The Siege of Aberfilly
Punctual to his agreement, Archie Forbes marched south with his
retainers. He was loath, indeed, to leave Marjory, but he knew well
that a long time indeed must elapse before he could hope to settle
down quietly at home, and that it was urgent to hurry on the work
at once before the English made another great effort to stamp out
the movement. Marjory did not attempt to induce him to overstay
his time. She was too proud of his position as one of the foremost
knights of Scotland to say a word to detain him from the field.
So she bade him adieu with a brave face, reserving her tears until
after he had ridden away.
It had been arranged that Archie should operate independently
of Douglas, the two joining their forces only when threatened
by overwhelming numbers or when any great enterprise was to be
undertaken. Archie took with him a hundred and fifty men from his
estates in Lanark and Ayr. He marched first to Loudon Hill, then
down through Cumnock and the border of Carrick into Galloway. Contrary
to the usual custom, he enjoined his retainers on no account to
burn or harry the villages and granges.
"The people," he said, "are not responsible for the conduct of
their lords, and as I would not see the English harrying the country
round Aberfilly, so I am loath to carry fire and sword among these
poor people. We have come hither to punish their lords and to capture
their castles. If the country people oppose us we must needs fight
them; but beyond what is necessary for our provisions let us take
nothing from them, and show them, by our conduct, that we hold
them to be Scotchmen like ourselves, and that we pity rather than
blame them, inasmuch as by the orders of their lords they are forced
to fight against us."
Archie had not advanced more than a day's march into Galloway when
he heard that Sir John de St. John was marching with four hundred
men-at-arms to meet him.
There were no better soldiers in the following of Bruce than the
retainers of Aberfilly and Glen Cairn. They had now for many years
been frequently under arms, and were thoroughly trained to fight
together. They had the greatest confidence in themselves and their
leader, and having often with their spears withstood the shock
of the English chivalry, Archie knew that he could rely upon them
to the fullest. He therefore took up a position on the banks of
a river where a ford would enable the enemy to cross. Had he been
less confident as to the result he would have defended the ford,
which could be only crossed by two horsemen abreast. He determined,
however, to repeat the maneuver which had proved so successful at
Stirling Bridge, and to let half of the enemy cross before he fell
upon them.
The ground near the river was stony and rough. Great boulders,
which had rolled from the hillside, were thickly scattered about
it, and it would be difficult for cavalry to charge up the somewhat
steeply sloping ground in anything like unbroken order.
With eighty of his men Archie took up a position one hundred yards
back from the stream. With great exertions some of the smaller
boulders were removed, and rocks and stones were piled to make a
wall on either flank of the ground, which, standing two deep, he
occupied. The remaining seventy men he divided equally, placing one
company under the command of each of his two faithful lieutenants,
Andrew Macpherson and William Orr. These took post near the river,
one on each side of the ford, and at a distance of about one hundred
yards therefrom. Orr's company were hidden among some bushes growing
by the river. Macpherson's lay down among the stones and boulders,
and were scarce likely to attract the attention of the English,
which would naturally be fixed upon the little body drawn up to
oppose them in front. The preparations were scarcely completed
when the English were seen approaching. They made no halt at the
river, but at once commenced crossing at the ford, confident in
their power to overwhelm the little body of Scots, whose number
had, it seemed to them, been exaggerated by the fears of the country
people. As soon as a hundred of the men-at-arms had passed, their
leader marshalled them in line, and with level spears charged up
the slopes against Archie's force. The great boulders broke their
ranks, and it was but in straggling order that they reached the
narrow line of Scottish spears. These they in vain endeavoured to
break through. Their numbers were of no avail to them, as, being
on horseback, but twenty men at a time could attack the double row
of spearmen. While the conflict was at its height Archie's trumpet
was sounded, for he saw that another hundred men had now crossed
the ford.
At the signal the two hidden parties leapt to their feet, and with
levelled pikes rushed towards the ford. The English had no force
there to resist the attack, for as the men-at-arms had passed, each
had ridden on to join the fray in front. The head of the ford was
therefore seized with but little difficulty. Orr, with twenty men,
remained here to hold it and prevent others from crossing, while
Macpherson, with fifty, ran up the hill and fell upon the rear of
the confused masses of cavalry, who were striving in vain to break
the lines of Archie's spears.
