[MR] BBC: Declaration of Arbroath To Go On Display

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots,

Today the BBC announced that the fabled Declaration of Arbroath will go on
display for the first time in almost 20 years. The document will be on show
at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh from 3 June to 2 July 2023.

The Declaration of Arbroath was a letter from 51 Scottish nobles to Pope
John XXII. The letter was sealed at Arbroath Abbey on 6 April 1320,
pleading with the Pope to recognize Scotland's independence from England.
The Pope supported English claims to rule Scotland, and had excommunicated
King Robert the Bruce (for the second time), and had placed all Scotland
under interdiction (the sacraments were suspended, among other penalties).

The letter states in stirring terms "For, as long as 100 of us remain
alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the
English." The text further vows, "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches,
nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom, for that alone, which no
honest man gives up but with life itself."


Of course, all this was written in Latin. The Declaration wasn't translated
into English until the 17th century.


The Scots' eloquent words apparently worked, at least partly. The Pope
removed the interdiction, and rescinded King Robert the Bruce's
excommunication. But the Pope still did not recognize his kingship or
Scottish independence. Why? He didn't want to torque off the English, whom
he was hoping would be major participants in a Crusade the Pope was
planning.


Today 6 April is celebrated by Scots around the world, usually as "Tartan
Day".


The BBC piece is at
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-64902299 .


More on the Declaration is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Arbroath .


Yours Aye,



Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