Dumfries, in Annandale, the chief seat of his family interest. There a number of the nobility were happily assembled, and among the rest John Cummin, to whom he had formerly communicated his designs, and who had basely revealed them to Edward. The noblemen were astonished at the appearance of Bruce, and yet more when he told them, that he was come to live or die with them in defence of the liberties of his country; and hoped, with their assistance, to redeem the Scottish name from all indignities which it had so long suffered from the tyranny of their imperious masters. It were better, he said, if Heaven should decree it, to perish at once like brave men, with swords in their hands, than to dread long, and at last undergo the fate of the unfor tunate Wallace21. The spirit with which this discourse was delivered, the bold sentiments which it conveyed, the novelty of Bruce's declaration, assisted by the graces of his youth and manly deportment, made deep impression on the minds of the nobles, and roused all those principles of indignation and revenge, with which they had long been secretly actuated. They declared their unanimous resolution to use the utmost efforts in delivering their country from bondage, and to second the courage of Bruce, in asserting his and their undoubted rights against their common oppressors. Cummin alone, who had privately taken his measures with Edward, opposed the general determination, by representing the great power of the English nation; and Bruce, already informed of his treachery, followed him out of the assembly, and running him through the body, left him for dead. Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, one of Bruce's friends, asked him on his return, if the traitor was slain. "I believe so," replied Bruce: "And is that a matter," cried Kirk, patrick, "to be left to conjecture-I will secure him." 21. Ibid. VOL. I. 3 м He He accordingly drew his dagger, ran to Cummin, and stabbed him to the heart22. This deed of Bruce and his associates, my dear Philip, which contain circumstances justly condemned by our present manners, was regarded in that age as an effort of manly vigour and just policy. Hence the family of Kirkpatrick took for the crest of their arms a hand with a bloody dagger; and as a motto, the words employed by their ancestor, when he executed that violent action: "I will secure him!" The murder of Cummin affixed the seal to the conspiracy of the Scottish nobles. They had no resource left, but to shake off the yoke of England or perish in the attempt. The genius of the nation roused itself from its long dejection; and Bruce, flying to different quarters, excited his partizans every where to arms. He successfully attacked the dispersed bodies of the English; got possession of many castles; and having made his authority be acknowledged in most parts of the kingdom, was solemnly crowned at Scone, by the bishop of St. Andrew's, who had zealously embraced his cause. The English were again driven out of the kingdom, except such as took shelter in the fortresses still in their hands; and Edward found that the Scots, already twice conquered by his valour, were yet to subdue. Conscious, however, of his superior power, as well as superior skill in arms, this great monarch made light of his antagonist. He thought of nothing but victory and vengeance. He sent a body of troops into Scotland under Aymar de Valence, his general; who falling unexpectedly upon Bruce, threw his army into disorder, and obliged him to take shelter in the Western Isles. Edward himself was advancing with a mighty force, determined to make the now defenceless Scots the vic tims of his severity, when he unexpectedly A. D. 1307. sickened and died at Carlisle; enjoining, with 22. W. Hemming. M. West. T. Walsingham. G. Buchanan, lib. viii. his latest breath, his son and successor to prosecute the war, and never to desist till he had finally subdued' the kingdom of Scotland23. But that, as we shall afterwards have occasion to see, the second Edward was little able to accomplish. The character of Edward I. as a warrior and politician, has already been sufficiently delineated. I shall, therefore, forbear touching again on those particulars, and conclude this letter with his merit as a legislator, which has justly obtained him the honourable appellation of the English Justinian. The numerous statutes passed during his reign settled the chief points of jurisprudence; and, as Sir Edward Coke observes, truly deserve the name of establishments, because they have been more constant, standing, and durable laws, than any made since. The regular order maintained in his administration, also gave the common law an opportunity to refine itself; brought the judges to a certainty in their determinations, and the lawyers to precision in their pleadings. He regulated the jurisdiction of the several courts; established the office of justice of the peace, completed the division of the court of exchequer into four distinct courts, each of which managed its separate branch, without dependence upon any one magistrate; and as the lawyers afterwards invented a method of carrying business from one court to another, the several courts became rivals and checks on each other; a circumstance which tended very much to improve the practice of the law in this country24. But although Edward took so much care. that his subjects should do justice to each other, we cannot ascribe it to his love of equity; for in all his transactions, either with them or with his neighbours, he always desired to have his own hands free:-and his violences upon both were not few. 23. T. Walsingham. Trivet, Annal. 1307. LETTER LETTER XXXVII. ENGLAND, DURING THE REIGN OF EDWARD II. WITH AN THE critical situation of affairs between England and Scotland at the death of Edward I. makes it necessary, my dear Philip, to carry farther the history of our own island, before we return to the transactions on the continent. No prince ever ascended the English throne with more advantages than Edward II. He was in the twenty-third year of his age, and universally beloved by the people, both on account of the sweetness of his own disposition, and as the son and successor of their illustrious monarch. He was at the head of a great army, ready to subject the whole island to his sway; and all men promised themselves tranquillity and happiness under his government. But the first act of his reign blasted all these hopes, and shewed him totally unqualified for his high station. Instead of prosecuting the conquest of Scotland, according to the desire of his father, he returned into England, after a few feeble efforts, and immediately disbanded his forces; although Robert Bruce had, before this time, emerged from his obscurity, and was become sufficiently formidable to make more vigorous measures necessary. The next step taken by Edward was no less weak and imprudent. He recalled Piers Gaveston, a youthful favourite, whom the fate king had banished the realm, on account of his ascendency over this prince; and whom, on his death bed, he had made him promise never more to entertain. Gaveston was the son of a Gascon knight of some distinction, and by his shining accomplishments had early insinuated himself into the affections of young Edward, whose heart was easily caught by appearances, and strongly disposed to friendship and con fidence, fidence. He was endowed with the utmost elegance of shape and person; was noted for a fine mien and easy carriage; had distinguished himself in all warlike and genteel exercises, and was celebrated for those quick sallies of wit in which his countrymen usually excel. Little wonder that such a companion was thought necessary to a gay monarch, whose foibles he was able to flatter: but a wise king will have no public favourite, and still less a foreign one. Edward experienced this danger. Gaveston no sooner arrived at court than he was loaded with benefits, and exalted to the highest honours. The king bestowed upon him the earldom of Cornwall, which had escheated to the crown, by the death of prince Edmond, son of Richard king of the Romans. He married him to his own niece; and seemed to enjoy no pleasure in his royalty but as it served to add lustre to this object of his fond idolatry. The haughty barons, already justly dissatisfied with Edward's conduct in regard to Scotland, were enraged at the superiority of a minion whom they despised. Nor did they take any care to conceal their animosity. Meanwhile Gaveston, instead of disarming envy by the moderation and modesty of his behaviour, displayed his power and influence with the utmost ostentation. Every day multiplied his enemies; and nothing was wanting but time to cement their union, and render it fatal both to him and his master. A. D. 1303. This union was at length effected by Thomas earl of Lancaster, cousin-german to the king, and first prince of the blood. He put himself at the head of that party among the barons who desired the depression of this insolent stranger. The confederated nobles bound themselves by oath to expel Gaveston: they took arms for that purpose, and Edward was obliged to banish him. But he was afterwards recalled, reinstated in his former consequence, and became more than ever the object of general detestation among the nobility, on account of his ostentation and insolence. A new confe deracy |