Page:Life of Sir William Wallace.pdf/14

 bridge, contrary to the advice of Sir Richard Lundin, who offered to show them a ford, and with five hundred horse, and a body of foot, to fall upon the rear of the enemy. Fortunately Wallace had been able to restrain the impetuosity of his followers, and thus preserve all the advantages of his position. His camp was situate at the entrance of a pass between the mountains, on a rising ground, having the river Forth in front and as the English began to defile along the bridge, he, ere half their army were across, and while those who had passed were still in disorder, attacked them with a fury that was irresistible. Many thousands were slain on the field, or drowned in the flight; among the rest Cressingham, on whose dead body the Scots barbarously wreaked their vengeance. A panic seized the English who had been spectators of the fate of their companions, they burnt the bridge, and retreated in the utmost confusion to Berwick, leaving their baggage in the hand of the conquerer. Few of any note fell on the side of the Scots; but unfortunately, among them was Andrew Moray of Bothwell, one of the most zealous supporters of the cause of freedom. The battle, so fortunate in its consequences, was fought on the 11th September, 1297.

Sensible how much the success of the cause depended upon exertion, Wallace wasted no time in idle triumph, but hastening back to Dundee, renewed the seige with so much vigour that in a short time it capitulated, and one by one, all the others strongholds in the kingdom fell into the hands of the patriots; and Scotland was thus once more freed from the foreign yoke.

Freed from one enemy, the Scots had still another to encounter no less formidable. The country