Page:Life and surprising adventures of that renowned hero, Sir Wm. Wallace.pdf/11

 September. Sir Andrew Murray was the only Scotchman of note that lost his life, although many of the English commanders fell this day. This victory was evinced to be complete in its effects and consequences. No Englishman durst remain in Scotland; and all those Scots, who, for reasons of policy or of baseness, had deserted to the English interest, now submitted to Wallace, and hailed him as the deliverer of their country. And thus, in about fourteen months after the king had been deposed and his kingdom subdued, and obliged to own a foreign prince as their hereditary king, did Wallace, till then a private and obscure gentleman, unaccustomed to martial exploits, without money or arms, but such as he took from the enemy, and with only a handful of men, restore the nation to its ancient liberty and independence.

Although the plunder taken at the battle of Stirling was not inconsiderable, yet so many armies ranging through all parts of the kingdom, occasioned a great scarcity, and a general famine was seriously apprehended. To prevent this calamity, Wallace issued orders, commanding all Scotsmen capable of bearing arms to be ready to join him by turns. The men thus raised were formed into