ly interrupted, and Earl Percy held a council
of the nobility at Glasgow, and consulted them as to what had best
be done. Finally, Sir Ronald Crawford was summoned and told that
unless he induced his nephew to desist from hostilities they should
hold him responsible and waste his lands. Sir Ronald visited the
band in Clydesdale forest, and rather than harm should come upon
him, Wallace and his friends agreed to a truce for two months. Their
plunder was stowed away in places of safety, and a portion of the
band being left to guard it the rest dispersed to their homes.

Wallace returned to his uncle's, but was unable long to remain
inactive, and taking fifteen followers he went with them in disguise
to Ayr. Wallace, as usual, was not long before he got into a
quarrel. An English fencing master, armed with sword and buckler,
was in an open place in the city, challenging any one to encounter
him. Several Scots tried their fortune and were defeated, and then
seeing Wallace towering above the crowd he challenged him. Wallace
at once accepted, and after guarding himself for some time, with
a mighty sweep of his sword cleft through buckler, arm, headpiece,
and skull. The English soldiers around at once attacked him; his
friends rallied round him, and after hard fighting they made their
way to the spot where they had left their horses and rode to Lag
Lane Wood.

When Earl Percy heard that Wallace had been the leader in this
fray, and found on inquiry that he had slain the sword player in
fair fight after having been challenged by him, he refused to regard
him as having broken the truce, for he said the soldiers had done
wrong in attacking him. Earl Percy was himself a most gallant
soldier, and the extraordinary personal prowess of Wallace excited
in him the warmest admiration, and he would fain, if it had been
possible, have attached him to the service of England.

As soon as the truce was over Wallace again attacked the English.
For a time he abode with the Earl of Lennox, who was one of the
few who had refused to take the oath of allegiance, and having
recruited his force, he stormed the stronghold called the Peel
of Gargunnock, near Stirling. Then he entered Perth, leaving his
followers in Methven Wood, and hearing that an English reinforcement
was upon the march, formed an ambush, fell upon them, and defeated
them; and pressing hotly upon them entered so close on their heels
into Kincleven Castle, that the garrison had