History of Scotland

Our ongoing history of Scotland that chronicles the events in Scotland over the past million years with a special focus on the last thousand as you might expect. We have also digitised a copy of Patrick Tytler's History of Scotland which is an eccentric but wonderfully written history of the the mediaeval years in Scotland. The project of chronicling Scotland's history is ongoing, as is the process of organising and structuring and linking the pages together.

He Takes Perth

On his return, Bruce determined to besiege Perth, and sat down before it; but, owing to the strength of the fortifications, it defied for six weeks all the efforts of his army. It had been intrusted to the command of William Olifant, an Anglicised Scot, to whom Edward, in alarm for so important a post, had promised to send speedy succour; but a stratagem of the king's, well planned, and daringly executed, gave Perth into the hands of the Scots before such assistance could arrive.

The care of Edward the First had made Perth a place of great strength. It was fortified by a high wall, defended at intervals by stone towers, and surrounded by a broad deep moat, full of water. Bruce, having carefully observed the place where the fosse was shallowest, provided scaling ladders, struck his tents, and raised the siege. Hb then marched to a considerable distance, and having cheated the garrison into security by an absence of eight days, he suddenly returned during the night, and reached the walls undiscovered by the enemy. The king in person led his soldiers across the moat, bearing a ladder in his hand, and armed at all points. The water reached his throat, but he felt his way with his spear, waded through in safety, and was the second person who fixed his ladder and mounted the wall.

A little incident, related by Barbour, evinces the spirit which the example communicated to his companions, and the comparative poverty of the Scottish towns in those times. A French knight was present in the Scottish army, and observing the intrepidity with which Bruce led his soldiers, he exclaimed, " What shall we say of our French lords, who live at ease, in the midst of feasting, wassail, and jollity, when so brave a knight is here putting his life in hazard to win a miserable hamlet So saying, he threw himself into the water with the gay valour of his nation, and having passed the ditch, scaled the walls along with the king and his soldiers. So complete was the surprise, that the town was almost instantly taken. Every Scotsman who had joined the English interest was put to the sword, but the English garrison were spared, and the king contented himself with the plunder of the place, and the total demolition of its fortifications.

In the midst of these continued successes of Bruce, the measures of the English king presented a striking contrast to the energetic administration of his father. They were entirely on the defensive. He gave orders, indeed, for the assembling of an army, and made promises and preparations for an invasion of Scotland. But the orders were recalled, and Edward, engrossed by disputes with his barons, took no decided part against the enemy. He wrote, however, to the different English governors of the few remaining castles in Scotland, who had represented their incapacity of standing out against the attacks of the Scots, without a reinforcement of men, money, and provisions ; he directed flattering letters to John of Argyle, the island prince, praising him for the annoyance which his fleet had occasioned to Bruce, and exhorting him to continue his services during the winter; and he entreated the pope to retain Wishart bishop of Glasgow, as a false traitor, and an enemy to his liege lord of England, in an honourable imprisonment at Rome, fearful of the influence in favour of Bruce, which the return of this able prelate to Scotland might occasion. These feeble efforts were followed up by an attempt to conclude a truce; but the King of Scotland, eager to pursue his career of success, refused to accede to the proposal, and a third time invaded England, with a greater force, and a more desolating fury than before.

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Bruce invades England

The towns of Hexham and Corbridge were burnt; and his army, by a forced march, surprised the opulent city of Durham during the night,slew all who resisted him, and reduced a great part of it to ashes. The castle, and the precincts of its noble cathedral withstood the efforts of the Scots, but the rest of the city was entirely sacked; and so great was the spoil, that the inhabitants of the bishoprick, dreading the repetition of sucli a visit, offered two thousand pounds to purchase a truce. The terms upon which Robert agreed to this, strongly evinced the change which had taken place in the relative position of the two countries. It was stipulated by the Scots, that they should have free ingress and egress through the county of Durham, whenever they chose to invade England; and with such terror did this proviso affect the inhabitants of the neighbouring country, that the counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland, contributed each a sum of two thousand pounds to be included in the same truce.J During this invasion, Bruce established his head-quarters at Chester, while Sir James Douglas, with his veteran soldiers, who were well practised in such expeditions, pushed on, and having sacked Hartlepool, and the country round it, returned with many burgesses and their wives, whom he had made prisoners, to the main army.

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Unsuccessful Assault of Carlisle

Thus Bruce was here only making a reprisal on his own English property enriched with a store of prisoners and plunder, the king returned to Scotland, and on his road thither, assaulted Carlisle; but he found the garrison on the alert, and a desperate conflict took place, in which the Scots were beat back with great loss; Douglas himself, and many of his men, being wounded. This want of success did not prevent him from endeavouring to surprise Berwick by a forced march, and a night attack, which had nearly succeeded. The hooks of the ropeladders were already fixed on the wall, and the soldiers had begun to mount, when the barking of a dog alarmed the garrison, and the assailants were compelled to retire with loss.

