The Death Of Wallace
Wallace was led in a
cavalcade into London. Next day he
was taken to the Great Hall at Westminster where he was seated on a bench and
mocked with a crown of laurel. The
King�s justiciar, Sir Peter Mallory, accused him of treason and various other
crimes, to which Wallace replied that he could never have been a traitor to the
King of England as he had never acknowledged fealty to him (unlike many other
so-called Scottish patriots !). However,
this argument was dismissed as Edward knew that for as long as Wallace remained
alive, he would keep alive the flame of Scottish nationalism.
It was inevitable that Wallace was immediately convicted.
Afterwards, tied to the
tails of two horses, he was dragged through the streets, pelted with stones and
garbage, and brought to the common place of execution, the Elms in Smithfield
near the present Barts Hospital. There
he was hung, drawn and quartered, and one quarter each was sent for public
display in Newcastle, Berwick, Perth and Aberdeen as a warning to others.
However, if Edward believed
that the execution of Wallace was necessary to bring about peace between the two
nations he was to be sadly mistaken. Within
six months of Wallace�s execution, Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick � who had
been pardoned by Edward and given back possession of his family estates � took
up arms against him, and after murdering his rival John Comyn in 1306, had
himself crowned King of Scotland at Scone. Edward invaded Scotland a third time and defeated Bruce, who
promptly formed another army. Finally,
in 1307 Edward, old and failing in health set of on his forth invasion of
Scotland, but he died on the English side of the Solway Firth at Burgh-by-Sands.
William Wallace should be
remembered not only for his great stature, superhuman strength and skill on the
battlefield, but also for the compassionate and academic side too. Had
circumstances been different he might well have risen to high estate in the
Church. He could read and write at
least 3 languages � English, Latin and French, and he also knew Gaelic.
He was also well educated in history, mathematics and science, and had an
unfading veneration for the Church.
�In times
of peace, meek as a maid was he;
Where war
approached, the right hector was he.
To Scots men
ever credence great he gave;
Known enemies
could never him deceive�
This page created on 20th July , 2001.