Page:History of the Scottish patriot, Sir Wm. Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie.pdf/5

Rh have for his lord what the servant had bought for his master. Wallace interfered, and said that the sheriff was a very good man, and therefore he should have his dinner. The steward gave Wallace a stroke over the shoulders with his hunting-cane, accompanied with the most opprobrious appellation that an English invention could supply. Wallace drew his dirk, and pierced the steward to the heart, leaving the sheriff’s servant to return home with his provision. The English, who were guarding the town, assembled against Wallace; he drew his sword, and dealt destruction with every blow. None daring to approach him, the gates were barricaded with their spears to prevent his escape. He attempted to jump over the wall at a place adjacent to the sea, but multitudes of the English rushed upon him, and his sword, which had been so much used that day, broke in pieces; he was overpowered with the spears, taken prisoner, and confined in the castle, to wait the most excruciating death. He languished in prison, deprived of every consolation except what resulted from a sincere desire of the welfare of his country, and even of the necessaries of life; so that when they were about to bring him forth, want appeared to have terminated his existence. They threw him over the wall of the prison; but, fortunately for his country, he landed upon a soft draff- dunghill. His nurse, hearing of the melancholy went, hastened, and in the most suppliant manner entreated that she might take away his corpse. He was conveyed to her house in the new town of Ayr, where, by remedies and the most unwearied attention, he revived under her motherly roof.

The minister’s servant of Ayr beheld the mournful event, and, returning home, informed his master and family what he had witnessed. Thomas the Rhymer, the famous Scotch prophet, was residing at the minister’s at this time, who, hearing the woeful tale, declared that he was not or his prophecies were all false which he had delivered respecting his