The attack was decisive; the English, surprised and confused by
the sudden attack, were unable to offer any effectual resistance to
Macpherson's pikemen, and at the same moment that these fell upon
the rear, Archie gave the word and his men rushed forward upon the
struggling mass of cavalry. The shock was irresistible; men and
horses fell in numbers under the Scottish spears, and in a few
minutes those who could manage to extricate themselves from the
struggling mass rode off in various directions. These, however, were
few in number, for ninety were killed and seventy taken prisoners.
St. John himself succeeded in cutting his way through the spearmen,
and, swimming the river below the ford, rejoined his followers,
who had in vain endeavoured to force the passage of the ford. With
these he rapidly retired.
A detachment of fifty men were sent off with the prisoners to
Bruce, and Archie, with the main body of his followers, two days
later joined the force under Sir James Douglas.
Upon the following morning a messenger from Aberfilly reached
Archie.
"My lord," he said, "I bring you a message from the Lady Marjory.
I have spent five days in searching for you, and have never but
once laid down during that time, therefore do not blame me if my
message is long in coming."
"What is it, Evan? nought is wrong there, I trust?"
"The Lady Marjory bade me tell you that news has reached her, that
from each of the garrisons of Ayr, Lanark, Stirling and Bothwell,
a force is marching toward your hold, which the governor of Bothwell
has sworn to destroy. When I left they were expected hourly in
sight, and this is full a week since."
"Aberfilly can hold out for longer than that," Archie said, "against
aught but surprise, and the vassals would have had time to gather."
"Yes," the man replied, "they were flocking in when I came away; the
men of Glen Cairn had already arrived; all the women and children
were taking to the hills, according to the orders which you gave."
"And now, good Evan, do you eat some supper, and then rest. No
wonder you have been so long in finding me, for I have been wandering
without ceasing. I will start at once with my followers here for
Aberfilly; by tomorrow evening we will be there."
Archie hurried to the hut occupied by Douglas, told him the news,
and said he must hurry away to the defence of his castle.
"Go, by all means, Archie," Douglas replied. "If I can gather a
force sufficient to relieve you I will myself march thither; but
at present I fear that the chances of my doing so are small, for
the four garrisons you have named would be able to spare a force
vastly larger than any with which I could meet them in the field,
and the king is no better able to help you."
"I will do my best," Archie said. "The castle can stand a stout
siege; and fortunately I have a secret passage by which we can
escape."
"Never mind the castle," Douglas replied. "When better days come
we will rebuild it again for you."
A few notes on a horn brought Archie's little band of followers
together. Telling them the danger which threatened Glen Cairn,
Archie placed himself at their head, and at a rapid step they
marched away. It was five-and-forty miles across the hills, but
before morning they approached it, and made their way to the wood in
which was the entrance to the subterranean passage leading to the
castle. Archie had feared that they might find the massive doors
which closed it, a short distance from the entrance, securely
fastened as usual. They were shut, indeed, but as they approached
them they heard a challenge from within.
"It is I, Sir Archie Forbes."
The door was opened at once. "Welcome, Sir Archie!" the guard said.
"The Lady Marjory has been expecting you for the last five days,
and a watch has been kept here constantly, to open the doors should
you come."
"The messenger could not find me," Archie said. "Is all well at
the castle?"
"All is well," the man replied. "The English have made two attacks,
but have been beaten back with loss. This morning some great
machines have arrived from Stirling and have begun battering the
walls. Is it your will that I remain here on guard, now that you
have come?"
"Yes," Archie answered. "It were best that one should be always
stationed here, seeing that the entrance might perchance be
discovered by one wandering in the wood, or they might obtain the
secret of its existence from a prisoner. If footsteps are heard
approaching retire at once with the news. There is no danger if
we are warned in time, for we can turn the water from the moat into
it."
Archie and his followers now made their way along the passage until
they entered the castle. As they issued out from the entrance a
shout of joy rose from those near, and the news rapidly flew through
the castle that Archie had arrived. In a moment Marjory ran down
and threw herself into his arms.
