the English army, and its Welsh auxiliaries drew off in a body from the field.  But the generalship of Wallace was met by that of the king.  Drawing his bowmen to the front, Edward riddled the Scottish ranks with arrows and then hurled his cavalry afresh on the wavering line.  In a moment all was over, the maddened knights rode in and out of the broken ranks, slaying without mercy.  Thousands fell on the field, and Wallace himself escaped with difficulty, followed by a handful of men.

[Sidenote:  Second Conquest of Scotland]

But ruined as the cause of freedom seemed, his work was done.  He had roused Scotland into life, and even a defeat like Falkirk left her unconquered.  Edward remained master only of the ground he stood on:  want of supplies forced him at last to retreat; and in the summer of the following year, 1299, when Balliol, released from his English prison, withdrew into France, a regency of the Scotch nobles under Robert Bruce and John Comyn continued the struggle for independence.  Troubles at home and danger from abroad stayed Edward’s hand.  The barons still distrusted his sincerity, and though at their demand he renewed the Confirmation in the spring of 1299, his attempt to add an evasive clause saving the right of the Crown proved the justice of their distrust.  In spite of a fresh and unconditional renewal of it a strife over the Forest Charter went on till the opening of 1301 when a new gathering of the barons in arms with the support of Archbishop Winchelsey wrested from him its full execution.  What aided freedom within was as of old the peril without.  France was still menacing, and a claim advanced by Pope Boniface the Eighth at its suggestion to the feudal superiority over Scotland arrested a new advance of the king across the border.  A quarrel however which broke out between Philip le Bel and the Papacy removed all obstacles.  It enabled Edward to defy Boniface and to wring from France a treaty in which Scotland was abandoned.  In 1304 he resumed the work of invasion, and again the nobles flung down their arms as he marched to the North.  Comyn, at the head of the Regency, acknowledged his sovereignty, and the surrender of Stirling completed the conquest of Scotland.  But the triumph of Edward was only the prelude to the carrying out of his designs for knitting the two countries together by a generosity and wisdom which reveal the greatness of his statesmanship.  A general amnesty was extended to all who had shared in the resistance.  Wallace, who refused to avail himself of Edward’s mercy, was captured and condemned to death at Westminster on charges of treason, sacrilege, and robbery.  The head of the great patriot, crowned in mockery with a circlet of laurel, was placed upon London Bridge.  But the execution of Wallace was the one blot on Edward’s clemency.  With a masterly boldness he entrusted the government of the country to a council of Scotch nobles, many of whom were freshly pardoned for their