The Scottish Chiefs

tla

d under the yoke of their enemy, concluded they might wear their chains in peace. Such were the hopes of those Scottish noblemen who, early in the prece

of an immense army. He seized Berwick by stratagem; laid the country in ashes; and, on the

sovereign of a warlike nation could resign his people and his crown into the hands of a treacherous invader, and at the pusillanimity of the nobles who had ratified the sacrifice, William W

blighted her honor, menaced her existence, and consigned her sons to degradation or obscurity. The latter was the choice of Wallace. Too noble to bend his spirit to the usurper, too honest to affect submission, he resigned himself to the only way left of maintaining the independence of a true Scot; and giving up the world at once, all the ambitions of youth became extinguished in his

nd brought up from childhood together, reciprocal affection had grown with their growth; and sympathy of tastes and virtues, and mutual tenderness, made them so entirely one, that when at the age of twenty-two the enraptured lover was allowed to pled

cuirass and the sword. But he was not permitted long to use either-Scotland submitted to her enemies; and he ha

eed, all occasions of mixing with society he now rejected. The hunting-spear with which he had delighted to follow the flying roebuck from glade to glade, the arrows with which he used to bring down the heavy ptarmigan or the towering eagle, all were laid aside. Scottish liberty was no more; and Wallace

om the world, with an angel his companion, he might have forgotten Edward was lord in Scotland, had not that which was without his little paradise made a way to its gates, and showed him the slavery of the nobles and the wretchedness of the peop

onlight walks through the glen, leaning on the arm of her husband-she had the rapture of hearing his steps greeted and followed by the blessings of the poor destitute, and the prayers of them who

retired with him into a remote room. They remained together for an hour. Wallace then came forth, and ordering his horse, with four followers, to be in readiness, said he meant to a

on did not need any other light to show her the stealing sands of her hour-glass, as they numbered the prolonged hours of her husband's stay. She dismissed her servants to their rest; all, excepting

instant the moon's light, and threw a transitory shade across the path, did her heart bound with the thought that her watching was at an end! It was he whom she had seen start from the abrupt rock! They were the folds of his tartan that darkened the white cliff! But the moon again rolled through her train of clouds and threw her light around. Where then was her Wallace? Alas!

ut remonstrance, had surrendered their castles into the hands of the usurper; and the peasantry, following the example of their lords, had allowed their homes to be ravaged withou

ng man was bequeathed by his dying father to the particular charge of his friend William Lord Douglas, at that time governor of Berwick. After the fall of that place and the captivity of its defender, Sir Jon Monteith had retired to Douglas Castle, in the vicinity of L

s of the preceding earl. When his wife died he married an Englishwoman of rank, who, finding him ardently attached to the liberties of hi

t knowing the steady honor of his old school-companion, he came to entreat him, by the respect he entertained for the

o you," said he, "which cannot

s has been said before, consented; and accordi

o the servants for equal caution. This was explained as they entered the gate and looked around. It was guarded by English soldiers. Wallace would have drawn back; but Monte

the distant hills reminded Wallace of the stretch he had to retread to reach his home before midnight; an

very step, approached Wallace. When drawn quite near, in a low voice he said, "You mu

ith a smile; "in these times I will not bind my conscience on subjects I do not know. If you dare trus

ll not

N

ust not t

end," returned Wallace, risi

should be careful how you swear; but the nature of the confidence reposed in me will. I hope, convince you that I ought not to share it rashly. Of any one but y

then went to the great door, which he had before so carefully closed, tried that the bolts were secure, and returned, with a still more pallid countenance, toward the

since its power is no more. The successful rival of Bruce, and th

lio

will, perhaps, avenge to you his vindictive resentme

Sir Ronald Crawford was as incapable of injustice as of flattering the

dation," returned Monteith

as the price for which he sold his country. However, as Scotland acknowledged him sovereign, and as Bruce submitted, my grandfather silently acquiesced. But Baliol did not forget former opposition. His behavior to Sir Ronald and myself at the beginning of this year, when, according to the privilege of our birth, we appeared in the field against the public enemy, fully demonstrated what was the injury Baliol complains of, and how unjustly he drove us from the standard of Scotland. 'None,' said he, 'shall serve under me, who presumed to declare themselves the frie

