The Taking of the Stone of Destiny

While looking for an historic event that happened on Christmas Day in Scotland, the first thing that came to my mind was that Christmas Eve night in 1950 when four young people broke into Westminster Abbey, liberated the Stone of Destiny, and drove it back over the Border of Scotland.

The Stone of Destiny; the symbol of sovereignty in Scotland. Wherever the stone rested, there would Scotland be ruled, said the old legends. It was taken by Edward Longshanks during the Wars for Independence and brought to England, resting there for nearly seven centuries until a young man, Ian Hamilton, and three compatriots decided to take it back.

If you read Ian Hamilton's biography, Stone of Destiny, you find that he had grown up with stories of Bruce and Wallace and the devastation Scotland had suffered through the ages by many English rulers. Times in Scotland in the mid 20th century were hard, pleas for home rule kept being denied by Parliament; the people of Scotland needed a symbol to bring back their pride and Ian Hamilton and his three companions, Alan Stewart, Gavin Vernon and Kay Matheson decided they were going to take back the Stone of Destiny.

They planned for months, studying maps and layouts of the Abbey and procuring funds and everything they would need to do it. The entire story of the taking of the Stone is something right out of a fiction thriller, in fact, I've read fiction with less exciting plots! Going down to London in middle of winter, sleeping in freezing cars, nearly getting caught on more than one occasion, struggling to drag the stone out of the Abbey into their waiting vehicle... I'm not going to attempt to tell the whole story for I could not do the it justice here, so I would suggest highly that you all go and find a copy of Ian Hamilton's book. There's no better way to describe it than he does, for, obviously, he was there, and he lived it.

When they drove the Stone back over the Border, it was the first time the Stone had been back in Scotland since Longshanks took it in 1296. That Christmas Day in 1950 was one Scotland will remember for centuries to come as the day that true Patriots of Scotland won a victory as big as Bannockburn and brought hope back to the people.

They eluded the police for months, and probably never would have been found by them if they hadn't given the Stone back, putting it in Arbroath Abbey where the famous Declaration of Arbroath was signed by Robert the Bruce and his followers in 1320. The Stone was sent back to England, Ian and his friends were arrested, but never were put in prison, and Scotland was given the hope it needed to thrive once again.

And of course, now the Stone is back in Scotland where it belongs, having come over the Border in 1996 to much exaltation; then 1997 brought the Yes-Yes vote and Scotland's own Parliament.

So at the end of this post, I wish to quote that famous passage from the Declaration of Arbroath:

"For as long as a hundred of us remain alive, we shall not submit to the domination of the English. It is in truth not for glory, or honor, or riches that we fight, but for Freedom alone. Which no honest man gives up but with life itself."


Go read Ian Hamilton's book Stone of Destiny and also watch the wonderful film of the same name. Both are spectacular, and the fact that it's a true story only makes it more so.

Merry Christmas, and a Guid Hogmany to you all!

Alba gu Brath

Slainte, Hazel

A Noble Heart

Well, This is the last day of June and thus, I am going to wrap up my Bruce month with one more post. I have been having a very good time writing these story posts this last month, and I think I will do more of these in the future.

Today, I'm going to give you another Douglas story. James Douglas died in Spain on a crusade, carrying Robert the Bruce's heart in a casket as he had asked him to. Bruce's heart now lies in Melrose Abbey where a round memorial stone reads: "A Nobel heart hath no ease if freedom fail."

The Moors had invaded southern Spain, and Douglas had gone to fight. A long time ago, he and Robert, now dead, had talked about going on a crusade. Robert had always wanted to go on one, but he had passed away before he had a chance to make that possible. Before he died, though, he asked Douglas if he would take his heart with him. So Douglas had a small casket made that he could carry with him and he set off on the crusade alone.

They had reached a small town called Teba in Spain where they were supposed to meet with reinforcements, but something went wrong and the Scots were attacked. Douglas thought in those few minutes that he was granted before he had to fight, that it was most likely foul play. But before he could think anymore, he turned to his men and raised his sword.

"Come, let us fight this day, companions. For Robert." He then took the casket from his tunic and, standing in the path, threw it toward the oncoming army. "Go forward brave heart!" he shouted. "Douglas shall follow you or die!"

