But
the first words which caught the ears of his audience acted like a
spell, and seemed to hold them in breathless attention.
"Since Sir William Wallace rejects the grace of his liege lord, Edward
King of England offered to him this once, and never to be again
repeated: thus saith the king in his clemency to the earls, barons,
knights, and commonalty of Scotland! To every one of them, chief and
vassal, excepting the aforesaid incorrigible rebel, he, the royal
Edward, grants an amnesty of all their past treasons against his sacred
person and rule, provided that within twenty-four hours after they hear
the words of this proclamation they acknowledge their disloyalty, with
repentance, and laying down their arms, swear eternal fealty to their
only lawful ruler, Edward, the lord of the whole island from sea to
sea." Le de Spencer then proclaimed the King of England to be now on
the borders with an army of a hundred thousand men, ready to march with
fire and sword into the heart of the kingdom, and put to the rack all
of every sex, age, and condition, who should venture to dispute his
rights. "Yield," added he, "while you may yet not only grasp the mercy
extended to you, but the rewards and the honors he is ready to bestow.
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