" A dead silence immediately ensued, and he
proceeded: "If you have aught of nobleness within ye, if a delusion
more fell than witchcraft have not blinded your senses, look beyond
this field of horror, and behold your country free. Edward, in these
apparent demands, sues for peace. Did we not drive his armies into the
sea? And were we resolved, he never could cross our borders more.
What is it then you do, when you again put your necks under his yoke?
Did he not seek to bribe me to betray you? And yet, when I refuse to
purchase life and the world's rewards in such baseness, you--you forget
that you are free-born Scots, that you are the victors, and he the
vanquished; and you give, not sell, your birthright to the demands of a
tyrant! You yield yourselves to his extortions, his oppressions, his
revenge! Think not he will spare the people he would have sold to
purchase his bitterest enemy, or allow them to live unmanacled who
possess the power of resistance. On the day in which you are in his
hands you will feel that you have exchanged honor for disgrace, liberty
for bondage, life for death! Me you abhor, and may God in your
extremest hour forget that injustice, and pardon the faithful blood you
have shed this day! I draw this sword for you no more.
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