CHAP. VII.] 



DECLINE OF FEUDALISM. 



207 



were to gall their opponents with their arrows. Behind 

 these squares Wallace ranged his cavalry in reserve, 

 evidently hoping to ^reak his opponents' ranks with his 

 pikemen, and to complete the victory with his horse- 



men. 



The great numbers of the English, the fact that they 

 were experienced in the wars on the Continent, and 

 perhaps the novelty of the idea to the Scottibh infantry, 

 and the want of steadiness and discipline among them, led 

 to the defeat of the clumps of spearmen and archers, and 

 the whole Scottish army was mobt disastrously beaten.^ 



In this method of tactical formation we see the pro- 

 totype of the mingled regiments of pikemen and mus- 

 keteers which existed so long in the armies of Europe. 

 We see also the ideas of the square, of the formation en 

 echiquier, of the cavalry in reserve, the value of which 

 principles are recognised even to the present day. 



Shortly after this, at Bannockburn in 1314, Robert 

 Bruce copied closely the tactics of his great countryman. 

 The leading feature of the order of battle was the 

 clumps of spearmen, with the cavalry in reserve. Here 

 again the preponderance of the cavalry was all on the 

 side of the English, Bruce's small force of horsemen being 

 utterly unable to compete with them on the open field. 

 Just before the action a sharp skirmish ensued between a 

 body of Scottish spearmen under Randolph, and 800 

 English horsemen under Clifford. After a hard fight 

 the spearmen were victorious, and the cavalry broken 

 and driven ofF.^ 



Now, however, the English archers were beginning to 

 attract attention by their great skill and bravery, and they 

 were brought, up to harass and break the serried ranks 

 of the squares of spearmen. This movement on the part 

 of the English would have soon given them the victory 

 (for the spearmen could not defend themselves), had it 

 not been for the prompt decision of the Scottish king. 

 He at once led on his reserve of cavalry, charged the 

 archers vehemently, dn^ drove them back. The English 

 horsemen then advanceu "'i turn, when Bruce fell back 



' Burton, History of Scotland, ii. 3t' ^ Burton, ii. 380. 





