Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-09-29

For treason, he was to be first drag
ged to the place Of execution. For
murder aud robbery, he was to be then
hung = certain time BY the neck; and,
because he had burned abbeys aud re-
ligious houses, he was TO be taken
down alive from the gibbet, his entrails
torn out and burnt before him, his bod Y
to be quartered, and the parts after
wards 10 be disposed of a. the c!emen-
cy OF his majesty might suggest.
When the necessary preparations
were made for carrying the sentence
into execution, the late champion of
Scottish independence was brought
FORT. from the place where he had been
kept in confinement, heavily ironed
GDj chained - bench of oak. lie
was Their placed On hurdle, and. sur
rounced by strong guard If sol
diers, ignoriinioLsiy dragged To the
E!u,, in Smith6cld. That self pos
. session aud unlaunlcd demeanor which
he c,inccd during the trial appeared
, equally conspicuous on the scaao;d.
Looking round with undisturbcd Coiu-
posure on the assembled multitude, he
addressed himself to u person near
Linn, aud asked Tor priest To whom
he might make confession. Ills re-
quest, OH being made known to Ed
ward, be is said 10 have sternly r,fus-
cd 4; and the rancorous old man for
babe any clergyman 10 reiard Tie ere.
eufion Tor such purpose. On hear
ing this undigui.ied command of his
sovereign, Winchelsca, Archbishop of
Canterbury, the same individual who
SO faithfully disc hargcd his duty a,
CarlaverOck, stepped boldly forward,
and after earnestly demonstrating with
Edward, declared his determination
to officiate himself. When the cere.
mony usual on such occasions was fin
ishcd, Wallace rose from his knees,
and the Archbishop, having taken
leave of him, instantly departed for
Westminster, thus declining 10 wit
ness the sequel Of an act So revolting
TO humanity, and which he nc doubt
considered as fixing deep stain upon
the character vi his country.
The spectacle which was now exhi-
bitcd to the gaze Of the inhabitants Of
the metropolis of England was such ss
perhaps has never been presented TO
tue populacc Of any land. The last
freeman Of an ancient people, 40, less
renowned for their bravery than for
their love Of independence, stood, u
calm and unshrinking victim, ready to
be inundated at the shrine Of dcspo-
tiim. That powerful arm, which had
long contcnded for liberty, was now
to be unstrung beneath the knife of
the exccutioner aud that heart, re-
plete with every ennobiing virtue.
which never quailed in the stern hour
OF danger, was doomed to quiycr in
the purifying flames of martyrdom.
During the pause which preceded
the unhallowed operations, Wallace
turned to Lord Clifford. and request
ed that Psalter. which had been Ia
ken from his person, might be return.
ed. Ills desire being complied with,
he asked priest to hold it open before
him. Thi. book had been his con.
slant companion from his early years,
and was perhaps the gift Of his mother,
or his uncle, the parson Of Dunipsce.
After hanging for q certain time,
the sufferer was taken down, while
vet in All evident state of sensibility.
lie was then discmbOweled; aud the
heart, wrung from its place. Vas com
mItted tn the flames in his presence.
During this dreadful process, his eyes
still continued to iInger on the Psalter,
ill ovcrpowered BY his sufFerings, be
expired under their hands with all that
passive hcfoism which may be suppos-
cd To belong IN so elevated n Charac-
ter. The body was afterwards dis
'membcrrd; the head fixed OF London
bridge, tie right arm on the bridge Of
Newcastle upon Tyne, the left at Der
wick, the right leg at Perth, aud the
LETT at Aberdeen.
LWglaIt ngair. On Sunday La,
too gid.. rlmed Mice Grrcucr aud
H. JIa Susdcn. presented themselves
80 Md Iloton church, near Manchester.
to be married % man named john
iChajwick. Each Was aware Of the
others erraud, and they both waited
~ the body Of the church. patiently
Swai,ingthe election Of the much loved
aud much 10 be enyicd swain. At last
the fair Alice Grccner found herself
the object u her iuol's preference, a.
gently leading her 10 tie affairs foot,
A A.. A.