SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. 15 fing whence he lead expected ; far as he returned from his laft journey into Scotland, John Cumming and Robert Bruce meeting together, after a long confer- ence on the (late of their country, perceived, that not- withftanding he had promifed to each of them apart his help to obtain the Crown of Scotland, yet his inten- tion was only to ufe their affiftance to conquer and fe- cure it to himfelf, as he well declared, by fpoiling the the country of all monuments, public and private. Hereupon they agreed, that Gumming fhould quit all his rights to the crown in favours of Bruce, and that Bruce fhould give him all his lands for his affiftance, and this contract was written and fealed by both par- ties. Upon this Bruce, watching an opportunity to rife in arms, left his wife and children in Scotland, and went to the court of England. After his departure. Gumming (as it is reported) either repenting himfelf of this agreement, or elfe endeavouring fradulantly to oppofe his co-rival, and fo obtain a cafier way to the kingdom, revealed their fecret combination to Edward; and in evidence of it, he fent him the covenant figned by them both. Upon that, Bruce was impleaded as guilty of high, treafon : he was forbidden to depart the court, and a private guard fet over him, to infpect his words and actions. The king’s delay to punifh him for a crime fo manifeft, proceeded from a defire he had to take his brethren too, before they had heard any noife of his execution. Bruce advertifed of his danger by the earl of Glocef- ter (fome call him the earl of Montgomery) his old friend, who had fent him a pair of (harp fpurs, and fome crowns of gold, as if he had borrowed the fame, guef- fng the meaning of this propine, caufed by night, thoe three horfes backward, and polled away from court with two in his company, and on the fifth day (the way being deep in winter,) arrived at his own caftle of Lochmaben; where he found his brother Edward, with Robert Fleming, James Lindfay, Robert Kilpa- trick, and Thomas Charters, who told him how Wal- lace was betrayed by Sir John Monteith, and the Gumming faction a few days before. Immediately thereafter they intercepted a meffenger with letters
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