William Wallace Letter Exhibited for Five Hours

A letter from 1300 intended for William Wallace was publicly exhibited for St Andrew’s Day, marking its first display in six years. Over 250 individuals visited General Register House in Edinburgh to view the document, which requires limited exposure to light. The National Records of Scotland (NRS), which manages the national archive, showcased the delicate parchment fragment for a duration of five hours. This uncommon parchment, composed in a type of Latin shorthand, originated from the King of France and was addressed to his representatives at the papal court in Rome, directing them to assist Wallace in “those things which he has to transact”. Its initial discovery occurred in the 19th century among other historical papers within the Tower of London. The precise nature of Wallace’s mission to Rome has not been determined, and there is no indication he ever arrived in the city. Additionally, two tapestries drawing inspiration from the document were exhibited. Archivist Jocelyn Grant commented: “It was a pleasure to put this rare document on show, alongside two tapestries inspired by it, and the so-called Lübeck letter.“It was nice to see so many people take advantage of one of the few opportunities to see this document in-person; as well as the tapestries. “Skilled weavers from the Dovecot studios created them in 2012, and this is the first time they have been on display since then.” Wallace reportedly journeyed to France in 1299, subsequent to his relinquishment of the title Guardian of Scotland to Robert the Bruce in the preceding year. He is believed to have come back to Scotland in early 1303, successfully avoiding capture by English forces until August 1305. Subsequently, John de Menteith, a Scottish knight allied with King Edward, surrendered him to English soldiers in Robroyston, located near Glasgow. Wallace was transported to London for his trial, where he was executed by being hung, drawn, and quartered for high treason soon thereafter. The document is currently on loan to the NRS from the UK National Archive. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.