"Welcome back, Archie, a thousand times! I have been grievously
anxious as the days went on and you did not return, and had feared
that some evil must have befallen you. It has been a greater anxiety
to me than the defence of the castle; but I have done my best to
be hopeful and bright, to keep up the spirits of our followers."
"It was no easy task for your messenger to find me, Marjory, for
we are ever on the move. Is my mother here?"
"No, Archie, she went a fortnight since on a visit to Lady Gordon."
"It is well," Archie said, "for if in the end we have to leave the
castle, you, who have proved yourself so strong and brave, can,
if needs be, take to the hills with me; but she could not support
the fatigues of such a life. And now, dear, we have marched all
night and shall be glad of food; while it is preparing I will to
the walls and see what is going on."
As Archie reached the battlement a loud cheer broke from the
defenders gathered there, and Sandy Grahame hurried up to him.
"Welcome back, Sir Archie; glad am I to give up the responsibility
of this post, although, indeed, it is not I who have been in command,
but Lady Marjory. She has been always on the walls, cheering the
men with her words and urging them to deeds of bravery; and, indeed,
she has frightened me sorely by the way in which she exposed herself
where the arrows were flying most thickly, for as I told her over
and over again, if the castle were taken I knew that you would be
sure that I had done my best, but what excuse should I be able to
make to you if I had to bear you the news that she had been killed?"
"And what did she say to that, Sandy?"
"Truth, Sir Archie, she's a woman and wilful, and she just laughed
and said that you would know you could not keep her in order
yourself, and could not therefore expect me to rule her."
"That is so, Sandy," Archie laughed; "but now that I am back I
will for once exert my authority, and will see that she runs into
no further danger. And now, how goes the siege?"
"So far they have done but little damage, Sir Archie; but the
machines which they brought up yesterday will, I fear, play havock
with our walls. They have not yet begun their work, for when they
brought them up yesterday afternoon our men shot so hotly that they
had to fall back again; but in the night they have thrown up high
banks of earth, and have planted the engines under their shelter,
and will, ere long, begin to send their messengers against our
walls. Thrice they assaulted the works beyond the drawbridge and
twice we beat them back; but last night they came on with all their
force. I was myself there, and after fighting for a while and seeing
they were too strong for us, I thought it best to withdraw before
they gained footing in the work, and so had time to draw off the
men and raise the drawbridge."
"Quite right, Sandy! The defenders of the post would only have
been slaughtered, and the assailants might have rushed across the
drawbridge before it could have been raised. The post is of little
importance save to defend the castle against a sudden surprise, and
would only have been a source of constant anxiety and loss. How
many do you reckon them? Judging by their tents there must be
three or four thousand."
"About three thousand, Sir Archie, I make it; and as we had no time
to get the tenants in from my lady's Ayrshire estate, we have but
two hundred men in the castle, and many of these are scarce more
than boys."
"I have brought a hundred and fifty with me, Sandy, so we have as
many as we can use on the walls, though I could wish I had another
hundred or two for sorties."
Half an hour later the great machines began to work, hurling vast
stones with tremendous force against the castle wall. Strongly
as this was built, Archie saw that it would ere many days crumble
before the blows.
"I did not reckon on such machines as these," he said to Sandy.
"Doubtless they are some of the huge machines which King Edward
had constructed for the siege of Stirling, and which have remained
there since the castle was taken. Fortunately we have still the
moat when a breach is made, and it will be hard work to cross that."
All day the great stones thundered against the wall. The defenders
were not idle, but kept up a shower of arrows at the edge of the
mound behind which the machines were hidden; but although many of
those working there were killed, fresh relays came constantly up,
and the machines never ceased their work. By nightfall the face
of the wall was bruised and battered. Many of the stones in front
had fallen from their places.
"Another twenty-four hours," Archie said to Marjory, as he joined
her in the great hall, "and the breach will be begun, forty-eight
and it will be completed. They will go on all night, and we may
expect no rest until the work is done. In an hour's time I shall
sally out from the passage into the wood and beat up their camp.
