isted by the
graces of his youth and manly deportment, made deep impression on the
minds of his audience, and roused all those principles of indignation
and revenge, with which they had so long been secretly actuated. The
Scottish nobles declared their unanimous resolution to use the utmost
efforts in delivering their country from bondage, and to second the
courage of Bruce, in asserting his and their undoubted rights against
their common oppressors. Cummin alone who had secretly taken his
measures with the king, opposed this general determination; and by
representing the great power of England, governed by a prince of such
uncommon vigor and abilities, he endeavored to set before them the
certain destruction which they must expect, if they again violated
their oaths of fealty, and shook off their allegiance to the victorious
Edward.[*] Bruce, already apprised of his treachery, and foreseeing the
certain failure of all his own schemes of ambition and glory from the
opposition of so potent a leader, took immediately his resolution; and
moved partly by resentment, partly by policy, followed Cummin on the
dissolution of the assembly, attacked him in the cloisters of the Gray
Friars, through which he passed, and running him through the body, left
him for dead. Sir Thomas Kirkpatric, one of Bruce's friends, asking him
soon after if the traitor were slain, "I believe so," replied Bruce.
"And is that a matter," cried Kirkpatric, "to be left to conjecture?
I will secure him." Upon which he drew his dagger, ran to Cummin, and
stabbed him to the heart. This deed of Bruce and his associates, which
contains circumstances justly condemned by our present manners, was
regarded in that age as an effort of manly vigor and just policy. The
family of Kirkpatric took for the crest of their arms, which they still
wear, a hand with a bloody dagger; and chose for their motto these
words, "I will secure him;" the expression employed by their ancestor
when he executed that violent action.

* M. West. p. 453.

The murder of Cummin affixed the seal to the conspiracy of the Scottish
nobles: they had now no resource left but to shake off the yoke of
England, or to perish in the attempt: the genius of the nation roused
itself from its present dejection: and Bruce, flying to different
quarters, excited his partisans to arms, attacked with success the
dispersed bodies of the English, got possession of many of the castles,
and having made his au