Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (2).pdf/22

22 AN ACCOUNT OF THE univerſal joy. To perpetuate the memory of this victory, two ſtones were reared up in the field, and are ſtill to be ſeen there. They ſtand in a ſpot which has lately been incloſed for a garden at the north end of the village of Newhouſe, and about a quarter of a mile, from the Borough-port of Stirling.

This victory gave new ſpirits to the whole army, and made them ſo eager for the general engagement, that the night, tho' among the ſhorteſt of the year, ſeemed long to them. Edward too, exaſperated at the defeat of his detachment, was determined to bring on the battle on the morrow. At length appeared the dawn of that important day, which was to decide, whether Scotland was henceforth to be an independent kingdom, or ſubject to a foreign yoke. Early all was in motion in both armies: religious ſentiments were mingled with the military ardour of the Scots; a ſolemn maſs, in the manner of theſe times, was ſaid by the Abbot of Inchaffery, a monaſtary in Strathearn, who alſo adminiſtred the ſacrament to the King and the great officers about him, while inferior prieſts did the ſame to the reſt of the army. After this they formed in order of battle, in a track of ground called Nether Touchadam, which lies along the declivity of a gently riſing hill. This ſituation had been previouſly choſen becauſe of its advantages. Upon the right they had a range of ſteep rocks, now called Murray's Craig, and in their front, were ſteep banks of the rivulet of Bannockburn. Not far behind them was a wood; ſome veſtiges of which ſtill remain. Upon the left was a moraſs, now called Milton-bog, from its vicinity to a ſmall village of that name: much of this bog is ſtill undrained, and a part of it is at preſent a mill dam. As it was then the middle of ſummer, it was almoſt quite dry. But King Robert had recourſe to a ſtratagem, in order to prevent any attack from that quarter. He had ordered many ditches and pits to be digged in the moraſs, and ſtakes, ſharpened at both ends, to be driven into them, and the whole to be covered over again with green turf, ſo that the ground had ſtill the appearance of being firm. He alſo cauſed crow-feet, or harp pointed irons to be ſcattered throughout the moraſs; ſome of them have been found there in the memory of people ſtill living; the ſame manœuvres were likewiſe carried on for a little way along the front of the left wing;