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

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. 81
field. Noble Sir John Ramsay came to him with
sixty fierce warriors, who had never been vanquished
in the field at any former conflict with the English,
in Strochane while he lay there and held Roxburgh,
as the telror of the Saxon invaders.
Having thus settled Argyle, Lorn, Dunkeld, &c.
he proceeded to reduce the Saxon garrison in Saint
Johnston, where many brave Scots were confined as
captives. The chieftain called Ramsay to him and
disclosed his design on that fortress, saying, " In bonny St. Johnstown, which is situate on the banks of
the river Tay, the Saxons rule with the arbitrary
sway of lawful native lords. There I have set captives at liberty; there I have made the Saxons for
Scotsmen die; but methinks I am not sufficiently
avenged, till I kill ten thousand more, or expel them
crom our country. I wish to surprise its garrison, or
battle down its proud walls, and level them with the
ground."' Ramsay, in council as wise, as brave in
the field, answered, "that town cannot stand out
long; the walls are low, the surrounding ditch narrow,
although deep, our men will soon fill it, storm the
place, and humble the pride of the garrison." Wallace was pleased with the decision, and the rode to
Dunkeld, to prepare all their battering rams, and
machines of war.
All things being ready, they carried them all dowi
the river, with the best workmen they could hire,
unto the devoted town. All their host assembled in
St. Johnston, on the day that the machines arrived.
In a very few hours the ditches were filled with earth
and stones, in many places, and in others, floats of
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