others mounted on the baggage horses, they marched to the top of the hill, and displaying white sheets fixed upon long poles instead of banners, moved towards the field of battle with hideous shouts. The English, perceiving this motley crowd, and taking them for a fresh reinforcement advancing to support the Scots, were seized with so great a panic, that they began to give way in great confusion. Buchanan says, that the king of England was the first that fled; but in this he contradicts all other historians, who affirm that that monarch was among the last in the field. Nay, according to some accounts, he would not be persuaded to retire, till sir Aymer de Vallance, seeing the day lost, took hold of his horse's bridle and led him off. Sir Giles de Argentine, the other knight who waited on Edward, would not consent to leave the field; but, putting himself at the head of a battalion, made a vigorous effort to retrieve the desperate state of affairs, but was soon overpowered and slain. He was a champion of great renown; and, having signalized himself in several battles with the Saracens, was reckoned the third knight for valour in his day.

"The Scots pursued, and great was the slaughter among the enemy, especially in passing the river,

This

where they could keep no order, because of the irregularity of the ground. A short mile from the field of battle lies a plot of ground, which goes by the name of the Bloody-fold, where, according to tradition, a party of the English faced about and made a stand; but, after a dreadful slaughter among them, were forced to continue their flight. tradition corresponds to what we find in several historians concerning the earl of Glocester, who, seeing the rout of his countrymen, made an effort to renew the battle at the head of his own military tenants; and, after having done much execution with his own hand, was, together with the most of his party, cut in pieces *.*

With this martial prince, Gilbert de Clare, earl of Glocester, and nephew of Edward the Second, perished, fighting side by side, Robert de Clifford, first lord of the honour of Skipton. Their heroism had excited the admiration of Bruce; and as they had been companions on the field, they were not separated after death, their bodies being sent together by the conqueror to Edward at Berwick,

* Nimmo's General History of Stirlingshire, 8vo. London,

1777.

to be interred with the honours due unto their

valour.

The result of this disastrous engagement, in which there fell on the side of the English not less than one hundred and fifty-four earls, barons, and knights, seven hundred gentlemen, and more than ten thousand common soldiers*, was long a theme of exultation and triumph to Scotland and her minstrelsy. From one of her best and oldest effusions on this subject, entitled "The Song of the Scottish Maidens," a few stanzas will fully evince to what a tone of fiery and taunting energy her bards could raise their strains of jubilate on this occasion.

Here comes your lordly chivalry

All charging in a row;

And there your gallant bowmen

Let fly their shafts like snow.

Look how yon old man clasps his hands,

And hearken to his cry

When England's arrows fly!"

Yet weep, ye dames of England,

For twenty summers past

Ye danced and sang while Scotland wept-
Such mirth can never last.

* Walsingham, p. 105. T. de la More, p. 594.

And how can I do less than laugh,
When England's lords are nigh?
It is the maids of Scotland

Must learn to wail and sigh;
For here spurs princely Hereford-
Hark to his clashing steel!
And there's sir Philip Musgrave,
All gore from helm to heel;
And yonder is stout d'Argentine ;
And here comes with a sweep

The fiery speed of Gloucester

Say wherefore should I weep?

Weep, all ye English maidens,

Lo, Bannockbrook 's in flood!

Not with its own sweet waters,
But England's noblest blood.
For see, your arrow shower has ceased,
The thrilling bow-string 's mute;
And where rides fiery Gloucester ?
All trodden under foot.
Wail, all ye dames of England,

Nor more shall Musgrave know
The sound of the shrill trumpet-
And Argentine is low.

Thy chivalry, proud England,
Have turn'd the rein to fly;
And on them rushes Randolph-
Hark! Edward Bruce's cry.

'Mid reeking blood the Douglas rides, As one rides in a river;

And here the good king Robert comes

And Scotland's free for ever.

Now weep, ye dames of England,

And let your sons prolong

The Bruce-the Bruce of Bannockburn-
In many a sorrowing song.

The body of Robert de Clifford was forwarded by Edward for interment at Bolton Abbey, near Skipton. Bolton had been, under the Saxon dynasty, the seat of earl Edwin's barony; but, in the twelfth century, Aaliza, the grandaughter of Robert de Romille, heiress of the castle and honour of Skipton, and who had married William FitzDuncan (a chief, who, after laying waste Craven by fire and sword, had been established there by his uncle, David, king of Scotland), parted with this property to the canons of Embsay, who built on the site of an ancient Saxon church, and in one of the most romantic situations in Craven, the beautiful structure of Bolton Priory*.

* The following tragical event has been assigned by tradition as the reason why lady Aaliza parted with this property; but, as will be seen at the close of the note, though probably true as to incident, its application for the purpose just mentioned cannot be correct.

"In the deep solitude of the woods betwixt Bolton and