救华莱士的妇人被处以死刑,当华莱士听到此事后当夜来到Lanark,为那位妇人报了仇。华莱士不是一般的草寇,他的心中有伟大的理想。
King Edward's chief man in Lanark was Sheriff Hazelrigg. It was his job to keep people in order. He arrested the woman who had rescued Wallace and had her put to death. The townspeople were horrified but could do nothing to prevent it.
When Wallace heard of what had happened, he came to Lanark that very night. With a band of friends he made his way to the sheriff's house.
“Who is that?”called the sheriff as he heard hammering at his door.
“William Wallace, whom you would slay,”came a voice from outside. In a moment the door was broken through. A minute later Sheriff Hazelrigg was dead,slain by Wallace's GREat sword.
To kill King Edward's sheriff was as bad as striking against the king himself. Wallace was immediately an outlaw. He could not return to his father's house at Elderslie. Every English soldier in the area was searching for him. He had to move about in secret. But he and his men knew all the ways and secret places in the thick forests. There were many meetings among the trees. Messengers from Wallace's hiding place travelled all over Scotland, unknown to the English governors. The bishops of the Scottish church, especially the rich and powerful bishop of Glasgow, supported him. For Wallace was no common outlaw. He had a dream. He wanted to see the English driven out of Scotland and to bring back the Scottish king. He knew that many people shared his dream. But Wallace was not just a dreamer. He was a man of action.
With a larger band of followers, he struck again. This time it was at the GREat abbey of Scone, where Ormsby,one of the chief English officers, was based. The officer fled to safety,but Wallace captured a large amount of treasure and baggage.