King Edward had made
no arrangement to again interfere in Scottish affairs. But now, when
Sir Philip Mowbray, the governor of Stirling, came to London to tell
the king that Stirling, the last Scottish town of importance which
remained in possession of the English, was to be surrendered if it
were not relieved by force of arms before midsummer, then all the
English nobles called out, it would be a sin and shame to permit the
fair conquest which Edward I had made to be forfeited to the Scots for
want of fighting. It was, therefore, resolved that the king should go
himself to Scotland with as great forces as he could possibly muster.
41. King Edward II, therefore, assembled one of the greatest armies
which a king of England ever commanded. There were troops brought from
all his dominions. Many brave soldiers from the French provinces which
the king of England enjoyed in France; many Irish, many Welsh, and all
the great English nobles and barons, with their followers, were
assembled in one great army. The number was not less than one hundred
thousand men.
42. King Robert the Bruce summoned all his nobles and barons to join
him, when he heard of the great preparation which the king of England
was making. They were not so numerous as the English by many thousand
men. In fact, his whole army did not very much exceed thirty thousand
men, and they were much worse armed than the wealthy Englishmen; but
then Robert, who was at their head, was one of the most expert
generals of the time, and the officers he had under him were his
brother Edward, his nephew Randolph, his faithful follower the
Douglas, and other brave and experienced leaders, who commanded the
same men that had been accustomed to fight and gain victories under
every disadvantage of situation and numbers.
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