Expecting no attack from the rear, we shall do them rare damage
ere they can gather to oppose us. As soon as they do so we shall
be off again, and, scattering in various directions, gather again
in the wood and return here."
An hour later Archie, with two hundred men, started. No sooner had
he left than Marjory called Sandy Grahame and Andrew Macpherson,
whom he had left in joint command during his absence.
"Now," she said, "I am not going to remain quiet here while
Sir Archie does all the fighting, therefore do you gather all the
garrison together, leaving only twenty to hold the gate. See that
the wheels of the drawbridge are well oiled, and the hinges of the
gate. Directly we see that the attack has begun upon the camp we
will lower the drawbridge quietly, open the gates, and sally out.
There is no great force in the outer work. When we have cleared
that--which, if we are quick, we can do without alarming the
camp, seeing what a confusion and uproar will be going on there--we
will make straight along to the point where the machines are
placed. Let some of the men take axes and cut the ropes, and let
others carry faggots well steeped in oil, we will pile them round
the machines and light them, and thus having ensured their destruction,
we will fall back again."
"But, Lady Marjory--" Sandy began.
"I will have no buts, Sandy; you must just do as I order you, and
I will answer to Sir Archie. I shall myself go forth with you and
see that the work is properly done."
The two men looked doubtfully at each other.
"Now, Andrew," Marjory said briskly, "let us have no hesitation or
talk, the plan is a good one."
"I do not say that it is not a good one," Sandy replied cautiously,
"or that it is not one that Sir Archie might have carried out if
he had been here."
"Very well, Andrew, then that is quite enough. I give you the
orders and I am responsible, and if you and Sandy do not choose to
obey me, I shall call the men together myself and lead them without
you."
As Sandy and Andrew were quite conscious that their lady would be
as good as her word, they at once proceeded to carry her orders into
effect. The wheels of the portcullis and drawbridge were oiled, as
were the bolts and hinges of the gate. The men were formed up in
the courtyard, where presently they were joined by Marjory who had
put on a light steel cap and a shirt of mail, and who had armed herself
with a light sword. The men gathered round her enthusiastically,
and would have burst into cheers had she not held up her hand to
command silence.
"I will to the wall now," she said, "to watch for the signal. The
instant the attack begins and the attention of those in the outwork
is called that way, draw up the portcullis noiselessly and open
the gate, oil the hinges of the drawbridge and have everything
in readiness; then I will join you. Let the drawbridge be lowered
swiftly, and as it falls we will rush across. You have, I suppose,
told off the men who are to remain behind. Tell them that when
the last of us have crossed they are to raise the drawbridge a few
feet, so that none can cross it until we return."
Then, accompanied by Macpherson, she ascended the walls. All was
quiet in the hostile camp, which was about a quarter of a mile
distant, and only the creaking of the wheels of the machines, the
orders of those directing them, and the dull crash as the great
stones struck the wall, broke the stillness of the night. For half
an hour they watched, and then a sudden uproar was heard in the
camp. The Scottish war cry pealed out, followed by shouts and
yells, and almost instantly flames were seen to mount up.
"My lord is at work," Marjory said, "it is time for us to be doing
also." So saying she ran down to the courtyard. Sandy Grahame,
Macpherson, and a few picked men took their place around her, then
the drawbridge was suddenly run down, and the Scots dashed across
it. As Marjory had anticipated, the English in the outwork had
gathered on the farther side and were watching the sudden outbreak
in the camp. Alarmed at the prospect of an attack, perhaps by the
Bruce, in that quarter, they were suddenly startled by the rush
of feet across the drawbridge, and before they had time to recover
from their surprise the Scots were upon them. The latter were
superior in numbers, and the English, already alarmed by the attack
upon their camp, offered but a feeble resistance. Many were cut
down, but the greater part leapt from the wall and fled towards
the camp. The moment resistance ceased the outer gate was thrown
open, and at full speed the Scotch made for the machines. The party
here had suspended their work and were gazing towards the camp,
where the uproar was now great. The wind was blowing briskly and
the fire had spread with immense rapidity, and already half the
camp was in flames. Suddenly from the bank above the Scots poured
down upon them like a torrent. There was scarcely a thought of
resistance. Stricken with dismay and astonishment at this unexpected
attack, the soldiers working the machines fled hastily, only a few
falling beneath the swords of the Scots. The men with axes at once
fell upon the machines, cutting the ropes and smashing the wheels
and levers which worked them, while those with the faggots piled
them round. In less than two minutes the work was done, lighted
torches were applied to the faggots, and the flames soon shot up
hotly.
