Page:Life and surprising adventures of Sir William Wallace.pdf/2

 THE

OF

IR WILLIAM WALLACE was a descendant of an ancient and honourable family in the west of Scotland; he was the younger son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Ellerslie, by his wife, who was a daughter of Sir Ronald Crawford, Sheriff of Ayr. The precise period of Wallace's birth is unknown, but it is highly probable that it must have been some time before the death of Alexander III. in 1286.

The mind of Wallace in his younger days was directed in its progress to maturity, by John Blair a Benedictine monk at Dundee, who was afterwards his chaplain, and lived to record his exploits.

It appears, that during the early part of his life, Wallace had resided chiefly in retirement. At what time he first emerged from the peace and the