Note 71 — Chapter V · WALLACE AGAIN TAKES REFUGE IN THE WOODS.—ORGANIZES A SYSTEM OF WARFARE.—HARASSES THE ENGLISH IN THEIR CANTONMENTS.—CONFLICT OF BEG.—BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF HIS EARLY COMPANIONS.—HIS DRESS AND ARMOUR.—ANECDOTE OF THE RELATIVE PERSONAL PROWESS OF WALLACE AND BRUCE.
Reading edition
The following is a copy of the “band of manrent” alluded to, from the original Latin, in the possession of the family of Somerville.
“Be it kend till all men be thir present letters, me, Sir Walter of Newbigging, and me, Sir David of Towie, for all the dayes of our lyves to be obleidged and bound be the faith of our bodies and thir present letters in mandred, and sworne counsell as brothers in law, to be with one another in all actiones, causes, and quarrills pertaineing to us, both in peace and in warr, against all that lyves and dyes, excepting our alleadgeance to our soveraigne lord the king. In witnes of the whilk thing, and of ther present letters, wee have hung to our sealles, att Aberdean, the twentieth day of Apryle, the year of God 1281, before ther witnesses, William Somervill, our brother, and John Somervill and Thomas Stelfeir.” To this band of mandrey is appended two sealles, very legible and knowne, for the Somervills and Barclayes differed nothing from what they are at present, save a little in the placeing of the armes.“—Memorie of the Somervills, vol. i. p. 75, 76.