The men shouted in agreement and they followed Douglas into the charge.

The Scots were horribly outnumbered and before long, James Douglas fell, wounded beyond recovery. He clasped the casket he had found again and sighed.

"It's a good thing we did not do this poorly winning Scotland, back, my friend," he said then closed his eyes.

Douglas's body was taken back to Scotland and laid in St Brides while Bruce's heart was put in Melrose Abbey and is still there to this day.

fin

I hope everyone has enjoyed Bruce Month as much as I have! I'll be back some next month and then I'm going to have to start thinking about August and Wallace again. I'd love to do a story request for the life of Wallace, so please tell me what your favorite Wallace story is and I'll try my best at telling it.

For now, though, I'm going to go back to my novel writing!

Slainte, Hazel

Happy Bannockburn!

Hello, everyone, and Happy Bannockburn to you all! For those of you who missed it last year, here is the post where I wrote about the battle. Now, today as my surprise to you, I decided to give you a wee sneak peak into one of my books that is going to be published very soon. This one is titled Freedom's Sword and is my novel about William Wallace. It's one I wrote a couple years ago, but it's now undergoing heavy revision and when I'm done with that, I'm going to self publish it. If everything goes as planned, it will be up for sale by Wallace Day. If not, you will still have my other Wallace book, Freedom Come All Ye, to read by then, because that one will definitely be done.

So anyway, this scene I chose takes place at the Battle of Falkirk where Wallace's army is loosing against the English and he suddenly looks up and realizes that Robert the Bruce is fighting on the English side. (And as a historical note: This I took from Blind Harry's version of Wallace's story and, for some parts, I paraphrased his wording. Historians have been at odds as to whether Bruce was actually ate Falkirk or not. Historically, I don't really think he was either, but it makes for a good story plot and a good defining line. I think that if Bruce had encountered Wallace on the battlefield, he would have changed his allegiances pretty quickly.)

But I'll just wheesht and let you read it now! ;-)

He didn’t know how long he knelt there before he heard a horse galloping toward him. He looked up and saw that it was an English knight with a lance leveled at him. But it was not the lancer who had caught his eye. It was another horseman who was riding out of the Scottish ranks. At first, Wallace searched to see who it was, for the stance of the man and his device seemed familiar to him, then he was left in no doubt when he saw the golden hair curling from underneath the helmet.

“Bruce!” Wallace spat, his eyes flashing as he leapt up, forgetting his sword, and grabbed the surprised lancer, throwing him from the saddle. He leapt on the horse and tore after the retreating knight.

“ROBERT BRUCE!” Wallace shouted out, his voice so full of hatred and anger that Bruce looked back over his shoulder. His heart actually clenched in fear as he saw Wallace, vengeance clouding his eyes, as he rode the traitor Scotsman down.

Wallace urged his horse onward until he was neck-and-neck with Bruce’s mount, then he leapt sideways, grabbing Bruce’s arm and bringing them both crashing to the ground. Bruce fell on top of Wallace, crushing his ribs with his heavy armor. Wallace didn’t seem to notice the weight crushing him and shoved the other man away. His helmet had fallen off and Wallace grabbed him around the throat, glaring into his eyes.

“Robert, ye’re a bloody traitor!” he shouted at him.

Bruce wrenched Wallace’s hands away from his throat and shoved him backwards, standing up as he glared at the other man..

“Traitor, is it? Where do you get your gall to oppose the king of England?!”

Wallace stood up as well, his hands clenching into fists. “Robert! It’s your unwillingness to act and yer cowardice that cause me to fight to free a land that is yours by right!” he shouted. “Have they brainwashed ye sae much that ye believe what Longshanks has to say? It’s ye Bruce, who have driven me to such drastic and perhaps even foolhardy measures, because ye, Scotland’s rightful leader, wouldn’t wake up and lead them against the English tyranny!” Wallace shook his head in disgust and quieted his voice a bit. “I told ye several months ago that I would follow ye if only ye would take the lead,” he motioned to his dilapidated army. “They would follow ye, Robert, but they need to know that they can trust ye, and nothing I say will make them decide that. So ye need to choose if you are going to serve Edward and hope he doesna spike yer head on London Bridge, or if ye want to be the man who will lead the Scots to freedom.”

