10 THE HISTORY OF Berwick and Roxburgh being rendered to the Scots. Scotland thus enjoying perfect liberty, Wallace, be- ing earneftly requefted by the French King, to the end that his fpecial captains might be kept in military ex crcife during the peace, failed over to France, with 50 of them in his company. He was encountered on the way by Thomas of Charters, (commonly called Thomas of Longuviile,) who, with 16 fail, infefted the feas:bu boarding Wallace’s fhip he was taken by him, and thereafter fought moft valiantly under him,and king Robert Bruce, for the liberty of Scotland.After Wal- lace landed in France, he was employed in war againft the Englifh, who at that time poffeffed the duchy c Guienne and Bordeaux; them he defeated in fundr fkirmifhes. But in a few days he was called home but fome of his friends in Scotland! for King Edward,un derftanding his abfence, and pretendinghe had broke the peace in Guienne, dealt with Robert Bruce earl of Carrick, and his friends, and with fuch noblemen Scotland as held lands in England, or envied Wallece glory, telling that it was a fhame for them to fiff Wallace a mean gentleman to rule Scotland,while an of the blood royal did remain ; fo promifing his affur- ance to Robert Bruce, he fent a great army into Scot- land, and by the help of the Brucian faction,and Eng- lifhed noblemen, he eafily obtained the greateft ftrengh of Scotland. Wallace returned the next fummer and fecretly amaffing a number of his fpecial followers,which had lurked till his back-coming, on a fudden furprife St. Johnftoun by a ftratagem. and purfuing his victory hotly, chafed the Englifh out of Fife,Upon the port hereof, all the reft of his followers came from their lurking holes, by whofe affiftance he recover divers ftrengths. The Lord William Douglas to the caftle of Sanquhar by ftratagem, and finding Englifh captains of the neareft garrifons coming to fiege him, he fent fecretly to Wallace,who coming with his power, not only raifed the fiege, but cha all the Englfh garrifons out of thefe quarters:fr whence he came to the north parts, which he recover- ed with (illegible text) difficulty, except the ftrong caftle Dundee, to which he laid fiege.
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