Knotted tails

The army mustered by Edward I in summer 1298 was huge by medieval standards, numbering some 3000 heavy horse and over 25,00 footsoldiers. It was probably the largest seen to date in the British Isles, although the 22,000 raised to suppress the revolt of Rhys ap Maredudd in 1287 ran close.

Edward was accompanied by a number of Scots, including Robert de Bruce senior and Sir Simon Fraser, who had earned the king's commendation for distinguished service in Flanders. However, Sir John Comyn of Badenoch had deserted the army at Aardenburg (near the border of Zeeland) and made his way back to join his compatriots in Scotland. 

Thanks to later Bruce propagandists, Comyn of Badenoch is still regarded by many as a traitor to the Scottish cause. The fifteenth century chronicler, Walter Bower, claimed that Comyn was involved in a plot against Sir William Wallace, who had been made Guardian of Scotland after Stirling Bridge. Bower wrote of a 'secret plot against the Guardian under the guise of expressions of virgin-innocence but with their tails tied together'.

In reality there is no evidence of such a plot, knotted tails or otherwise. Apart from lauding Bruce, Scottish chroniclers such as Bower had to find some way to rationalise Wallace's catastrophic defeat at Falkirk. Another writer, John Fordun, even went so far as to say that the Scots never lost to the English except through treachery. Some folks just can't stand getting beat.

Not that Wallace's plan was a bad one. As Edward's enormous military machine rumbled into south-east Scotland, the Scots evaded battle and withdrew, burning the land as they went. Wallace knew that the English army marched on its stomach, and intended to starve Edward into admitting defeat. This was the kind of strategy Bruce junior would use so effectively in the future.

At first it worked well, as the English host trudged through a desolate, fire-blackened wilderness. The crops were all burnt, animals driven away, and there was not a single Scotsman in sight. Edward probably expected these scorched earth tactics - he was an experienced enough soldier - and had done all he could to ensure the army was supplied on its march. 

Yet there were no guarantees, especially if the weather turned nasty. Most of Edward's naval supplies failed to reach him thanks to contrary winds, and after weeks of marching there was still no sign of Wallace. In mid-July, as the army lay encamped at Kirkliston, west of Edinburgh, Edward was forced to reconsider. He sent out spies to discover if the Scots intended to attack northern England. At the same time he contemplated falling back to Edinburgh, in the hope that supplies would finally arrive.

What of Bruce junior? Contrary to Braveheart, in which he fights for Longshanks at Falkirk, Bruce was nowhere near the battlefield. Instead he was holed up at Ayr, far to the west, possibly waiting on the outcome.