Page:Life and adventures of Sir William Wallace, General and Governor of Scotland (2).pdf/7

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE drew to him, ſuch as affected the liberty and welfare of their country, and had courage to hazard themſelves for vindicating thereof. As namely the earl Malcom Lennox, the lord William Douglas, (who had been taken captive at the winning of Berwick, whereof he was captain, and ſent home upon aſſurance) Sir John Graham, Sir Neil Campbel, Sir Chriſtopher Seaton, Sir John Ramſay, Sir Fergus Barclay, Andrew Murray, William Oliphant, Hugh Hay, Robert Boyd, John Johnſtoun, Adam Gordon, Robert Keith, Ronald Crawford younger, Adam Wallace, Roger Kilpatrick, Simon and Alexander Frazers, James Crawford, Robert Lauder, Scriminger, Alexander Auchinleck, Ruthven, Richard Lundie, William Crawford, Arthur Biſſet, James and Robert Lindſay, John Cleland, William Ker, Edward Little, Robert Rutherford, Thomas Halliday, John Tinto, Walter Newbigging, Gerdan Baird, Gutheries, Adam Currie, Hugh Dundaſs, John Scot, Steven Ireland, Mr. John Blair, Mr. Thomas Grey, and other gentlemen with their friends and ſervants; who after ſome valiant exploits happily atchieved, and an army of 10,000 men, led by Thomas earl of Lancaſter to the earl of Warren, defeated by Wallace at Bigger, (holding an aſſembly at the Foreſt Kirk) choſe Wallace to be warden of Scotland, and viceroy in Baliol's place: In which office, he ſo valiantly behaved himſelf, that in a ſhort ſpace he recovered all the ſtrength on the border, and brought the ſouth part of Scotland to good quiet.

The Engliſh fearing the loſs of all, ſubtilly took truce with Wallace for one year, beginning in February. In June following, they proclaimed a Juſtice eyre to be held at Glaſgow and Air the 18th of that month, thinking to entrap Wallace and all his friends, and under colour of law, to cut them off at the day appointed. All landed men according to the cuſtom, aſſembling to this court, the English condemned them for felony, and hanged them preſently; amongſt the reſt, Sir Ronald Crawford, ſheriff of Air, uncle to Wallace, Sir Bryce Blair, Sir Neil Montgomery, and many of the barons of Kyle, Cunningham, Carrick, and Clydeſdale. Thoſe who eſcaped by flight, advertiſed Wallace, who chanced to come later than the reſt. He aſſembling ſuch of the country, as (deteſting ſo horrible a fact) extremely hated the authors thereof, in the beginning of the night, ſecretly entered into Air, ſet fire to the place