king on the well-know

rd, re

mpleted the triumph of the English. When the few nobles who survived the battle dispersed, Douglas took the road to Forfar, hoping to meet King Baliol there, and to concert with him new plans of resistance. When we arrived, we found his majesty i

uin, was John Cummin of Strathbogie, Earl of Athol in

fered to induce him to remain, but continued to repeat, with groans and tears. 'It is my fate.' Athol sat knitting his black brows during this c

s brought with him this iron box. 'Monteith,' said he, 'I confide this to your care.' Putting the box under my arm and concealing it with my cloak-'Carry it,' continued he, 'directly to my ca

e coming of its lord.' The hall was full of armed men in Athol's colors. Not one of the remnant who had followed my patron from the bloody field of Dunbar was visible. Athol looked round on his myrmidons: 'Here,' cried he, 'see that you speed this fellow on his journey. We shal

ted to him by Lord Douglas, he told me my patron had been forcibly carried on board a vessel at Montrose, to be conveyed with the unhappy Baliol to the Tower of London. Douglas, on this outrage, sent to the monastery at Aberbrothick, and under the pretense of making a religious confession before he sailed, begged a visit from the sub-prio

ly sailed. 'Yes,' replied the father; 'I st

reast of Wallace. It interrupted Monteith for a

ry, with our king, but also that holy pillar of Jacob** whi

he colony he sent to people the south of Ireland; and from Ireland it was brought into Scotland by the great Fergus, the son of Ferchard. He placed it in Argyleshire; but MacAlpine removed it to Scone, and fixed it in the

e, with a yet darker fr

of one of her best kin

made the spoi

of England, and, with the sackings of Iona, was carried on board the same vessel with the betrayed Douglas. The arc

llace, "thou mayest f

annals, in any of the monasteries or castles round Montrose; all have been searched and plundered. And besides, the faithless Earl of March and Lord Sculis are suc

rive her of her palladium? Scotland's history is in the memories of her sons; her palladium is in their hearts; a

vaded Scotland with a large army, and drew up his forces before Largs, a town in Ayrshire. He met with a great defea

's soldiers. Every house is a garrison for England-but more of this by and by; I have yet to tell you the contents of the packet wh

iron box I confided to you, guard as your life, until you can deposit it with my son. But should he remain abroad, and you ever be in extremity, commit the box in strict charge to the worthiest Scot you know; and tell him that it wil

o it with increasing indignation against the enemies of Scotland, spoke first: "Tell m

laced English governors throughout our towns; and the rapacious Heselrigge, his representative in Lanark, not backward to execute the despot's will, has just issued an order, for the houses of all the absent chiefs to be searched for records and sec

told the place will be sacked to its walls. In such an extremity, to you, noble Wallace, as to the worthiest Scot I know, I apply to take charge of this box. Within the remote cliffs of Ellerslie it must be safe; and when James Douglas arrives

gs on each side of his charge, the young chief took off his leathern belt, and putting i

with a firmer step, as if suddenly relieved of a heavy load,

mn voice, exhorted him to caution respecting the box. "Remember,

by other eyes than my own, unless the same circumstance which now induc

as I have done-as you will do? and besides, as I have no doubt it contains holy relics, who

he weight I am rather inclined to suspect it contains gold; probably a treasure, with which the sordid Baliol thinks to comp

deed heavy!-and, as we are responsible for the contents of the box,

concern; all we have to do is, to preserve the contents unviolated by even our own eye

Monteith, "indeed, I wish I h

t home before the moon rises. If you wish me to serve you further, I shall be happy to see you at Ellersl

, whispered: "Your loosened weapon may excite suspicion!" Fear incurred what it sought to avoid. He hastily pulled aside Wallace's plaid to throw it over the glittering hilt of the sword, and thus exposed the iron box. The light of the torches striking upon the polished rivets, displayed it to all lookers on, but no remark was made. Wallace