and having attained thi* end, he no lees willingly resumed 

 his former inactive course of policy, and relinquished to Comyn the 

 direction of the new-created power. The following year Kdward again 

 invaded Scotland, and laid waste the district* of Annandale and Carrick. 

 Bruce suffered much on this occasion, but he cautiously avoided every 

 act of retaliation ; and we find that prior to the advantage gained by 

 the Scots at Roilin he had surrendered himself to St. John, the English 

 warden of the Western Marches. The campaign of Edward in 

 which ended in a more complete subjugation of Scotland than he had 

 before been able to effect, justified the prudence of Bruce ; fur on the 

 death of his father he was not only allowed to inherit the extensive 

 possessions of his ancestors, bat in the settlement of Scotland a* a 

 province under the English king his opinion was much regarded. 



Bruce however maintained only the semblance of loyalty to Edward 

 and seeing that Baliol s restoration wo* hopeless, had formed the reso- 

 lution of restoring his country to independence. Accordingly while 

 actually engaged in assisting Edward in the settlement of the Scottish 

 government, he entered into a secret bond of association witli the 

 bishop of St. Andrews, as head of the Scottish church, whereby the 

 parties bound themselves mutually to assist each other against all per 

 sons whatsoever, and neither to undertake any business of importance 

 without the other. He had also a conference with Comyn, at which 

 he proposed that they should thenceforward entertain towards each 

 other feelings of amity and friendship. "Support (said be) my title to 

 the crown, and I will give you all my lands ; or bestow on me your 

 lands, and I will support your claim." Comyn accepted the former 

 alternative ; and an agreement being drawn up in form of indenture, 

 it was sealed by both parties and continued by their oaths of fidelity 

 and secrecy. Comyn however revealed the matter to Edward, who 

 determined on revenge. But having one evening drank freely, Edward 

 was imprudent enough to discover his purpose to some of the nobles 

 of his court, among whom Bruce had friends. The Earl of Gloucester, 

 a kinsman of Bruce, had notice of his danger, and anxious to save 

 him, yet afraid in so serious a matter to compromise his own safety, 

 sent him a piece of money and a pair of gilded spurs. Bruce under- 

 stood the counsel thus symbolically communicated, and instantly set 

 out for Scotland, accompanied by his secretary and a single attendant. 

 He is said to have reached Lochmaben Castle on the Lt'ili day after 

 hia departure from London, and thence repairing to Dumfries, where 

 'Jomyn was, he sought a private interview with him. From some 

 inward misgiving no doubt on the part of Comyn, the meeting took 

 place in the convent of the Minorite friars. Here Bruce passionately 

 reproached Comyn for his treachery, and after some altercation drew 

 his dagger and stabbed him to the heart. Immediately hastening 

 from the spot he called for his attendant*, who seeing him pale and 

 agitated inquired the cause. "I doubt I have slain Comyn," waa the 

 reply. "You doubt," cried Kirkpatrick fiercely; " I'se mak sicker," 

 and rushing towards Comyn despatched him on the spot. Almost at 

 the same moment Sir Robert Comyu, the uncle, who came into the 

 convent on the noise of the scuflle, shared a similar fate. The alarm 

 soon became general; and the English judges, then holding a court in 

 a hall of the castle, not knowing the extent of the danger, hastily 

 barricaded the doors. Bruce, assembling his followers, surrounded the 

 castle, and threatening to force their entrance by fire, compelled those 

 within to surrender. 



lie soon afterwards proceeded to Scone, the ancient seat of Scottish 

 inauguration, and was there crowned king of Scots on the 27th of March 

 1306. Edward had carried the ' regalia' to Westminster, but their 

 place was soon supplied. The bishop of Glasgow furnished from his 

 own stores the robes in which Bruce was arrayed ; and a slight coronet 

 of gold being got from the nearest artist, the bishop of St. Andrews 

 set it on his head. The earls of Fife had from a remote antiquity 

 enjoyed the privilege of crowning the kings of Scotland ; but Duuraii, 

 the representative of the family, favouring at this time the English 

 interest, his sister, the Countess of Buchan, with a boldness and 

 enthusiasm which must have added to the popular interest felt for 

 the young king, repaired to Scone, and asserting the privilege of her 

 ancestors, placed the crown a second time on the head of Bruce. The 

 eyes of all Scotland were now directed towards Bruce. Comyn was 

 no more; and the brave Sir William Wallace had been executed by the 

 English. Bruce was therefore without a rival : ho was the heir of the 

 throne, and his past conduct had given ample earnest at once of his 

 intrepidity and prudence. 



Edward beard of the murder of Comyn and of the usurpation of 

 Bruce when residing with his court at Winchester. He immediately 

 despatched a messenger to the pope, to pray the assistance of the holy 

 see ; he directed the garrison towns on the Marches to be strengthened ; 

 and nominating the Karl of Pembroke guardian of Scotland, he ordered 

 an instant levy of troop* for that kingdom. Proceeding to London he 

 called together the prince his sou and about 300 youths selected 

 from the best families of England, and conferred on them the honour 



