Nigel Tranter - The Price of the King's Peace

de Middleton, at Mitford. Here they were thrown into dungeons, their baggage stolen, even the sealed letters they carried. They had been held in this horrid and distressing state for some considerable time, until eventually they were freed, but only the said letters given back to them. Since when, suffering grievous discomfort and privations, they had made their difficult way hence, to fulfill their charge and duty.

When Bruce found time formally to receive these illused and outraged

envoys of Holy Church, he was courteous and sympathetic, seeking sad

details and shaking his head. When at last they graduated from

complaints to the object of their visit, and read the open letter that

constituted their credentials, he still listened to them with

attention-even though the tenor of their delivery was hardly

flattering towards an independent monarch, and their references to the cardinals’ requirements less than tactful.

It was only when the Bishop moved forward actually to hand the sealed envelope to him that Bruce’s expression changed to the stern.

“I rejoice in His Holiness’s interest and care for my realm,” he

“And I have, myself, long desired a firm and lasting peace with the kingdom of England. In this, we are agreed.

But he tapped the sealed letter. “ I fear that I cannot accept and open this letter. I see that it is addressed to The Lord Robert Bruce, Governor of Scotland’. It seems, my lord, that this is not for me!”

The nuncios blinked, and exchanged hasty glances.

“But… we do assure you that it is,” the Bishop asserted.

“The cardinals themselves gave it into my hand. For delivery to

yourself.”

“Then the fault, I concede, lies not with you, my friends, but with those who sent you. I cannot open, or reply, to a letter which is not addressed to me as King. It says but “Lord Robert Bruce, Governor’. Amongst my subjects there are many bearing the name of Robert Bruce, who share with the rest of my barons in the government of the kingdom of Scotland. This letter may possibly be addressed to any of them!”

“No! Not-it is not so. It is to you, sir … my lord …”

Bruce frowned.

“Do you deny me the witness of my own eyes?

The words are here written. But, enough. I have heard what you have had to say, permitted you to read aloud the open letter. To these, since they refused me my title of King, I will give no answer.

Nor will I by any means suffer your sealed letter to be opened in my presence. Take it back to those who gave it” “My lord-Your Excellency!” the Bishop protested, in agitation.

“I … We regret if this letter is not addressed to your liking.” But

it is not for our holy mother the Church either to do or to say

anything, during … during the dependence of a controversy, which might, might prejudice the right of either of the parties. You understand …?”

“So!” Bruce cut him short.

“You acknowledge the controversy, and the rights of parties? Two parties! Both parties. Yet, in your open letter of introduction did you not read out more than once the style of Edward, King of England? Did you not? If, then, my spiritual father the Pope, and my holy mother the Church profess themselves unwilling to create a prejudice against my opponent by giving me the title of King, I am at a loss to see why they have thought proper to prejudice my cause by withdrawing that title from me. During-how did you say it? During the dependence of the controversy! All my subjects call me King. By that title do other kings and royal princes address me. My friends-if you had presented a letter addressed such as is this to any other kings, you would, I swear, have received a still rougher answer! You have mine and less than roughly! For I do not fail to respect your calling and authority, and I entertain all reverence for the Holy See. Say so, when you return this unopened letter to your masters.”

Monseigneur d’Aumery sought to retrieve something from the wreck.

“Your Excellency-at least will you accept this two-year truce. His Holiness requires? Command a temporary cessation of hostilities?”

“To that I can by no means assent without the advice of my parliament. Aye, and while the English spoil the property of my subjects and invade my realm. My friends-convey my respects and good wishes to those who sent you. You have my permission to retire.”

William Lamberton led the chagrined nuncios away.

The crestfallen emissaries had hardly left for the South before Bruce prepared to follow them, for at least some of the way. The surreptitiously-opened papal Bull had revealed that one of the specific demands was that the siege of Berwick should be raised forthwith.

Actual and public disobedience to the Pontiffs express commands was to

be avoided if at all possible. Therefore it behoved the Scots to get

Berwick safely out of the arena of controversy before the Bull was

officially broadcast, if by any means this could be effected. James

Douglas had been besieging the place off and on, the last Scots

territory in English hands, for well over ayear -but it was a most

difficult task, the castle surrounded by its powerfully-walled town, both of which could be supplied and reinforced by sea. Against siegery, in principle, as he was, Bruce decided on an all-out effort to reduce the place before the cardinals could trumpet forth their rejected Bull, from Durham.

On this occasion he did not intend to rely wholly on military threats, encirclement, starvation, and the like. A little guile might conceivably help. He sent a royal proclamation before him, which was to be conveyed somehow to the citizens of Berwick, by writings smuggled into the town by any means possible.

A few days later, he set out in person for the Border.

Siege warfare had never been really mastered in Scotland, by more than Robert Bruce-like military archery-for this was a concomitant of aggressive war, the conquering of other nations fortresses, and hitherto the Scots had had no such ambitions. But in Ireland Bruce had had opportunity to confer with Sir Hugh de Lacy, Anglo-Irish baron, who had served extensively in foreign wars and engaged in much siegery. His advice and guidance, on proper engines and methods for the business, Bruce had sought and obtained. As a consequence he now had ideas to put into practice.

Much solid and mature hardwood was required for the construction of adequate engines and rams, and the neighbourhood of Berwick itself was not rich in old woodland. But the Earl of Dunbar and March, lord of this area, knew of some good oak forest at Aldcambus, on the north flanks of Coldingham Moor, near Cockburnspath, about a dozen miles north of the Tweed. Here the royal party repaired, to cut timber and build siege-machinery- and give time for the royal proclamation, perhaps, to make some impact in beleaguered Berwick. It was nearly Yuletide, and no time for this sort of thing; but time was of the essence, with those cardinals liable to sound off any day.

The cardinals in fact did make their presence-and their indignation felt rather sooner than Bruce had bargained for; but fortunately in a less damaging fashion, at this stage, than might have been. They sent another intermediary, bearing a very stern open letter, plus verbal messages, to Bruce, with many threats should these be ignored; also they included once again the unopened papal Bull, to present. But this time they chose a Scot to do the presenting, one Adam de Newton, Prior of the Minorite Friars of Berwick, a former colleague and superior of Bernard de Linton when Vicar of Mordington. In some fear and trembling, this unfortunate cleric was brought north by James Douglas himself, to Aldcambus, after having sought a safe-conduct. Prudently, perhaps, he had left behind in Berwick both the Bull and the open letters, still inadequately addressed as they were, in the shrewd belief that the verbal messages would be more than ample to deliver, in the first instance.