ORIGIN OF " THE ROYALS," OR FIRST REGIMENT OF THE LINE. [From Grant's " Scottish Cavalier."]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 495, 11 January 1851, Page 3

ORIGIN OF " THE ROYALS," OR FIRST REGIMENT OF THE LINE. [From Grant's " Scottish Cavalier."]

Louis, surnamed the Saint, King of France, having taken the cross, sailed ivith a splendid retinue of knighti, nobles, and soldiers, beut on the dcliveiy of Jerusalem fiom the profanation of the Moslem ; and

landing in the E»st, laid seige to Damietta (in Lower Egypt), which he triumphantly won by storm.. But after enduring innumerable hardship! and disasters by the sword, and by pestilence from the foetid waters oi the marshy Nile and the Lake of Menzaleh, he was overthrown in battle at Mansoura, and made captive by Soldan. This was about the year 1254, when Alexander, 111. was King of Scotland. In these Extern wars, St. Louis was twice saved from death by the valour of a small band of auxiliary Scots cruiaders, commanded by the Earls of March audDunbar, Walter Stewart Lord of Dundonald, and Sir David Lindsa\ of Gleneak. These brave adventurers had the good fortune to rescue the French Monarch, fust from the scimitars of the followers of the King of the Arsacides, i Mahominedan despot, and aftei wards from the emis* dries of the Comtek de la Marche. Our good King Alexander sent ambassadors to con•rratulate St Louii on his deliverance fiom these double perils, and on his return from this first crusade, the twu Monarchs agreed that in remembrance of these deeds of fidelity and valour, there should remain in France, in all time coming, " a itanding company or guard of Scotsmen recommended by their own Sovereign," and who should in future form the garde dv corps of the moat Christian King. Such was the origin of the bravest body guard that Europe ever saw, though our ancient historians are fond of dating its formation from the days of Charlemagne and Gregory the Great of Scotland. The guard thus established by St Louis inarched with him to the second crusade in the year ] 270. It was then led by the Earlt of Carrick and Atholl, Sir J. Stuart, Sir W. Gordon, and other brave knights, most of whom perished with Louis of a deadly pestilence before the walls of Tunis and under the towers of Abu Zaccheria. This noble band of Scottish Archers remained constantly in France, and were the only military corps in that country until King Charles VII added a few French companies to increase his Guards, still giving ihe Scots their old pre-eminence and post of honour next the Royal person. Their leader was styled Premier Capitaine of the guards, and as such took precedence of all military officers in France. When the French Sovereign wa» anointed, he stood beside him ; and when the ceremony was over, obtained the lloyal robes, with all their embroidery and jewels, as his perquisite. When a city was to be stormed, the Scottish Archers led the way ; when it surrendered, the keys were received by their Captain from the hands of the King. Twenty «five of them, "in testimony of their unspotted fidelity," wore over their magnificent armour white boque tons of a peculiar fashion, richly laced and embossed with silver. Six of them in rotation svere ever beside the Royal person— by night as well as b,/ 4ay~ at the reception of foreign ambassadors — ip the secret debates in the Cabinet — in the rejoicings of the tournament — the reyels of the banquet I—the1 — the solemrffties of the Church— and 'the glories of the battle-field. The Scottish hearts foimed a z one around the Monarchs of France ; and at the close of ihe scene, the chosen twenty five had the privilege of bearing the lloyal remains to the regal sepulchre of St Denis. "* " * . ""' It would require volumes,' instead of a chapter, to recount all the honours paid to the Scottish Guard, and the glory acquired by them in the wars of five centuries. Led by Alexander Earl of Buchan, Great Constable of France, they performed good service in that great battle at Binje-en-Atljou, where the English were completely routed ; and at Verneuil, where Buchan died sword in hand, like a brave knight, and covered with renown— at the same moment that Swinton, the gallant Liird of Dalswinton, slew the boasting Clarence with one thrust of his border-spear. In 1570, the Guard consisted of a hundred cuirassiers, or horn. rnes-tTes^armee, a hundred archers of the corps, and and twenty- five " keepers of the King's body'' — all Scottish .gentlemen of noble descent and coat-aroiour. They saved the life of the tyrant Louis XI at Liege, and at Pavia fought around Francic in a circle until four only were left alive; and then, but not till then, the King fell into the hands of the foe. In gratitude for their long-tried faith and unmatched valour, thpy were vested with " all the honour and confidence the King of France could bestow on his nearest and dearest friends ;" and thus, in a little band of Scottish Archers, originated the fashion of standing armies, and the nucleus of the great permanent foicss oi France. " By this means," says an old Jacobite author," our gentry were at once taught the rues of civility and art of w ar ; &nd we were possessed of an inexhaustible stock of brave officers, fit to discipline and to command our armies at home, and ever sure to keep up that respect which was deservedly paid to the Scots name and nation abroad." As Sir James Hepburn's regiment of Pikemen they icturned to Scotland in 1633, being sent over by Louis XIII. to attend the coronation of Charles I. at Edinburgh. On the commencement of the great and disastrous civil war eight years after, \hcy loyally adhered to the King.and were then by the Cavalier army first ityled the Royal Scots. Ou the reverse of Charles's fortune and subversion of all order, they went back to France ; and under Louis of Bourbon, Due d'Eughien, shared in all the dangers and glories of that campaign on the frontiers ot Flanders, so famoui for ending in the utter destruction of the Spanish host, the death of the brave Conde de Fuentes, the fall of Tuionville, Philipsburg, Menlz, Wormi, and Oppenheim, till the wateis of the Rhine teflected the flash of their armour; and there fell the veteran Hepburn with his helmet on his brow, and ibe flag of Saint Andrew over him. Returning in 1678, they re-entered the Scottish army as the Earl of Dunbarton's Foot; and eight years af.er served against the ill fated Vlonmoutli and suf fered' 'severely, being attacked at Sedgemoor by his cavalry in the night, their position being discerned through the darkncis by the glow of their lighted matches. At the Union in 1707, on the incorporation of the forces as the British establishment — and when Scottish blood and Scottish treasure were more than ever required to farther the grasping aims and useless wars of that age — the Royals, in consequence of their highstanding in arms and venerable antiquity, were numbered as the First, or Royal Scots Regiment of Foot — a title they have since maintained wivh honour, vmd on a hundred fields have upborne victoriously the same silver cross which the brave Archers of Atholl and the Spearmen of Buchan unfurled so gloriously on the plains of Anjou, and at Verneuil, on the banks of Aure.'