Page:History of Sir William Wallace, the renowned Scottish champion.pdf/9

9 a slight resistance; Stirling Castle almost with- out a struggle; others were abandoned: the spirit of the nation was extinguished : and Baliol again submitted to the terms of the conqueror. In this invasion Edward had been joined by Bruce and his adherents, who conceived a prospect was opened up of that nobleman obtaining the crown. But Edward, when order was restored, and the matter hinted to him, contemptuously replied, “ Have we nothing else to do but to conquer kingdoms for you?” Bruce made no reply, but retired into obscurity, and passed the remainder of his days in quietness and opulence. It was in the month of July 1296 that Edward finished at Elgin his expedition northward against the Scots. On his return to the south his army committed the most dreadful excesses; and still more to complete the subjugation of Scotland, the English monarch ordered all the charters and public papers which could in any way exhibit proof of the independence of the realm to be destroyed. He also carried off the celebrated stone, belonging to the coronation- chair of the Scottish kings, from the palace of Scone, where it had been kept for ages, and de- posited it in Westminister Abbey. But all these indignities, added to the oppression and misrule of Edward’s lieutenants in Scotland, only served