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

196
LIFE OF
gaged in with Boniface. Having, to his spiritual
father so solemnly asserted the justice of his
claim, it was but natural that he should wish to
possess or destroy every evidence which might
establish the falsehood and impiety of his asse¬
verations. His object being, as he conceived, so
far accomplished, he proceeded with his army,
by slow marches, towards the north—exercising
the same Gothic barbarity as he went along,
and demolishing those fortresses which made
any show of resistance.
Wallace now issued with his little band from
those dens and caverns in which they had
been forced to conceal themselves, and, having
collected a number of his old associates, he
followed the invading army; and, appearing
now in front, and now in rear, made frequent
and impressive attacks upon them as they
struggled through the deep and rugged defiles
of the country. All his efforts, however, could
not retard the march of the invaders, who ad¬
vanced to the extremity of the kingdom, un¬
molested by any save the hardy followers of our
hero; who, as they had attended the motions of
their foes in their laborious progress through the
rough and mountainous regions of the north,
now waited their return, and resumed the same
harassing system of warfare. Often, from an