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

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
81
commenced a strict search after the booty taken
from Kincleven castle: nothing, however, could
be discovered, save the favourite steed of old
Butler, which had been left behind in one of
the inclosures; on this, his wounded son was
placed, and the whole cavalcade returned fa¬
tigued and dispirited to St. Johnstone, leaving
one hundred and twenty of their companions
dead behind them. Of the Scots, seven were
killed, and the rest more or less injured.
From an elevated situation, Wallace had ob¬
served the English as they retired to St. John¬
stone ; and though still smarting from the
wounds he had received, returned at midnight
to the scene of action with a number ©f his com¬
panions, and dug up the most valuable part of
the concealed plunder, which they conveyed
to their new retreat, along with whatever arms
or other booty the light of the moon enabled
them to strip from the dead bodies that lay
scattered around them.
A few days after the above rencounter, Wal¬
lace is said to have returned to St. Johnstone in
the disguise of a priest; and a story is told of
his having been betrayed by a female, with
whom he had become acquainted during his
former visit to that place. Repenting, however,
of the information she had given* his enemies.