SIR WILLIAM WALLACE
17
the exercise; and that by living in the enemy's country during the winter, provisions at home would be spared. No one dared to oppose him when he entered England; and having remained there from the 1st of November to the 1st of February, refreshing his men with the forage of the enemy, and enriching them with their spoils, he returned home surrounded with glory. This expedition, as it inereased the renown and authority of Wallace among the people, so it exeited against him the envy of the nobles; for his praises appeared to reproach the high and powerful ohieftains either with cowardice for not daring, or with treachery for being unwilling, to atteinpt what a gentleman in low circumstances, and destitute of every advantage of fortune, had not only bravely undertaken but suecessfully aecomplished.
With an army of 1500 cavalry and 20,000 infantry, Edward marched against Wallace, who in the mean time was collecting his chosen troops, rallied, and near Stanmore came in view of the mighty monarch. Edward's army appeared incredibly numerous; the soldiers armour glittering, the officers' equipage rich and elegant, and the noise of their drums pompous and terrible. Wallaee commanded all, upon pain of death, to keep their ranks, to march with gravity, and to attempt nothing without his orders. The veteran and experienced soldiers of Edward had not arrived from France, and pereeiving the order, discipline and formidable appearance of the enemy, every officer and man aeting the part of a hero, Edward durst not hazard his own glory with an undisciplined militia, and therefore wisely retreated. The fame of this bloodless victory obtained over so powerful a king ineensed his enemies much more bitterly, who now widely reported that he was beginning openly to aspire to the Crown. The nobles, on hearing this report, became indignant, partieularly Bruee and Comyn, who, belonging to the blood-royal, determined to undermine the authority of Wallace. Edward, aware of
