Yeit thar is part that can the weill avance;
Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance.
I yow besek, off your benevolence;
Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence;
(It is weill knawin I am a bural man),
For her is said as gudly as I can:
My speryt felis na termys asperans.
Now besek God, that gyffar is off grace
Maide hell and erd, and set the hewyn abuff,
That he us grant off his der lestand luff.

The above contains almost all the allusions that he makes to himself, if we except his frequent references to the Latin book of his author, "Maister Jhone Blayr."

"A worthy clerk, bath wyss and rycht sawage.
Lewyt he was befor in Parryss toune.
Amang maistris in science and renoune.
Wallace and he at hayme in scule had beyne;
Sone eftirwart, as veritè is syne,
He was the man pryncipall undirtuk,
That fyrst compild in dyt the Latyne buk
Of Wallace lyff, rycht famous of renoune;
And Thomas Gray persone of Libertoune.
With him thai war, and put in story all,
Offt ane or bath, mekill of his trauill;
And tharfor her I mak off thaim mencioune."

The foregoing quotations, which may serve as unaltered specimens of the poem, are not difficult of comprehension, but the first may be paraphrased as follows:-All you who read this rustic lay, blame not the book. Although I be imperfect, yet should I have thanks for the labour and pains which I have bestowed upon it, without promise of reward from king or noble. I thought it a pity such good deeds should be smothered, and have done my best to relate them as they occurred, regarding neither friend nor foe. No man is bound to relieve me of the costs of it; and I know (but for this I am not to blame), that my description falls far

short of the manner in which such noble deeds should be recorded.

Then, in finishing his task, with a consciousness of having discharged it in no ignoble spirit, yet regretting that the subject was neglected when good poets sung in Scotland, he commits the book to the judgment of posterity, confident that it will not be forgotten, notwithstanding his want of eloquence, which he excuses on the ground of his being a "bural man. The meaning drawn from his use of this phrase is, that he was a peasant by descent, for the word "bural" appears to be our modern word boorish.

"

There is nothing in the book to confirm the uniform tradition that he was a professional minstrel, or that he was blind; indeed, the impression left upon the mind by the book, in reference to the latter part of the tradition, is one of doubt, at least as to his being blind from his birth. We think Ellis, in his notice of him, was impressed with this feeling of doubt when emphasizing the word born, where he says "That a man born blind should excel in any science is sufficiently extraordinary, though by no means without example; but that he should become an excellent poet is almost miraculous, because the soul of poetry is description. Perhaps, therefore, it may be easily assumed that Henry was not inferior, in point of genius, to either Barbour or Chaucer; or indeed to any poet of any age or country." Tytler, in endeavouring to vindicate his character as a historian from undeserved neglect, both by himself and his brother historians, says-"Some late researches, and an

com

we

attentive perusal of his poem, paring it as I went along with contemporary documents, have placed the Life of Wallace in a different light. I am persuaded that it is the work of an ignorant man, who was yet in possession of valuable and authentic materials. On what other supposition can account for the fact, that, whilst in one page we meet with errors which show a deplorable perversion of history, in the next we find circumstances unknown to other Scottish historians, yet corroborated by authentic documents, by contemporary English annalists, and by national muniments and records, only published in modern times, and to which the Minstrel cannot be supposed to have had access."

After giving a series of examples to prove the position assumed, he points to the testimony of the Minstrel himself regarding the source of his information, as given in the passage we have quoted in reference to John Blair and Thomas Gray. He sums up his argument thus-"It was, therefore, in all probability, the Latin Buk of Wallace's Life, compiled by this worthy ecclesiastic, Master John Blair, who, as we are elsewhere informed, officiated as his chaplain, from which Henry the Minstrel derived those authentic particulars which may be detected cropping out, as geologists say, from beneath the more fabulous superficies of his history." This reasonable view of the Minstrel's literary achievement, is but the adoption of his own account of it; and is indeed the only one which can be held, consistently with respect for his character as a truthful man. At the end of his narra

I

tive of the Life of Wallace, he gives some additional particulars regarding his Latin authority, which we give modernised in spelling, but verbally unaltered : "Of Wallace life wha has a further feill 2 May show forth more with wit and eloquence; For I to this have done my diligence, After the proof given in the Latin book, Which Master Blair in his time undertook, In fair Latin compiled it till an end, With thir witness the mare is to commend.

Bishop Sinclair then lord was of Dunkell, He got this book and confirmed it himsell For very true; thereof he had no dread; Himself had seen great part of Wallace deed. His purpose was till have send it to Rome, Our father of Kirk thereon to give his doom.3 But Master Blair and als Sir Thomas Gray After Wallace they lasted many a day, Thir two knew best of good Sir Williams deed.” Keeping the circumstance of his blindness in view, and the likelihood of his being ignorant of Latin, so far as he followed this authority, the only rational view of the matter that presents itself is, that he dictated, in rhyme, the translation of it read to him by an ecclesiastic of the monastery in which it was preserved. This would also account for the descriptions of scenery, and the aspect of the seasons with which the poem abounds. That it no longer exists need not excite much surprise.

