Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, Vol. 2 (of 2)Carrick, John D. (John Donald)
History
Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Carrick, John D. (John Donald)
Wallace, William, Sir, -1305
Aymer, or Adomer de Valence, is likewise charged by the Minstrel,
as being the instrument made use of for corrupting the fidelity of
Menteith; and he mentions, that the infamous bargain was finally
concluded in “_Ruglyne Kirk_,” where the two met by appointment, and
that Menteith received from Valence three thousand crowns of gold
as the price of his friend. “_Ruglyne_” is situated nearly mid-way
between Bothwell and Dumbarton castles; the former being the place
where the Earl of Pembroke usually resided when in Scotland, and was
quite convenient for his keeping an appointment at “_Ruglyne_” with
the governor of Dumbarton Castle. When it is recollected, that John
Comyn, who, according to “_Douglas’s peerage_,” married a sister of
Valence, was hatching the treason which he afterwards put in practice
against Bruce, at the time when his brother-in-law was tampering with
the friend of Wallace, it will not be doing him great injustice, if we
suppose him _at least_ in the secret of the infamous transaction with
Menteith. In fact, both of these deeds of darkness appear to have been
part of the same plan for placing Comyn, and consequently the sister of
the Earl of Pembroke, on the Scottish throne.
The Earl was thrice married; first, to Beatrix, daughter of Ralph de
Noel, Constable of France; secondly, to a daughter of the Earl of
Barre; and thirdly, to Mary, daughter of Guy de Chastillon, Count of St
Paul; but he had no issue; and the descendants of his sisters, Isabel,
the wife of John Baron Hastings, and Joan, who married John Comyn of
Badenoch, are consequently his representatives. His eldest sister,
Anne, married, first, Maurice Fitz-Gerald; secondly, Hugh de Balliol;
and, lastly, John de Avennes; and probably died, S. P. in the 3d Edward
II.
Mary, Countess of Pembroke, is chiefly known to the present age by an
action, which seldom fails to ensure immortality. She was the foundress
of a College for the purposes of learning and religion, which still
bears the name of Pembroke Hall; and was likewise a benefactress to
several religious houses. She died about 1376; and on the 13th March in
that year made her will at Braxted, in Essex, by which she ordered her
body to be buried in the church of the sisters of Denny, where she had
caused her tomb to be made; and bequeathed to the church of the Abbey
of Westminster, where her husband was interred, a cross, with a foot
of gold and emeralds, which Sir William de Valence, Knight, brought
from the Holy Land.
The body of the Earl of Pembroke was conveyed to England, and buried in
Westminster Abbey; but upon the beautiful tomb erected to his memory,
it is unnecessary to say a single word, ample justice having been done
to it by the artist and the author of a biographical notice, which
accompanies a recent engraving of his tomb.
_Siege of Carlaverock._
I.
MEMOIR OF HENRY DE LACY, EARL OF LINCOLN.
Page 86.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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