April 6, is Tartan Day, an international celebration of Scottish heritage. My own clan, Clan Stirling, probably because it was a lowland clan, was relatively late in adopting a tartan, not doing so until 1847. The clan crest however is older and the minute I saw it I definitely recognized myself in it . . . "Gang Forward!" (For a bit more on Clan Stirling Wikipedia gives the barest of facts.)
Every year I love storytelling at the annual Highland Games presented by the St. Andrew's Society of Detroit. The countdown has already begun for the 176th Highland Games, a mere 3 months and 4 weeks away!
I prefer to wear the tartan known as The Pride of Scotland as it is for all Scots. (Of course I wear proudly with it that Stirling crest.)
It fits the storytelling I and my storytelling friends from the former North Oakland County Storytellers should be presenting the culture and history of Scotland in the Wee Bairns area.
Scotland is a land rich in history, with one area I'm eagerly looking forward to sharing when I find myself with an eager young group of boys. . . . The Battle of Bannockburn!
I
went looking for Public Domain coverage of The Battle of Bannockburn
and found it in Ten Great Events in History by James Johonnot. The
Project Gutenberg
book's automatically generated summary describes the book as:
a historical
account compiled and arranged in the late 19th century. The work
explores significant moments in history where individuals or groups
responded to tyranny, highlighting themes of freedom and resistance
throughout various epochs.
The
story of Bannockburn's battle is Chapter
IV.—“BRUCE AND BANNOCKBURN.” Johonnot
includes Sir Walter Scott,'s poem, "The Lord of the Isles"
and Robert Burn's “Scots wha' hae.” They are omitted here and the
story is told in greater detail than would be appropriate for the
“Wee Bairns,” but is given here complete with numbered paragraphs
to show the chapter's flow.
Before the actual
battle Johonnot includes a bit of background on Robert the Bruce
before the battle, starting in sub-chapter 7 and 8:
After the capture and murder of William
Wallace by the English on the 29th of March, 1306, Bruce was crowned
king. His enemies immediately attacked and defeated him, and he was
obliged to take refuge in the mountains of the Highlands. Here he was
hunted like a wild animal, and was obliged to flee from one fastness
to another.
Johonnet continues with this lovely legend:
After one of his defeats he was lying
one night on a wretched bed in a rude hut, while debating in his own
mind whether it were not best to enlist in a crusade, when his
attention was directed to a spider on the rafters overhead. He saw
that the little spinner was trying to swing from one rafter to
another, so as to fix his thread across the space. Time and again it
tried and failed. Admiring the perseverance of the creature, Bruce
began to count the number of times he tried. One, two, three, four,
five, six. It suddenly occurred to Bruce that this was just the
number of times he had failed in his attempts against the enemy. He
then made up his mind that if the spider succeeded in the next trial
he would make one more endeavor to recover his kingdom, but if it
failed he would start at once for Palestine. The spider sprang into
the air, and this time succeeded, so the king resolved upon another
trial, and never after met with a defeat.
If the group is "twitchy" that might be as far as I get, only briefly retelling about Bannockburn. I prefer something more able to convey its importance and what a turning point it was in the long struggle for Scottish rule of Scotland. Probably I would be sure to hit at least the major facts. Put "Battle of Bannockburn" into any search engine and there are many entries. For example, Historyhit.com's "10 Facts about the Battle of Bannockburn."
For "the rest of the story" Johonnot goes into great detail giving much to flesh out any storytelling. I will quote it here with a few interruptions. If we pick up after the story about the spider it is given here
complete with numbered sub-paragraphs to show the chapter's flow.
38. These successes of Bruce inspired great confidence, and he
soon found himself at the head of a formidable force. With this he
marched up and down the country, and compelled the English to keep
strictly within their castles and fortified places; and even several
of these were captured. King Edward I, of England, heard of these
successes of Bruce with astonishment and rage. Though old and sorely
diseased, he raised a large army and marched for the north; but he
had scarcely crossed the Scottish border when his physician informed
him that he had but a few hours to live. He immediately called his
son to his bed-side, and made him swear that he would push forward
this expedition against the Bruce; and he died cursing the whole
Scotch people. He even gave direction that his body should be boiled,
and that his bones, wrapped in a bull's hide, should be carried at
the head of the army as often as the Scots attempted to recover their
freedom.
