Chapter X: Wallace and Bruce, 1297-1329
Whether it was thus that one of our Scottish kings came into the world may perhaps be doubted, but that Marjory was killed in this way is not at all improbable. Down to modern times a stone pillar stood on the spot where the mother of the Royal house of Stewart was said to have met her death. It was an octagonal column ten feet high, inserted in a solid pedestal also eight-sided, and about six feet in diameter. It bore the name of “Queen Blearie's Cross.” No vestige of it is now to be seen. When last observed it was being used as the lintel of a door in a neighbouring farm house, [28] and the materials of the pedestal were employed to repair fences. It was one of the memorials of the Stewart to the wife of his youth, and the mother of a line of kings, and deserved better treatment. It was not the only token of affection which he displayed. In the Abbey he caused a “faire monument” [29] to be erected to her memory—the only monument of all the Stewarts that has escaped the destruction of after years. The Chartulary tells also how he had prayers said for the repose of her soul. He gave to the Abbey the Church of Largs, in Ayrshire, “inspired by love, and for the salvation of my soul and of Marjorie, formerly my wife, and for the salvation of my ancestors and of all the faithful departed.” [30] The donation included all the tithes, and properties of every kind belonging to that Church, and though the Abbot and Convent were only to come into the possession of these revenues on the death or promotion of Sir William Lyndsay, the rector of the benefice, in the midst of their dilapidated fortunes the gift must have been received very gratefully. On the 3rd February, 1318, Sir William Lyndsay resigned the Church, and they entered on the full enjoyment of its emoluments, but institution to these was given them, not by their old friend Robert Wishart, the Bishop of Glasgow,—he had died about the same time as Marjory, with whom he had been a prisoner in England,—but by the Chapter of the Cathedral, the See of Glasgow being vacant. [31]
After the death of Marjory we have frequent notices of Walter in the history of the time. [32] He was a brave soldier and often distinguished himself in the field. When Berwick was taken in 1318 it was committed to his charge, and, assisted by his Renfrewshire vassals, he in the following year repulsed from that town Edward II. and his army. [33] The next year he signed the spirited letter of the Barons of Scotland to Pope John, in which, among other grievances, they state how much the Church had suffered at the hands of Edward I. Their prelates had been incarcerated, their monasteries burned, their religious robbed and murdered. [34] None could more truly confirm that statement than the Stewart, who had so lately buried his wife in the ruined Abbey of his ancestors. There he himself was laid after a few more years of active service and of chivalrous deeds, [35] which earned him the title of the “noble warrior.” [36] He died at Bathgate, a property which he had received as the dowry of his wife Marjory, on the 9th April, 1326, and the historian of the Bruce tells how he was honoured and sorrowed for at his death.
When long time their dule had made,
The corps to Paslay have they had,
And there with great solemnity
And with great dule eirded was he. [37]
Robert, the son of Walter and Marjory, was but a boy of ten or eleven at his father's death, but he was a boy with great expectations. Failing the death of the King's son without heirs, it had been solemnly agreed by Parliament that he should succeed to the throne of Scotland. This must have raised the hopes of the Convent, of whom he was the hereditary patron, and who might naturally look forward to benefit by his elevation. The good King Robert the Bruce died three years after his trusty friend Walter, and their hopes came thereby one step nearer fulfilment.
[28] In the appendix to Hamilton's Renfrewshire, it is stated that the pedestal became loosened in the socket, and required a little repair. This was refused by the proprietor, and time did its work. It either fell, or to save it from breaking, it was removed and built into the barn a short time before the foundations of the pedestal were dug up. It is not too much to hope that the present public-spirited proprietor will replace that which his ancestor, in a time of indifference to archaeological study, allowed to be removed.
[29] Balfour's Annals, Vol. I., p. 9.
[30] Reg. de Pas., p. 237.
[31] Reg. de Pas., p. 238.
[32] Chalmers' Caledonia, Vol. III., p. 783.
[33] Ibid.
[34] Fordun by Goodall, Vol. II., p. 276.
[35] In 1322 he took part in the forced march to Biland Abbey, and pursued Edward II. to York with 500 men, and in the true spirit of chivalry expected that Edward, with a similar number, would renew the combat without the walk—Chalmers' Caledonia, Vol. III., p. 782.
[36] “Nobilis bellator.”—Fordun by Goodall, Vol. II., p. 288.
[37] Barbour, p. 386.