_BRUCE AT BANNOCKBURN._
To Edward the Second, lying in luxurious idleness in his palace of
pleasure at London, came the startling word that he must strike a blow
or lose a kingdom. Scotland was slipping from his weak grasp. Of that
great realm, won by the iron hand of his father, only one stronghold was
left to England--Stirling Castle, and that was fiercely besieged by
Edward Bruce, brother of Robert Bruce, who some years before had been
crowned King of Scotland and was now seeking to drive the English out of
his realm.
The tidings that came to Edward were these. Sir Philip Mowbray, governor
of Stirling, hotly pressed by Bruce, and seeing no hope of succor, had
agreed to deliver the town and castle to the Scotch, unless relief
reached him before midsummer. Bruce stopped not the messengers. He let
them speed to London with the tidings, willing, doubtless, in his bold
heart, to try it once for all with the English king, and win all or lose
all at a blow.
The news stirred feebly the weak heart of Edward,--lapped in delights,
and heedless of kingdoms. It stirred strongly the vigorous hearts of the
English nobility, men who had marched to victory under the banners of
the iron Edward, and who burned with impatience at the inglorious ease
of his silken son.
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