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

42 THE LIFE OF
of the fate of his father, and their misfortunes. Sir
John was stung to the heart with grief, and fired with
indignation, commanded all the men in Perth and its
vicinity, to arlns, and repaired to the Short-Wood
shaws, in search of the Scots, under the command of
William Wallace, of dreaded name and valour.
THE BATTLE OF THE SHORT-WOOD SHAWS.
As soon as the Southerons in St. Johnstown or
Perth, heard of the fatal disaster and fall of their gar..
rison at Kincleven, the vowed vengeance on the head
of the Scots. Sir John Butler, the son of Sir James
Butler of Kincleven, whom Wallace had slain, a valiant chief, was sent with a thousand men of war, to the
Short-Wood shaw, to avenge the blood of his father
and the other brave men, who died in that awful affray. Butler was impassioned with double rage and
spirit of revenge, and poured his men into the shaw
in multitudes; archers, spearmen, and swordsmen,
with dreadful din of war, resolved to exterminate the
little band of Scots, who lodged in the wood. But
Wallace heard them approach undismayed, drew up
his men in form of battle best calculated to defend
themselves,so few in numbers,against a thousandstrong
The Southerons advanced in awful front, supposing tc
cut the Scots to pieces in a few minutes, and a tre.
mendous combat began, the like of it never was seen
on the pleasant green banks of the Tay, where such
deeds were done, such feats performed, and such glo.
ries won, that no human pen can represent, in verse