39. Edward II was a weak prince, neither so
wise nor so brave as his father. He marched a little way on to
Scotland, but, having no great liking for war, he turned and marched
back into England. He disregarded his father's injunction about the
disposition of his bones, but took them back to London, and deposited
them in Westminster Abbey.
40. From this time the cause of Bruce was a
succession of victories. During the winter and spring one English
fortress after another surrendered, until there only remained the
strong castle of Stirling held by the English power. This castle was
besieged, and Sir Philip Mowbray, the commander, agreed to surrender
it if it was not reinforced by the English before midsummer. Then
came a cessation of hostilities, and a period of rest for the Scots.
King Edward had made no arrangement to again interfere in Scottish
affairs. But now, when Sir Philip Mowbray, the governor of Stirling,
came to London to tell the king that Stirling, the last Scottish town
of importance which remained in possession of the English, was to be
surrendered if it were not relieved by force of arms before
midsummer, then all the English nobles called out, it would be a sin
and shame to permit the fair conquest which Edward I had made to be
forfeited to the Scots for want of fighting. It was, therefore,
resolved that the king should go himself to Scotland with as great
forces as he could possibly muster.
41. King Edward II, therefore, assembled one
of the greatest armies which a king of England ever commanded. There
were troops brought from all his dominions. Many brave soldiers from
the French provinces which the king of England enjoyed in France;
many Irish, many Welsh, and all the great English nobles and barons,
with their followers, were assembled in one great army. The number
was not less than one hundred thousand men.
42. King Robert the Bruce summoned all his
nobles and barons to join him, when he heard of the great preparation
which the king of England was making. They were not so numerous as
the English by many thousand men. In fact, his whole army did not
very much exceed thirty thousand men, and they were much worse armed
than the wealthy Englishmen; but then Robert, who was at their head,
was one of the most expert generals of the time, and the officers he
had under him were his brother Edward, his nephew Randolph, his
faithful follower the Douglas, and other brave and experienced
leaders, who commanded the same men that had been accustomed to fight
and gain victories under every disadvantage of situation and numbers.
43. The king, on his part, studied how he
might supply, by address and stratagem, what he wanted in numbers and
strength. He knew the superiority of the English both in their
heavy-armed cavalry, which were much better mounted and armed than
those of the Scots, and in the archery, in which art the English were
better than any people in the world. Both these advantages he
resolved to provide against. With this purpose, Bruce led his army
down into a plain, near Stirling, called the Park, near which, and
beneath it, the English army must needs pass through a boggy country,
broken with water-courses, while the Scots occupied hard, dry ground.
He then caused all the hard ground upon the front of his line of
battle, where cavalry were likely to act, to be dug full of holes,
about as deep as a man's knee. They were filled with light brushwood,
and the turf was laid on the top, so that it appeared a plain field,
while in reality it was all as full of these pits as a honeycomb is
of holes. He also, it is said, caused steel spikes, called calthrops,
to be scattered up and down in the plain, where the English cavalry
were most likely to advance, trusting to lame and destroy their
horses.
44. When his army was drawn, the line stretched north and south. On
the south it was terminated by the banks of the brook called
Bannockburn, which are so rocky that no troops could come on them
there. On the left the Scottish line extended near to the town of
Stirling. Bruce reviewed his troops very carefully; all the useless
servants and drivers of carts, and such like, of whom there were very
many, he ordered to go behind a height called the Gillies' Hill—that
is, the Servants' Hill. He then spoke to the soldiers, and expressed
his determination to gain the victory or to lose his life on the
field of battle. He desired that all those who did not propose to
fight to the last would leave the field before the battle began, and
that none would remain except those who were determined to take the
issue of victory or death, as God should send it.
Lois: Here Johonnot inserted a translation of “Scots wha' hae” as
Robert the Bruce's address to his men.
