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

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
163
Having discharged this duty to his departed
friend, Wallace rejoined his followers in the
Torwood, and on the following night, he is said
de Graham is in the Churchyard of Falkirk, having the following
Latin motto, with a translation
Mente manuqve Potens, et Vallae Fidvs Achates;
Conditor Hie Gramvs, Bello Interfkctus, ab anolis.
XXII. JVLII ANNO 129S.
Heir lyes Sir John theGratne, baith wight and wise,
Ane of the Chcefs who rescewit Scotland thrise,
Ane better Knight, not to the world was lent,
Nor was glide Grame qf truth and hardiment.
While some of Cromwell’s troops were stationed in Falkirk, an Of¬
ficer desired the parochial Schoolmaster to translate the Latin; this he
did as follows:—
Of mind and courage stout,
WaUsce’s true Achates;
Here lies Sir John the Grame,
Felled by the English Baties.
There are now three stones upon the grave; when the inscription on
the first had begun to wear out by the influence of the weather, a
second was placed above it, with the same inscription ; and a third
was lately added by William Graham, of Airth, Esq. At a little dis¬
tance, upon the left, is an unpolished stone, said to cover the remains
ofthegallant Knight of BonkilL
Nimmo’s history qf Stirlingshire
With regard to the Knight of Bonkill being buried in Falkirk, we
are inclined to be a little sceptical, not so much from the silence of the
Minstrel, as from the great probability of his having been conveyed
to Bute by the surviving tenantry of that island. In a small ruinous
chapel, about half a mile west of Rothesay, there is still to be seen
all that remains of “ the avid Stewarts of Bute ’• where amidst a number
of dilapidated monuments, well worth the attention of the anti¬
quary, appears a stone figure, of the gallant Knight of Bonkill, in
the complete armour of the 12th century. In a recess in the oppo¬
site wall, there is also to be seen another figure representing Jean
M‘Morey, heiress qf Bute, who married Alexander Stewart, father of
theforementioned Knight. The present noble proprietor, whose family
cameto thepossession of Bute in the reign of Robert II. has expended