“I would fight, Wallace!” Robert began. “It’s just complications. I want what you want, William: Freedom. But there are other ways to get it than fighting useless wars!”

“So ye would make a pact with our worst enemy instead?!” Wallace cried, disgusted almost to the loss of words. “That’s not freedom, Robert. You don’t have the gall to stand up and fight for a country that is yours by right! You think Longshanks will set ye on the throne? He want’s it for himself! Ye’d be nothing but a puppet, Robert, a lackey bent to his will like Toom Tabard! I have seen Baliol, Robert. And he’s a broken man. No, you would not rule Scotland, Bruce, and I think deep down inside ye know that.”

“I don’t have a choice, Wallace!” Bruce protested, his voice hoarse with feeling and anger. “I...”

“There’s always a choice!” Wallace shouted, stopping his words. “Do you not see that? I would have followed you! As my brother, Robert!” He paused and then lowered his voice to an earnest whisper. “As my king.” Then without another word, he turned and stumbled off, leaving a flabbergasted Bruce standing open-mouthed, watching his back as he walked off. The Scottish knight felt his mind clear then and suddenly, he knew where his allegiances lay and where, now, they always would.

So, tell me if you liked it and also, for the rest of the month, tell me some of your thoughts on Bruce and Wallace's acquaintance. I'd like to know what you think. Also, as I said before, if you have any other stories about Bruce you would like me to tell before the end of the month, or even into next month, please let me know! I am planning at least one more for next week, so let me know by then.

Happy Bannockburn Day. Alba gu Bragh!

Slainte, Hazel

Bruce and Sir Henry de Bohun

This is a favorite story from the Battle of Bannockburn and has been immortalized in a lot of paintings of Robert the Bruce. This was a fight that happened just before the battle started on the first day, when Robert was getting his men ready. Sir Henry de Bohun (rhymes with bafoon) was an English knight who decided to try his hand at fighting the King of Scots. To dire consequences.

Robert the Bruce, King of Scots rode his small sturdy garron pony in front of his men, seeing that they were all in good order. He was not really expecting to fight that day, but keeping up appearances would show the English that the Scots were not just barbarians. That they could turn out in style.

It was not long before the English army began to come over the hill, banners flying gayly in the air. Robert looked at them and spoke to his general, Sir James Douglas.

"What think you of the day, Jamie?" he asked him.

"I think the English have only pomp on their side while we have the want of freedom," the young man replied and Bruce smiled at him.

"Let us pray it is enough then." He started again down the line of his men, talking to them, reassuring them of the fight to come.

On the English side, Sir Henry de Bohun watched the Scottish king ride in front of his men. His battle horse shifted eagerly under him, knowing action was close, but restless for it. de Bohun looked again at King Robert. He was not even paying attention. He could ride over to his quickly and be done with him before anyone cold stop him! He only seemed to be armed with a battle axe as well while Bohun had a lance. He smiled to himself. Aye, it would be easy. Before he could think against it, he urged his horse forward, charging toward the man who wore the gold circlet over his helmet.

Bruce heard him coming and swung his pony around, grasping his battle axe in the same movement. He did not hesitate to charge the oncoming horseman and spurred the garron into action. Douglas and his other commanders stared in horror as they saw him charge, but they could not get out to help him before he was already engaged.

De Bohun had lowered his lance at the king as soon as Bruce had begun to charge him and he smugly urged his horse forward even faster, eager to prove his valor and win single combat against the rebel king of Scots. But before he knew what was happening, Robert the Bruce jerked his garron to the other side of Bohun's horse and, standing in his stirrups, he swung his battle axe down with huge force onto the English knight's head. The blow was so powerful, that it split Bohun to the breastbone and shattered the axe haft in Bruce's hand.

Without another thought, Bruce swung his pony around and headed back to his lines, holding the shattered haft in his hand and looking at it grimly. As he got back, Douglas met him with a speachless, wide-eyed look. He finally gained his voice and choked out:

"What were you thinking? You could have been killed! That was a foolish thing to do, Robert!"

Bruce nodded. "I know. I broke my good axe."

fin.

And that was what he was actually reported to have said :) Good old Scottish humor!

