Sir John Segrave and Neville were both taken; and ere night closed in
upon the carnage, Wallace granted quarter to those who sued for it,
and, receiving their arms, left them to repose in their before
depopulated camp.
Chapter LXIX.
Roslyn Castle.
Wallace, having planted an adequate force in charge of the prisoners,
went to the two Southron commanders to pay them the courtesy he thought
due to their bravery and rank, before he retired with his victorious
followers toward Roslyn Castle. He entered their tent alone. At sight
of the warrior who had given them so signal a defeat, the generals
rose. Neville, who had received a slight wound in one of his arms,
stretched out the other to Wallace. "Sir William Wallace," said he,
"that you were obliged to declare a name so deservedly renowned, before
the troops I led, could be made to relinquish one step of their
hard-earned advantage, was an acknowledgment in their favor almost
equivalent to a victory."
Sir John Segrave, who stood leaning on his sword with a disturbed
countenance, interrupted him. "The fate of this day cannot be
attributed to any earthly name or hand. I believe my sovereign will
allow the zeal with which I have served him; and yet thirty thousand as
brave men as ever crossed the marshes, have fallen before a handful of
Scots.
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