Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (2).pdf/11

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. the noble Sir Johs Graham, the most valiant worthy of Scotland, next unto Wallace. Bruce, whom the king of England had brought with all his friends into the field, pretending to aſſiſt him for recovery of his right from the uſurper. Bruce, perceiving Wallace on the other ſide the Carron, deſired to ſpeak with him, and upbraiding him with ſo fooliſh an uſurpation of the kingdom of Scotland, againſt ſo powerful a faction at home, aſſitted by ſo mighty a king abroad. I, anſwered Wallace intend never reign in Scotland, but finding my native country abandoned by you and Baliol, who have the right to the crown, have ſet myſelf to defend my friends and neighbours, from the unjuſt tyranny and uſurpation of the king of England, who ſetteth you forth moſt unnaturally to tear the bowels of your mother with your own hands. After divers ſpeeches to this purpoſe, Bruce, perceiving the fraudful and tyranous dealing of king Edward, returned to the hoſt. The next morning Wallace, underſtanding that the Engliſh army was weakly entrenched and in great ſecurity, amaſſing with his own army ſuch as had eſcaped, ſet upon them in the dawning before they could be arrayed, and killed many: ſo that the Engliſh king returned at that time without any further exploit. Bruce, remembring what he heard of Wallace, deſired king Edward, according to his former promiſes, to put him in poſſeſſion of ſo much of the kingdom of Scotland as then was under his power; to whom he anſwered in the French tongue, 'Have we no more ado but conquer kingdoms for you.' By this ſpeech the lord Bruce conceived ſo great grief and anger, that within few days he departed this life without ſeeing his eldeſt ſon Robert Bruce, afterwards King, he being kept for aſſurance of his father's obedience in Calais caſtle in France.

After this unhappy battle, Wallace, ſtriving to recover ſuch caſtles and ſtrength as King Edward had intercepted, found ſuch oppoſition and back rdneſs, by envious emulators, that he returned to St. Johnſtoun, and, in the aſſembly of the States, reſigned his charge of warden, and with 18 men paſſed again into France, according to a promiſe at his return therefrom. This fell out at the end of the year 1300. The oppoſite faction having gained their deſire, choſe John Cumming governor; the rather becauſe king Edward had promiſed to aſſiſt him to the crown of Scotland. But he found him as great an enemy as he had