Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (1).pdf/20

 20 AN ACCOUNT OF THE in a fifher-boat, leaving 200 noblemen and gentlemen kill led by the Scots, and as many taken : the number of the commons flain and taken was incredible. Of Scots were flain two gentlemen of note, Sir William Wepont, and Sir Waher Rofs, with 4000 common foidiers. After this victory, Stirling being yielded, and Dumbar- ton gotten by competition, the Earl of March, the Lord Soules, and Abernethy, and others of the Cummings’ al lies, were reconciled to the King, who paft into the ifles, and brought them to obedience, taking John of Lorn captive, who died in prifon in Bochleven. Thus Scotland was freed of the bondage of England, except Berwick which was recovered four years thereafter, 1313, and the Scots making divers incurfions into England, under the leading of Earl Thomas Randal, and James lord Douglas, requitted the harms received from them before, and ca- riched themfelves with their fpoil. As for the Authority of thfe two hiftories, altho’ they poffibly ere in fome circumftances of time, place, and num- ber, or names of men, yet generally they write the truth of the ftory of thefe times, both at greater length, and upon more certain information, than thofe who have writ- ten our Chronicles. So committing them to thy diligent perufal, (gentle and courteous reader,) I wifh thee profit thereby, and all happinefs from God. Farewel.

A fhort ACCOUNT of the Battle of BANNOCKBURN, - which was fought, June 24th, 1314. EDWARD II. kept up the fame claim in Scotland which his father had begun: and after feveral unfuc- cefsful attempts to eftablifh it, he refolved to make a great effort, and at once reduce that turbulent nation, which had put fo many fignal affronts upon his father and himfelf. In the fpring, 1314. he affembled the moft numerous army that had ever croffed the border, compofed of dif- ferent nations, and amounting to above 100,000 effective men, befides, a huge multitude of attendants, who came along, in hopes of fharirg in the plunder of a conquered enemy. At the head of thefe ho marched northward with an uncommon parade, and in full confidence of victory, Robert Bruce, the. fon of that Robert Bruce who held a conference with Wallace upon the banks of the Carron, fend grandfon of him who had been competitor with Ba- liol, had, in 1309, been crowned king of Scotland, and being informed of Edward’s formimid-bie preparations, he raifed an army of 30,000 of bis fubjects to oppofe him. This armameut bore but a fmall proportion to that of Ed- ward s ; but it was compofed of foldiers, who were hard-, ened by long practice of war, and who now carried upon