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
The confused hum of this living mass increased as it advanced, till the
deserted walls of Linlithgow resounded to the braying of clarions, the
thundering of kettle-drums, and the prancing of war-steeds in flowing
caparisons, bestrode by warriors mailed to the teeth, having long
two-handed swords depending from their girdles, while their right hands
held lances, and their left supported triangular shields painted with
the various devices of their families.
Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln,[19] and Humphry de Bohun, Earl of
Hereford, and Constable of England, led the first division. The second
was under the charge of Bishop Bek, who, having executed the commission
Edward had sent him by John Fitz-Marmaduke, next appeared in this
portentous march, attended by thirty-nine banners; for this proud
ecclesiastic spared no expense to render his retinue as magnificent as
possible. In the third division under the command of the King, besides
the royal standard (_three leopards courant_), there waved, the sacred
banner of St John of Beverley, that of St George (_white with a red
cross_), that of St Edmond, King of the West-Saxons, (_blue with three
gold crowns_), that of St Edward the Confessor, (_blue, with a cross
fleury between five martlets, gold_), and also the ominous standard of
Henry III., by the unfurling of which the army were apprised of the
vicinity of the enemy, and the certainty of an approaching battle.
This gorgeous emblem of war was never displayed, except to announce
a positive intention to fight: it was formed of red satin, bearing
a dragon embroidered in gold, having sapphire eyes, and the tongue
ingeniously contrived to seem continually moving.[20]
Amongst those who followed the royal banner, was Brian Fitz-Alan,[21]
the late Governor of Scotland, attended by his vassals, and those
Scots who still ventured to oppose the liberties of their country. Of
the latter, we find Brian le Jay, preceptor of the Scottish Templars,
who probably joined Edward at Torphichen. What number of knights
accompanied him to the field in this formidable crusade against the
freedom of that people who fostered them, cannot now be ascertained;
we may, however, venture to include _John de Sautre, “Maister de la
Chivalerie de Templi en Ecosse.”_
The immense multitude of Welsh collected by Edward, as being better
acquainted with mountain warfare, were dispersed among the different
divisions of the forces. Being mostly archers, and clothed in white
tunics, they were easily distinguished from the other troops.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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