Loading...Convention at Irvine
At the same time, Bruce, the Steward of Scotland, and his brother Alexander de Lindesay, Sir William Douglas, and the Bishop of Glasgow, made submission to Edward, and entreated his forgiveness for the robberies and slaughters which they had committed. An instrument, commemorating this desertion of their country, to which their seals were appended, was drawn up in Norman French ;but this brave man treated all proposals of submission with high disdain. Although the greater nobles had deserted the cause, he knew that many of their vassals were enthusiastically attached to his person and fortunes.f He could muster also a large body of his own tried and veteran followers; and putting himself at the head of these, he retired indignantly to the north. Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell was the only baron who accompanied him.The conduct of the Scottish nobility, who had capitulated to Percy, was irresolute and contradictory. Edward had accepted their offers of submission; but although they would not act in concert with Wallace, whose successes had now effectually raised the spirit of the nation, they drew back from their agreement with Percy, and delayed the delivery of their hostages, until security should be given them for the preservation of the rights and liberties of their country. Sir William Douglas and the Bishop of Glasgow, however, considered that they were bound to abide by the capitulation signed at Irvine; and finding themselves unable to perform their articles of agreement, they voluntarily surrendered to the English.