Scotland/Scots > Life of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie, and Guardian of Scotland

64
LIFE OF
from being complete. The houses of entertain¬
ment, or spadiels, as they were then called, af¬
forded little more than shelter from the incle¬
mency of the weather; and travellers who came
to spend the night were expected to bring their
food and other necessaries along with them,
particularly those who journeyed with retinues.
Under these circumstances. Sir Raynauld’s
party, which consisted of Wallace and two
stout yeomen, were provided with a sumpter
horse to carry their provisions.
They had not proceeded far, before they came
up with the servants of Percy, conducting his
baggage. One of their horses having met with
an accident, they stopped the sheriffs party, and
insisted on having their sumpter horse, in order
to supply the place of the one that had got dis¬
abled. It was in vain that Sir William remon¬
strated against the injustice of this demand; the
pacific temper of the sheriff prevailed, and,
though he saw the load thrown rudely from the
back of the horse, and the animal carried off, yet
he restrained his nephew from attempting to
prevent the outrage.
In sullen indignation, Wallace continued with
his party, till within a few miles of Mearns,
when, unable to control his resentment, he ap¬
prized his uncle of his determination to quit the