In Freedoms Cause | Page 8

and the town
completely sacked. The inhabitants were butchered without distinction
of age, sex, or condition, and even those who fled to the churches were
slain within the sanctuary. Contemporary accounts differ as to the

numbers who perished on this occasion. Langtoff says 4000;
Hemingford, 8000; Knighton, another English writer, says 17,000; and
Matthew of Westminster, 60,000. Whichever of these writers is correct,
it is certain that almost the whole of the men, women, and children of
the largest and most populous Scottish town were butchered by the
orders of the English king, who issued direct orders that none should be
spared. From this terrible visitation Berwick, which was before called
the Alexandria of the West, never recovered. The castle, which was
held by Sir William Douglas, surrendered immediately; and Sir
William, having sworn fealty to the English king, was permitted to
depart.
The English army now marched north. Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, was
with King Edward; but his wife, a noble and patriotic woman,
surrendered the castle to the Scots. The Earl of Surrey, with a powerful
army, sat down before it. The Scotch nobles and people marched in
great numbers, but with little order and discipline, to raise the siege.
They were met by Surrey, whose force, inured to arms, easily routed
the Scotch gathering, no fewer than 10,000 being killed in the conflict
and retreat. The English army was joined by 15,000 Welsh and 30,000
from Ireland, and marched through Scotland, the castles and towns
opening their gates to Edward as he came, and the nobles, headed by
James the Stewart, coming in and doing homage to him. Baliol was
forced to appear in the churchyard of Strath-Cathro, near Montrose,
arrayed in regal robes, and to resign his kingdom to the Bishop of
Durham as Edward's representative, and to repeat the act a few days
afterwards at Brechin in presence of the king himself. He was then,
with his son, sent a prisoner to London, where they were confined in
the Tower for several years. From Brechin Edward marched through
the whole of Scotland, visiting all the principal towns. He had now
dropped the title of Lord Paramount of Scotland, the country being
considered as virtually part of England. Garrisons were placed in every
stronghold in the country, and many new castles were raised to
dominate the people. The public documents were all carried away to
England, the great seal broken in pieces, and the stone of Scone - upon
which, for five hundred years, every Scotch monarch had been crowned
-- was carried away to Westminster, where it has ever since formed the

seat of the thrones upon which English monarchs have been crowned.
The tide of war had not passed near Glen Cairn; but the excitement, as
from time to time the news came of stirring events, was very great. The
tidings of the massacre of Berwick filled all with consternation and
grief. Some of the men quitted their homes and fought at Dunbar, and
fully half of these never returned; but great as was the humiliation and
grief at the reverses which had befallen the Scotch arms, the feeling
was even deeper and more bitter at the readiness with which the whole
of the Scotch nobles flocked in to make their peace with King Edward.
It seemed so incredible that Scotland, which had so long successfully
resisted all invaders, should now tamely yield without a struggle, that
the people could scarce believe it possible that their boasted freedom
was gone, that the kingdom of Scotland was no more, and the country
become a mere portion of England. Thus, while the nobles with their
Norman blood and connections accepted the new state of things
contentedly enough, well satisfied to have retained rank and land, a
deep and sullen discontent reigned among the people; they had been
betrayed rather than conquered, and were determined that some day
there should be an uprising, and that Scotland would make a great
effort yet for freedom. But for this a leader was needed, and until such
a one appeared the people rested quiet and bided their time.
From time to time there came to Glen Cairn tales of the doings of that
William Wallace who had, when the English first garrisoned the
Scottish castles, while Edward was choosing between the competitors
for her throne, killed young Selbye at Dundee, and had been outlawed
for the deed. After that he went and resided with his uncle, Sir Ronald
Crawford, and then with another uncle, Sir Richard Wallace of
Riccarton. Here he gathered a party of young men, eager spirits like
himself, and swore perpetual hostility to the English.
One day Wallace was fishing in the Irvine when Earl Percy, the
governor of Ayr, rode past with a numerous train. Five of them