Nigel Tranter - The Steps to the Empty Throne

The other stroked his chin.

“That is as may be. But, on his way north, he made pause. To attack Lochmaben. He took much risk, for the Prince of Wales was not far away…”

“Attack Lochmaben? Comyn? Besiege the castle… ?”

“No siege. He burned the town.”

“He burned … my town!” That was a whisper.

“Dear God!”

The other laid a hand on Bruce’s arm.

“He is a man consumed with hatred.”

“So… am… I!”

“No. Do not say it. Hate, of all man’s failings, is the least profitable. Leave hate to Comyn. It will serve him but ill.”

“I shall be avenged. For Lochmaben. Nevertheless…”

“I think that you have more potent matters to consider than vengeance, my friend. Dealing with Comyn, as we have learned, demands not only patience but a clear head. Burning Lochmaben may have been the spleen of the man. But he threatens your interests more deeply than that.”

“What do you mean? He threatens my interests with every breath he draws!”

“Aye. But now in a way we had not thought on. You know how de Soulis

has been doing all in the name of King John. Acting as though Baliol

still reigned and was only absent. De Soulis has done so as giving

him, and the realm, the greater authority against Edward. A king

against a king. This I could not con test. But now I have learned

that Comyn is behind it. More than that, I have learned why. He seeks to have Baliol established as king again, before all. And then for him to abdicate, nominating and securing John Comyn as his successor.”

This time the hissing intake of breath was all Bruce produced for reaction, although it was eloquent enough.

“Baliol is now at his family’s ancient home, at BailleulenVimeu, in Picardy. In the care of Philip of France. Comyn has sent to Philip, urging that King John be sent back to Scotland.

And with a French army. Forthwith.”

“Philip will never do it. Edward is now his brother-in-law.”

“Philip may. Wallace has been to him and much affected him. Moreover the Pope is in favour of this. And offers inducements.

Wallace has convinced them both that King John should return.

Wallace is honest in this. He knows naught of Comyn’s plot.”

Bruce was striding the small, draughty room now.

“This—this then, could be the end of the Bruce claim! To the throne. The end of the Bruces themselves! For Comyn, as king, would not rest while there was one of us left alive to challenge him. This would be utter disaster.”

“Disaster for more than Bruce,” the Primate agreed sombrely.

“Disaster for Scotland. John Comyn on the throne would be the end of more man Bruce.”

“What can I do? I would seek him out and slay him with my own hands.

But he will be well guarded. He is no fool…”

“That is not the way, no.” Lamberton leaned forward.

“Your father? The Lord of Annandale. He could be the answer. He is the true heir to the throne. His father should have been king, not Baliol. If he now would return to Scotland. Proclaim himself king. Before Baliol could come from France. If your father returned, and made such proclamation, Comyn’s plot would go agley. Even though he did no more than that. Then it would be for parliament to discuss and decide. Where the Church is strong …”

“My father … I He is but a broken reed. I do not believe he would do this.”

“If you went to him? Explained. He is proud of his claim. He challenged Edward with it, at Stracathro…”

“How could I go to him? Held here. He is in Essex. A sick man.

Done. Always he was weak, feckless. We never agreed.

Think you, at this ill hour, he would heed me? Bring down Edward’s wrath on his grey hairs, by claiming the throne Edward says is his!”

The older man spoke slowly.

“Edward will be near as anxious as Bruce to keep Comyn from grasping the Scots throne.”

His companion paused in his pacing to look at him.

“What do you mean? ‘ “I believe that Edward, were he to hear of this plot, would be forced to think deeply. He might prefer to have your father claiming the throne than Comyn being given it by Baliol. See it as another way of splitting Scotland, of giving him time. He would never admit that the throne was not his own. But he might well make it possible for your father to return and make his claim.

Edward would reject it forthwith—but it would keep Baliol, and his nephew Comyn, from any easy victory by such device.”

Bruce stared into the flickering fire, biting his lip.

“I could see that Edward learned of it. In these truce negotiations.”

“I

do not know. I do not know. This is … too much … for me. To decide. I must consider.”

“As must we all. For Scotland’s fate is at stake. One way or the other.”

“It would mean… working with Edward. Against Comyn.”

“Put it otherwise. Say using Edward to save Scotland. And Bruce.

From Comyn.”

“You believe it is possible?”

“Who knows? But possible, yes. Perhaps more than possible.

And, my good friend—how else can you stop Comyn taking the throne?

Bruce’s throne?”

The younger man was silent.

“Think of it, then. While I go to de Soulis. With this of the truce. Consider it well, in this hawk’s nest of yours. There is a little time. Baliol and the French will not sail in winter’s weather.

If they sail. But—there would be much to be done before the spring

.”..”

Chapter Fifteen

It was, of course, a farce of a trace—all knew it. Little more than a

springboard poised for the English to resume their campaign, with

maximum advantage, when weather and the state of the land were

propitious. But it did offer certain advantages to the Scots also.Preparations could be made on their side likewise; and although the English armies largely maintained their strategic positions, and sensible men gave them wide berth, people could move fairly freely about the land again.

Bruce was released from his confinement in the high Tweedsmuir section of the Forest at last, and was able not only to go and consider the strategic situation that now ruled, but the state of his properties and lands. It made a sorry prospect. All the lordship of Annandale, the earldom of Carrick and the large Bruce lands in Galloway, had been so fought over, burned and destroyed, by one side or the other, that they made little better than a wilderness.

His castles of Turnberry, Annan, Loch Doon and Tibbers were largely demolished, and their towns in ruins; and all the lesser castles and towers likewise cast down. Lochmaben was still garrisoned by the English, and its town, which would have survived, as of use to the invaders, had been burned by Comyn.

Bruce found that he had not a single house left fit for his habitation, in all his great domains; and his tenants and vassals were fled, scattered or dead. As a force in the land, he was all but spent.

North of the Forth, Comyn’s lands were vast and untouched.

He was assembling new and unwearied thousands.

Because, indeed, he had little choice of domicile for his few hundred remaining men-at-arms, Bruce continued to keep them in the Forest; though meantime he made himself a little more comfortable, at the Bishop of St. Andrews’ manor of Stobo, than he could do at the remote and windy Blackhouse Tower; even though a large English force lay at Peebles, six miles away. Lamberton himself was not there. After concluding the truce, he had gone straight to France, to try to persuade King Philip not to support Comyn’s plot for sending Baliol back to Scotland.

It was from the direction of Peebles that, one grey day in mid January 1302, with Tweed running thick and brown from melting snows, Bruce’s watchers brought him word that a small English party was approaching Stobo; some great man, with esquires, clerks and a score of armed guards, riding with quiet confidence.