It begins, _Ista monumenta subscripta capta fuerunt in thesaurario de Edinburg in presentia Abbatum de Dunfermelyn & de S. Cruce de Edinburg, & Johannis de Lythegranes, Guil-de Lincoln, & Thos. de Fisseburn & Guil-de Dumfreys, custodis rotulorum regni Scotiæ; et deposita sunt apud Berwick per præceptum Edwardi regis Angliæ & superioris domini Scotiæ. Videlicet_, &c. After the recital of them, the catalogue ends: _In quorum omnium testimonium tam predictus dominus rex Edwardus Angliæ & superior dominus Scotiæ quam predictus dominus Joh: de Balliolo rex Scotiæ, huic scripto, in modum chirographi confecto, sigille sua alternatim fecerunt apponi. dat. apud Novum Castrum super Tynam 30 die mensis Decembris anno dom. 1292, & regni prædicti domini Edwardi regis Angliæ & superioris domini Scotiæ, 21mo._ The second great loss of the Scotch records, happened upon the mighty turn of the Reformation; when the monks, flying to Rome, carried with them the register-books, and other ancient treasure of their respective monasteries. The third, and killing blow, was given them by Oliver Cromwell; who brought most of the poor remains that were left into England; and they likewise were mostly lost in their return by sea. See _Nicolson’s Scottish Historical Library_, p. 71, 72, 4to Edition. [58] It is possible that these noblemen may have been some way or other connected with the depôt of silver, alluded to at page 159 of vol. I, as having been found at Ascog in Bute. [59] If we may credit Langtoft, Comyn, Frazer and Wallace, were lurking in the neighbourhood of Dunfermline at the time, and supported themselves by plunder. His words are, “The lord of Badenauh, Freselle & Waleis Lyued at theues lauh euer robband alle weis. Thei had no sustenance, the werre to mayntene, Bot skulked opon chance, & robbed ay betuene.” [60] “He brint all the Chronicles of Scotland, with all maner of bukis, als weill of devyne seruyce as of othir materis, to that fyne that the memorye of Scottis suld peris. He gart the Scottis wryte bukis efter the _vse of Sarum_, and constranit thaym to say efter that vse.”--_Boeth._ “Salysbery oyss our clerkis than has tane.” _Wallace_, B. x. 1006. [61] Fordun relates, that when this offer was made to Wallace, and on his being pressed by his friends to comply, he thus expressed himself:--“O! desolated Scotland, too credulous of fair speeches, and not aware of the calamities which are coming upon you! If you were to judge as I do, you would not easily put your neck under a foreign yoke. When I was a boy, the priest, my uncle, carefully inculcated upon me this proverb, which I then learned, and have ever since kept in my mind:-- “_Dico tibi verum_, _Libertas_ optima rerum; Nunquam servili, sub nexu vivito, fili.” “I tell you a truth,--Liberty is the best of things, my son, never live under any slavish bond.”