49. When the main body of his army was thus
placed in order, the king posted Randolph, with a body of horse, near
to the church of St. Mirau's, commanding him to use the utmost
diligence to prevent any succorers from being thrown into Stirling
Castle. He then dismissed James of Douglas and Sir Robert Keith, the
marshal of the Scottish army, in order that they might survey, as
nearly as they could, the English force, which was now approaching
from Falkirk. They returned with information that the approach of
that vast host was one of the most beautiful and terrible sights
which could be seen; that the whole country seemed covered with
men-at-arms on horse and foot; that the number of standard banners
and pennants made so gallant a show, that the bravest and most
numerous host in Christendom might be alarmed to see King Edward
moving against them.
50. It was upon the 23d of June, 1314, that
the King of Scotland heard the news that the English army were
approaching Stirling. He drew out his army, therefore, in the order
which he had before resolved upon. After a short time, Bruce, who was
looking out anxiously for the enemy, saw a body of English cavalry
trying to get into Stirling from the eastward. This was the Lord
Clifford, who, with a chosen body of eight hundred horse, had been
detached to relieve the castle.
51. "See, Randolph," said the king
to his nephew, "there is a rose fallen from your chaplet."
By this be meant that Randolph has lost some honor by suffering the
enemy to pass where he had been commanded to follow them. Randolph
made no reply, but rushed against Clifford with little more than half
his number. The Scots were on foot. The English turned to charge them
with their lances, and Randolph drew up his men in close order to
receive them. He seemed to be in so much danger that Douglas asked
leave of the king to go and assist him. The king refused permission.
52. "Let Randolph," he said,
"redeem his own fault. I can not break the order of battle for
his sake." Still the danger appeared greater, and the English
horse seemed entirely to encompass the small handful of Scottish
infantry. "To please you," said Douglas to the king, "my
heart will not suffer me to stand idle and see Randolph perish. I
must go to his assistance." He rode off accordingly, but long
before they had reached the place of combat they saw the English
horses galloping off, many with their empty saddles.
53. "Halt!" said Douglas to his
men. "Randolph has gained the day. Since we were not soon enough
to help him in the battle, do not let us lessen his glory by
approaching the field." Now, that was nobly done, especially as
Douglas and Randolph were always contending which should rise highest
in the good opinion of the king and the nation.
54. The van of the English army now came in
sight, and a number of their bravest knights drew near to see what
the Scottish were doing. They saw King Robert dressed in his armor,
and distinguished by a gold crown which he wore over his helmet. He
was not mounted on his great war horse, because he did not expect to
fight that evening. But he rode on a little pony up and down the
ranks of his army, putting his men in order, and carried in his hand
a short battle-axe made of steel. When the king saw the English
horsemen draw near, he advanced a little before his own men, that he
might look at them more nearly.
55. There was a knight among the English called Sir Henry de Bohun,
who thought this would be a good opportunity to gain great fame to
himself and put an end to the war by killing King Robert. The king
being poorly mounted, and having no lance, Bohun galloped on him
suddenly and furiously, thinking, with his long spear and his big
strong horse, easily to bear him down to the ground. King Robert saw
him and permitted him to come very near, then suddenly turned his
pony a little to one side, so that Sir Henry missed him with the
lance point, and was in the act of being carried past him by the
career of his horse. But as he passed, King Robert rose up in his
stirrups and struck Sir Henry on the head with his battle-axe so
terrible a blow that it broke to pieces his iron helmet, as if it had
been a nut-shell, and hurled him from his saddle. He was dead before
he reached the ground. This gallant action was blamed by the Scottish
leaders, who thought Bruce ought not to have exposed himself to so
much danger when the safety of the whole army depended on him. The
king only kept looking at his weapon, which was injured by the force
of the blow, and said, "I have broken my good battle-axe."
Lois: This is yet another place quoting Scott in the "Lord of the
Isles" with the following paragraph interrupting it.
62. The next morning, being the 24th of June, at break of day the
battle began in terrible earnest. The English as they advanced saw
the Scots getting into lines. The Abbot of Inchaffray walked through
their ranks barefooted, and exhorted them to fight for their freedom.
They kneeled down as he passed, and prayed to heaven for victory.
King Edward, who saw this, called out: "They kneel down; they
are asking forgiveness." "Yes," said a celebrated
English baron, called Ingelram de Umphraville, "but they ask it
from God, not from us; these men will conquer, or die upon the
field." The English king ordered his men to begin the battle.
