Page:History of Sir William Wallace (1).pdf/4

 (4) It was reserved to be the first to vindicate her wrongs, and restore her to ancient splendour. All historians agree, that though Wallace's father was possessed of a small property, yet, the energy the grandeur, and the intrepidity of the mind of his son, were formed in the school of adversity. Leaving his parental home, he went to reside at Kilspindy, upon the banks of the Tay, in the shire of Perth. From this, he went to Dundee, and was educated under John Blair, who was afterwards his chaplaln, and lived to record bis adventuress Some historians relate, that Wallace began to display, his native valour and greatness of mind, at the fatal battle of Dunbar, where the veteran troops of Edward I. vanquished the tumurtuary legions of Bahol, or King John. This circumstance appears, however, to be contradicted by the general content of the events of his life. But that unfortunate battle having led to the abdication of King John, and having filied every part of Scotland with English officers and soldiers, who insulted the inhabitants, and preyed upon the vit::s of the humbled kingdom, Wallace beheld the op- pressors of his countrymen with indignation and horror: sympathised in the sufferings of individuals and mourned the degradation of his native land. The base injustice treachery, and cruelty of Edward's governors became the subject of general conversation, and the numerous crueltics and indignities of his officer, and men, exdispurated the nation to the highest degree.