Flattered by this appeal, Boniface wrote a letter
to Edward, exhorting him to refrain from Further oppressing a country
over which he had no lawful power. Edward's answer was full of
artifice and falsehood, every good principle, and declaring his
determination to consolidate Great Britain into one kingdom, or to make
the northern part one universal grave.** Wallace sighed as he listened.
**Both these curious letters are extant in Hollingshed.
"Ah! my dear Edwin," said he, "how just is the observation, that the
almost total neglect of truth and justice, which the generality of
statesmen discover in their transactions with each other, is an
unaccountable to reason as it is dishonorable and ruinous! It is one
source of the misery of the human race--a misery in which millions are
involved, without any compensation; for it seldom happens that this
dishonesty contributes ultimately even to the interests of the princes
who thus basely sacrifice their integrity to their ambition. But
proceed, my friend."
"The speedy consequence of this correspondence," Edwin continued, "was
a renewal of hostilities against Scotland. Badenoch took Sir Simon
Fraser as his colleague in military duty, and a stout resistance for a
little while was made on the borders; but Berwick soon became the prey
of Lord Percy, and the brave Lord Dundaff was killed defending the
citadel.
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