Scotland/Scots > Life of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie, and Guardian of Scotland

SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. 10l
father’s vassals, as soon as he should be sum¬
moned to his standard. After mutual expres¬
sions of friendship, Wallace set forward on his
journey, and lodged the same night at Bothwell,
in the house of one Crawford, from whom he
received information of the state of the country,
and strength of the enemy ; and next night he
reached Gilbank, in the neighbourhood of Lan¬
ark, where he remained with a near relation of
his own; from thence he despatched Stephen
and Karle, one to the west and the other to the
north, to acquaint his friends of his situation,
and appoint a time and place for their meeting
him.
It seems, at this time, a report had been cir¬
culated among the English, that Wallace had
been slain in a mutiny of his followers. This
rumour, no doubt occasioned by the circumstan¬
ces attending the death of Fawdon, had reached
Percy at Glasgow, along with the accounts of
the destruction of Kincleven castle, and the
slaughter of Butler and the other English officers
—and though he did not give it implicit belief,
yet there was a degree of credit attached to it,
particularly by the English in the upper part
of Clydesdale, that caused him to be less taken
notice of when he appeared among them.
This was particularly serviceable to him in