On hearing this disaster, the sage of Ercildown, having meanwhile
protected Lady Isabella mar at Learmont, conveyed her northward; but
falling sick at Roslyn, he had stopped there; and the messenger he
dispatched to Huntingtower with these calamitous tidings (who happened
to be that brave young Gordon whose borrowed breastplate had been that
of Bruce's, in his first battle for Scotland!), bore also information
that besides several parties of the enemy which were hovering on the
heights near Roslyn, an immense army was approaching from
Northumberland. Ercildown said he understood Sir Simon Fraser was
hastening forward with a small body to attempt cutting off these
advanced squadrons; but, he added, while the contentions continued
between Athol and Soulis for the vacant regency, no man could have hope
of any steady stand against England.
At this communication, Cummin bluntly proposed himself as the
terminator of this dispute. "If the regency were allowed to my brother
as head of the house of Cummin, that dignity now rests with me. Give
the word, my sovereign," said he, addressing Bruce, "and none there
shall dare oppose my rights.
Pages:
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000