venerable knight on his glorious grandson.

The good old man listened with meek joy to their animated eulogiums on
Wallace; and when Lord Dundaff, in offering his congratulations with
the rest, said, "But while all Scotland lay in vassalage, where did he
imbibe this spirit, to tread down tyrants?" The venerable patriarch
replied, "He was always a noble boy. In infancy, he became the
defender of every child he saw oppressed by boys of greater power; he
was even the champion of the brute creation, and no poor animal was
ever attempted to be tortured near him. The old looked on him for
comfort, the young for protection. From infancy to manhood, he has
been a benefactor; and though the cruelty of our enemies have widowed
his youthful years-though he should go childless to the grave, the
brightness of his virtues will now spread more glories around the name
of Wallace than a thousand posterities." Other ears than those of
Dandaff heard this honest exultation.

The next morning this venerable old man, and other chiefs of similar
consequence, were summoned by Sir Richard Arnuf, the governor, to his
palace, there to deliver in a schedule of their estates; "that quiet
possession," the governor said, "might be granted to them, under the
great seal of Lord Aymer de Valence, the deputy-warden of Scotland."

The gray-headed knight, not being so active as his compeers of more
juvenile years, happened to be the last who went to this tiger's den.
Wrapped in his plaid, his silver hair covered with a blue bonnet, and
leaning on his staff, he was walking along attended by two domestics,
when Sir John Graham met him at the gate of the palace. He smiled on
him as he passed, and whispered-"It will not be long before my Wallace
makes even the forms of vassalage unnecessary; and then these failing