Booze and skittles DAVID PILLING'S HISTORY STUFF FEB 3

Scotland, autumn 1303. Although Comyn and his allies had chosen to fight on, it was becoming clear this could not go on forever. Their hope was that Edward I would run out of money, as he done on previous campaigns. On this occasion that did not happen. Not that it was easy to keep the English army afloat. Edward's administration was forced to take desperate measures, including a new system of pay. Instead of paying wages direct to English soldiers, the money was given to their wives. This was presumably to stop Tommy Atkins blowing the cash on booze and skittles. Robert de Bruce was still with Aymer de Valence and John Botetourt. They spent eight days in September riding around the sheriffdoms of Linlithgow, Lanark and Peebles, as well as other places south of the Forth, 'to ordain and appoint sheriffs and other officials on the part of the king'. It was agreed that Bruce would become sheriff of Lanark and Ayr. While the king stayed at Dunfermline, his son Prince Edward was sent north to Perth. He arrived there on 25 November with his household, which included Edward Bruce. The Guardian, Comyn, was reported to have gone to the 'lands beyond the mountains', where none on horseback could approach him. The writing was now on the wall. Over the winter months Comyn opened peace talks, and finally agreed to meet Edward's envoys at Kinclaven on 11 January 1304. After a month of negotiations, Prince Edward led a victory parade to Dunfermline, where the Scottish nobles re-swore their oaths of homage and fealty to the king. Then, at Perth, the prince entertained Comyn and his knights to a meal of wine, herrings and stockfish. The Scottish resistance now consisted of William Wallace and Simon Fraser, and the garrison at Stirling castle. All these men were formally outlawed at a parliament at St Andrews, effectively turning the war into a police operation. Bruce excused himself from attending, because he had joined the English force dispatched to 'follow the enemy' i.e. Wallace and Fraser. David Pilling's History Stuff is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Upgrade to paid David Pilling's History Stuff. © 2024 History Stuff 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104