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.

Mission of Randolph to the papal court

While apparently anxious for a truce, he employed his ambassadors at the papal court to irritate the Holy Father against Bruce, and to fan the dissensions between them; he summoned an array of the whole military service of England during the negotiations; and he recalled Edward Baliol, the son of the late King of Scots, from his castle in Normandy, to reside at the English court, with the design, as afterwards appeared, of employing him to excite disturbances in Scotland. To counteract these intrigues of England, Bruce despatched his nephew, Randolph, to the papal court; and the result of his negotiations was in a high degree favourable to Scotland. Flattered by the judicious declarations of his master's devotion to the Holy See; soothed by the expression of his anxiety for a peace with England, and an entire reconciliation with the church; and delighted with the ardour with which Bruce declared himself ready to repair in person to the Holy War, the pontiff consented, under the influence of these feelings, to remove all cause of quarrel, by addressing a bull to Bruce, with the title of king.

It has been justly observed, that the conduct of this delicate negotiation presents Randolph to us in the new character of a consummate politician. Against this unexpected conduct of the Holy See, Edward entered a spirited remonstrance, complaining, with great show of reason, that although the pope maintained that Bruce's claim could not be strengthened, nor that of the King of England impaired, by his bestowing on his adversary the title of king, yet the subjects of both kingdoms would naturally conclude that his Holiness intended to acknowledge the right where he had given the title; and he reminded him, that it was against an established maxim of papal policy, that any alteration in the condition of the parties should be made during the continuance of the truce. At the same time, Randolph, previous to his return, repaired to the court of France, and there renewed the ancient league between that kingdom and Scotland.

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A son afterwards David II , born to Buce

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Abortive negotiations for peace with England

During these negotiations with the papal court, a son was born to King Robert at Dunfermline,J who, after a long minority, succeeded his father, under the title of David the Second. It was an event of great joy to the country; and the court poets of the day foretold that, like his illustrious father, the royal infant would prove a man strong in arms, "who would hold his warlike revels amid the gardens of England a compliment, unfortunately, not destined to be prophetic^ Meanwhile, the conferences for a lasting peace between the two kingdoms proceeded; but the demands made by the Scottish commissioners were considered too degrading to be accepted by England, even in her present feeble and disordered state. The discussions were tedious and complicated, but their particulars do not appear in the state papers of the time.

If we may believe an ancient English historian, it was insisted, that all demand of feudal superiority was for ever to be renounced by England; the fatal stone of Scone, as well as certain manors in England, belonging to the King of Scots, which had been seized by Edward the First, were to be delivered to their rightful owner. A marriage between the royal blood of England and Scotland was to guarantee a lasting peace between the two kingdoms; and, finally, the whole of the north of England, as far as to the gates of York, was to be ceded to Scotland. This last demand, if really made, must have proceeded from an intention upon the part of the Scots to break off all serious negotiation. As soon, indeed, as Bruce became assured of the disingenuous conduct of Edward, in continuing his machinations at the papal court, for the purpose of preventing the promised grant of absolution to him and to his people, it was natural that all thoughts of a cordial reconciliation should cease, more especially as the intrigues of England appear in this instance to have been successful.

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Treaty of alliance with France

A treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, between Prance and Scotland, was concluded at Corbeil by Randolph, in which it was agreed to make common cause in all future wars between England and either of the contracting parties; with the reservation, however, upon the part of Robert, that so long as the truce continued, he should be free from the effects of such an engagement. Soon after this, a parliament was held at Cambuskenneth, wherein the clergy, earls, barons, and all the nobility of Scotland, with the people there assembled, took the oaths of fealty and homage to David, the king's son, and his issue; whom failing, to Robert Stewart, now orphan son of Walter the Steward, and the Princess Marjory, the king's daughter. It is important to notice, that this is the earliest parliament in which we have certain intimation of the appearance of the representatives of the cities and burghs, as forming a third estate in the great national council. The same parliament, in consequence of the lands and revenues of the crown having suffered extreme defalcation during the protracted war with England, granted to the king a tenth of the rents of all the lay-lands in the kingdom, to be estimated according to the valuation which was followed during the reign of Alexander the Third.

