The Scottish Chiefs a romance Author:Jane Porter Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: £ Scottish crown. Sir Ronald came on the part of Bruce. 1 was deemed too young to'have a voice in the council; but I was old enough to understand what was pas... more »sing, and to perceive in the crouching demeanor, with which Baliol received the crown, that it was the price for wliich he had sold his country. However, as Scotland acknowledged him their sovereign, and as Bruce submitted, my grandfather silently acquiesced. But Baliol forgot not former opposition : his behaviour to sir Ronald and myself at the beginning of this year, when according to the privilege of our birth, we appeared in the field against the public enemy, fully demonstrates what was the injury Baliol complains of; and how unjustly he drove us from the standard of Scotland. None, said he, shall serve under me who ever presumed to declare themselves the friends of Bruce ! Poor, weak man ! the purchased vassal of England ; ;et enamoured of his ideal kingship, he hated all who ad opposed his power, even while his own treachery sapped its foundation. Edward having made use of him, all these sacrifices of honor and of conscience. were insufficient to retain his favor. The treason completed, his employer detests the traitor and Baliol is removed from Jiis throne to a prison ! can I feel one revengeful pang against a wretch so abject ? no ! I do indeed pity him. And now that I have cleared my grandfather's name of his calumny, I am ready to hear you further." Monteith, after remarking on the well known honor of Sir Ronald Crawford, resumed : " During the massacre at the capture of Berwick, Lord Douglas, who had defended it to the last, was taken, wounded and insensible, by a trusty band of Scots, out of the citadel; and they contrived to escape with him out of the town, even through the midst of the carnage. 1 fo...« less