BRECHIN:
SNAPSHOTS FROM THE PAST
Treason
at Brechin
Treason
at Brechin In August 1305, Wallace, the icon of Scottish
independence, having been betrayed to the English, was removed
to London and at the behest of Edward was judicially murdered
as a traitor. This travesty was committed despite Wallace
never having relinquished his allegiance to King John Balliol
and having refused to accept Edward as his superior. However,
while Wallace had gained no more than a little support from
Scotland's great lords, his role even after his death was,
and continued to be, inspirational. While the Scottish barons
remained divided, the general popularity of Robert de Bruce
gradually increased and despite many initial setbacks in
his fight against the English, progress was steady. Bruce,
recognized by many Scots as their king, fought a war that
avoided conventional methods preferring a 'hit-and-run'
strategy that made him one of the world's first guerrilla
fighters. One of his many skirmishes was apparently in Glen
Esk, possibly on or near the Hill of Rowan, and according
to Alex. J. Warden, there were cairns on the east side of
the hill marking the graves of the fallen.
After
their famous victory at Bannockburn in 1314, the Scots'
struggle against the English continued but King Robert was
able to consolidate his position against both his external
and internal foes. In 1320, in what appeared to be a sign
of unity, the Scots sent their Declaration of Arbroath to
the Pope, a document in all probability written by the chancellor,
Bishop Bernard de Linton, and one of universal historical
and political importance. While the declaration clearly
set out the Scots' claim of independence it concealed the
deep divisions that remained among the magnates. Among the
earls and barons whose names and seals appear on the document
is that of David, Lord of Brechin, but within months he
- and others - were being tried for treason. A conspiracy
to assassinate King Robert and to replace him by William
de Soules had been discovered and while it appears that
David de Brechin was not one of the conspirators, it was
alleged that he was aware of the plot but failed to warn
the king. He was convicted and executed and his estates
forfeited. One of the conspirators, Roger Moubray, had died
before the trial but, following the traditions of the time,
his body lay before the court until his conviction and sentence!
©
Copyright Brian Mitchell 2000
