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

74
LIFE OF
remaining furniture and lumber were formed
into piles, and, at the dead hour of night, the
conflagration rose in volumes to the sky. From
the lateness of the hour, and the secluded situa¬
tion of the castle, its fate remained unknown
till the morning, when the smoke, which conti¬
nued to ascend from the ruins, led the country
people to the knowledge of the desolating ven¬
geance which had overtaken their oppressors:
the females, who had been allowed to depart
before the work of destruction commenced, car¬
ried to St. Johnstone the melancholy account of
their disaster.
The grief and indignation which were felt
among the English, on hearing the doleful recital
of the slaughter of their countrymen, induced
Sir Gerald Heron, the governor of the place, to
allow Sir John Butler, son of the forementioned
Sir John,, to follow the Scots with all the forces
of the garrison, in order to revenge the death of
his father. In this undertaking he was joined
by his cousin. Sir William Lorans, an officer
of reputation, and a great favourite with the
soldiery.
Although the force under these leaders
amounted to nearly a thousand men, yet, from
the admirable management of the Scotish chief,
they were kept in a great measure ignorant of