Page:Life of the celebrated Scottish patriot Sir Wm. Wallace.pdf/4

4 offieersofficers [sic] and soldiers, who insulted the inhabitants, and preyed upon the vitals of the humbled kingdom. Wallace beheld the oppressors of his countrymen with horror and indignation, sympathised with individual sufferers, and mourned the degradation of his native land. The base injustice and treachery of Edward's governors became the subject of general conversation, and the cruelty of his offieersofficers [sic] and men exasperated the nation to the highest pitehpitch. [sic]

Wallace was of an ineredibleincredible [sic] strength of body, and had arrived at that period of life when the feelings are strong and ardent, and every pulse beats with a generous glow towards the objeetsobjects [sic] of affeetionaffection [sic]. These frequent eonversationsconversations [sic], and the outrages of the English at Dundee, where he resided at sehoolschool [sic], appear first to have roused his spirit in defeneedefence [sic] of his country. All plaeesplaces [sic] of power and wealth in the kingdom were given to Englishmen; and, among others, one Selby had been elevated to the dignity of constable of Dundee. WallaeeWallace [sic] was either insulted, or considered himself so, by his son, and not being of a temper to reeeivereceive [sic] any insult with impunity, slew him with his own dagger, and made his eseapeescape [sic] to his uncle's, at Dunipace in Stirlingshire. After remaining here a short time, he and his mother returned to Elderslie; but, finding that his father and elder brother had been eruellycruelly [sic] murdered by the English at LoehmabenLochmaben [sic], his indignation was roused, and, panting with revenge, he meditated retaliations worthy of his eountry'scountry's [sic] sufferings, and of the injuries which had bereft him of a father and of an only brother. Considering himself unsafe beneath his mother's roof, he went and lived seeretlysecretly [sic] with his paternal uncle, Sir Richard WallaeeWallace [sic], at Riccarton.

While residing with his uncle, he went one day to fish in the Irvine, near Ayr; mean while, Lord PereyPercy [sic], with his armed suite, rode past on their way to Glas-