A History Of The Battle Of Bannockburn Fought Ad 1314 PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 edition. Excerpt: ... a wider space, but if in any way they were confined, he had the sagacity to foresee that the English would be still more so, for not another opponent could enter into conflict than the front ranks who met his own spearmen.23 Hereby the huge multitude of invaders who were behind would of course be crowded together in unwieldy masses, cumbering rather than taking part in the efficient movement of the whole. 23 'Battles are decided not by troops upon the muster rolls, nor even by those present, but by those alone who are simultaneously engaged. Numerical superiority of troops not engaged, so far from being useful, only increases the disorder.'--Suppt. Encyclop. Britannica, 1824, vol. vi. p. 760: article on 'War' by Major C. H. Smith. CHAPTER IV. ADVANCE OF THE SCOTS TO NEW PARK. Stand fast and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.--Jeremiah. On Friday the 21st June,1 King Robert still lingering in the Torwood, went through and most carefully examined his whole army, speaking to those near him words of great kindness, in the full assurance that when the approaching struggle came their efforts would be crowned with success.2 To the chief officers who formed his privy council he communicated his arrangement for battle. He first pointed out the great importance of preventing any detachment of 1 In 1314 Midsummer day fell on Monday the 24th of June, being that of the nativity of St. John the Baptist. 2 'The king has sene all thair hawing, And knew him weile in to sic thing; And saw thaim all commounaly Off sic contenance, and sa hardy, For owt effray or abaysing, In his hart had he gret liking. And thoucht that men of sa gret will, Giff thai wald set thair will thar till, Suld be full hard to wyn perfay. And as he met thaim...