Page:History of Sir William Wallace (1).pdf/51

 ( 51 ) their leaders were completely versant in the art of war. The comparison of his own army with this, augmented his vexation. His veteran ad experienced soldiers, were not arrived from Flanders: therefore he deemed it unwise to hazard his own glory, the forfeiture of his claim to the crown of Scotland, and the lives of his nobles, with an undisciplined militia, against a small, but resistless army in which every officer, and every nun, acted the part of a hero. Edward, therefore, wisely retreated; and Wallace, to prevent a general engagement, restrained his men from pursuing. He pro- hibited any man to move from his ranks, and told bis followers that they had done enough when they stood their ground, and kept their countenances, in the presence of such a power, which, one would have thought, was able to have swallowed them up; that this was, in effect, a victory, and so much the more glorious, that they had gained it without driving their swords. This speech being circulated through the army, had an agreeable influence upon all their minds. The officers alighted from their horses, and, together with the whole army prostred themselves; and, according to the religion and custom of that period, they sung the passeg of St. Andrew, the patron of Scotland, and returned thanks to St. Cuthbert, on whose feast, and, in so no measure, by whose intercession, they attributed their cour having been reused, and their enemies put to flight. E2 The