Page:Life and adventures of Sir Wm. Wallace.pdf/13

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desired to speak with him, and upbraiding him with such a foolish usurpation of the kingdom oi Scotland, against so powerful a faction at home, assisted by so mighty a King abroad — I, answered Wallace, intend never to reign in Scotland, but finding my native count!y abandoned by you and Baliol, who have the light 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, per- ceiving the fraudful and tyraneous 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 Eng- lish King returned at that time without any further exploit.

Bruce, remembering what he heard from Wal- lace, 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 to do 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 i without seeing his eldest son Robert Bruce, after- wards King, he being kept, for assurance of his fa- ther’s obedience, in Calais Castle in France.

After this unhappy battle, Wallace, striving to re- cover such castles and strengths as King Edward had intercepted, found such opposition and backward-