afe, 81 



of the country was in the hands of rapacious men 

 of Ormesby, who had been appointed justiciary 

 by Edward; and Cressingham the treasurer. The 

 latter had no other object than to amass money by 

 rapine and injustice; the fonner was notorious for 

 the rigour and severity of his temper : and both, treating 

 the Scots as a conquered people, made them sensible 

 too early of the grievous servitude into which they 

 had fallen. 



William Wallace was now grown to man's estate. His 

 young companions had grown up also, and the group of 

 merry children, that had played under the old Oak of 

 Ellerslie, were now thoughtful men and women ; for the 

 troubles of the days in which they lived, made even the 

 young grow thoughtful. The old men wished that 

 they could wield their good weapons as in days of yore, 

 for then, they said, stout-hearts that beat beneath the 

 highland tartan, would not have tamely yielded to become 

 the vassals of proud England. Their country had once 

 held, they said, a station among the kingdoms of the 

 earth, but now she was fallen and degraded ; their king 

 was taken from them, and mercenary men oppressed the 

 people with heavy taxes. Thus spoke the old men of 

 Ellerslie, and such were the thoughts of thousands 

 throughout the land. 



Wallace and his young companions, actuated by that 

 enthusiasm which the oft-told tale of ancient valour and 

 present degradation, was calculated to inspire; excited 



E5 



