Page:Life of Sir William Wallace.pdf/9

 much was this the case, that even the passive spirit of Baliol could no longer brook the insults to which he was exposed; but, uniting with his nobles, he disclaimed the homage demanded by Edward as Lord Paramount of Scotland. "The silly traitor," said Edward, in disdain, when he received the news of Baliol’s refusal to attend his summons, if he come not to us, we will go to him." Having entered Scotland, and defeated the Scots army at Dunbar, one stronghold yielded after another, almost without resistance. Edinburgh Castle surrendered, after a short siege; Stirling was abandoned; the spirit of the whole nation sunk in despondency; and Baliol, seeing no further hope of effectual resistance, submitted to the mercy of the conqueror.

Edward had been joined in this invasion by Bruce and his adherents, to which this nobleman was induced by the hope of obtaining the forfeited kingdom of his rival. The wary monarch knew how to keep alive these delusive effectations, and turn them to his own advantage; but on Bruce mentioning his claims, after Baliol and his son were made prisoners, he contemptuously asked, "Have we nothing else to do but to conquer kingdoms for you?"—Bruce silently retired, and passed the remainder of his days in opulent obscurity.

At Elgin, in the month of July, 1296, Edward terminated his northern expedition. In his progress southward he destroyed or carried off all the national registers and records, and caused the stone, upon which the Scottish monarchs were crowned at Scone, to be removed to Westminster, as an evidence of his conquest, hoping, by this severity, to subdue the hitherto unconquerable aversion of the Scots to his government, and obliterate all traces of their former independence.