Page:History of the Scottish patriot, Sir Wm. Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie.pdf/15

Rh and executed. Among those who were executed was Sir Roland Crawford, sheriff of Ayr, and uncle to Wallace. Those who escaped informed Wallace of the dreadful catastrophe, who immediately assembled 50 of his followers, entered Ayr in the night, and set fire to the place when many of the English were asleep; the garrison issuing forth fell into an ambush, and were put to the sword. Wallace and his men instantly seized the fort, and then marched to Glasgow, attacked Lord Percy, and completely routed his forces. Being now placed at the head of a considerable army, he marched to Stirling, and took the castle. Argyle and Lorn, with the adjacent country, were soon in his possession; Perth, with the neighbouring places, were soon recovered. Penetrating into Angus and Mearns, he took and demolished the castles of Forfar, Brechin, and Montrose. By an unexpected assault, he carried Dunnottar, which he garrisoned. When he approached Aberdeen it was all in flames, the English having set it on fire, being afraid of his coming.

Learning that the English, with an army of 40,000, among whom were many disaffected Scotchmen, were approaching Stirling, Wallace stationed his troops on an advantageous place upon a hill above the monastery of Cambuskenneth, on the north side of the Forth. This river has no passable fords at this place, and the only passage was by a wooden bridge, nearly a mile above where the present bridge is situated. The English sent two Dominican Friars to Wallace, to offer a pardon to him and his men if they would lay down their arms. Their terms were, however, degrading and insulting both to the honour and independence of the Scottish nation, and therefore rejected with becoming disdain. “Go, tell your officers,” said the unflinching Wallace, “that the Scots came not here to treat for peace, but prepared for battle, and are determined to avenge our wrongs, and set our country free from the iron yoke of Edward. Let them but advance, and to