The life of Sir William Wallace, the governor general of Scotland, and hero of the Scottish chiefs. By Peter Donaldson.

130 THE LIFE OF
happy posterity, while the annals of Scottish histoiy
record his deed! Hence the poet expresses the feelings ofthe nation upon the sad event of his death:
s" Envious death, which ruins all,
Hath wrought this sad lamented fall
Of Wallace; and no more remains
Of him, than what an urn contains;
We ashes for our Hero have,
He for his armour a cold grave;
He left the earth, too low a state,
And by his acts o'ercome his fate;
His soul death had not power to kill;
His noble deeds the world do fill
With lasting trophies of his name.
O! hadst thou virtue lov'd or fame
Thou couldst not have exulted so,
Over a brave, betray'd-just foe,
Edward! nor seen those limbs exposed
To public shame-fit to be clos'd
As relics, in a holy shrine,
But now the infamy is thine:
His end crowns him with glorious bays,
And stains the brightest of thy praise.
O false Monteith! your honour's gone,
Your fame is lost, the deed is done!
A traitor to your country's son,
The bravest e'er her laurels won.
You did him cast in London Tower,
In Edward's hands' and Edward's power;
Innocent blood you offer'd free,
A sacrifice for Liberty.