m a
private station to this great position that there was much jealousy of
him on the part of the great nobles, and their lack of support of the
best soldier and bravest man of their nation was the main cause of his
downfall and the subsequent disasters to their country.

Wallace, despite their defection, had assembled a considerable army. But
it was not so strong as that of Edward, who had, besides, a large body
of the celebrated archers of England, each of whom carried, so it was
claimed, twelve Scotchmen's lives in his girdle,--in his twelve
cloth-yard arrows.

The two armies met at Falkirk. Wallace, before the fighting began,
addressed his men in a pithy sentence: "I have brought you to the ring,
let me see how you can dance." The battle opened with a charge of the
English cavalry on the dense ranks of the Scottish infantry, who were
armed with long spears which they held so closely together that their
line seemed impregnable. The English horsemen found it so. They
attempted again and again to break through that "wood of spears," as it
has been called, but were every time beaten off with loss. But the
Scotch horse failed to support their brave footmen. On the contrary,
they fled from the field, through ill-will or treachery of the nobles,
as is supposed.

Edward now ordered his archers to advance. They did so, and poured their
arrows upon the Scottish ranks in such close and deadly volleys that
flesh and blood could not endure it. Wallace had also a body of archers,
from Ettrick forest, but they were attacked in their advance and many of
them slain. The English cavalry now again charged. They met with a
different reception from their previous one. The storm of arrows had
thrown Wallace's infantry into confusion, the line was broken at several
points, and the horsemen charged into their midst, cutting them down in
great numbers. Sir John Grahame and others of their leaders were slain,
and the Scotch, their firm ranks broken and many of them slain, at
length took to flight.

It was on the 22d of July, 1298, that this decisive battle took place.
Its event put an end, for the time, to the hopes of Scottish
independence. Opposition to Edward's army continued, and some successes
were gained, but the army of invasion was abundantly reinforced, until
in the end Wallace alone, at the head of a small band of followers,
remained in arms.

After all others had yielded, he persistently refused to submit to
Edward and his