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

SIK WILLIAM WALLACE.
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haviour worthy of himself, and becoming the
occasion. Thirty of his companions were in¬
stantly in arms, impatient to revenge the wrongs
of their chief. At the dead hour of night, the
door of Hazilrig’s apartment was burst from
its hinges, and the iron grasp of Wallace awak¬
ed the caitiff from his repose; having dragged
him headlong to the street, after a stern reproof
for his cowardly conduct, the howling miscreant
received the reward due to his villany. The
alarm spread, and the garrison was soon engaged
with Wallace and his party, who, being joined
by the people of Lanark, whom the late instance
of. cruelty had roused to the utmost pitch of in¬
dignation, the English, after a severe conflict,
were overpowered and driven from the town.
Having thus committed themselves, the peo¬
ple of Lanark and its neighbourhood saw no
alternative but to join heart and hand with the
avenger of their country; and the numbers that
now flocked to his standard enabled him to
take the field openly, and bid defiance to
the enemy; and so formidable was the force
now under his command, that he met and
defeated a considerable army of the English in
a regular engagement, in the neighbourhood of
Biggar. It has been alleged, both by Blind
Harry and others, that Edward commanded the