A Scottish monk, also, composed a poem upon the same subject, in a strain nothing superior, though a little more intelligible.* A ballad, also, on the battle of Bannockburn, was, anciently, composed in the Scottish language, and universally sung by women and children for several ages.† THIS battle, forming one of the most re Hic rapit, hic capit, hic terit, hic ferit, ecce dolores, Vox tonat, as sonat, hic ruit, hic luit, arcta modo res, Hic secat, hic necat, hic docet, hic nocet, iste fugatur, Hic latet, hic patet, hic premit, hic gemit, hic superatur, &c. &c. *We subjoin part of it, as another specimen of the uncouth poetry of that age, preserved by Fordun, who has himself written verses not greatly superior, and interspersed them in his History. M. semel et C. ter, semel X. J jungito quater. The following fragment of it has been handed down to us: For Zour lemmons, Zou have lost at Bonockborne, What weend the King of England with Hevalo. To have gotten Scotland, with Rummelo. markable æras in the history of Scotland, was fought on Monday the 24th of June 1314, the birth day of John the Baptist. The victory was attended with the most important consequences. It established Robert firmly upon a throne, which, hitherto, he had always felt tottering beneath him; and settled, throughout the kingdom, a tranquillity formerly unknown.* The rich spoils, also, found in the • THE extensive possessions in the west of Scotland belonging to Baliol, together with the estates of his partizans, who appear to have been more numerous than is commonly imagined, falling under forfeiture, gave the crown greater power than it had formerly possessed. Robert reserved some of these estates, and bestowed the rest upon his most trusty friends; who thus became attached to his government by a new tie. (The reward bestowed upon Sir Robert Keith Mareschal, who, by dispersing, with his cavalry, the enemy's archers, had so materially contributed to the success of the day, may be seen from the following passage in Robertson's Index of Charters. Charter by Robert I "to Robert Keith, of the lands of Merschell, and the office of Merschellschip, Keith" (in the constabulary of Haddington and shire of Edinburgh), "Symone, Colbanstoun, Alneden in Buchan, with the new forest of Innerpeffer, four davache of land of Strathbogie, the forest of Kintoir, conteinand ane taillie." This Charter was confirmed by David II. It is not known to whom Leckie in Stirlingshire had formerly belonged; but, from Robertson's printed Index of Charters, it appears that the half of this estate nearest "Buchaun" was the private property of King Robert, and that he exchanged it with the Earl of Lennox for Cardross in Dunbartonshire. A charter by Robert Duke of Albany Regent, confirms one by John de Dolas of Estir Leky, to Murdoch de Leky, of the English camp, greatly increased the national wealth. That people, sure of victory, had marched to it with all the parade of luxury;* and, on their defeat, money, plate, rich armour, sumptuous furniture, fine equipages, and all the riches of their camp, fell into the hands of the Scots. These, together with the large sums paid by prisoners of rank for their ransom, introduced a more plentiful circulation of money in Scotland than had ever been known. The effects soon became every where visible. Several large houses, where there had been none before, were, according lands of Estir Leky in the shire of Stirling. The original charter is dated at Leky, 10th February 1406-7; witnesses, Dunçan Earl of Levenax; John Gourley, and Alexander Post, bur gesses of Stirling; Patricke Lindesay, and John Naper Domino de Kilmahew. The charter of confirmation is dated in the first year of the regency. Robertson's Index of Charters, "Robert Duke of Albany His Register." From a special retour, dated March 26, 1555, it appears, that John Leckie of Leckie had been slain above seven years before in the battle of Pinkey, and that he was succeeded in the superiority at least of half of the lands and barony of Leckie next to the barony and lands of "Buchtquhan," by his son Walter. From another such writ dated January 11, 1688, we find mention made of George Moir of Leckie, heir of David Moir of Leckie his father. The house of Leckie gave a hospitable reception to Charles Edward Stewart, during the night of the 13th of Sep. tember 1745, when on his way to the south. Editor.) *FORDUN. to traditions still current, built after this battle. From that time, also, the Scots began to study more elegance in their houses and gardens, and give more attention to agriculture. For, however much they hated the English, and had been harrassed by their unjust claims, they gradually adopted several of their customs, and found an advantage in cultivating various arts, borrowed from them. Resembling those nations whom the Romans had invaded; and who came gradually to imitate that people, and practise arts and customs, the first knowledge of which they had received from their enemies and oppressors.* SINCE printing the foot note to page 231, regarding Sir Giles de Argentine, we have learned, from a most respectable quarter, that this celebrated flower of chivalry was son of the Lord Chanceller Argentine; that his family had derived its name from Argenton in France; and that he was an ancestor, of the Dukes of Gordon. Editor.) SECT. X. BATTLE OF SAUCHIE, 11th JUNE 1488. NEVER was any race of Kings more unfortunate than that of Stewart. Their reigns were generally disastrous, and their end tragical. Of six successive monarchs, the immediate predecessors of James VI, not one had died a natural death. James III came to an untimely and unnatural end in the county we are surveying. A misunderstanding had subsisted between this prince and several of the chief nobility, during great part of his reign. James did not possess those talents for government which had distinguished several of his predecessors; for, though sundry wise and useful regulations were established in his reign, and his errors have, no doubt, been much exaggerated by faction, yet it cannot be denied, that marks of an imprudent and feeble mind |