four parts, and according to the barbarous custom of that day, exposed in different parts of the kingdom.

There is certainly a manly independence in the character of William Wallace, that we cannot fail to admire. He never admitted Edward's right to govern Scotland; and, while others took vows in fear, and broke them when the danger was past, while Comyn, Bruce and other nobles lived at Edward's court, watching for the safe time to assert their independence, he persisted in his endeavours to throw off the foreign yoke.

CHAPTER III.

BRUCE A KING.

BRUCE'S union with Comyn, his rival, was merely an outward show. Both were slaves to Edward, though they each longed to be free from his yoke. The insincerity of their dealings had a sad end; while apparently faithful to Edward, they entered into a solemn compact with each other, in which Comyn promised to uphold Bruce's claim to the crown, on condition of his giving up all his estates in Scotland to him. The paper confirming this was signed and sealed in the usual manner. One day, however, Comyn, who was in Scotland, was mean enough to communicate the whole matter to Edward, who, naturally angry at such treachery, declared Bruce guilty of high treason, and forbade him to leave the court of London, where he was living at that time.

It is said, but I cannot be sure of the truth of the story, although Barbour asserts it, that Bruce owed his safety to the conduct of an English friend of his, the Duke of Gloucester, who, hearing Edward's threats, and not daring to write to Bruce, sent him a pair of gilt spurs, as if he had borrowed them, and a purse of gold. Bruce, though at first puzzled, took the hint, and, sending for a smith, desired him to shoe three horses backwards, that their track might be mistaken in the snow, and travelled with such speed, that he arrived at his castle of Lochmaben on the fifth day after he had left London. There he found his brother David, to whom he had scarcely told the cause of his flight, than he

hastened to Dumfries, on the border, where he knew that Comyn then was. The chronicler relates that Bruce had met a messeger from Comyn on the journey, bearing a letter to King Edward, in which he urged upon him the necessity of putting Robert to death, as a man so beloved by his people, and of such noble descent, that he would be sure to raise fresh commotions.

The greatest fault in Bruce's natural disposition, and one which had grown upon him in his unsettled life, was a hot and fiery temper; and this fresh proof of Comyn's perfidy made him very indignant. On arriving at Dumfries, he demanded an interview with Comyn, which the latter,

fearing the effects of Bruce's rage, requested might take place in a church, hoping that the sacredness of the place would at least protect him from violence. In the church of

the Minorites, a Franciscan order of friars, accordingly they met before the high altar. Bruce, with the letter in his hand rushed in, and reproached Comyn with his deceit, Comyn protesting all the while that he had never written it. Bruce, more and more wrought up by his denial, gave him a stab with his dagger, but left him still living. Having perpetrated this rash act, he ran out of the church, and called for his horse. Two Scottish gentlemen, Kirkpatrick and Lindesay, who had attended him to Dumfries, seeing how pale he looked, asked what ailed him. "I think," said Bruce, "I have killed the Red Comyn." "What!" said Lindesay, "wilt thou leave such a matter to an 'I think,'” and so saying he ran back to make it sure, or "sicker indeed," to use his own words, and soon finished the work that Bruce had begun, adding to it the cruel murder of Sir Robert Comyn, the uncle, who having heard the tumult, had just entered the church to help his nephew.

This revengeful act brought Bruce into great trouble. The Pope, in whose eyes of course the offence was aggravated by having been committed in "holy church," was greatly incensed against him; and many historians declare, that it was followed by heaven's displeasure, for long afterwards nothing that he did appeared to prosper.

In the meantime you may judge what consternation there was in London. Edward, no less hot than Bruce, was transported with rage at his escape, and still more so when the news of Comyn's murder reached him. And now Bruce was desperate he had committed an act which was sure to bring down on him the vengeance of the Comyn family, of the King of England, and of the church; and, resolving to set all at defiance, he publicly declared his right to the crown of Scotland. Gathering together as many of his followers as he could, he went to Scone, the usual coronation place of

the Scottish kings, where he was hastily crowned. The coronation stone was indeed gone, and all things relating to the ceremony had to be performed in haste. A small circlet of gold, in imitation of the old crown, which Edward

had borne away, was made; but very few of the powerful barons could be induced to attend. Many brave Scotchmen remembered, that but a little while ago Bruce was in league with Edward, the ambitious usurper, and many of