[4] See [Appendix, B].
[5] Of this army the Campbells and M’Gregors formed a part, and no doubt a number of the Perthshire clans were included.
[6] Fordun states, that the Scots army remained in England from All Saints day till Christmas, 31st October till 25th December. Wyntown also agrees with him, and thus expresses himself on the subject.
“And syne frá the Alhalowmes
In Yngland till Yhule he bydand wes.
All Allyrdáyle as man of Were
That tyme he brynt wyth his Powere:
And wyth gret Prayis owt of that Land,
Come eftyr the Yhule in-til Scotland.”
Wyntown, B. viii. c. 13. v. 177–182.
[7] In the invasion of England, one Grimesby acted as guide to the Scottish army. This person we have alluded to at page 109, vol. i. as carrying the banner of St John of Beverley, in the army of Edward. He was afterwards rewarded by the Usurper with the promise of the first benefice of twenty merks or pounds which should become vacant in Scotland. This prospect of preferment, however, did not prevent him from joining the liberator of his country. He appears to have been long in the service of England, and was most probably one of those 30,000 Scots who were sent by Alexander III. to the assistance of Henry III., when opposed by his barons. Though it be uncertain if he accompanied Edward to the Holy Land, it is however pretty evident that he attended him in his various expeditions to France; and, in his character of pursuivant, he obtained a very intimate acquaintance with the localities of that country, as well as of England. His intimate knowledge of the latter rendered his services of much importance to his countrymen. Henry represents him as a steady and useful adherent to Wallace, and describes him to be of great stature, and as having acquired among the English the name of Grimesby, on account of his grim or stern visage. This, however, is more fanciful than correct. Grimesby is of Danish origin, and though among the Scots he was called Jop, his real name appears to have been Gilbert Grimesby. He acted as herald, as well as guide; and often marshalled the Scottish battalions on the eve of battle.
[8] Hexham.
[9] See [Appendix, C].
[10] See [Appendix, D].
[11] It is probable that some of our readers may be displeased with our passing over the interview which Wallace is said to have had with Queen Margaret, during the time his army was encamped in the north of England; but we always wish to have some authority for what we commit to our pages; and as we can find nothing in support of it, either in English or Scottish records, we are inclined to look upon it as a minstrel’s tale, introduced for the purpose of effect. The subject excited the inquiries of the learned Dr Jamieson, who has been at considerable pains to ascertain whether or not such an interview actually took place; and all his researches tend rather to throw discredit on the affair, in addition to the doubt which naturally arises from the silence of history. Henry, in whose work the tale is only to be found, represents Edward as being then in Britain, while it is agreed on all hands that he was, at the time, prosecuting the war in Flanders. Though the Minstrel be a favourite with us, still we like to see his statements corroborated; and we conceive, that the English Queen appearing in the Scottish camp in the manner he describes, was a circumstance too flattering to the national pride of the Scots, to be left to the pen of one solitary narrator.