Читать книгу The boy's Froissart - Froissart Jean - Страница 21

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AFTER the Scots had in the night quitted the mountain where the young King Edward and the nobles of England had held them besieged, as you have before heard, they marched twenty-two miles without halting, and crossed the Tyne pretty near to Carlisle, where by the orders of the chiefs all disbanded and went to their own homes. Shortly afterwards some of the lords and barons so earnestly solicited the King of England, that a truce was agreed on between the two kings for three years.

During this truce it happened that King Robert of Scotland, who had been a very valiant knight, waxed old, and was attacked with so severe an illness that he saw his end was approaching: he therefore summoned together all the chiefs and barons in whom he most confided, and, after having told them that he should never get the better of this sickness, he commanded them upon their honor and loyalty to keep faithfully the kingdom for his son David, to crown him king when he was of a proper age, and to marry him with a lady suitable to his station.

He after that called to him the gallant Lord James Douglas, and said to him, in presence of the others,—

“My dear friend Lord James Douglas, you know that I have had much to do, and have suffered many troubles, to support the rights of my crown. At the time that I was most occupied I made a vow, the non-accomplishment of which gives me much uneasiness: I vowed, that, if I could finish my wars in such a manner that I might have quiet to govern peaceably, I would go and make war against the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ. To this point my heart has always leaned; but our Lord gave me so much to do in my lifetime, and this last expedition has delayed me so long, followed by this heavy sickness, that, since my body cannot accomplish what my heart wishes, I will send my heart in the stead of my body to accomplish my vow.

“I will that as soon as I shall be dead you take my heart from my body, and have it well embalmed; you will also take as much money from my treasury as will appear to you sufficient to perform your journey, as well as for all those whom you may choose to take with you in your train: you will then deposit your charge at the Holy Sepulchre of our Lord, where he was buried, since my body cannot go there. You will not be sparing of expense; and, wherever you pass, you will let it be known that you bear the heart of King Robert of Scotland, which you are carrying beyond seas by his command, since his body cannot go thither.”

All those present began bewailing bitterly; and, when the Lord James could speak, he said, “Gallant and noble king, I return you a hundred thousand thanks for the high honor you do me, and for the valuable and dear treasure with which you intrust me; and I will most willingly do all that you command me, with the utmost loyalty in my power. Never doubt it, however I may feel unworthy of such a high distinction.”

The king replied, “Gallant knight, I thank you. You promise it me, then?”

“Certainly, sir; most willingly,” answered the knight. He then gave his promise upon his knighthood.

The king said, “Thanks be to God! For I shall now die in peace, since I know that the most valiant and accomplished knight of my kingdom will perform that for me which I am unable to do for myself.”

Soon afterwards the valiant Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, departed this life. His heart was embalmed, and his body buried in the monastery of Dunfermline.

Early in the spring the Lord James Douglas, having made provision of every thing that was proper for his expedition, embarked at the port of Montrose, and sailed directly for Sluys in Flanders, in order to learn if any one were going beyond the sea to Jerusalem, that he might join companies. He remained there twelve days, and would not set his foot on shore, but staid the whole time on board, where he kept a magnificent table, with music of trumpets and drums, as if he had been the King of Scotland. His company consisted of one knight banneret, and seven others, of the most valiant knights of Scotland, without counting the rest of his household. His plate was of gold and silver, consisting of pots, basins, porringers, cups, bottles, barrels, and other such things. He had likewise twenty-six young and gallant esquires of the best families in Scotland to wait on him; and all those who came to visit him were handsomely served with two sorts of wine, and two sorts of spices,—I mean those of a certain rank. At last, after staying at Sluys twelve days, he heard that Alphonso, King of Spain, was waging war against the Saracen King of Grenada. He considered that, if he should go thither, he should employ his time and journey according to the late king’s wishes; and, when he should have finished there, he would proceed farther, to complete that with which he was charged. He made sail therefore toward Spain, and landed first at Valencia; thence he went straight to the King of Spain, who was with his army on the frontiers, very near the Saracen King of Grenada.

Lord James Douglas throwing the Heart of Bruce among the Saracens.

It happened, soon after the arrival of the Lord James Douglas, that the King of Spain issued forth into the fields, to make his approaches nearer the enemy: the King of Grenada did the same, and each king could easily distinguish the other’s banners; and they both began to set their armies in array. The Lord James placed himself and his company on one side, to make better work and a more powerful effort. When he perceived that the battalions on each side were fully arranged, and that of the King of Spain in motion, he imagined they were about to begin the onset; and, as he always wished to be among the first rather than last on such occasions, he and all his company struck their spurs into their horses, until they were in the midst of the King of Grenada’s battalion, and made a furious attack on the Saracens. He thought that he should be supported by the Spaniards; but in this he was mistaken, for not one that day followed his example. The gallant knight and all his companions were surrounded by the enemy: they performed prodigies of valor, but these were of no avail, as they were all killed.[3] It was a great misfortune that they were not assisted by the Spaniards.

About this time many of the nobles and others, desirous of a settled peace between the Scots and English, proposed a marriage between the young King of Scotland and the sister of the King of England. This marriage was concluded and solemnized at Berwick, with great feasts and rejoicings on both sides.