Page:Life and surprising adventures of Sir William Wallace.pdf/5

5 Sir Richard Wallace of Riccarton where his restless and patriotic aversion to the English tyranny permitted him not long to remain. One day he went a-fishing, and in the course of his pastime was interrupted by the insolent rapacity of some of Lord Percy's followers, who happened to pass the spot where he was, the only weapon he had was his fishing rod, with which he beat one of them to the ground, and having wrested the sword from him, he soon taught the crowd, by whom he was speedily assailed, that his individual strength, skill, and intrepidity were superior to their united force: he killed several of the party, and the others fled, confounded at the matchless prowess of their single antagonist. He rode home triumphant to his uncle, on a horse left by the persons whom he killed or terrified; and he was now inspired with a just confidence in his own powers, by those exploits. His residence with Sir Richard now becoming very insecure, he resolved to devote his mightiest exertions, and even life itself, to the deliverance of his country, or to the chastisement of its oppressors; and accordingly he destroyed many English as came in his way, sparing neither the dignified nor the mean. For these noble actions he was outlawed by the English and compelled to