Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (1).pdf/5

 .SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. 5 fwers of lawyers, and the number of new precedents he made the matter more difficult, and appointed a new convention at Norham, on the border, in the year fol- lowing. Difficulties thus increafing, and the earl of Holland having on foot a great army, to take the crowd of Scot- land by force, (which their own ftories affirm, to have landed in Scotland, and to have intercepted fome ftrengths) at the meeting of Norham, king Edward dealt fecretly, and by fit agents, with the ftates of Scot- land, for fhunning imminent dangers, to become his fubjects; he, being defcended of King David’s fifter, and fo but two degrees further from the crown of Scot- land than Bruce or Baliol were. This being flatly re- futed by all, he betook him to his other defign. And firft dealt fecretly with Robert Bruce, promifing to difcern in his favours, if he would take the crown of Scotland holden of him, and do him homage for it. But he ftoutly refufed to fubject a free nation to any overt - lord ; whereupon king Edward called for John Baliol, who, knowing that he was not fo much favour- ed of the States of Scotland, eafily condefcended to king Edward’s defire and was by him declared king of Scotland ; the States, desirous of peace, conveyed him to Scoon, where he was crowned anno 1291, and all, except Bruce, fwore obedience to him. Thereafter Duncan Macduff, earl of Fife, was killed by lord Aber- rethy, (a man of great power in thofe times, allied both with the Cummings and Baliol;) the earl’s brother, finding the King partial in the adminiftration of juftice, fummoned him to compear before the King of England in parliament; where being prefent, and fitting befide King Edward, (after he had done him homage) when she was called upon to anfwer at the bar. This indigni- ty grieved him greatly, he refolved to free himfelf of this bondage. At the fame time war breaking out between England and France, king Edward fent ambaffadots to the parliament of Scotland to fend aid to him, as now being their over-lord. There came alfo other ambaffa- dors from France, defiring the ancient league to be re- newed. The King and the States of Scotland renewed the league with France, which had remained, inviola-