Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

OLD WALLACE

in The Valiant Scot — W., J.

Metadata

PlayThe Valiant Scot
AuthorW., J.
Year (catalogued)1637
First performance1626
Decade1630s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyUnknown
Speech prefix(es)O. Wal. | O. W. | O. Wa.
Words355
Characters1924
Typicality0.15 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA14599
BritDrama no.2189
ClusterCluster 14 — Law & judgment

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Selby it's a seat, I, and my Grandsires Grandsire have enjoyed And held with worship, and till Edwards hand Remove me from't, Wallace will still possessed. Selby, both dares and do, And must, and will, though subject unto Edward, I'm Selbies equal both in birth and place: Though in mine Office, Edward joined you with me, He never made you ruler over me. To what my King commands I humbly bend, resigning on my knee Both Staff and Office. That's not inserted in your Commission. What the King has given I surrender, For my Lands they're still mine own, Were purchased with the sweat of my deer Ancestors, And ere I loose a pole, a foot, I or the smallest turf a silly Lark may built on, I'll loose life. Or neither, royal Edwards mercy Sits above Selbies malice. Selby by none, that title which I had I have given my son, a boy of that proud temper, As should he hear thy insolent demand, Would pluck thee from thy seat, and lay thy head A satisfaction at his father's feet, But heavens forbid it, Selby thus it stands, Thou hast my Office, and my son my Lands. So he can, And Selby will show evidence sufficient, Mine, my deer Father's, and my Grandsires sword. He wears good evidence about him Selby, And will upon the least occasion Both show and prove it lawful. Will have my Lands. Exeunt. Complain unto the King. Men should have souls. Then as it is lets bear't, win heaven to friend He that begins knows when and how to end. Exeunt. Where's my son? Shake they off. Show thy self worthy him that thou callest father, Or Peggy die. His breath. That gave thee being, Haslerigs returned. O, spare mine age. Wallace, revenge me as thou art my son. From England, and this instant But thou comest in, and yield thy self, her life Dissolves to air. It's impossible. Grimsby the firebrand of his Country Comes to ensnare you, on the heel of him Treads a huge army led on by the Queen, Percy and Clifford. Wallace. Thy Father.

Plot summary

Plot — The Valiant Scot
PLOT Scotland is under English rule. An attempt is made to dispossess Old Wallace of his office and lands; but Old Wallace partially circumvents it by transferring ownership of the land to his son. King Edward plans to make war on France, and appoints Bruce his general. Scotland is left in the charge of Queen Elinor and a panel of commissioners. Young Selby, son of one of the commissioners, abducts Peggy Graham, intending to marry her by force. Wallace intervenes and kills Young Selby in a duel. Commissioner Selby arrests Peggy and threatens her with execution for the murder. Wallace gives himself up, and Peggy is released. His own execution is forestalled when the Queen orders him brought to court for interrogation. He escapes en route, marries Peggy, and becomes a rebel. Friar Gertrid prophesies that he will be victorious until betrayed by his own blood. The English capture Peggy, Gertrid, and Old Wallace, and Selby has them killed. King Edward sends Wallace an ultimatum: if he will surrender and beg for mercy, he may be spared. Wallace sends an alternative ultimatum back: if Edward will admit himself to be a tyrant, he may be spared. Upon discovering that one of the ambassadors, the Queen’s nephew, has no diplomatic accreditation, he puts the young man to death. He then cuts out an ambassador’s tongue and blinds another, and accompanies them back to King Edward disguised as a lame soldier. The English plan to entice Wallace into a trap, and send another messenger to invite him to a parley; but the stratagem fails because the man appointed to escort the messenger to the Scottish camp is the lame soldier — Wallace himself. Wallace sails to seek help from France, but his ship is wrecked. On the shore, he meets first Bolt, from whom he forcibly takes possession of a washed-up chest of provisions, then Selby, who is now banished from England and penurious, and regrets the execution of Old Wallace. Wallace decides not to take revenge, but while he is away fetching food, another of the fallen commissioners turns up and kills Selby in an argument. Bolt returns and kills the murderer, taking him for Wallace. He is presented to King Edward and rewarded, but later discredited when Wallace turns out to be alive. The Scots prepare to fight, but Wallace is offended to be placed in the rearguard, and withdraws his services. He watches the battle from a hill, and finally intervenes after the Scottish general is killed. On the battlefield he meets Bruce, the rightful…