Is the Declaration of Arbroath the defining historical document affirming the independence of Scotland under the banner of their king, the excommunicated Robert the Bruce? Or was it just a joint letter from titled Scots to Pope John XXII detailing the hardships their people were being subjected to by England’s King Edward II – who just wouldn’t let go of wanting to conquer Scotland – and the Scots’ willingness to remain free of English rule? Does it all really matter in the context of today?
Believed to have been penned – or quilled – during the First War of Scottish Independence on 6 April 1320 by Bernard, a Tironensian Benedictine abbot at Arboarth Abbey, neither the original Latin document nor its English translation centuries later bore the title Declaration of Arbroath. Few knew of the 1200-word historical text until the late 17th century because a large portion of non-nobles didn’t read Latin. Mind you, Latin aside, few today know of the letter to the Pontiff.
When translated into English in the late 1680s the ‘unnamed document’ still wasn’t a best seller, and didn’t bear the title as we know it. Toward the end of the 19th century, almost 600 years after Abbot Bernard’s scribing, the name Declaration of Arbroath finally appeared. But even then, it didn’t rock anyone’s boat.
A tale of two declarations
Throughout the previous century, and even today, there are those who imply that the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath influenced the American Declaration of Independence. However, one is a letter to a Pope, the other a declaration of war. The only commonality being, both documents were signed by men of stature and power and claimed to represent the common folk when, truth be told, most were representing their own self-interests.
And that’s where any similarity should have been put to bed.
However, in March 1998 Republican US Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi introduced United States Senate Resolution No. 155 to adopt 6 April as National Tartan Day. The resolution was “to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States”; it also referred to the predominance of Scots among the Founding Fathers of the United States and claimed that the American Declaration of Independence was “modelled on” the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath.
Although there was nothing to support the resolution’s claim – which passed later that month – who could doubt a US Senator who holds the Grand Cross in the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite?
The rectitude of intentions
The American document is introduced with a powerful, patriotic statement:
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
In an era where writers apparently seem reluctant to end a sentence, the US document concludes:
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown …”
Inspiring! Makes you want to go out and pound a kettle drum or build a barricade.
Opens like a snail, ends with a sting
The Declaration of Arbroath opens somewhat less inspiring:
“To the Most Saintly Father in Christ the Lord, the Lord John, by divine Providence, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, from his humble and devoted sons, Duncan – Earl of Fife, Thomas Ranulph – Earl of Moray, Lord of Man and Annandale, Patrick Dunbar – Earl of March, Malise – Earl of Strathearn, …”
It carries on naming the other 35 earls and barons before mercifully ending the 198-word non-stop salutation, “along with the other Barons, Freeholders and all the common people of the kingdom of Scotland, we send every filial reverence with devoted kisses of your blessed feet.”
One has to read through over 600-plus words of 14th century linguistic drivel before coming upon the letter’s most famous quote:
“… while a hundred of us remain alive, we will not submit in the slightest measure, to the domination of the English. We do not fight for honour, riches, or glory, but solely for freedom which no true man gives up but with his life.”
The letter ends cleverly in that it lays a guilt trip on Pope John XXII.
“If your Holiness, trusting too much in the English version of these events, does not truly believe us, or does not stop supporting them to our disadvantage, then, we believe that the slaughter of bodies, the loss of souls, and all the other things that will follow, the injuries that they will do to us and we to them, will be blamed by the Most High on you.”
Now, that’s a slam-dunk.
The letter did result in the Pope telling Edward II to play nice and leave the Scots alone. But it took another eight years before a new English monarch, Edward III, signed a peace treaty with Scotland. Robert the Bruce was recognised King of Scotland and the Pope removed his excommunication.
Today many Scots lament about independence and the some in the United States ask, “What happened? How did it come to this?”
A day to celebrate all that is Scottish
A by-product Scotland’s diaspora is Tartan Day, whereby 6 April is a celebration of Scottish culture and heritage that benefited the world; from New Zealand to France, across the US and Canada, and from Argentina to Scotland.
The Americans pull out all the stop and celebrate Tartan Day with the same fanfare as if it were a half-time Super Bowl event. New York City goes one step further and declares Tartan Week, although it is minuscule compared to the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade and celebrations. But it appears America has to codify everything.
On 9 March 2005 the US House of Representatives unanimously adopted Resolution 41 in favour of a US National Tartan Day on 6 April. The House resolution’s chief sponsors were the founding co-chairs of the Friends of Scotland Caucus in the House; Representative Mike McIntyre from North Carolina and Tennessee Rep. Jimmy Duncan.
The resolutions in both houses of the US Congress have led some, perhaps many, to believe Tartan Day had its beginnings in America. In fact the first Tartan Day was held on 6 April 1987, organised by the Federation of Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia, Canada; Nova Scotia being Latin for New Scotland. Adopted by all the Canadian provinces and territories, 6 April 2010 was declared National Tartan Day.
Action and deeds, not word of inspiration
The Scottish and American historical documents, along with hundreds of constitutions, bills of rights, declarations of independence worldwide, and whatever Magna Carta inspired, are just words. Simply nothing more or less than the millions of campaign promises in countries where democratic elections are held. They are words that can be codified, sealed, signed, plastered on signposts, pontificated before a sea of TV network microphones, and etched into a stone tablet.
We shouldn’t be revering words.
We should be looking beyond the spoken words, the treaties and memorandums of intent.
We need to judge the actions – for better or worse – of the men and women who speak them and those who remain silent.
More in history.
Your voice, your story – independent powerful citizen journalism.
Consider supporting us monthly
A newspaper costs approximately £60.00/year, you can enjoy Bylines Scotland for £36.00/year – please think about supporting independent citizen journalism
.jpg){kind=link}