So, Friday is Bannockburn and I promised you all a special treat! (I hope you'll think it is anyway ;-) so I'll be back then.

Slainte, Hazel

James the Good

All right, then, today, I'm going to give you a story about Sir James Douglas, one of Bruce's faithful followers and closest friends. He was also known as James the Good or The Black Douglas for his dark complexion--not because he was cold-hearted, for he was a very chivalrous knight.

The story I'm going to tell you today is about how Douglas took an English occupied castle in the middle of the night with hardly any problem whatsoever!

James Douglas watched the soldiers on the wall top as they marched back and fourth, studying their patterns. He beckoned to his men.

"They do not look down," he told the men. "We will sneak up on them that way."

"But they will see us coming from afar!" one of the men protested.

"They will see us. Be we will crawl. In the mirk, no one will know the difference between us and cows!"

The men approved this wisdom and they set out to cross the field, wrapping their weapons under their dark cloaks and some taking light rope ladders upon their backs.

Up on the wall top a woman sat with her baby, singing gently to it a lullaby that all the English mothers were singing at the time:

"Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,

The Black Douglas shall not get thee."

She looked up as the guards spoke to each other then, pointing below to the grounds.

"What's that?" one asked his companion.

"Looks to be some cows runaway, man," the other guard replied. "If they're still there tomorrow, we can make a meal out of them."

They did not notice the ladders slipping over the battlements and as they continued their patrol, a dark clothed figure slipped over the wall top just as the mother finished singing to her babe the lullaby again.

"The Black Douglas shall not get thee."

"Do not be sure of that," Douglas said as he dropped down beside her.

"You!" the woman almost cried, but Douglas put a hand over her mouth.

"Wheesht!" he hissed and beckoned to one of him men now over the wall top. "He will stay with ye and keep ye safe. No harm will come to you and the bairn." And then he was gone along the wall. He rushed down the steps and opened the gates before any of the English could stop him, letting in the rest of his army. They quickly took the castle and before the English could do anything the Scots had won. And the woman and her baby were saved by one of the most hated enemies the English ever had.

Fin.

Tell me how you are liking my stories and also if there are any you want me to tell about :) This next week, I hope to get at least two posts done as Friday will be Bannockburn when I have a special treat planned for you! ;-)

Slainte, Hazel

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Bruce and the Spider

This is probably one of the most well-known stories about the great Hero King Robert the Bruce but yet, it probably never really happened. But as I said before, history is made up of things that mostly didn't happen. But these are the stories that we remember and I for one have nothing against them.

So this is how the story goes:

It was during Bruce's war with the English and his army had been having the worst of luck. They had been driven back six times on the field of war and Robert was beginning to loose hope of ever seeing his country free. He himself had to go into hiding or risk being taken by his enemies and meet the same fate as his proceeder, William Wallace.

Bruce wandered hopelessly with his small group of men and one night they came on a deserted old barn. Dead weary, they decided to stay there for the night as it was raining and they were already soaked to the bone. Bruce lay down in some straw and tried to rest, but rest would not come to him. His heart was sore for the want to free his people and the seeming fact that it would never be.

But as he lay there, he happened to look up and see a spider on the ceiling. He found that he pitied her as he watched her try to swing to the next rafter to weave her web. It was six times that he watched her, seeing then that it had been six times he had fought the English and had been driven back. He watched her stop and thought she had given up. Bruce's heart was even heavier now.

"It seems we have both failed," he said softly with a deep sigh.

But the spider had not given up. She tried again working carefully this time and as Bruce watched, she swung over to the next rafter. Elated at the sight, Bruce leapt up and, full of hope once more, he smiled up at the spider.

"You have given me hope, wee spider," he told her happily. "I too, shall try again!"

And so he gathered his men and sent word for any loyal Scot to join him and eventually they met the English on the fields of Bannockburn and won their freedom.

And so that was my wee version of Bruce and the Spider. If you have any particular Bruce story you would like me to write about this month, please ket me know. I am going to try to write them all in story form, so you can pretend I'm playing story-teller this month :) Don't be shy to let me know what you want to hear about. Drop me a comment or email me at sirwilliamssquire@gmail.com

I'll be back again soon with more Bruce stories!

