But whether they were
friends or foes was equally indifferent to Wallace; for, strong in
integrity, he went serenely forward to his trial; and, though inwardly
marveling at such a panoply of war, being called out to induce him to
comply with so simple an act of obedience to the laws, he met the
heralds of the regent with as much ease as if they had been coming to
congratulate him on the capitulation of Berwick, the ratification of
which he brought in his hand.
By his order his faithful followers (who took a pride in obeying with
the most scrupulous exactness the injunctions of their now deposed
commander) encamped under Sir Alexander Scrymgeour to the northwest of
the castle, near Ballockgeich. It was then night. In the morning, at
an early hour, Wallace was summoned before the council in the citadel.
On his re-entrance into that room which he had left, the dictator of
the kingdom, when every knee bent and every head bowed to his supreme
mandate, he found not one who even greeted his appearance with the
commonest ceremony of courtesy. Badenoch, the regent, sat upon the
throne, with evident symptoms of being yet an invalid. The Lords Athol
and Buchan, and the numerous chiefs of the clans of Cummin, were seated
on his right: on his left were arranged the Earls of Fife and Lorn,
Lord Soulis, and every Scottish baron of power who at any time bad
shown himself hostile to Wallace.
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