On the estate of Gladswood, parish of Mertoun, Berwickshire, are still pointed out what are called the Camp-braes, where, according to the harmonious voice of popular tradition, Wallace had his camp before one of his battles. It has had two ditches with ramparts; and being situate on the neck of land at the confluence of Leader with the Tweed, might have been rendered almost unassailable, in that age, by a line of communication between the two rivers.
“On the west side of Clatto-moor, are the traces of a camp. It is generally believed to have been occupied by a part of Agricola’s army, and afterwards by Alpin, Wallace, and Monk. Tradition reports that ‘Wallace pitched his camp on Clatto-hill, and ground his corn at Philaw’s mill,’ which is about half a mile from the place where the traces of the camp are seen.” P. Strathmartin, Forfarshire, Stat. Acc. XIII. 99.
“Tradition says, that the Figget Whins, formerly a forest, afforded shelter and a place of rendezvous to Sir William Wallace and his myrmidons, when they were preparing to attack Berwick.” P. Duddingstone, county of Edinburgh, Stat. Acc. XVIII. 877.
“On the face of the hill” of Kinnoul, “there is a cave in a steep part of the rock, which, it is said, will contain about a dozen of men. It is called the Dragon-hole. There is a tradition among the common people, that Sir William Wallace hid himself in this hole of the rock, when he absconded for some time.” P. Kinnoul, Perthshire, Stat. Acc. XVIII. 560.
The same useful work contains an anecdote, which, at least from the circumstances, is worthy of insertion here. The article was written A. 1795 or 1796.
“There is a very respectable man in Longforgan, [Perthshire,] of the name of Smith, a weaver, and the farmer of a few acres of land, who has in his possession a stone, which is called Wallace’s Stone. It is what was formerly called in this country a bear stone, hollow like a large mortar, and was made use of to unhusk the bear or barley, as a preparation for the pot, with a large wooden mell, long before barley-mills were known. Its station was on one side of the door, and covered with a flat stone for a seat, when not otherwise employed. Upon this stone Wallace sat on his way from Dundee, when he fled, after killing the governor’s son, and was fed with bread and milk by the goodwife of the house, from whom the man, who now lives there, and is proprietor of the stone, is lineally descended, and here his forbeers (ancestors) have lived ever since, in nearly the same station and circumstances, for about 500 years.” Stat. Acc. XIX. 561, 562. This refers to what is related in Book I. 257, &c.
In the castle of Dunbarton they pretend to shew the mail, and, if I mistake not, also the sword of Wallace. If he was confined in that fortress by Menteith, before being sent into England, as some have supposed, it is not improbable that his armour might be left there. The popular belief on this head, however, is very strong; of which I recollect a singular proof, which took place many years ago, and of which I was an eye-witness. In the procession of King Crispin, at Glasgow, his majesty was always preceded by one on horseback, appearing in armour, as his champion. In former times, this champion of the awl thought it enough to wear a leathern jerkin, formed like one of mail. One fellow, however, was appointed, of a more aspiring genius than his predecessors, who was determined to appear in real mail; and who, having sent to Dunbarton castle, and hired the use of Wallace’s armour for a day, made his perambulations with it through the streets of Glasgow. I can never forget the ghastly appearance of this poor man, who was so chilled and overburdened by the armour, that, as the procession went on, he was under the necessity of frequently supporting himself with a cordial. It was said that he took to bed immediately after the termination of this procession, and never rose from it. From that time forward, his successors in office were content to wear the proper badge of their profession.
It is generally admitted that our hero was the son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Ellerslie in Renfrewshire, by the daughter of Sir Ranald Crawfurd, High Sheriff of Ayr, of whom the Minstrel says;