ner's plan is well known, it need not here be repeated; neither need
we remark upon the high qualifications of Sir Walter Scott, as an
historian of Scotland. An extract shall speak for itself; and perhaps we
cannot do better than select one of the battle-pieces, which has all the
vividness of the finest historical painting: say

BANNOCKBURN.

"Robert Bruce summoned the array of his kingdom to rendezvous in the
Tor-wood, about four miles from Stirling, and by degrees prepared the
field of battle which he had selected for the contest. It was a space of
ground then called the New Park--perhaps reserved for the chase, since
Stirling was frequently a royal residence. This ground was partly open,
partly encumbered with trees, in groups or separate. It was occupied by
the Scottish line of battle, extending from south to north, and fronting
to the east. In this position, Bruce's left flank and rear might have
been exposed to a sally from the castle of Stirling; but Mowbray
the governor's faith was beyond suspicion, and the king was not in
apprehension that he would violate the tenour of the treaty, by which
he was bound to remain in passive expectation of his fate. The direct
approach to the Scottish front was protected in a great measure by a
morass called the New-miln Bog. A brook, called Bannockburn, running to
the eastward, between rocky and precipitous banks, effectually covered
the Scottish right wing, which rested upon it, and was totally
inaccessible. Their left flank was apparently bare, but was, in fact,
formidably protected in front by a peculiar kind of field-works. As
the ground in that part of the field was adapted for the manoeuvres of
cavalry Bruce caused many rows of pits, three feet deep, to be dug in
it, so close together, as to suggest the appearance of a honeycomb, with
its ranges of cells. In these pits sharp stakes were strongly pitched,
and the apertures covered with sod so carefully, as that the condition
of the ground might escape observation. Calthrops, or spikes contrived
to lame the horses, were also scattered in different directions.

"Having led his troops into the field of combat, on the tidings of the
English approach, the 23d of June, 1314, the King of Scotland ordered
his soldiers to arm themselves, and making proclamation that those who
were not prepared to conquer or die with their sovereign were at liberty
to depart, he was answered by a cheerful and general expression of their
determinat