Page:History of the Scottish patriot, Sir Wm. Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie.pdf/21

Rh to Wallace, and resolved to liberate his uncle. He not only conveyed them over in his boat, but conducted them to Airthhill, a place of strength, and then over a small bridge to Weir’s house, whom Wallace immediately dispatched at a blow, while his men slew all the rest. They hastened to the cave, where Wallace’s uncle was confined and bound in fetters, whom they instantly released.

Wallace next marched to Dumbarton in the night, and called upon a widow whom he knew, who received him and his men with great kindness, and concealed them in a barn with the greatest secrecy. She presented her nine sons, who were young and strong, to Wallace to increase his men; and, at Wallace’s request, she marked all the doors where the English were lodged, and commencing with an English captain, who, with his mates, were carousing in a public-house, he set on fire all the houses where the English were quartered, and fled to Dumbarton cave before day. They next bent their way to Roseneath Castle, and having slain more than 80 of the English, who were returning from a wedding, they entered the castle with those who escaped, slew every Englishman found in it, and set fire to the castle. The dawn of returning prosperity brought friends around the illustrious hero. Sir William Douglas, who had been constrained to marry an English lady and to submit to Edward, hearing that Wallace was again in the field and likely to rescue Scotland, he, by the means of a trusty man of the name of Dickson, took Sanquhar by stratagem, and put every man to the sword. Being inclosed in the castle, he dispatched Dickson to Wallace, to entreat his speedy relief. Wallace now began his march South, and cut off Revindale, an English captain, who, with 200 men, were in the vicinity of Kilsyth. In the same route he burnt the towns of Linlithgow, Dalkeith, and Newcastle, expelling the English I wherever he came. The friends of Wallace now began daily to increase; among whom were the