BANNOCKBURN, a rivulet in the county of Stir ling, celebrated for a battle fought on its banks in the earlier part of the fourteenth century. As no cor rect details of this battle have been given in the body of the work, it becomes necessary to supply that de fect in this place.
The failure of the royal line of Scotland, by direct
two of his brothers perished in the contest, while the English were repeatedly victorious, and obtained possession of all the strong-holds throughout the country. Meantime, after expressing irreconcilable hatred to Bruce, Edward died, and his son, who solemnly swore that he never would remain two nights in the same place until he reached Scotland, • resolved to maintain his superiority. But the imbe cility which he speedily displayed, his ignorance of the real dispositions of the people with whom he had to deal, and other circumstances, induced many who had pledged their fealty to his father now to desert himself; and the partizans of Bruce, who was ge nerally acknowledged the real and legitimate sove reign, rapidly increased in number. The south and west were released from the power of the English ; several places of strength were gained, either by force or stratagem ; and, encouraged by success, he even ventured to penetrate the less protected parts of the neighbouring kingdom. Edward, however, sought to preserve the allegiance of those who still adhered to his interest, by conferring obligations upon them ; and as there were many in Scotland disaffected to the government of Brace, he never abandoned the original plan of subjugation. After various successes and discomfitures on either side, one of the strongest fortresses, Stirling Castle, then in possession of the English, was invested by Edward Bruce, a surviving brother of the king. The gover nor, Sir Philip Mowbray, pressed on all hands, of fered to surrender if he should not be relieved by his countrymen on the 24th of June 1814, to which Bruce, commanding the besiegers, incautiously as sented% and although he thus incurred the displea sure of bis brother, the sanction of the latter was not withheld. It was ;liege preliminary events, which we deem it necessary to explain, that were productive of the celebrated battle of Bannockburn.