The Scots waited but a minute or two to see that the work was
thoroughly done and that the flames had got fair hold, and then,
keeping in a close body, they retired to the castle. Not a soul
was met with by the way, and leaving Andrew Macpherson with fifty
men to hold the outwork until Archie should return and decide
whether it should be occupied, Marjory, with the rest, re-entered
the castle.
She at once ascended to the walls again, where Sandy also posted
the men to be in readiness to open fire with their arrows should
the English return and endeavour to extinguish the flames round
the machines. The sound of fighting had ceased at the camp. By the
light of the flames numbers of the English could be seen pulling
down the tents which the fire had not yet reached and endeavouring
to check the conflagration, while a large body of horse and foot
were rapidly advancing toward the castle.
As soon as they came within bowshot range the archers opened fire,
and the English leaders, seeing that it was already too late to
save the machines, which were by this time completely enveloped in
flames, and that men would only be sacrificed to no good purpose,
halted the troops. They then moved towards the outwork, but finding
this in possession of the Scots, they fell back again to the camp
to take council as to the next steps to be adopted. Archie's attack
had been crowned with complete success. Apprehending no danger
from behind, the English had neglected to place sentries there,
and the Scots were already among the tents before their presence
was discovered. Numbers of the English were cut down and the tents
fired, and as soon as the English recovered from their first surprise
and began to form, Archie gave the word for a retreat. This was
effected without molestation, for the first thought of the English
was to save the camp from total destruction. The reports of the
men who escaped from the castle outwork and the outburst of flames
around the machines added to the confusion which reigned, and the
leaders, who had by the light of the flames ascertained that the
assault upon the camp had been made by a small body of the enemy,
deemed it of the first importance to move at once to save the
machines if it were still possible.
The Scots regained the entrance to the passage without the loss
of a single man, and passing through, soon re-entered the castle.
Marjory had laid aside her warlike trappings and awaited her
husband's return at the inner entrance of the passage.
"We have had good success, Marjory," Archie said as he greeted
her, "as you will have seen from the walls. The greater part of
the English camp is destroyed; we have killed great numbers, and
have not lost a man."
"That is good news indeed, Archie. We, too, have not been quite
idle while you have been away."
"Why, what have you been doing, Marjory?" Archie asked in surprise.
"Come up to the walls and I will show you."
Archie mounted with her, and gave a start of surprise as he looked
towards the machines. The great body of fire had died down now, but
the beams of the machines stood up red and glowing, while a light
flickering flame played round them.
"You see we have not been idle, Archie. We have destroyed the
machines, and retaken the outwork, which is now held by Andrew
Macpherson with fifty men."
"Why, what magic is this, wife?"
"No magic at all, Sir Knight. We have been carrying out the work
which you, as a wise and skilful commander, should have ordered
before you left. We have taken advantage of the confusion of the
enemy by the fire in their camp, and have made a sortie, and a
successful one, as you see."
"I am delighted, indeed," Archie said; "and the destruction of
those machines is indeed a great work. Still Sandy and Macpherson
should not have undertaken it without orders from me; they might
have been cut off and the castle stormed before I came back."
"They had orders from me, sir, and that was quite sufficient. To
do them justice, they hesitated about obeying me, and I was well
nigh ordering them to the dungeon for disobedience; and they only
gave way at last when I said they could stop at home if they liked,
but that I should lead out the retainers. Of course I went in your
place with armour and sword; but perhaps it was as well that I had
no fighting to do."
"Do you mean, Marjory, that you really led the sortie?"
"I don't think I led it, Archie; but I certainly went out with it,
and very exciting it was. There, dear, don't look troubled. Of
course, as chatelaine of the castle, I was bound to animate my
men."
"You have done bravely and well, indeed, Marjory, and I am proud
of my wife. Still, dear, I tremble at the thought of the risk you
ran."
