red to the citizens of London the election of their own
magistrates, of which they had been bereaved in the latter part of his
father's reign: he ordered strict inquiry to be made concerning the corn
and other goods which had been violently seized before his departure,
as if he intended to pay the value to the owners:[*] and making public
professions of confirming and observing the charters he regained the
confidence of the discontented nobles. Having by all these popular arts
rendered himself entirely master of his people, he collected the whole
military force of England, Wales, and Ireland, and marched with an army
of near a hundred thousand combatants to the northern frontiers.

Nothing could have enabled the Scots to resist, but for one season, so
mighty a power, except an entire union among themselves; but as they
were deprived of their king, whose personal qualities, even when he was
present, appeared so contemptible, and had left among his subjects no
principle of attachment to him or his family, factions, jealousies, and
animosities unavoidably arose among the great, and distracted all their
councils. The elevation of Wallace, though purchased by so great merit,
and such eminent services, was the object of envy to the nobility, who
repined to see a private gentleman raised above them by his rank, and
still more by his glory and reputation. Wallace himself, sensible of
their jealousy and dreading the ruin of his country from those intestine
discords, voluntarily resigned his authority, and retained only the
command over that body of his followers who, being accustomed to victory
under his standard, refused to follow into the field any other leader.
The chief power devolved on the steward of Scotland, and Cummin of
Badenoch; men of eminent birth, under whom the great chieftains were
more willing to serve in defence of their country. The two Scottish
commanders, collecting their several forces from every quarter, fixed
their station at Falkirk, and purposed there to abide the assault of the
English. Wallace was at the head of a third body, which acted under his
command. The Scottish army placed their pikemen along their front; lined
the intervals between the three bodies with archers; and dreading the
great superiority of the English in cavalry, endeavored to secure their
front by palisadoes, tied together by ropes.[**] In this disposition
they expected the approach of the enemy.

* Rymer, vol. ii. p. 813.