The truce which circumstances had extorted from Edward, was no sooner expired, than the campaign was opened by a fresh invasion of Scotland. The English army again advanced as far as Linlithgow, where, fixing their head-quarters, they commenced building a fortress for the same object as had induced them to rear similar structures in the south. The treaty of peace had not yet been concluded with the King of France; and Edward anxiously endeavoured to detach him from the interests of the Scots. In this he was successful; for, by giving up his allies, the Flemings, to the chastisement of Philip, and sacrificing a lucrative branch of trade, in order to gratify his enmity against the Scots, he obtained the King of France’s consent to a separate peace, stipulating only for a truce with Scotland, to endure till St Andrew’s day, 1302,--after which period, Edward was left at liberty to prosecute his views against that country. In the meantime, the cause of independence acquired a valuable accession in the person of Sir Simon Frazer, who at last--awakened to the injuries of his country, and a just sense of his own unnatural conduct--deserted the standard of Edward, and enrolled himself among the asserters of the liberty of Scotland.[52] The talents and bravery of this leader more than counterbalanced the loss which the patriots had sustained in the defection of the Bishop of Glasgow; who, on the 7th October 1300, at Holmcoltrum, had renewed his former fealty to Edward, swearing upon the consecrated host, and upon the _Croyz Gneytz_[53] and _Black Rood_ of Scotland; in consequence, as is supposed, of a remonstrance from Boniface, who now thought proper to espouse the interest of Edward. On hearing of the situation of Scotland, Wallace withdrew from the French court, and returned home. What services he was enabled to render his country during his absence, do not appear in any of our records.