Slainte, Hazel

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Robert the Hero King

I had wanted to have a Bruce month this year like I did for Wallace last year, but it's come up on me faster than I expected, and I have not had the time to do any real research on Robert the Bruce. Wallace, I didn't really have to do any research on because I've read so many things on him and written two books about him to boot, but Robert, while I know his story, do not know enough to spontaneously write a bunch on posts on! However, instead of a history lesson you can find in any book, I have decided to focus more on the legends surrounding Robert the Bruce and his companions. Stories like Bruce and the Spider and some about James the Good the Black Douglas. I'm come to the conclusion over the years that historians may try to write the truth, but it's always the folklore in history that people remember and those are the stories that have gone down the generations.

So that's what I am going to do for you this month. I'll probably not get as much writing in as I had wanted, but I will definitely enjoy writing some of my favorite stories from Robert the Bruce's time period. If there's any particular thing you would like me to write about, please let me know.

Now, the reason I chose June for my Bruce month is because the Battle of Bannockburn in on the 24th. I talked about that last year, so this year, I want to tell more about Bruce. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or questions.

I'll go for now, I'll be back soon with another post! =)

Slainte, Hazel

Our Second Birthday

Today we celebrate another birthday from Scotland's history. This time, it's Robert the Bruce, he of Bannockburn fame! In 1272 he was born on this day into the Bruce family. His father was loyal to King Edward Longshanks and Bruce, throughout the years Wallace was fighting against England, was shifting between being loyal to England and being loyal to Scotland. However, after Wallace's death in 1305, Bruce took up his sword, took up the crown and fought for Scotland as it's Hero King and won Scotland's freedom on the fields of Bannockburn. 

So celebrate Bruce's birthday! between him and Wallace, an enduring legacy has been made for Scotland, not only back in the days they still roamed the hills and glens, but now as well. Bruce is a National Hero and he deserves at least a wee happy birthday from all of us today! Even if you just read about his exploits or start reading a novel featuring him, take some time to recognize the man for who he really was.

I'll try to be back this week, but I will not make any promises because I am on vacation! ;-), but next week, I will have some more Battle reports posted for our Battle Season.

Slainte, Hazel

Scots Wha Hae

As a kind of sequel to the Bannockburn post, I thought I would post this wee thing about one of the most famous poems/songs in Scottish history. I imagine most of you have heard about the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, and perhaps, most of you have also heard about his "hit song" "Scots Wha Hae". This was his fictitious address of Robert the Bruce before the Battle of Bannockburn and is dear in the hearts of all the Scots since his day up to this, as one of the most memorable and heart-warming songs known in the country. It's one of my personal favorites as well, simple prose and lines, yet beautiful and heartfelt like so many of Burns poems. "Scots Wha Hae" has been one of the many candidates for the Scottish National Anthem, and I personally think it should be the official one. Here are the words to it:

Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled-

Scots wham Bruce has aften led-

Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to victorie!

Now's the day and now's the hour;

See the front o' battle lower;

See approach proud Edward's power-

Chains and slaverie!

Wha will be a traitor knave?

Wha can fill a coward's grave?

Wha sae base as be a slave?

Let him turn and flee!

Wha for Scotland's king and law

Freedom's sword will strongly draw,

Freeman stand or freeman fa'-

Let him on wi' me!

By oppression's woes and pains!

By your sons in servile chains!

We will drain our dearest veins,

But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low!

Tyrants fall in every foe!

Liberty's in every blow!

Let us do or die!

And here is a link to the song on Youtube sung by Scocha. 

I will be back next month for more of the Summer Battle Season! Until now, have a good week!

Slainte, Hazel

Bannockburn

And now we come to the big event of this month: The Battle of Bannockburn.

A little backstory before I go into the actual battle:

When William Wallace was executed in 1305, six months later, Robert the Bruce stepped onto the scene. Well, he had been on the scene before, but was fluctuating throughout all of Wallace's campaign as to which side he was on. After Wallace's death, however, he took up his sword against England, and was crowned King of Scots at Scone in 1306. His campaign was a long and bloody one. He was always on the run, often fighting illness and the bitter climate, but in 1314, eight years since he had been crowned at Scone, eighteen years since William Wallace began his fight, Bruce and his men charged the fields of Bannockburn and won Scotland's freedom.