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His Success in Scotland

This want of success did not prevent him from endeavouring to surprise Berwick by a forced march, and a night attack, which had nearly succeeded. The hooks of the ropeladders were already fixed on the wall, and the soldiers had begun to mount, when the barking of a dog alarmed the garrison, and the assailants were compelled to retire with loss.

On his return to Scotland, King Robert was repaid for this partial discomfiture, by the recovery of some important castles. Dalswinton, in Galloway, the chief residence of his enemies the Comyns, and soon after the castles of Butel and of Dumfries, which last had been committed to the care of Henry de Beaumont, were taken by assault, and, according to the constant practice of Bruce, immediately razed, and rendered untenable by any military force. Edwardnow trembled for his strong castle of Caerlaverock, which had cost his father so long a siege; and he wrote with great anxiety to its constable, Eustace de Maxwell, exhorting him to adopt every means in his power for its defence. In the winter of the same year, this monarch was driven to some mean compromises of his honour.

The English garrison of Dundee had been so hard pressed by the Scots, that William de Montfichet, the warden, entered into a treaty to surrender the place, and give up a number of Scottish prisoners, within a stipulated time. Edward was then at York, and having heard of this agreement, he sent peremptory orders to the warden to violate the truce, and, under the penalty of death to himself, and confiscation of his estates, to preserve the town by this flagrant act. Montfichet was also enjoined to warn the Scots, that if any of the English prisoners or hostages should be put to death, orders would be given for the immediate execution of all the Scottish prisoners in the hands of the English.

In addition to this, the king addressed flattering letters to the several officers of the garrison of Dundee, and to the mayor, bailiffs, and community, thanking them for their good service, and exhorting them to persevere in the defenoe of the town. It is mortifying to find Sir David de Brechin, the king's nephew, who had signalized himself against his uncle in his days of distress, and, when afterwards made prisoner, had been pardoned and received into favour, again in the ranks of the enemy, and acting the part of an Anglicised Scot. He was now commanded to co-operate as joint-warden with Montfichet, and earnest orders were despatched for reinforcements of ships, provisions, and soldiers, to be sent from Newcastle and Berwick.

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Castle of Linlithgow taken by Binny

The heroic spirit of Bruce had now transfused itself into the peasantry of the country; and the king began to reap the fruits of this popular spirit, in the capture of the castle of Linlithgow, by a common labourer. His name was Binny, and being known to the garrison, and employed by them in leading hay into the fort, he communicated his design to a party of Scottish soldiers, whom he stationed in ambush near the gate. In his large wain he contrived to conceal eight armed men, covered with a load of hay, a servant drove the oxen, and Binny himself walked carelessly at his side. When the portcullis was raised, and the wain stood in the middle of the gateway, interposing a complete barrier to its descent, the driver cut the ropes which harnessed the oxen; upon which signal the armed men suddenly leapt from the cart, the soldiers in ambush rushed in, and so complete was the surprise, that with little resistance, the garrison were put to the sword, and the place taken. Bruce amply rewarded the brave countryman, and ordered the castle and its strong outworks, constructed by Edward I., to be immediately demolished.

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Roxburgh Castle taken by Sir Douglas

Edward had committed the charge of the castle of Roxburgh, a post of the utmost importance, to a Burgundian knight, Gillemin de Fiennes. On Fasten's Even, immediately before Lent, when the soldiers and officers of the garrison were carelessly carousing, Sir James Douglas, with about sixty soldiers, favoured by a dark night, and concealed by black frocks thrown over their armour, cautiously approached the castle, creeping on their hands and feet through the trees which studded the park. They at last approached in this way so near, that they could overhear the talk of the sentinels, one of whom observed them moving; and, deceived by the darkness, remarked to his fellow, that yonder oxen were late left out. Relieved by this fortunate mistake, Douglas and his men continued their painful progress, and at length succeeded in reaching the foot of the walls, and fixing their ladders of rope, without being discovered. They could not, however, mount so quietly, but that the nearest watch on the outer wall overheard the noise, and ran to meet them.

All was like to be lost; but by this time the first Scots soldier had mounted the parapet, who instantly stabbed the sentry, and threw him over, before he had time to give the alarm. Another sentinel shared the fate of the first; and so intent were the garrison upon their midnight sports, that the terrible cry of "Douglas! Douglas !" shouted into the great hall, was the first thing which broke off the revels. In a moment the scene was changed from mirth into a dreadful carnage; but resistance soon became hopeless, and Douglas gave quarter. De Fiennes retreated to the great tower, and gallantly defended himself, till a deep wound in the face compelled him to surrender.* He retired to England, and died of his wounds soon after. Bruce immediately sent his brother Edward, who levelled the works, and reduced the rest of Teviotdale, with the exception of Jedburgh, which was still garrisoned by the English.

