Page:Life and surprising adventures of Sir William Wallace.pdf/22

22 submit to the king of England, he never would; nor would he give obedience or yield allegiance to any power, except the king of Scotland, his rightful sovereign."

Since therefore, neither threats, nor bribes, nor example, neither open force nor secret stratagem, could conquer the invincible soul of this undaunted hero, Edward bethought him of the traitor Sir John Monteith, one of those in whom he placed the most unbounded confidence, brought a party of Englishmen upon him as he lay concealed in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. These having immediately apprehended him, carried him to London, by orders of king Edward. As this misfortune, the greatest that, at this conjucture, could befall the kingdom of Scotland, was inexpressibly afflictive to all its sincere friends and honest defenders: so it gave joy and pleasure to all ranks of people in England. They now imagined the war was at an end: yet even the rabble could not but pity the hard fate of an enemy so renowned.

When he arrived in London, he was conducted to and lodged in the house of one William Delect, in Fenchurch street. The next day [23d August 1305] he was brought on horseback to Westminster,