Selkirk looked around. He had followed both riders ever since they had left Edinburgh Castle. It had been easy. They had suspected nothing and so expected nothing. The knight had thought he would have to wait longer, but when he realised his quarry intended to sleep out in the open in a lonely Scotish wood, then he knew that such an opportunity could not be resisted. Selkirk walked silendy back through the wood until he came to a small clearing hidden by a canopy of trees. The ground was soggy and easy to break up and, quickly digging a shallow grave, he dragged the bodies of both men into it. He also dug a small hole for the saddles and other baggage after he had rummaged through them for anything of value for himself or his master. The unsaddled horses and ponies were then pricked in the haunches and sent cantering into the gathering darkness. Selkirk was confident that they would find their way back to some farmstead or village where the local peasants would hardly believe their good fortune. Satisfied that all was done, Selkirk collected his own horse and made his way back to Edinburgh. Already he knew his master would be preparing the draft letter to Edward of England sadly answering Edward's expected enquiry on the "whereabouts of his envoy". After all, such accidents, as Wishart would caustically comment, were common occurrences in Scotland.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The death of Alexander III occurred as described in these pages. The King and Queen Yolande were often apart and, on the evening of 18th March 1286, the King did announce, to the surprise of all his Council, that he intended to ride through a storm across the dangerous Firth of Forth and so reach Queen Yolande at Kinghorn Manor. The Council, convened to discuss the imprisonment of a Scottish baron, loudly objected and protested that the inclement weather was against such a journey. Alexander, however, persisted and his Councillors did not demur for Alexander's wild rides around Scotland were an accepted fact of life. The King left Edinburgh with two body-squires and crossed at Queensferry. Both the ferrymaster and the waiting purveyor, Alexander, did try to restrain the King but their protests were of no avail. The King began his wild ride into the fierce storm and fell to his death from Kinghorn Ness.
It is a matter of speculation whether the King's fall was an accident or murder. Many did stand to gain from his death. The Bruces and the Comyn faction ignored Bishop Wishart and eventually drifted into savage inter-clan rivalry. Edward of England continued to act as a mediator, though it is interesting that at the time of Alexander's death he arranged huge loans to the Norwegian king and had despatched envoys to the Pope to ask for papal permission for his young son to be betrothed to the Maid of Norway. Philip IV of France was also interested in Scottish affairs and continued to be so throughout his reign. Eventually Edward of England showed his hand. At first he acted as an honest broker between the rival Scottish claims to the throne, but then only supported the candidate who was prepared to accept his liegeship over Scodand. The Maid of Norway never reached Scodand but mysteriously died on the voyage over. This was the signal for the Bruce faction to advance their claims and a savage war between England and Scotland broke out which lasted decades and cost countless lives.
Many people believe that power politics between great nations is a development of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is not so. Edward I had very clear ideas about empire and conquests and Philip IV of France was no different. The latter too had dreams of obtaining an empire in Europe greater than Charlemagne. He regarded the Pope, who had fled to Avignon in Southern France, as simply an extension of his own influence. He married his sons and daughters off to the greatest nobles of Europe and later had a formal alliance with Scotland against England. Philip's political philosophy was expressed by one of his lawyers, Pierre du Bois, whose writings are still extant and prove fascinating reading. This constant clashing between the Plantagenets of England and the Capetians of France not only fuelled the war in Scodand but was one of the major causes for the later Hundred Years War which ranged from the Low Countries to Spain.
Thomas of Learmouth, or Thomas the Rhymer, is a historical figure. Some of his poetry is still extant. He did prophecy Alexander Ill's death and the consequent confusion which would follow. His prophecies proved only too accurate. Edward I died near Carlisle in 1307 still urging his heir (Prince Edward) and his barons to continue the war until they had achieved the ultimate victory but his successor and eldest son, King Edward II, proved unequal to the task. In 1314 one of the greatest English armies ever assembled during the medieval period was met by Robert Bruce at Bannockburn. The English army was disastrously defeated, the English king barely escaping with his life. In the words of Thomas the Rhymer – "The Bannockburn ran with blood".