He had been sent thither by his mother, a pious lady, in the hope that, as he is of a very gentle nature, he would attach himself to the sacred tonsure.

But courage often springs with most strength in the softest frames.
"The moment this youth discovered our errand he tried every persuasion to prevail on the abbot to permit him to accompany us.

But his entreaties were vain, till wrought up to vehement anger he threatened that if he were prevented joining Sir William Wallace, he would take the earliest opportunity to escape, and commit himself to the peril of the English pikes.
"Seeing him determined the abbot granted his wish; 'and then it was,' said Kenneth, 'that the youth seemed inspired.

It was no longer an enthusiastic boy we saw before us, but an angel, gifted with wisdom to direct and enterprise to lead us.

It was he proposed disguising ourselves as a funeral procession; and while he painted his blooming countenance of a death-like paleness and stretched himself on this bier, the abbot sent to the English army to request permission for a party of monks to cross the craigs to the cave of St.Colomba, in Stirlingshire, whither they carried a dead brother to be entombed.