"
Wallace, with the same equanimity as that with which he would have
mounted the regal chair, bowed his head to marshal in token of
acquiescence. But Edwin, whose indignation was reawakened at this
exclusion of his friend from the privilege of his birth, said something
so warm to the marshal that Wallace, in a low voice, was obliged to
check his vehemence by a declaration, that, however obsolete the
custom, and revived in his case only, it was his determination to
submit himself in every respect to whatever was exacted of him by the
laws of his country.
On Loch-awe and Lennox observing him stand thus before the bonneted and
seated chiefs (a stretch of magisterial prerogative which had not been
exercised on a Scottish knight for many a century), they took off their
caps and bowing to Wallace, refused to occupy their places on the
benches while the defender of Scotland stood. Kirkpatrick drew eagerly
toward him, and throwing down his casque and sword at his feet, cried
in a loud voice, "Lie there till the only true man in all this land
commands me to take ye up in his defense. He alone had courage to look
the Southrons in the face, and to drive their king over the borders,
while his present accusers skulked in their chains!" Wallace regarded
this ebullition from the heart of the honest veteran with a look that
was eloquent to all.
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