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

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
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influence in his behalf; that the English had
listened to him, on condition of an imme¬
diate surrender: assuring him, at the same time,
that, if he did not comply, the house would soon
be in flames about him. These, and other ar¬
guments, were urged with all the seeming sin¬
cerity of friendship; and Wallace, confiding
upon early recollections, and the private under¬
standing that subsisted between them, allowed
himself to be conducted prisoner to Dumbarton.
On the morrow, however, no Monteith ap¬
peared to exert his influence to prevent the un¬
fortunate hero being carried from the fortress.
Strongly fettered, and guarded by a powerful es¬
cort, he'.was hurried towards the south,by theline
of road least exposed to the chance of a rescue.
The people in the northern counties of Eng¬
land gave way to the greatest exultation on
the news of his capture ; and multitudes, of all
descriptions, were collected to gaze at their il¬
lustrious prisoner. As the cavalcade approach¬
ed London, the crowds became still more nu¬
merous ; and though the joy at his captivity
was not indulged in to the same degree as
in those places where the effects of his invasions
had been felt, yet the curiosity of the people to
obtain a sight of a man who had maintained, for
so many years, in a great measure by his own un-