New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
ROBERT THE BRUCE.
A POPULAR HISTORY WITHOUT PoPU-
LAR MYTHS


is a popular biography, based on original author
tiles. The sources from which the author has
drawn are many. and often are picturesque. In
the Siege of Caerlaverock' he uses the report
of rhyming scribe especially commissioned to
accompany Edward rs army Of invaders. In the
verses Of Baston Re finds the observations OF one
who tried a similar role under Edward lis In
glorious enterprise was captured at Bannock-
burn and readjusted his history to suit his capt
ors The Chronicle Of Lauercost' Is the work,
IL careful surmise may be trusted OF Francis
can friar chatting within the walls or the or
beleaguered Carlisle. quarter century after
the death Of Bruce. Sir Thomas Gray. an Eng
Ish knight imprisoned in Edinburgh. chronicled
what he had heard OF the recent wars from the
lips Of his father and his fathers contemporaries
Another quarter century passed, and John Bar
bour and Andrew Of Wyntoun were commence
rating the establishment of the Scotch Kingdom
in works characterized by a magnanimous APP
pr eciation of English courage and honesty or
purpose an unusual love OF detail and many
astonishing instances Of pure fable. TO THESE
authorities must be added the papers and corre-
spondence Of the Northern cathedrals OF Eng
land. edited some twenty years ago; the caien-
dars and other official publications of the English
Government and the compilations of many Eng
a
on such basis as this ample as it may SEEM
would take all of any authors wit and skill Cred
ulous monks tabulatng hearsay; juggling bards'
ready, II need be, to sacrifice truth to the exi-
gencies Of rhyme n the wishes Of their patrons;
old soldiers over their cups, partisan drafters or
state papers and the roughly handled clergy
along the border need as clever and searching
cross-examination as was ever given to an ig-
rorant witness i'm a court OF law.
These hoary tellers of half truths Sir Herbert
Maxwell scrutinizes in unfinching fashion. He
is bent on making his hero man, not
myth he Is quite ready-at times rather
scornfully ready-to strip off the mere frippery
of legend which has been gathering from 'he
start about King Roberts name. There Is no
respectable evidence. the author tells u.s. loi
the story of Bruce and the spider, while there
are plenty Of analogies to 1t in the myths Vi
othor countries "It is reported that when
David was flying from Saul In the WILDERNESS
OF Kish and closely pressed. he TOOK reiusc
in a cave. A kindly spider stralghtway
AMIN n web across the mouth, that when the
pursuers came up to 1t they judged that no man
had entered the cave that day. ana they passeu
on their way story. precisely similar Is 'oio
OF the flight Of Mahomet from Mecca Coming
nearer home, recognize the same Veneraple
fable in Cornwall. where spiders are held sacred
because Il Is believed that one Of them wove Its
web over the infant Saviour, thus conceailng
him from the search commanded by Herod.
Everywhere spiders seemed to have been re-
garded as uncanny in pre-scientfc days and
according to universal custom. an explanation
was devised by connecting the insect with the
most prominent national hero.
Into the same limbo with such myths as these
Sir Herbert Maxwell casts all traditional falsih-
cation of his hero's character In the days when
the future King of Scotland was Norman vas
sal to the English Crown he violated his oath or
fidelity with frequency unusual even IN that
lawless age, and, In competition FOR the throne
Of Scotland he murdered rival under circum-
stances so audacous that his crime was little
less abhorrent to his own contemporaries than
it Is to us. In dealing with these unpardon-
able crimes against State and Church the author
shows wholesome frankness; he CLOSES noth-
Ing over. But he knows the age OF Bruce TOO
well not to share in its admiration. TO under
stand the hero, one needs only to understand MS
surroundings. When Bruce first entered INTO
his feudal possessions Lord of Annandale and
Earl Of Carrick, Scotland was little IT ore than
geographical expression" The only portion
which contained any recognizable political or
ganization consisted OF Norman seigniories. de-
pendent only the English Crown. II, indeed
dependent at all. Not only had the rightfut
Spokesman for Scotland. with practical
unanimity. made nominal acknowledgment Of
Edward / as their suzeran, but they would ac-
knowledge no one else.
The distinctive virtue OF Bruce, therefore.
WAS not that he was from the start ma
tional patriot-for Scottish allegiance was I'M
possible when Scottish entity was lacking
hit
the only condition which made national patriot
ism possible While Scotland was still chaotic
material. awaiting his formative influence. he
was an independent nobl,, never directed, never
controlled, except by superior force. At last
after much preliminary time serving, In which
he differed no whit from his contemporaries,
and with some INSCRIPTIONS preparations, he
committed himself heart and soul to a career OF
matchmaking In his national sentiment he
was self-interested But he was also sef-re
speeding lie had no sooner planned for himself
q throne than he recognized its duties and re-
sponsibilties The noblesse oblige. which he
seldom remembered as vassal, he never forgot
az a king He was born with capacity for
royal gifts. His personal magnetism was so
great that. although many English knights
came to his side, there Is not a single au-
thentic instance Of one deserving him in favor
Of King Edward" He was so skful In control
that rival lieutenants. though Of a jealous and
indocile race, fought side by side under his
banner, apparently without thought OF quarrel
ling In physical strength. personal prowess,
readiness OF mind and steadfastness OF purpose
he was acknowledged to be superior to all his
followers. Magnanimity he loved and practised.
Wherever ambition permitted he was humane.
In an age OF wanton violence The never per-
mltted people to be slain. except when they
stood on their defence and to prisoners Of war
he was always indulgent and sometimes very
generous" Nor he merely a great warrior.
a second Richard Coeur de Lion; as a ruler he
was polite; his peasantry were his people and
Cd f,rt