The story of Scotland from the earliest times to the present century .. . on. Bruce himself had great difficultyin keeping out of the clutches of the emissaries ofEdward, and the Comyns pursued him with theinflamed and bitter feeling of revenge. For a timehe became a simple fugitive, and endured manyprivations; but he had the genuine mettle in hisconstitution, and the hard training which he wascompelled to undergo, ultimately developed a man ofrare ability and character. In the end of the year 1306, Bruce, with a few ofhis friends passed over to the small island of Rachinon the northern coast
The story of Scotland from the earliest times to the present century .. . on. Bruce himself had great difficultyin keeping out of the clutches of the emissaries ofEdward, and the Comyns pursued him with theinflamed and bitter feeling of revenge. For a timehe became a simple fugitive, and endured manyprivations; but he had the genuine mettle in hisconstitution, and the hard training which he wascompelled to undergo, ultimately developed a man ofrare ability and character. In the end of the year 1306, Bruce, with a few ofhis friends passed over to the small island of Rachinon the northern coast of Ireland, and remained thereduring the winter. He returned to the mainlandof Scotland in the spring of 1307. He had nowgained some experience ; and on the loth of May, ina well-chosen position at Loudon Hill, in Ayrshire, hegave battle to the Earl of Pembroke. Bruce postedhis six hundred spearmen, and coolly awaited theattack of the English cavalry. They advanced andcharged, but the spearmen stood firm, the cavalryreeled and broke ; the earl was totally defeated, and. ROBERT ^Froiii thepidiire at Taymouth by Jamieson.) BRUCE GAINING GROUND. 65 retreated to the castle of Ayr. Bruces followers nowbegan to have confidence in him, and from this timehe gradually gained ground. Edward I. by short stages had advanced withinsight of Scotland, but the hand of the grim enemywas upon him, and on the 7th of July, 1307, heexpired. Edward II., who succeeded, was weak andincapable as compared with his father ; and Scotlandslipped out of his hands. He advanced to the out-skirts of Ayrshire, and without effecting anything ofimportance, he returned home. Bruce was slowlygaining ground, and step by step retaking thekingdom. In 1309, the Scotch clergy proclaimedtheir adherence to Bruce, which was a great accessionof strength to his cause, as he was under the ban ofthe Pope for the murder of Comyn, The Englishwere driven out of the castles one by one, and Bruceimmediately demolished the mo
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