The remainder of the English army who were left on the southern bank of the river fled in great confusion, having first set fire to the wooden bridge, that the Scots might not pursue them. Cressingham was killed in the very beginning of the battle; and the Scots detested him so much, that they flayed the skin from his dead body, and kept pieces of it in memory of the vengeance they had taken upon the English treasurer. The remains of Surrey's great army fled out of Scotland after this defeat; and the Scots taking arms on all sides, attacked the castles in which the English soldiers continued to shelter themselves, and took most of them by force or stratagem. Scotland was thus once more free; but in consequence of bad seasons and the disorders of war, it suffered severely from famine. With the view of procuring sustenance to his remaining followers, Wallace marched his army into the north of England; and for upwards of three weeks, the whole of that wide tract of country from Cockermouth and Carlisle to the gates of Newcastle, was wasted with all the fury of revenge, licence, and rapacity. Wallace now assumed the title of 'Guardian of Scotland, in name of King John (Baliol), and by the consent of the Scottish nation.' That he was virtually so, there can be no doubt; and we ought therefore to be the less scrupulous in inquiring as to the forms which attended his investiture with this high dignity. With the aid and countenance of only one of all the Scottish barons, the lamented Andrew Murray, and supported by the lower orders of Scottish people alone, he had freed his country from English thraldom, and restored it to its ancient independA service so great and unexampled gave him a claim to the appellation of Scotland's Guardian, which wanted neither ence. PREFATORY NOTE. Tis probably allotted to few to achieve great things in an average lifetime; the common duties of every day bounding and filling up the horizon, and giving no opportunity for the performance of any great deeds, or any displays of talent or heroism, which might challenge the admiration of the world. Perhaps the best kind of heroism is that which shows itself in the cheerful and right performance of daily duty, of which the world shall hear little or nothing. Doing right and guiding one's own life wisely and prudently may be considered as no mean performance, and a task in which some of those blessed with great talent and genius have not always succeeded. It is none the less interesting and important, however, to keep great examples and the heroic deeds of the world's great ones before the mind. These examples have a stimulating and invigorating effect on character. The present examples have been chosen from copyright matter placed in the hands of the Editor, by the Publishers, for the present purpose. 'If Europe is ever to be ruined, it will be by its warriors.' MONTESQUIEU. William Wallace-Edward the Black Prince-Earl of Warwick-Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey-Sir Philip Sidney-Duke of MarlboroughRobert Clive-General Wolfe-General Elliot-Sir John MooreDuke of Wellington-Marquis of Anglesea-Sir Charles Napier-Sir Colin Campbell. WILLIAM WALLACE. HE quotation at the head of this chapter would not hold good were all warriors like the first to be spoken about. Never, perhaps, was the fame of any man more cherished, and more deservedly so, by a people, than that of William Wallace is by the Scottish nation. His exploits have been for ages the darling theme of all ranks of the people; and in those parts of the country where his adventures chiefly lay, there is scarcely a lofty rock, high fall of water, lonely cave, or other remarkable object in nature, which is not connected with a name dear to every romantic, youthful, and patriotic mind. The recorded feats in the life of Wallace rank him not only among the first patriots of his nation, but among the first |