The archers then bent their bows, and began to shoot so closely
together that the arrows fell like flakes of snow on a Christmas-day.
. . .
65. The fine English cavalry then advanced
to support their archers, and to attack the Scottish line. But coming
over the ground which was dug full of pits the horses fell into these
holes, and the riders lay tumbling about, without any means of
defense, and unable to rise, from the weight of their armor. The
Englishmen began to fall into general disorder; and the Scottish
king, bringing up more of his forces, attacked and pressed them still
more closely.
66. On a sudden an event happened which
decided the victory. The servants and attendants on the Scottish camp
bad been sent behind the army to a place called Gillies' Hill; but
now, when they saw that their masters were like to gain the day, they
rushed from their place of concealment with such weapons as they
could get, that they might have their share in the victory and in the
spoil. The English, seeing them come suddenly over the hill, mistook
the disorderly rabble for a new army coming up to sustain the Scots;
and, losing all heart, began to shift every man for himself. Edward
himself left the field as fast as he could ride, and was closely
pursued by Douglas, with a party of horse, who followed him as far as
Dunbar, where the English had still a friend in the governor,
Patrick, Earl of Mans. The earl received Edward in his forlorn
condition, and furnished him with a fishing skiff, or small ship, in
which he escaped to England, having entirely lost his fine army, and
a great number of his bravest nobles.
67. The English never before or afterward
lost so dreadful a battle as that of Bannockburn, nor did the Scots
ever gain one of the same importance. Many of the best and bravest of
the English nobility and gentry lay dead on the field; a great many
more were made prisoners, and the whole of King Edward's immense army
was dispersed or destroyed.
68. Thus did Robert Bruce arise from the
condition of an exile, hunted with blood-bounds like a stag or beast
of prey, to the rank of an independent sovereign, universally
acknowledged to be one of the wisest and bravest kings who then
lived. The nation of Scotland was also raised once more from the
state of a distressed and conquered province to that of a free and
independent state, governed by its own laws, and subject to its own
princes; and although the country was, after the Bruce's death, often
subjected to great loss and distress, both by the hostility of the
English and by the unhappy civil wars among the Scots themselves, yet
they never afterward lost the freedom for which Wallace had laid down
his life, and which King Robert had recovered no less by his wisdom
than by his weapons. And therefore most just it is that, while the
country of Scotland retains any recollection of its history, the
memory of these brave warriors and faithful patriots ought to be
remembered with honor and gratitude.
69. In 1328, fourteen years after the battle of Bannockburn, peace
was concluded between England and Scotland, in which the English
surrendered all pretension to the Scottish crown. King Robert was now
fifty-four years old, and he prepared to enter upon a crusade in
accordance with his vow, and in expiation of his offense of slaying
the Red Comyn. But, being smitten with a fatal disease, he directed
Lord James, of Douglas, upon his death, to take his heart and carry
it to Palestine
Lois: Douglas did indeed attempt the journey with that heart, but died
protecting it. The heart was placed in Melrose
Abbey in Scotland.
Anyone fortunate enough to go to visit the National Trust for Scotland's Visitor Centre and Battle Experience will certainly come away appreciating what an achievement it was!
As a grateful member of Clan Stirling I can't help but snicker a bit as I remember a comment made by my Aunt Helen, who traced our American genealogy, including Adam Starling back in colonial and revolutionary times. When I insisted on as much information as she could provide about him, she said "All this to wear a kilt!" It's really a sash for women, Aunt Helen, although nowadays we might indeed wear a kilt.
Leave it to the BBC to put together the best. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-27900285
to give you both the battle and all that led up to it & beyond in a
fairly "entertaining" way. I plan to review it before the August
Highland Games and then GANG FORWARD!
**********************
This is part of a
series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the
Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to
preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate
heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays
this intent on works of the 20th century. My own library
of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided
to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.
At
the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates
projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an
audience. Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the
publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.
This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.
(Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared
towards future storytelling to an audience.) Response has
convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain"
should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage
it.
See the sidebar for other Public
Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."
