After a week’s stay at home Archie rode away and joined the king, taking, however, but four or five retainers with him.  Bruce received him with extreme warmth.  He had heard of his capture, and the news that he was condemned to die at Berwick had also reached him, and he had no doubt but Archie had shared the fate which had befallen his own brothers and so many of his bravest friends.  His pleasure, therefore, equalled his surprise when his brave follower rode into his camp.  Many of Archie’s friends assembled as soon as it was known that he had arrived; and after the first greetings the king asked him for a recital of the means by which he had escaped from the fate decreed him by Edward.  Archie related the whole story, and at its conclusion the king called to his attendants to bring goblets and wine.

“Sirs,” he said, “let us drink to the health of Mistress Marjory Forbes, one of the bravest and truest of Scotch women.  Would to Heaven that all the men of our country were animated by as noble and courageous feelings!  Our friend, Sir Archibald Forbes, has indeed won a jewel, and I take no small credit to myself that I was the first who advised him to make Mistress Kerr his wife.”

The toast was given with enthusiasm; but Archie afterwards protested against the king assuming any credit to himself in the matter, since, although it was true that he had advised him to marry Mistress Mary Kerr, he had wished him to abandon, for her sake, Mistress Marjory, the niece of Alexander MacDougall, who had set him free from her uncle’s hold of Dunstaffnage.

“Now, Archie,” the king said, when they were again alone together, “I suppose, seeing that you have come hither without your following, that you wish for a time to remain quiet at home, and seeing that you have suffered severe imprisonment and a grievous risk of death in my cause, methinks you have well earned the right to rest quiet for a while with your brave lady.  At present I can dispense with the services of your retainers.  Most of the low country is now in my hands, and the English garrisons dare not venture out of their strong places.  The army that the King of England collected to crush us has been, I hear, much disorganized by his death, and the barons will doubtless wring concessions and privileges from his son before they spread their banners to the wind again.  From all reports the new king has but little of his father’s ability and energy, and months may elapse before any serious effort is made against us.  I am despatching my brother Edward to join Douglas in subduing Galloway, and during his absence I shall be content to remain here in the field with a small following, for the English governors of the towns will, methinks, stand only on the defensive, until a strong army marches north from England.  When Galloway is subdued the lowlands will be all in my hands save for the English garrisons, and I shall on Edward’s return set myself to punish the Comyns and the other traitor nobles of the north,