|
In 1296 Scottish noblemen signed a treaty in order to make peace with the English king, Edward I. While other noblemen were humbled by submission to Edward, William Wallace withdrew to his estate. One night Sir John Monteith summons him on a mission of importance to Scotland, giving him a mysterious locked box. On the way home, Wallace rescues the Earl of Mar from the English, killing their commander. He returns to Ellerslie, followed by Englishmen who search the castle for him and the box. The Earl of Mar and Wallace hide. Wallace hears the noble conduct of Sir Giles Hambledon who withdraws his troops after talking to Marion, Wallace’s wife. Wallace goes into hiding, leaving the pregnant Marion behind. She is heartlessly put to death when the castle is searched again by Hesselrigge. Grimsby, an English soldier, then refuses to serve under him. Wallace’s minstrel, Halbert, climbs to his hiding place to tell him the news. Wallace, dying a lock of his hair with her blood, sends it to the Earl of Mar in token that Scotland will fight for her freedom. He kills Hesselrigge.
The scene switches to Bothwell, where Joanna, the Countess of Mar, stepmother to the heroine, Helen, and wife of the Earl, is trying to persuade him to have nothing to do with Wallace’s fight. Helen, on the other hand, is enthused and sews Wallace’s hair into a banner, as well as arming soldiers to go and collect Lady Marion’s body from Ellerslie. After Marion’s burial, the castle is taken by the English who have somehow been informed of the Earl’s support for Wallace. Halbert, Grimsby, Helen and her brave cousin, Andrew Murray, escape. Helen is tricked from her hiding place in a monastery by the evil Soulis. Helen discovers that it was her stepmother who betrayed her into the hands of Soulis. His attempt at rape is foiled by a mysterious Scotsman (Wallace incognito) who then once more goes to rescue the Earl, helped by various followers, including the youthful Edwin. At Dumbarton, Edwin distinguishes himself and is knighted. Wallace shows mercy to the evil De Valance only to be immediately attacked by him. Joanna, seeing Wallace for the first time, falls in love with him and begs him to escort her to her island castle of Rothsay. On the way, the boat almost sinks, but Wallace saves the day. Joanna tells Wallace of her guilty passion but he gently tries to encourage her back to the right path. Wallace then learns that eighteen Scottish noblemen including his grandfather, Sir Ronald Crawford have been treacherously put to death in the Barns of Ayr. Edwin’s father, Lord Ruthven, is also being held prisoner. Wallace takes revenge by setting fire to the building containing the English. After further military successes Wallace is informed in a letter from Helen that the Earl and his family have again been taken prisoner. On the way to rescue him in Stirling, Wallace learns that the rebels under Monteith at Annandale have been defeated and that in addition the Lord de Warrene, Warden of Scotland, is going to Stirling with 60,000 men to trap Wallace. Wallace plans accordingly. At Stirling, Wallace defeats De Valance. However, De Valance begs for mercy again so Wallace does not kill him. Then Cressingham places the Earl of Mar in public view and says he will kill him if the rebels do not draw off. Wallace, in turn, says he will kill De Valance. Cressingham is dismayed and tries a delaying tactic, thinking that reinforcements will soon arrive. Wallace agrees. Cressingham then sneaks out of the castle and, finding a portion of De Warrene’s troops led by Montgomery, tells him to attack immediately. Wallace is waiting, however, and destroys the bridge as the soldiers cross it. The Earl of Montgomery turns out to be Sir Giles Hambledon; Wallace is moved by the memory of his gentlemanly treatment of Marion. The Earl of Mar and his family are rescued, with Andrew Murray realising his feeling for Helen is not entirely cousinly. As Helen recounts her rescue by the unknown knight, Murray wonders if she is in love with him. On discovering Wallace and the unknown knight to be the same person, she faints. Joanna attempts to make her behaviour appear indecorous but fails, while Wallace is moved at seeing the maid who had buried his wife. Wallace sends messengers to the clans, who are irresolute, while Joanna involves some of her untrustworthy relatives, writing to John Cummin, Earl of Buchan. Wallace is offered the crown and declines it, suggesting that it belongs to Bruce. The Earls of Buchan and of March are sceptical of his motivation. The Countess requests that her kinsmen, Athol and Lord Badenoch, are put into the list of prisoners to be exchanged. While Helen struggles to redirect her passion from love of Wallace to love of country, Joanna hopes that Wallace will become king so that she may reign by his side. Wallace becomes Regent.
