on both by the Scots and
the English, with varying success on either side.

In these raids, sieges and forays one of Bruce's followers particularly
distinguished himself. This was James Douglas, who had shared all his
leader's hardships.

While most of Scotland was now under Bruce's banner, the English still
held many important strongholds which were thorns in the side of Bruce
and his followers. Chief among these fortresses were those of Stirling
and Berwick.

Realizing that the overthrow of these strong fortresses was necessary
to the success of the Scottish cause, King Robert in the autumn of 1313
sent his brother, Edward Bruce, to lay siege to Stirling Castle. So
well did the Scots succeed and so ruthlessly did they beset the strong
walls of Stirling that at last the English commander, one Sir Philip
Mowbray, agreed to surrender, providing the besieged soldiers were not
relieved by the English before the twenty-fourth of June of the
following year. This was a strange agreement and showed that the old
laws of chivalry which bound all noblemen to certain forms of warfare
and certain conditions of fighting were still in operation.

But the English had no intention of allowing Stirling Castle to fall
into the hands of the Scots and before the stipulated date a strong
army advanced into Scotland, led by King Edward the Second in person.
It numbered, we are told, about one hundred thousand men, while the
total number that Bruce was able to muster was thirty thousand, so that
his force of seasoned veterans was compelled to fight at odds of more
than three to one.

Bruce sent out scouts to keep close watch of all the English movements,
and on the twenty-second of June they brought him word that the English
were advancing on Stirling Castle by way of a place called Falkirk.

This information enabled Bruce to know exactly how his enemies must
travel, for to reach Stirling after passing Falkirk they would have to
cross a stream called Bannock Burn, and Bruce was thoroughly acquainted
with the country in the vicinity of this stream.

He assembled his army on its bank and strengthened his position with
hundreds of pits in which sharp stakes were planted to trip and impale
the English cavalry. When these pits were prepared they were covered up
again with turf in such a way that they were practically invisible.
Bruce also took his position at a ford in the river, knowing that his
flanks would be protected by deep water and