The life of Sir William Wallace, the governor general of Scotland, and hero of the Scottish chiefs. By Peter Donaldson.

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. 89
Wallace then marched to the west to raise more
troops, in order to prepare for the return of the English, whom he suspected to invade Scotland and be
avenged on him.
Corspatrick and Bishop Beck, meantime, raised all
the men of Northumberland, in compliance with the
orders of KingEdward, who also ordered Robert Bruce
to proceed against Wallace and his country, having
made him believe that Wallace had assumed his
throne. Thus from Oyss to the Tweed passed an
army of 30,000 men.
A squadron of ships were sent from the Thames
to watch Dunbar and act in concert with their land
forces. Corspatrick beseiged Dunbar which was then
commanded by Chrystal Seaton. Wallace in good
time returned with five thousand brave Scotsmen to
rescue noble Seaton. He halted all that night at Yester, where Hay joined him with fifty good experienced
horsemen, and counselled Wallace to give Corspatrick battle immediately.
Ccrpatrick and Beck ordered their men to lay in
ambush near Spotsmuir, so that Wallace knew not ei
the stratagem. At last Wallace discovered Corspatrick marching furiously over a plain field with d
very great host. The Scots thought themselves too
few to engage 20,000 men, and deemed it prudent to
retire to some place of strength, or to go and collect
more warriors. Wallace said, "that would be a
dangerous chance and expedient, while a furious enemy is rushing upon us. I will never flee as long as I
have one against their four: there are twenty here
this very day that would encounter them though I