You know the sacred
axiom, Virtue is better than life! By that we are commanded to
preserve the one at the expense of the other; and we are ready to obey.
Neither the threats nor the blandishments of Edward have power to
shake the resolves of those who draw the sword of the Lord and of
Gideon!"
"Rebellious man!" exclaimed Beck, who had listened impatiently; and
whose haughty spirit could ill brook such towering language being
directed to his sovereign; "since you dare quote Scripture to sanction
crime, hear my embassage. To meet the possibility of this flagitious
obstinacy, I came armed with the thunder of the church, and the
indignation of a justly incensed monarch. Accept his most gracious
offers, delivered to you by the Earl of Arundel. Here is the cross, to
receive your oath of fealty," cried he, stretching it forth, as if he
thought his commands were irrestible; "but beware! keep it with a truer
faith than did the traitor Baliol, or expect the malediction of Heaven,
the exterminating vengeance of your liege lord!"
Wallace was not discomposed by this attack from the stormy prelate.
"My Lord of Durham," replied he with his usual tranquil air, "had your
sovereign sent me such proposals as became a just king, and were
possible for an honest Scot to admit, he should have found me ready to
have treated him with the respect due to his rank and honor; but when
he demands the sacrifice of my integrity; when he asks me to sign a
deed that would again spread this renovated land with devastation, were
I to consider the glozing language of his embassy as grace and
nobleness.
Pages:
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651