loaded
with gifts, and even the Scotch nobles, such as Sir Philip Mowbray,
who were taken fighting in the ranks of their country's enemy, were
forgiven. This noble example exercised but little influence upon
the English. When Edward Bruce was killed four years afterwards
at Dundalk in Ireland, his body was quartered and distributed, and
his head presented to the English king, who bestowed upon Birmingham--who
commanded the English and sent the gift to him--the dignity
of Earl of Louth.

Among the prisoners was Edward's poet laureate, Baston, a Carmelite
friar, who had accompanied the army for the purpose of writing
a poem on the English victory. His ransom was fixed at a poem on
the Scotch victory at Bannockburn, which the friar was forced to
supply.

With Bannockburn ended all hope on the part of the English of
subjugating Scotland; but the war continued fitfully for fourteen
years, the Scotch frequently invading England and levying heavy
contributions from the northern counties and towns, and the English
occasionally retaliating by the same process; but at length peace
was signed at Northampton.

In 1315 a parliament assembled at Ayr for the purpose of regulating
the succession to the throne. It was then agreed that in case of the
king's death without male issue his brother Edward should succeed
to it, and that if Edward left no heirs, the children of Marjory,
the king's daughter, should succeed. Shortly afterwards Marjory was
married to Walter the Steward. Edward Bruce was killed unmarried.
A son was afterwards born to the king, who reigned as David II,
but having died without issue, the son of Marjory and the Steward
became king. The hereditary title of Steward was used as the surname
for the family, and thus from them descended the royal line of
Stewart or Stuart, through which Queen Victoria at present reigns
over Great Britain, Ireland, and their vast dependencies.

After Bannockburn Archie Forbes went no more to the wars. He was
raised to the dignity of Baron Forbes by the king, and was ever
rewarded by him as one of his most trusty councillors, and his
descendants played a prominent part in the changing and eventful
history of Scotland; but the proudest tradition of the family was
that their ancestor had fought as a patriot by the side of Bruce
and Wallace when scarce a noble of Scotland but was leagued with
the English oppressors of their country.

THE END

End of the Project