United States or Papua New Guinea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Bruce himself and Angus Og, with the men of Carrick and the Celts, were in the rear. Bruce had no mind to take the offensive, and as at the Battle of the Standard, to open the fight with a charge of impetuous mountaineers. On Sunday morning mass was said, and men shrived them. "They thought to die in the mêlée, Or else to set their country free."
Her lips for the first time received a kiss from any lover. Then cheek to burning cheek, they passed the crest of a little hill and rode slowly down its thither side. Like an accusation, from some place behind them, rang out the unmistakable clang of sword on sword. They reined in their horses to listen. "Carrick," hazarded Trusia, voicing the premonition paralyzing both.
The Comyn and Bruce had made an agreement together whereby the former relinquished his own claims to the throne of Scotland on condition that Bruce, on attaining the throne, would hand over to him all his lordships in Carrick and Annandale." "It were a bad bargain," the prior said, "seeing that Comyn would then be more powerful than his king." "So I ventured to tell the Bruce," Archie replied.
However, the unsightly, tail-less condition of the vigorous steed was to the last hour of the noble creature's life, an awful warning to the Carrick farmers, not to stay too late in Ayr markets. The last relation I shall give, though equally true, is not so well identified as the two former, with regard to the scene; but as the best authorities give it for Alloway, I shall relate it.
He fairly lifted his horse from its feet as he swung it around. In mighty bounds it carried him over the crest of the hill. Two hundred yards away, Carrick could be seen defending himself gamely against the combined attack of three mounted men. Something, even at that distance, about their uncouth horses and absurdly high saddles, sent a shiver of recognition through Carter.
"And will you dare to tell me, earl," asked his interrogator, "that within this quarter of an hour he has not been in this tower? nay, in this very room? The guards in your antechamber have told me that he was; and can Lord Carrick stoop to utter a falsehood to screen an wandering beggar?" While he was speaking, Bruce stood eying him with increasing scorn. Gaveston paused.
"I was surprised," he explained, "but only for an instant, to see your companion wearing the badge of our most noble order. I should not have been as there is no moral distinction between a thief and a spy." Encouraged by his own words, he tore the medal from its resting place, while Carrick groaned impotently. "I'll make you sweat for this," growled the Cockney.
Carrick, with some difficulty, pushed his way through the crowd and was soon at his master's side. "'Ave a pleasant trip, sir?" he asked, his mobile countenance abeam with joy at the meeting. The aide cast a significant glance at the crowd, then at the Krovitch standard, before replying. "Fairly, Carrick," he said.
Among the matters enumerated in the writs as specially demanding attention was the "establishment of our realm of Scotland". Three Scottish magnates, Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and John Mowbray were particularly called upon to give their advice as to how Scotland was to be represented in a later parliament, in which the plans for its future government were to be drawn up.
Where be our heralds, our pursuivants, our Lyon, our Marchmount, our Carrick, and our Snowdown? Let the strangers be placed at our board, and regaled as beseemeth their quality and this our high holiday; to-morrow we will hear their tidings. 'So please you, my liege, to-morrow's Sunday, said one of the company.
Word Of The Day