Darkness gave a short respite from hostilities ; and never was suspense more interesting than that in which the armies were now placed. The English, elated with former victories, and exasperated by the least appearance of defeat from a people whom they had already considered as subdued, longed eagerly for a combat which was to annihilate the power of their enemies. The Scots saw their independence, and even their existence as a nation, depending on the issue of a single battle ; and undaunted by the gi an g tic power of their enemy, were determined to restore the liberty and the glory of their country, or not to sur vive its fall. The night, short as it is at that season of the year, appeared extremely tedious to the impa tience of the combatants. At break of day Edward drew out his army, and advanced against the Scots. His nephew, the Earl of Gloucester, who command ed the left wing of cavalry, impelled by the ardour of youth, and disputing the post of honour with the Earl of Hereford, rushed impetuously to the attack, and fell among the covered pits which Bruce had prepared on the bank of the river. Gloucester him self was dismounted and slain ; his cavalry were thrown intd disorder ; and Sir James Douglas, who commanded the Scottish body of horse, giving them no time to recover from their consternation, drove them off the field with great slaughter. The infan try, alarmed by this unfortunate commencement of the action, and afraid of some similar stratagem against themselves, were yet hesitating to advance, when they perceived another army marching slowly along the heights as if with the intention of surround ing them. This was a number of waggoners and sumpter boys, whom Robert had provided with mi litary standards, so as to give them at a distance the appearance of a large army. The stratagem succeed ed : the English, distracted by various fears, threw down their arms and fled; the slaughter was prodi gious ; and as they were at least eighty miles from any place of safety, very few of them would have escaped, had not the Scots returned from the pur suit to seize on the rich spoil of the English camp.
Various accounts are given of the number slain in this decisive battle. Some of the Scottish historians assure us that fifty thousand English perished in the action, or were destroyed in flight ; and, according to the most moderate calculations, the number of captives amounted to 151 lords and knights, 700 gentlemen, and 10,000 common sordiers. During the whole of the engagement Edward spewed no want of personal bravery, and was with difficulty per suaded to quit the field. He was closely pursued by Sir James Douglas, who was eager to revenge the wrongs of his family; and narrowly escaped by reaching Dunbar, whose gates were opened to him by the Earl of March ; and from thence he took shipping for Berwick. The loss of the Scots, too, was by no means inconsiderable ; for even their own writers allow that 4000 of them fell, among whom there were only two of equestrian rank.
Such was the great battle of Bannockburn, which completely secured the independence of Scotland, es tablished the family of Bruce on the throne, and in spired the English with such a dread of Scottish va lour, that for many years they never would venture to oppose any number of Scotsmen in the field. Robert availing himself of his present advantage, marched directly to England, and ravaged, without opposition, all the northern counties ; besieged Car lisle, and took Berwick by assault. In return for some of his noble prisoners, he received his wife, his daughter, and sister, and all the Scottish nobles and gentlemen who had been prisoners since the reign of Edward I. ; the liberty of his other captives was pur chased at immense ransoms, which were a new acces sion of wealth to the kingdom. See 1111MC'S Eng land ; Henry's Britain, vol. vii. p. 139--144. Buch anan's Rolm Scoticarum ifistoria, cap. 97. (k)