his gallant followers and those of Pembroke, King Robert preferred
entrenching himself in his present guarded situation, to meeting De
Valence in the open field, although, more than once tempted to do so,
and finding extreme difficulty in so curbing the dauntless spirit of his
followers as to incline them more towards the defensive than the attack.
Already had the fierce thunders of the Church been launched against him
for the sin of murder committed in consecrated ground. Excommunication
in all its horrors exposed him to death from any hand, that on any
pretence of private hate or public weal might choose to strike; but
already had there arisen spirits bold enough to dispute the awful
mandates of the Pope, and the patriotic prelates who had before
acknowledged and done homage to their sovereign, now neither wavered in
their allegiance nor in any way sought to promulgate the sentence
thundered against him. A calm smile had passed over the Bruce's noble
features as the intelligence of the wrath of Rome was communicated to
him.

"The judge and the avenger is in heaven, holy father," he said; "to His
hands I commit my cause, conscious of deserving, as humbly awaiting,
chastisement for that sin which none can reprobate and abhor more
strongly than myself; if blood must flow for blood, His will be done. I
ask but to free my country, to leave her in powerful yet righteous
hands, and willingly I will depart, confident of mercy for my soul."

Fearful, however, that this sentence might dispirit his subjects, King
Robert watched his opportunity of assembling and addressing them. In a
brief, yet eloquent speech, he narrated the base, cold-blooded system of
treachery of Comyn; how, when travelling to Scotland, firmly trusting
in, and depending on, the good faith the traitor had so solemnly
pledged, a brawl had arisen between his (Bruce's) followers and some men