Knowing the town well Wallace led the party to the moat at a spot
facing a sally port. They moved without a word being spoken. The
men bearing the tree laid it noiselessly to the ground. Wallace
himself sprang into the moat and swam across. The splash in the
water attracted the attention of a sentry over the gate, who at
once challenged. There was no answer, and the man again shouted,
peering over the wall to endeavour to discover what had caused
the splash. In a few vigorous strokes Wallace was across, hauled
himself up to the sill of the door, and with his heavy battleaxe
smote on the chains which held up the drawbridge. Two mighty blows
and the chains yielded, and the drawbridge fell with a crash across
the moat.

Instantly the men lifted the tree, and dashing across swung it
like a battering ram against the door -- half a dozen blows, and
the oak and iron yielded before it. The door was burst in and the
party entered Lanark. The sentry on the wall had fled at once to
arouse the garrison. Instantly the three leaders started to perform
the tasks assigned to them. As yet the town lay in profound sleep,
although near the gate windows were opening and heads were being
put out to ascertain the cause of the din. As the Scots ran forward
they shouted "Death to the English, death to the bloody Hazelrig!"
The governor had long been odious for his cruelty and tyranny, and
the murder of Marion Bradfute had that day roused the indignation
of the people to the utmost. Not knowing how small was the force
that had entered the town, but hoping only that deliverers had
arrived, numbers of the burghers rose and armed themselves, and
issued forth into the streets to aid their countrymen. Wallace soon
arrived at the governor s house, and with a few blows with his axe
broke in the door; then he and his followers rushed into the house,