father. He marched a little way on to Scotland, but, having no great
liking for war, he turned and marched back into England. He
disregarded his father's injunction about the disposition of his
bones, but took them back to London, and deposited them in Westminster
Abbey.

40. From this time the cause of Bruce was a succession of victories.
During the winter and spring one English fortress after another
surrendered, until there only remained the strong castle of Stirling
held by the English power. This castle was besieged, and Sir Philip
Mowbray, the commander, agreed to surrender it if it was not
reinforced by the English before midsummer. Then came a cessation of
hostilities, and a period of rest for the Scots. King Edward had made
no arrangement to again interfere in Scottish affairs. But now, when
Sir Philip Mowbray, the governor of Stirling, came to London to tell
the king that Stirling, the last Scottish town of importance which
remained in possession of the English, was to be surrendered if it
were not relieved by force of arms before midsummer, then all the
English nobles called out, it would be a sin and shame to permit the
fair conquest which Edward I had made to be forfeited to the Scots for
want of fighting. It was, therefore, resolved that the king should go
himself to Scotland with as great forces as he could possibly muster.

41. King Edward II, therefore, assembled one of the greatest armies
which a king of England ever commanded. There were troops brought from
all his dominions. Many brave soldiers from the French provinces which
the king of England enjoyed in France; many Irish, many Welsh, and all
the great English nobles and barons, with their followers, were
assembled in one great army. The number was not less than one hundred
thousand men.