Page:Life of the celebrated Scottish patriot Sir Wm. Wallace.pdf/14

14 to England. Worn out with defeats, and driven from almost every strong post in the kingdom, the English sued for peace, which was concluded at Rutherglen church in February, 1297; but it was of short duration, the English being bent upon the conquest of Scotland.

In June, 1297, the English invited the Scottish nobility and gentry in the western parts, to meet them for the purpose of friendly conference upon the affairs of the nation, in some large buildings, called the Barns of Ayr. Many of the Scotch gentlemen in the neighbourhood attended, several of whom were accused of felony, condemned, and executed. Among those who were executed was Sir Roland Crawford, sheriff of Ayr, and uncle to Wallace. Those who escaped informed Wallace, who immediately assembled 50 of his followers, entered Ayr in the night, and set fire to the place when many of the English were asleep; and the garrison, issuing forth, were put to the sword. Wallace and his men instantly seized the fort, and then marched to Glasgow, attacked Lord Percy, and completely routed his forces. Being now placed at the head of a considerable army, he marched to Stirling, and took the castle. Argyle and Lorn, with the adjacent country, were soon in his possession ; Perth, with the neighbouring places, were also recovered. Penetrating into Angus and Mearns, he took and demolished the castles of Forfar, Brechin, and Montrose. By an unexpected assault, he carried Dunnottar, which he garrisoned. When he approached Aberdeen it was all in flames, the English having set it on fire, being afraid of his coming.

Learning that the English, with an army of 40,000, among whom were many disaffected Scotchmen, were approaching Stirling, Wallace stationed his troops on an advantageous place upon a hill above the monastery of Cambuskenneth, on the north side of the Forth.