"No more risk than you are constantly running, Archie; and I am
rather glad you tremble, because in future you will understand my
feelings better, left here all alone while you are risking your
life perpetually with the king."
The success of the sally and the courage and energy shown by Marjory
raised the spirits of the garrison to the highest pitch; and had
Archie given the word they would have sallied out and fallen upon
the besiegers. Two days later fresh machines arrived from Stirling,
and the attack again commenced, the besiegers keeping a large body
of men near the gate to prevent a repetition of the last sally.
Archie now despatched two or three fleet footed runners through
the passage to find the king, and tell him that the besiegers were
making progress, and to pray him to come to his assistance. Two
days passed, and the breach was now fairly practicable, but the
moat, fifty feet wide, still barred the way to the besiegers. Archie
had noticed that for two or three days no water had come down from
above, and had no doubt that they had diverted the course of the
river. Upon the day after the breach was completed the besiegers
advanced in great force up the stream from below.
"They are going to try to cut the dam," Archie said to Sandy; "place
every man who can draw a bow on that side of the castle."
As the English approached a rain of arrows was poured into them,
but covering themselves with their shields and with large mantlets
formed of hurdles covered with hides they pressed forward to the
dam. Here those who had brought with them picks and mattocks set
to work upon the dam, the men with mantlets shielding them from
the storm of arrows, while numbers of archers opened fire upon the
defenders. Very many were killed by the Scottish arrows, but the
work went on. A gap was made through the dam. The water, as it rushed
through, aided the efforts of those at work; and after three hours'
labour and fighting the gap was so far deepened that the water in
the moat had fallen eight feet. Then, finding that this could now
be waded, the assailants desisted, and drew off to their camp.
A council was held that evening in the castle as to whether
the hold should be abandoned at once or whether one attack on the
breach should be withstood. It was finally determined that the
breach should be held. The steep sides of the moat, exposed by the
subsidence of the water, were slippery and difficult. The force in
the castle was amply sufficient at once to man the breach and to
furnish archers for the walls on either side, while in the event
of the worst, were the breach carried by the English, the defenders
might fall back to the central keep, and thence make their way
through the passage. Had it not been for the possibility of an
early arrival of the king to their relief all agreed that it would
be as well to evacuate the castle at once, as this in the end must
fall, and every life spent in its defence would thus be a useless
sacrifice. As, however, troops might at any moment appear, it was
determined to hold the castle until the last.
The next morning a party of knights in full defensive armour
came down to the edge of the moat to see whether passage could be
effected. They were not molested while making their examination,
as the Scottish arrows would only have dropped harmless off their
steel harness. Archie was on the walls.
"How like you the prospect, Sir Knights?" he called out merrily.
"I fear that the sludge and slime will sully your bright armour and
smirch your plumes, for it will be difficult to hold a footing on
those muddy banks."
"It were best for you to yield, Sir Archibald Forbes, without giving
us the trouble of making our way across your moat. You have made
a stout resistance, and have done enough for honour, and you must
see that sooner or later we must win our way in."
"Then I would rather it should be later," Archie replied. "I
may have done enough for honour, but it is not for honour that I
am fighting, but for Scotland. Your work is but begun yet, I can
assure you. We are far from being at the end of our resources yet.
It will be time enough to talk about surrendering when you have
won the breach and the outer walls."
The knights retired; and as some hours passed without the besiegers
seeing any preparation for an assault they judged that the report
carried back to camp was not an encouraging one. Large numbers of
men were, however, seen leaving the camp, and these toward sunset
came back staggering under immense loads of brushwood which they
had cut in the forest.
"They intend to fill up the moat," Archie said; "it is their wisest
course."
He at once directed his men to make up large trusses of straw, over
which he poured considerable quantities of oil. Early the next
morning the English drew out of their camp, and advanced in martial
array. Each man carried a great faggot, and, covering themselves
with these as they came within bowshot, they marched down to the
moat. Each in turn threw in his faggot, and when he had done so
returned to the camp and brought back another. Rapidly the process
of filling up the moat opposite to the breach continued. The besiegers
kept up a rain of arrows and darts, and many of the English were
killed. But the work was continued without intermission until well
nigh across the moat a broad crossway was formed level with the
outer bank, but a narrow gap remained to be filled, and the English
leaders advanced to the front to prevent the Scots on the breach
rushing down to assault those placing the faggots.
