Page:Life and surprising adventures of Sir William Wallace.pdf/23

 23 accompanied by ſeveral knights, the mayor, ſheriffs, and aldermen of the city, with many other perſons of emi- nence and rank; in preſence of all whom he was ſeated on the ſouth bench of the great hall; and either becauſe they wiſh ed the people to believe that he had af- pired to the crown of Scotland, or be- cauſe it was reported that he had for- merly boaſted that he had deſerved to wear a diadem, in that place they crown- ed him with laurel, while Sir Peter Ma- lory, the chief-juſtice, impeached him of treaſon. To this charge he boldly replied, “That a traitor he never was, nor could be to the king of England." The other crimes for which he was in- dited, as burning of towns, ſtorming of caſtles, killing of the Engliſh, &c. &c. he frankly acknowledged, but denied that they were crimes, unleſs miſtaken loyalty to one's natural ſovereign, with deference to whom, and in whoſe name he ever acted-zeal for the juſt rights and liberties, of one's native country, by the community of which, he was cre- ated a magiſtrate and reſiſting the en- croachments of a foreign government and tyrannical uſurpation-ſhall deſerve to be branded with that edious name. However, theſe heroic virtues were voted crimes; and the priſoner, notwithſtand- ing he had never acknowledged or ſub-