Wallace sends Kirkpatrick to retake Annandale. An armistice is agreed, despite the poor conduct of Edward, Prince of Wales. Lord Aymer de Valance attempts to assassinate Wallace but is prevented by Helen. The armistice ends, Wallace defeats Lord Percy and goes into Northumberland to get relief for his people. Wallace is then offered kingship by the English ruler, and refuses. Wallace is later threatened by the emissaries of King Edward but refuses to surrender and is victorious at Annandale against him. The traitorous nobles continue to plot behind his back, while Joanna continues her machinations, her lack of virtue confirmed by her past history. Her ambitious, sexual love for Wallace contrasts with Helen’s pure love. She reveals the conspiracy of Lord March who wrote to Edward to ask his troops to approach without Wallace’s knowledge.
Wallace now has time to prepare, but on the battlefield the treacherous Athol stabs Lord Badenoch to death and claims it was Wallace. Wallace sustains heavy losses. Meeting the Earl of Carrick, the elder Bruce, at night, he accuses him of abandoning his people by fighting against them. Robert Bruce is also listening and is convinced by Wallace’s arguments. The Scots attack King Edward’s camp while the soldiers are drunk and Edward only just manages to get away. Robert Bruce fights with them and then goes to persuade his father to join the cause. The Earl of Mar dies, Helen is kidnapped by De Valence, the Bruces are arrested and held in Durham while Wallace has to fight yet more treasonous attempts in Scotland. Wallace resigns his position as Regent, and goes to Durham disguised as a harpist. There, he meets with Robert Bruce, and there Queen Margaret is accused of sexual intrigue with him. He escapes by boat to France, clearing her name
In France, Wallace rescues a stranger who turns out to be Baliol, former King of Scotland. Bruce enters his humble forest shelter. Baliol gives Bruce his blessing as heir to the Scottish throne. Bruce and Wallace then discover that Helen de Mar is at Baliol’s chateau, brought there by De Valance. The two rescue Helen, who, dressed as a pageboy, accompanies them to the French court. There, they wait while King Philip of France tries to intercede on behalf of Scotland with King Edward, but to no avail. Returning to Scotland, Wallace and Bruce take assumed names and begin, under Badenoch, to fight for Scotland. Wallace’s troops are joined by the mysterious figure of the Knight of the Green Plume. Wallace fights three battles and wins, though he finally has to show his identity. Bruce is injured but is cared for by Helen’s sister, Isabella and the sage of Ercildown. When healed, he goes to fight in the east of Scotland, while Wallace cuts Berwick off from the sea. Wallace expects to hear from Bruce but does not. Then he finds that the Knight of the Green Plume, who has fought with great prowess, is Joanna, Countess of Mar. He rejects her and she goes, leaving behind her an emissary to intercept all the messages from Bruce, as she had done before. She then arranges to have Wallace tried for treason to Scotland. Wallace learns that Scotland is again under attack, and, though accused of treason, goes to fight for his country. Joanna marries De Warrene and tries to persuade Badenoch, the Regent, to follow her and Edward. Wallace and Scotland win, but the traitorous nobles, impressed by Joanna’s actions, determine to surrender to Edward.
Edward offers Wallace the kingdom of Ireland if he will surrender Scotland. Wallace refuses and is betrayed by his own nobles, who surrender to Edward and accuse Wallace of treachery. Bruce rides out to defend Wallace but is injured. Alone, Wallace departs in order to avert further bloodshed in his nation. He is found and accompanied by the loyal Edwin. They meet Sir John Monteith, who betrays them, causing them to be ambushed and Edwin killed. Wallace is taken under armed guard to the Tower of London. When Helen hears the news, she catches a boat to London and goes to his cell to comfort him. He marries her. Wallace dies just before he can be executed. Bruce comes to help Wallace but is too late and is saved from exposure by Gloucester. Then, as indignation in Scotland mounts at Wallace’s treatment, the Regent, Lord Badenoch sends a letter to Edward telling him that Bruce is in his kingdom. Gloucester manages to get a message to Bruce that allows him to escape. Bruce traces Lord Badenoch to a monastery and accuses him of treachery. Badenoch attempts to stab him in the back and Bruce stabs him. The novel ends with Bruce becoming king of Scotland while Helen’s sister becomes his wife. After the ceremony, the mysterious box is found to contain the regalia of Scotland and, as Bruce is crowned, Helen dies on Wallace’s coffin.
Fiona Price, University of Durham
© 1999 Fiona Price / Sheffield Hallam University
|
