Broadside entitled 'The Generous and Noble Speech of William Wallace of Elderslie at the Battle of Falkirk'

Transcription

The Generous and Noble Speech of William Wallace of Elderslie at
the Battle of Falkirk.                                                                                                                                                   

AT the Battle of Falkirk, Robert Bruce (afterwards K. Robert Ist..)Son to
Robert Bruce. Lord of Mannia &c: being then under English Influence,
Created E. of Huntingtoun, and Captain of the English Forces at the
Battle of Falkirk, took occasion to upbraid William Wallace the Scottish
Chittain ; a lledging,that he affected the Soveraignity. To which Willam Wallace.
made the following Reply. " I never proposed to my self, that, as the end of
" my Travel and Labour, which neither my Circumstances or my Fortune can
" admitt; nor doth my mind desire: But when I see my Fellow Subjects Desti-
" tute of Leaders by your Cowardice, and Disposed to a most cruel Enemy, not
" for Slavery, but for Butcherie and Destruction; I took pity upon their case,
" and have undertaken their Cause, forsaken by you ; and I will as soon leave
" my Life, as forsake their Liberties, Fortunes and Safety. You, to whom
" nasty Slavery with Security, is preferrabe to honest Liberty with hazard, Em-
" brace that Fortune,which you so greatly Esteem : I shall freely and willing-
" ly Die, tho I had a Thousand Lives, in the Defence of my Country, Nor
" shall the Love to my Country leave me, before my Life forsake me. Buchan-
" an Edit. Mosm. p. 200.

When the Englishes had invaded Fife by Sea ; they pillaged and destroyed, spar-ing neither Age, Sex nor Quality.   
The Earl of Fife having sent 500 Horseinen to Suppress those Pillagers and Plunderers,
they were afraid to Graple or En-counter with such a Multitude;
But William Sinclair Bishop of Dunkeld, meeting them upon their Return,
having understood   the cause thereof,   and Reproved them for their Cowardice;
he being accompanyed with   about 60 Horsemen, cryes out, Who would save Scotland,
et them follow me! and immediatly having taken a Spear in his hand,
and the rest chearfully   following him,   
he made so brave an   Assault upon these Vagabond Pillagers,
that he chased them all to their Ships in such haste and Confusion,
that several Boats perished with the too great Bur-den of Englishes that were in them.
In that Assault sell upwards of 500 of the
Englishes ibid 211.

Two Fables, Translated out of Ęsop,

THe City-Mouse,that many days had spent
Within her Native Soil,on travel bent,
The Country's sweet Varieties to spy,               

Is by a Country Mouse met happily ;
Who entertains her with the choisest fare         
Her Larder did assord: Nor did she spare
For any cost which the delightful field,
To welcome unexpected Guests, could yeild.
Yet this pleas'd not the City-Mouse; the Meat
Seemed too course,for her nice chaps to eat:
And therefore she entreats the Country-Mouse,
To walk with her and view her City-house,
To see what entertainment she could give,
And how deliciously she still did live.
So both agree, and to the City come:
Which entred, they approach a spacious Room,

And after welcome giv'n; a daintyFeast

The City-Mouse provided for her Guest.
Both seat themselves and heartily do seed,
But,' midst their junkets, with unwelcom speed,
They hear the turning of a Key, whose fear
Enjoins them quickly to forsake their chear,
And shift into a hole, from whence they see
One of the Household Servants hastily
Enter the Room ( the which unusual sight

Doth much the trembling Country-Mouse af-
But he not staying long,the City-dame (fright
Returneth to the Banquet whence she came,
And calls her Guest, off ring a choicer bit
To her, than any she had tasted yet:
But fear had spoild her Stomach: So that she
(Glad to depart) replyeth, if this be
The Sauce you have unto your City fair,

Give me my own;tho' Course, 'its void of care.

Such fears perples not us, nor griefs molest
Our homel; Roofs ; we undisturbed rest,
Tho' course our fart : When danger more than
Attend the dainty junkets which you cat. (great

Of the Horse and the Stag.

THe stag & Horse a single Combatfights;
The Horjerepuls'd is driv'n to open slight.
Wherefore, that he his Honour may regain,
He humbly supplicats the help of Man,

Who,mounted on his back with spear and Shield,

Soon makes the Hart forsake the pleasant field
And fly amain. So be that was before,
Vanquisht, is now become a Conqueror
Yet not quite free; but as a Subject still
To Man! Man rides and rules him at his will.

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