Somewhat to the surprise of the English the defenders remained
stationary, contenting themselves with hurling great stones at their
busy enemy. Suddenly there was a movement. Archie and a party of
his best men dashed down the breach, and, climbing on the causeway,
for a moment drove the workers and their guards back. They were
followed by twenty men carrying great trusses of straw. These were
piled against the faggots forming the end of the causeway. Archie
and his band leapt back as a torch was applied to the straw. In a
moment the hot flames leapt up, causing the knights who had pressed
after the retreating Scots to fall back hastily. A shout of triumph
rose from the garrison and one of dismay from the besiegers.
Saturated with oil, the trusses burnt with fury, and the faggots
were soon alight. A fresh wind was blowing, and the flames crept
rapidly along the causeway. In a few minutes this was in a blaze
from end to end, and in half an hour nothing remained of the great
pile save charred ashes and the saturated faggots which had been
below the water in the moat, and which now floated upon it.
The besiegers had drawn off when they saw that the flames had
gained a fair hold of the causeway. The smoke had scarcely ceased
to rise when a great outcry arose from the English camp, and the
lookout from the top of the keep perceived a strong force marching
toward it. By the bustle and confusion which reigned in the camp
Archie doubted not that the newcomers were Scots. The garrison were
instantly called to arms. The gates were thrown open, and leaving
a small body only to hold the gates, he sallied out at the head of
his men and marched toward the English camp. At the approach of
the Scottish force the English leaders had marched out with their
men to oppose them. Bruce had been able to collect but three hundred
and fifty men, and the English, seeing how small was the number
advancing against them, prepared to receive them boldly. Scarcely
had the combat begun when Archie with his band entered the English
camp, which was almost deserted. They at once fired the tents, and
then advanced in a solid mass with level spears against the rear
of the English. These, dismayed at the destruction of their camp,
and at finding themselves attacked both front and rear, lost heart
and fell into confusion. Their leaders strove to rally them,
and dashed with their men-at-arms against the spearmen, but their
efforts to break through were in vain, and their defeat increased
the panic of the footmen. Archie's party broke a way through their
disordered line and joined the body commanded by the king, and the
whole rushed so fiercely upon the English that these broke and fled
in all directions, pursued by the triumphant Scots.
"I am but just in time I see, Sir Archie," Bruce said, pointing
to the breach in the wall; "a few hours more and methinks that I
should have been too late."
"We could have held out longer than that, sire," Archie replied.
"We have repulsed an attack this morning and burnt a causeway of
faggots upon which they attempted to cross the moat; still, I am
truly glad that you have arrived, and thank you with all my heart
for coming so speedily to my rescue, for sooner or later the hold
must have fallen; the great machines which they brought with them
from Stirling proved too strong for the wall."
"And how has the Lady Marjory borne her during the siege?" the king
inquired.
"Right nobly," Archie replied; "ever in good spirits and showing a
brave face to the men; and one night when I made a sortie through
my secret passage, and fell upon the English camp from the other
side, having left the castle in her charge, she headed the garrison
and issuing out, recaptured the outworks, and destroyed the machines
by fire."
"Bravely done," the king said, "and just what I should expect from
your wife. You did well to take my advice in that matter."
"We shall never agree there, sire, for as you know I followed my
own will and wed the bride I had fixed upon for myself."
"Well, well, Sir Archie, as we are both satisfied we will e'en let
it be; and now, I trust that you have still some supplies left,
for to tell you the truth I am hungry as well as weary, and my men
have marched fast and far."
"There is an abundance," Archie replied; "to last them all for a
month, and right willingly is it at their service."
The king remained a week at Aberfilly, his men aiding Archie's
retainers in repairing the gap in the dam and in rebuilding the
wall; and as five hundred men working willingly and well can effect
wonders, by the time Bruce rode away the castle was restored to
its former appearance. Archie marched on the following day, and
rejoined Douglas in Galloway.