voyage to France, with a small band of trusty friends, to try what
his presence (for he was respected through all countries for his
prowess) might do to induce the French monarch to send to Scotland
a body of auxiliary forces, or other assistance, to aid the Scots
in regaining their independence.

The Scottish Champion was on board a small vessel, and steering
for the port of Dieppe, when a sail appeared in the distance, which
the mariners regarded, first with doubt and apprehension, and at
last with confusion and dismay. Wallace demanded to know what was
the cause of their alarm. The captain of the ship informed him that
the tall vessel which was bearing down, with the purpose of boarding
that which he commanded, was the ship of a celebrated rover, equally
famed for his courage, strength of body, and successful piracies.
It was commanded by a gentleman named Thomas de Longueville, a
Frenchman by birth, but by practice one of those pirates who called
themselves friends to the sea and enemies to all who sailed upon
that element. He attacked and plundered vessels of all nations,
like one of the ancient Norse sea kings, as they were termed,
whose dominion was upon the mountain waves. The master added that
no vessel could escape the rover by flight, so speedy was the bark
he commanded; and that no crew, however hardy, could hope to resist
him, when, as was his usual mode of combat, he threw himself on
board at the head of his followers.

Wallace smiled sternly, while the master of the ship, with alarm
in his countenance and tears in his eyes, described to him the
certainty of their being captured by the Red Rover, a name given
to De Longueville, because he usually displayed the blood red flag,
which he had now hoisted.