Page:History of Sir William Wallace the renowned Scottish champion (1).pdf/18

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dedicated to the service of God. But Wallace had so deep a sense of the injuries which the English had done to his country, that he only laughed at       the contrition of his soldiers,--“I will absolve you all myself," he said. “It is not half what       the invaders deserved at our hands?” So deep-        seated was Wallace's feeling of national resent-        ment, that it overeame, the scruples of a temper        which was naturally humane.          The Seots returned from England in triumph,        laden with plunder; where they had spread ter-        ror along the whole border, to the gates of New-        castle.          Edward once more resolved to invade Seotland,        at the head of 80,000 infantry and 7000 horse-        men, he in person led on the march, holding his        course northward he passed through Edinburgh,        and fixed his head-quarters at Templeliston, a        village between that eity and Linlithgow, where        he resolved to abide till his vietualling-ships        should arrive. While stationed here he received        intelligence that the Seots were advaneing upon Falkirk, a town about 12 miles distant. He re- solved to give battle. But while the English passed the night under arms on a heath, an ae- cident happened to their king which threatened for the present to suspend the attack. As he lay on the ground, his war-house struck him with a