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Accession of Edward 3 To the throne of England

A sudden revolution, conducted by Isabella, the profligate Queen of England, and her paramour Mortimer, terminated soon after this in the deposition of Edward the Second, and the assumption of the royal dignity by his son, the great Edward the Third, now entering his fourteenth year. Although the avowed intentions of the English regency, who acted as council to the king, were pacific, yet their real conduct was insidious and hostile. To Bruce it was even insulting; for, although they ratified the truce in the name of the young king, and appointed commissioners to renew the negotiations for peace, yet their instructions empowered them to treat with the messengers of the noblemen and great men of Scotland, without the slightest mention of the name of the king, who, under such a provocation, soon manifested a disposition to renew the war.

He had been disgusted by the repeated instances of bad faith on the part of the English government; and, taking advantage of the minority of the king, and the civil dissensions which had greatly weakened the country, he assembled a formidable army on the Borders, and declared his resolution of disregarding a truce which had been broken by one of the parties, and of instantly invading England, unless prevented by a speedy and advantageous peace. Against these warlike preparations the English ministry adopted decisive measures. The whole military array of England was summoned to meet the king at Newcastle on the 18th of May; and the Duke of Norfolk, Marshal of England, and uncle to young Edward, was commanded to superintend the muster. To Carlisle, the key of the kingdom on the other side, were sent two brave officers, Robert Ufford and John Mowbray, with a reinforcement to Lord Anthony Lucy, the governor.

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His great preparations against Scotland

The naval force of the southern ports was ordered to be at Skinburness, near the Mouth of the Tees. Two fleets, one named the Eastern and the other the Western Fleet of England, were directed to be employed against the Scots. The men living on the borders, and in the northern shires, received orders to join the army with all speed, marching day and night, and to send their women and children for shelter to distant places, or castles ;and those who were too old to fight were obliged to find a substitute. Anxious to give spirit to the soldiers, and to watch the designs of the enemy, the young king and the rest of the royal family came to York, accompanied by John of Hainault, with a fine body of heavy-armed Flemish horse; and Hainault was not long after joined by John of Quatremars, at the head of another reinforcement of foreign cavalry jf Confident in those warlike preparations, the negotiations for the attainment of peace soon became cold and embarrassed; and from the terms proposed by the English commissioners, it was evident that they, as well as Bruce, had resolved upon the prosecution of the war.

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Bruce attacked by sickness

Accordingly, soon after this, a defiance was brought to the youthful monarch from the King of Scotland; and the herald was commanded to inform him and his nobles, that the Scots were preparing to invade his kingdom with fire and sword. Bruce himself was about this time attacked by a mortal sickness, brought on by that excessive fatigue, and constant exposure to the inclemency of the seasons, which he had endured in his early wars.

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Randolph and Douglas invade England

The extreme weakness occasioned by this, rendered it impossible for him to take the field in person; but Randolph and Douglas, his two ablest captains, put themselves at the head of an army of ten thousand men, and passing the Tyne near Carlisle, soon showed, that although the king was not present, the skill, enterprise, and unshaken courage which he had inspired, continued to animate his soldiers. This is one of the last great military expeditions of this reign; and as it places in a strong and interesting light the species of warfare by which Bruce was enabled to reconquer and consolidate his kingdom, as contrasted with the gigantic efforts employed against him, we shall make no apology for a somewhat minute detail of its operations. Froissart, too, one of the most delightful and graphic of the old historians, appears now in the field, and throws over the picture the tints of his rich feudal painting.[1:11:03 PM] carolane.ashi:

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Edward advances against them to Durham

Accounts soon reached the English king, that the Scots had broken into the northern counties; and instant orders were given for the host to arrange themselves under their respective banners, and advance against the enemy, on the road to Durham. The English army, according to Froissart, consisted of sixty-two thousand men, of which eight thousand were knights and squires, armed both man and horse in steel, and excellently mounted fifteen thousand lighterarmed cavalry, who rode hackneys; and fifteen thousand infantrys to these were added twenty-four thousand archers! The army was divided into three columns, or battles, all of infantry, each battle having two wings of heavy-armed cavalry of five hundred men.

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History of Scotland

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