cast a spell upon the prosperity of the country. Clan was at enmity
with clan, and one great chieftain waged relentless war with another.
The fierce nobles paid little heed to the king, and showed no regard
for the rights of the people. It seemed that peace and liberty had
departed forever.

2. Alexander III died, leaving no direct heir. The Scottish nobles
assembled to elect who should be their king. The choice lay between
Robert Bruce and John Balliol. As the nobles could not agree, the
matter was referred to King Edward I, of England, who decided in favor
of Balliol. The new prince was weak, and, when he resented the
interference of King Edward in some of his affairs, he was easily
defeated and driven from the kingdom. Scotland was now regarded as a
conquered country, and the people were terribly oppressed. The nobles
were deprived of their estates, and the poor people were taxed to the
verge of starvation. For fifteen years King Edward held on to his
usurped power, while the weak king Balliol was wandering in foreign
lands, paying no attention to the distracted state of his country.

3. At last the oppression became so great that conflicts took place
almost daily between the Scotch peasants and the English soldiery. On
one occasion, a young man named William Wallace was out a-fishing with
a boy to carry the fish. Two or three English soldiers came along and
insisted on taking the fish. Wallace offered to divide with them, but
they insisted on taking the whole, when he flew in a rage, killed one
with his fishing-pole, and, seizing a sword, put the others to flight.
He then fled, and concealed himself in the mountains until the matter
blew over. On another occasion he killed an Englishman who insulted
him at a fair, and fled to his home, where he was pursued by the
soldiers. He escaped by the back door, but the cruel English leader,