PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xi 



propofed by Edward. Many of the Scottifli barons, 

 forefeeing the calamities which would inevitably 

 befal their country, by attempting to oppofe a 

 prince of Edward's difpofition, at the head of the 

 greateft force in Europe, yielded reluctantly, that 

 independence which their * anceftors had fo long 

 and fo ably defended, while others of greater te- 

 merity, refolved not to outlive the freedom of their 

 country. 



Thus a fmall kingdom became divided againft 

 itfelf, nearly into two equal parts ; thofe in th<f Eng- 

 lifh intereft, who afterwards did incredible mifchief 

 to the kingdom, and thofe who had refolved to fa- 

 crifice their lives againft that intereft. 



This acquifition to the Englifh force rendering 

 the conteft ftill more unequal, it feemed madnefs in 

 the extreme to hold out a fingle day, and ftill more 

 fo, as the Scottifh patriots, as they termed them- 

 felves, embarked in the defperate caufe, without a 

 head or general of any experience. The nation had 

 alfo enjoyed a long feries of peace, during the mild 

 reigns of Alexander and his immediate predecefTors ; 

 they were not even provided in arms till they re- 

 ceived fupplies from the trading cities of Italy, at 

 the moment when Edward was at their gates. They 

 foon, however, became expert warriors, under Sir 

 William Wallace, a perfon of extraordinary ftrength 

 of body and mind, whom neither promifes nor 

 threats could fhake from the duty he owed his 

 country, and who, had he been a Greek or Roman, 

 would have been celebrated as a hero of the firfl 

 renown. The independent Scots, thus brought up 

 in the fchool of adverfity, and inured to incredible 

 hardfhips, feemed to gain ftrength from every de- 

 feat, and frequently retaliated the feverities of the 

 Englifh and the Anglo-Scots; but Edward was not 

 of a difpofition eafily to relinquish his purpofe, and 

 being enraged through fhame and difappointment, 

 he feemed inflexibly determined on a permanent 



con qu eft, 



