Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (1).pdf/6

 6 THE HISTORY OF bly kept, for the fpace of 500 years before. The king of England’s fuit was rejected, becaufe the pretended furrender and homage, was made by John Baliol pri- vately, without the confent of the parliament. A mar- riage was alfo concluded betwixt prince Edward Bali- ol, and a daughter of Charles earl of Valois, brother to the French king Philip. Edward having forfeen all thefe things, had drawn Robert Bruce, earl of Carrick, with his friends, (enemies to Balicl) and divers noble- men of Scotland, who held lands of him in England, to bring fuch forces as they could make, to affift him in the French war ; but withal making truce with the French for fome months, he fuddenly turned his forces deftined againft France, towards Scotland. His na- vy was vanquifhed at Berwick, and 18 of his fhips taken. Yet his land hoft, by the means of the Brucian faction, and the Englifhed-Scots noblemen, took the town of Berwick; with great flaughter, and fhortly thereafter, Dunbar, Edinburgh and Stirling. In, and about thefe caftles, he had killed and taken captives the greateft part of the Scots noblemen; fo that croffing Forth, the blow being fo fudden, he found no preparation for refiftance, Baliol furrendered himfelf to King Edward at Mon- trofe, and was fent by him into England, where he re- mained captive till fuch time as by interceffion of the Pope, he was fet at liberty, fwearing and giving hoft- ages never to return to Scotland, King Edward came to Scoon, and took upon him the crown of Scotland, as forfeited by the rebellion of his homager Baliol. He fent for the nobles of Scotland who remained, that they, with fuch as were his captives, might fwear homage tell him as to their liege Lord and King, thofe who refuf- ed, were detained prifoners. King Edward, thinking that now all was fure fo him in Scotland, left John Piantagenet, (fome call him Warren) earl of Surry, and Sir Hugh Creffinghan treafurer, and returned to profecute the French was taking fuch of the nobility of Scotland as he feared along with him, with their followers. The great me of Scotland, being in this manner either imprifoned by king Edward, or fworn to his obedience, and tied there to by reafon of the lands holden of the crown of Eng