Forth, Heart Of Bruce
Illustration★★★One of the versions of the tradition of the age of chivalry, says that a Scottish king, when dying, bequeathed his heart to the most trusted and beloved of his nobles, to be carried to Palestine. Enclosing the precious deposit in a golden case, and suspending it from his neck, the knight went out with his companions. He found himself, when on his way to Syria, hard pressed by the Moors of Spain.
To animate himself to supernatural efforts, that he might break through his thronging foes, he snatched the charge intrusted to him from his neck, and, flinging it into the midst of his enemies, exclaimed, “Forth, Heart of Bruce! as thou wast wont, and Douglas will follow thee or die.” The servant cannot go among the vile where the master’s heart has not gone.
The point
A dying king's heart, carried toward Palestine, was flung by a knight into the enemy ranks so he would fight his way to it—we cannot go among the lost unless our master's heart leads the way.