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Edinburg Castle Taken by Randolph

At this time Randolph earl of Moray had strictly invested the castle of Edinburgh, which, for twenty years, had been in the possession of England, and was now commanded by Sir Piers de Luband, a Gascon knight, and a relative of Gaveston, the English king's favourite, The garrison suspected the fidelity of this foreigner, and, having cast him into a dungeon, chose a constable of their own nation, who determined to defend the place to the last extremity. Already had the Scots spent six weeks in the siege, when an English soldier, of the name of Frank, presented himself to Randolph, and informed him he could point out a place where he had himself often scaled the wall, and by which, he undertook to lead his men into the castle. This man, in his youth, when stationed in the castle, had become enamoured of a girl in the neighbourhood, and for the purpose of meeting her, had discovered a way up and down the perilous cliff, with which custom had rendered him familiar; and Randolph, with thirty determined men, fully armed, placed themselves under his direction, and resolved to scale the castle at midnight.

The surprise, however, was not nearly so complete as at Roxburgh, and the affair far more severely contested. Besides, Randolph had only half the number of men with Douglas, the access was far more difficult, and the night was so dark, that the task of climbing the rock became extremely dangerous. They persevered, nevertheless, and, on getting about half-way up, found a jutting crag, on which they sat down to take breath. The wall was now immediately above them; and it happened that the check-watches, at this time, were making their round, and challenging the sentinels, whilst Randolph and his soldiers could hear all that passed.

At this critical moment, whether from accident, or that one of the watch had really perceived something moving on the rock, a soldier cast a stone down towards the spot where Randolph sat, and called out, Away! I see you well." But the Scots lay still, the watch moved on, and Randolph and his men waited till they had gone to some distance. They then got up, and clambering to the bottom of the wall, at a place where it was only twelve feet in height, fixed the iron crochet of their rope-ladder on the crib-stone.

Frank was the first who mounted, then followed Sir Andrew Gray, next came Randolph himself, who was followed by the rest of the party. Before, however, all had got up, the sentinels, who had heard whispering and the clank of arms, attacked them, and shouted "Treason!" They were soon, however, repulsed or slain; and the Scots, by this time on the parapet, leapt down, and rushed on to the keep, or principal strength. The whole garrison was now in arms, and a desperate conflict ensued, in which the English greatly outnumbered their assailants. But panic and surprise deprived them of their accustomed bravery; and, although the governor himself made a gallant defence, he was overpowered and slain, and his garrison immediately surrendered at discretion. Randolph liberated Sir Piers Luband from his dungeon, and the Gascon knight immediately entered the service of Bruce. The castle itself shared the fate of every fortress which fell into the hands of the Scottish king. It was instantly demolished, and rendered incapable of military occupation. If we consider the small number of men which he led, and the difficult circumstances in which the assault was made, we shall probably be inclined to agree with the faithful old historian, who characterizes this exploit of Randolph as one of the hardiest and most chivalrous which distinguished a chivalrous age.

These great successes so rapidly succeeding each other, and an invasion of Cumberland, which soon after followed, made the English king tremble for the safety of Berwick, and induced him to remove, the unfortunate Countess of Buchan from her imprison ment there, to a place of more remote confinements The conferences for a cessation of hostilities were again renewed, at the request of the French king; and Edward ostentatiously talked of granting a truce to his enemies in compliance with the wishes of Philip, which, when it came to the point, his enemies would not grant to him.

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Bruce reduces the Isle of Man

These great successes so rapidly succeeding each other, and an invasion of Cumberland, which soon after followed, made the English king tremble for the safety of Berwick, and induced him to remove, the unfortunate Countess of Buchan from her imprisonment there, to a place of more remote confinements The conferences for a cessation of hostilities were again renewed, at the request of the French king; and Edward ostentatiously talked of granting a truce to his enemies in compliance with the wishes of Philip,which, when it came to the point, his enemies would not grant to him.

Soon after this the King of Scotland conducted, in person, a naval expedition against Man. To this island his bitter enemies, the Macdowalls, had retreated, after their expulsion from Galloway, their ancient principality; and the then Governor of Man appears to have been that same fierce chief, who had surprised Thomas and Alexander Bruce at Loch Ryan. Bruce landed his troops, encountered and routed the governor, stormed the castle of Bussin, and completely subdued the island.

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Edward Bruce lays siege to Stirling castle

He then despatched some galleys to levy contributions in Ulster, and returned to Scotland, where he found that his gallant and impetuous brother Sir Edward Bruce, had made himself master of the town and castle of Dundee, for the preservation of which so many exertions had been made in a former year. After this success, Sir Edward laid siege to the castle of Stirling, nearly the last fortress of importance which now stood between Scotland and freedom.

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Timeline of Scottish History

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Timeline of Scottish History

History of Scotland

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