William Wallace; Braveheart

As regular readers of this blog may recall, William Wallace was born at the end of my garden, in the village of Elderslie,  home of the Royal Stewarts.  I'm not sure what we know of him is actually true. how much has been fabricated and how much was Mel Gibson, but Wallace is given a good strapline when he needs one.

I'm sure he did say some of these things, I doubt he  said them in these exact words given the way that language evolves, and nobody had a mobile phone handy to record it.

Here are some quotes with  pictures of the monument in the centre of the village. In one you can see the village postie having a quick puff.

Whether or not you agree with politics, the quotes, even if vaguely accurate, give you the measure of his leadership and his statesmanship.

Yesterday the UK foreign office issues updated guidelines on travel to.... the USA.

 

We all end up dead, it's just a question of how and why.

All men die, but not all men really live.

There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it

I have been given nothing. God makes men what they are.

Any society which suppresses the heritage of its conquered minorities, prevents their history or denies them their symbols, has sown the seeds of their own destruction.

I cannot be a traitor, since I never swore fealty to the English king.

Incompetence is often highly regarded in governmental circles.

I tell ye true, liberty is the best of all things; never live beneath the noose of a servile halter.

Truth is truth, even when told by a liar.

Deep in the human heart

The fire of justice burns;

A vision of a world renewed

Through radical concern.

 

Freedom is best, I tell thee true, of all things to be won. Then never live within the Bond of Slavery.

The god that you believe in, and the god that I believe in, maybe different gods; however, the God that made you, and the God that made me, They are the same God.

I have brought you to the ring, now dance if you can! 

Now tell me, what does that mean to be noble? Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don't follow titles, they follow courage. Now our people know you. Noble, and common, they respect you. And if you would just lead them to freedom, they'd follow you. And so would I

We come here with no peaceful intent, but ready for battle, determined to avenge our wrongs and set our country free.