It happened on the twenty-fourth of June, in the middle of summer, on a battlefield not too far from Wallace's victory at Stirling bridge almost eighteen years earlier. The battle was actual fought on two days total, starting on the twenty-third and ending gloriously on the twenty-fourth. 

Edward II of England (Son of the notorious Edward Longshanks) led an army northwards to defeat the Scots army once and for all. It is said--though the actual numbers are not known-- that he had somewhere around fifteen thousand men including the infantry, cavalry and archers. Bruce on the other hand, had about six thousand men. He had about five hundred light cavalry led by Robert Keith besides his infantry, and then he had some "small folk"--the poor farmers and such--waiting in reserve. As was usual, he was outnumbered.

Bruce did not want to originally engage the English army in full scale battle. He did however, set up the field at Bannockburn with booby traps in the form of spiked trenches to ward off the heavy English cavalry. His vanguard was led by his nephew, Thomas Randolph, the Earl of Moray and behind him two devisions, one led by his brother Edward Bruce, and the other by his trusted general, James the Good the Black Douglas. The "small folk" were camped as a reserve on the Coxet Hill out of sight, guarding the extra supplies until they were needed in battle.

When the English army appeared from the Torwood on the afternoon of the twenty-third, they watched the Scots deploying in the southern fringes of the New Park ahead of them. As this was happening, one of the most talked about stories of this battle took place. One of the English knights, Sir Henry de Bohun, saw Bruce on the back of his small gray pony mustering his men and getting them into position. Sir Henry, thinking, most likely of the praise he would get if he were able to kill the Scottish king before the battle even started, charged forward, meaning to strike Bruce off his pony. Bruce however saw him coming and before Sir Henry could strike at him, he sidestepped his pony and raised his battle axe, striking out at the English knight. Sir Henry de Bohun, was cleaved to the breastbone, and the force of the blow was so hard that Bruce's axe broke in half. When he went back to the Scottish ranks, the men were shocked at what he had done saying something along the lines of "Why did ye do that? Ye're the king, that was stupid!!" And then Bruce just says, "I know, I broke my good axe."

Bruce also used a tactic that William Wallace had used at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. The Schiltron. This was a group of spear men who would stand in a circle, some standing, some kneeling and they would form a huge spiked circle that could withstand cavalry charge. And that's what it did at the Battle of Bannockburn. The English cavalry thought they would have a go, but ran into more trouble then they had imagined. The Scots did now break formation as the English thought they would, and their horses were impaled on the spears of the schiltron men. Eventually, after several tries and heavy losses, the English gave up retreated for the night.

That night, the Scots would rest on a reasonably comfortable spot of the field while the English would sleep on the carseland where it was wet and uncomfortable, made even more so by the fear of a night attack.

The next day, Bruce, having seen that his men wanting to fight or die, decided the best thing would be to charge. He gathered all his men up, said a few profound words, and then led the charge against the English.  

The English longbowmen set up their volley of arrows, trying to take down the schiltrons as they had at the Battle of Falkirk, but Bruce's schiltrons were no longer standing still. They were marching across the field in perfect unbreakable formation. Every time the English tried to charge one, they ended in defeat. The Earl of Moray and James Douglas as well were fighting off the rest of the English army with their brigades, forcing the Englishmen to be pressed back and caught between the Scottish brigades and the schiltrons. Unable to maneuver properly, the English ranks were cut down at an alarming rate. This was what Bruce had been waiting for. He released his light calvary under Sir Robert Keith who's charge was so fierce that they sent the English archers running. 

Bruce then sent his own brigade into the fight, mainly Highlanders and Islanders under Angus Og MacDonald of Islay. It was then that the English began to realize they were loosing the battle. They were now desperate to do whatever needed to be done to win. But then, Bruce sent out his "small folk" who had been hidden behind the Coxet Hill and waiting with anticipation for their part in the battle. 

It was done by then. The English could not withstand the might and energy of the Scottish people. They fell into a retreat, dragging their unwilling king off the field with them and left Bruce and his men to revel over their victory that had won freedom for their country that they had not possessed for far too long.

So that was how the battle of Bannockburn went down. Before this month is over, I will try to have at least one more post to go along with this one, so I will probably be back next week sometime.

Slainte, Hazel