heathen priefts. But the credit of it does 

 not depend on the dubious veftiges of Druid 

 antiquity. In a later fcene of greater impor- 

 tance, (if tradition ever be the vehicle of 

 truth) it bore a great {hare. When that 

 illuftrious hero, William Wallace, roufed the 

 fpirit of the Scotch nation to oppofe the 

 tyranny of Edward, he often chofe the foli- 

 tude of Torwood, as a place of rendezvous 

 for his army. Here he concealed his num- 

 bers, and his deligns ; fallying out fuddenly 

 on the enemy's garrifons, and retreating as 

 fuddenly, when he feared to be overpowered. 

 While his army lay in thofe woods, the oak, 

 which we are now commemorating, was com- 

 monly his head-quarters. Here the hero 

 generally flept -, it's hollow trunk being ca- 

 pacious enough to afford fhelter, not only 

 to himfelf, but to feveral of his officers. 

 This tree has ever fince been known by 

 the name of Wallace-tree' -, by which name 

 it may eafily be found in Torwood to this 

 day*. 



* See Nimmo'b hift. of Sterlingfliire, p. 145. 



among 