As evidence of the popularity of the Life of Wallace, we find an edition of it published so early as 1570, and many have appeared since then. That edited by Dr Jamieson in 1820 is now reckoned the standard edition. The MS., which was written by John Ramsay, the same who wrote The Bruce, in 1488, while the Minstrel was still living, is

YOUNG WALLACE: HIS CHARACTER.

[Spelling modernized.]

After a short introductory account of the condition of Scotland since the death of Alexander III., the Minstrel turns to Wallace, the proper subject of his poem.

Scotland was lost when he was but a child, And o'er set through with our enemies wild.

His father, Malcolm, in the1 Lennox fled,
His eldest son thither he with him led.
His mother fled with him2 from Elerslie,
Till Gowry passed, and dwelt in Kilspin-
die.

spill.

William Wallace, or he was man of arms Great pity thought that Scotland took such harms,

Meikle dolour2 it did him in his mind; For he was wise, right worthy, wight and kind;

In Gowry dwelt still with this worthy man,3

As he increased, and wit abounded than,
Intill his heart he had full meikle care,
He saw the Southron multiplying mare;
And to himself oft would he make his

moan:

Of his good kin they had slain many

one;

To cut his throat or stick him suddenly He waynd it7 nought, found he them fawely,8

Sundry wayntit,9 but none wist by what way

ying,

benyng. 10

ADVENTURE OF WALLACE WHILE FISH-
ING IN IRVINE WATER.

So on a time he desired to play.
In Aperil the three-and-twenty day,
Till Irvine water fish to tak he went,
Sic fantasy fell in his intent.

To lead his net a child furth with him

yeid,'

But he, or2 noon, was in a fellon dread.
His sword he left, so did he never again;
It did him gude, suppose he suffered pain.
Of that labour as than he was not slie,
Happy he was, took fish abundantly.
Or of the day ten hours o'er couth pass.
Ridand there come, near by where Wal-
lace was,

The Lord Percy was captain then of Ayr; Frae then he turned, and couth to Glasgow fare.3

Part of the court had Wallace' labour seen, Till him rade five, clad into ganand green, And said soon, "Scot, Martin's fish we wald have!"

Wallace meekly again answer him gave. "It were reason, methink, ye should have part,

Wallace with it fast on the cheek him took, With sae gude will, quhill of his feet he shook.

The sword flew frae him a fur-breid2 on the land.

Wallace was glad, and hint 3 it soon in hand;

And with the sword awkward he him gave Under the hat, his craig 4 in sunder drave. By that the lave 5 lighted about Wallace, He had no help, only but God's grace. On either side full fast on him they dang, Great peril was gif they had lasted lang. Upon the head in great ire he strak ane;

free heart."

He bade his child, "Give them of our

waithing."

The Southron said, "As now of thy dealing We will not tak; thou wald give us o'er small."

bane.

Ane other on the arm he hit so hardily, While hand and sword baith in the field 'gan lie.

The tother twa fled to their horse again; He stickit him was last upon the plain.

all.

Wallace said then, "Gentlemen gif ye be, Leave us some part, we pray for charity. Ane aged knight serves our lady to-day: Gude friend, leave part, and tak not all away."

1 Went.

2 Ere, before.

3 He was on his way from Ayr to Glasgow. 4 Spoil taken in sport.

Went till his eme, and tald him of this deed,

And he for woe well near worthit to weid,4 And said, "Son, thir tidings sits me sore, And, be it known, thou may tak scaith therefore."

"Uncle," he said, "I will no langer bide; Thir southland horse let see gif I can ride."

Then but a child, him service for to mak, His eme's sons he wald not with him tak. This good knight said, "Dear cousin, pray I thee,

When thou wants gude, come fetch enough frae me."

Silver and gold he gart on to him give, Wallace inclines, and gudely took his leave.

and great;

His lips round, his nose was square and straight;

Bowand 3 brown haird, on brows and breis light;

Clear aspre eyne4 like diamondis bright.
Under the chin, on the left side, was seen,
By hurt, a wain; his colour was sanguine.
Wounds he had in many divers place,
But fair, and well keepèd, was his face.
Of riches he kept no proper thing;
Gave as he wan like Alexander the king.
In time of peace meek as a maid was he,
When war approached, the right Hector
was he.

To Scottismen a great credence he gave, But knowing enemies, they could not him deceive.

Thir properties was known into France, Of him to be in good remembrance, Master John Blair that patron couth rasaiff 5

In Wallace book brewyt it with the layff."

' Undressed, and dressed. 5 Received these 2 Neck.

3 Curled.

4 Sharp eyes.

known particulars.

6 Noted them with

the rest.