What can a crowd of peasants, however valiant, do against the trained and disciplined battle of England.

You saw how at Dunbar the Earl of Surrey scattered them like sheep, and then many of the Scotch nobles were present.

So far there is no sign of any of the Scottish nobles giving aid or countenance to Wallace, and even should he gather an army, fear for the loss of their estates, a jealousy of this young leader, and the Norman blood in their veins, will bind them to England, and the Scotch would have to face not only the army of the invader, but the feudal forces of our own nobles.

I say not that enterprises like those of Wallace do not aid the cause, for they do so greatly by exciting the spirit and enthusiasm of the people at large, as they have done in your case.

They show them that the English are not invincible, and that even when in greatly superior numbers they may be defeated by Scotchmen who love their country.