Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, Vol. 1 (of 2)Carrick, John D. (John Donald)
History
Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Carrick, John D. (John Donald)
Wallace, William, Sir, -1305
The grettast Lordis of oure land
Til hym he gert thame be bowand:
Ild thai, wald thai, all gert he
Bowsum til hys Byddyng be:
And til hys Byddyng qwhay war noucht bown
He tuk, and put thame in Presown.
_Wyntown, vol. ii. p. 96._
[114] See Appendix G.
[115] Langtoft partly attributes the loss of this battle to the
indolence of the English general. The return of so considerable a body
of troops, on account of their not being supported by the rest of the
army, would no doubt encourage the Scots, and perhaps suggested to
their leader the admirable manœuvre which he afterwards put in practice.
[116] Langtoft, vol. ii. p. 297.
[117] This man, though a brave soldier, it seems, was no _swimmer_.
Being advised by some of his companions to throw himself into
the river, he replied, “It shall never be said of me, that I did
voluntarily drown myself. God forbid, that such a dishonour should fall
upon me, or any Englishman;” and, setting spurs to his horse, rushed
into the thick of the battle, killing many of his opponents, and was
fast making his way to the bridge, when he was called to by his nephew,
who was wounded, to save him. “Get up and follow me,” was the answer.
“Alas! I am weak, and cannot,” returned the other. Sir Marmaduke’s
squire dismounted, and placed him behind his uncle, who brought him off
in safety to Stirling Castle, where they both found refuge.
Notwithstanding this unfortunate expedition, Sir Marmaduke returned
the following year to the Scottish wars. He was also engaged 29th and
32d Edw. I. and 1st Edw. II., and died 16th Edw. II., leaving issue
by Isabel, his wife, William, his son and heir. He himself succeeded
Robert de Twenge, to Cleveland and other possessions in the North of
Yorkshire.--_Dugdale._
[118] P. F. Tytler, Esq.
[119] Among those who distinguished themselves in this memorable
engagement, there is reason to believe that the burgesses of Stirling,
and the tenants of the Abbey-Alands at Cambuskenneth, were particularly
active; and it is supposed, that, from their behaviour on this
occasion, they were allowed to assume an allusion to the battle in the
town’s seal, which, after the date of the above transaction, displayed
on the obverse a bridge, composed of seven arches; in the centre
appeared a crucifix, on the south side of which stand three soldiers
with bows, (the national weapon of the English), endeavouring to force
the passage, and on the north side are the same number of soldiers,
armed with spears, the characteristic weapon of the Scots. The legend
is, “_Híc armis Bruti Scoti stant, híc crucie tuti_.”
[120] See also an interesting paper on this subject, in _The Edinburgh
Literary Journal_, No. 70.
[121] Notes to “Wallace.”
[122] In Dugdale’s Baronage, vol. i. p. 426. In this memoir all the
statements are taken from Surtees’ History of Durham, excepting where
other authorities are cited.
[123] Royal Wills, p. 18, and Testamenta Vetusta, p. 8.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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