“I must tell you that the Chronicle of Lanercost is a manuscript of peculiar intricacy in its contractions. The first mention which I find in it of William Wallace is in 1297, fol. 208 b. ‘Vix sex mensium tempus elapsum extitit a gravi sacramento supradicto quo se Albanacti fidelitati ac subjectioni Regis Anglorum astrinxerant, cum rediviva perfidorum malitia ad alias versutias ingenium acuit. Nam presul Ecclesiæ Glascuensis proprio agnomine dictus Robertus Wyscardus, semper in proditione primus, cum senescallo primæ’ (the word primæ is dotted under as if to be erased.) ‘terræ nomine Jacobo, novam sibi finxerunt audaciam, quinimo novam proditionis famam, fidem Regi præstitam manifeste infringere non audentes, quendam virum sanguincum Wills. Waleis, qui prius fuerat in Scotia princeps latronum, contra Regem insurgere fecerunt et Papam in sui adjutorium congregare.’
“Then follows the battle of Stirling, in which the notice of the slain contains the following anecdote: ‘Inter quos cedidit thesaurarius Angliæ Hugo de Kersyngham, de cujus corio ab occipite usque ad talum Wills. Waleis latam corrigiam sum fecit, ut inde sibi faceret cingulum ensis sui.’ The subsequent entrance of the Scots into Northumberland is of course noticed, but generally, and without any mention of Wallace’s name. The mention of the retreat of the English to Berwick opens the account of transactions under the year 1298. It is there said, ‘Wills. Waleis non tenuit eis fidem.’
“The Chronicle next mentions, that Edward having settled a truce with the King of France returned, and collecting his army, marched towards Scotland. ‘In festo autem beatæ Mariæ Magdalenæ occurrerunt ei Scoti apud Faukirk cum toto robore suo, duce eorum Willelmo Waleis superius nominato.’ The defeat is then detailed in few words. Some wretched Latin verses follow, of which I give you the only specimen concerning Wallace, viz.—
‘Sub duce de genere gens Scotia degeneravit,
Quæ famam temere foedusque fidem violavit.
Postquam Willelmus Wallen̄s nobilitavit,
Nobilitas prorsus Scottorum degeneravit.’
“Such are the scanty materials relating to Wallace’s history in the Chronicle of Lanercost.
“In 1306, fol. 211 b, we read, ‘Dominus autem Symon Freser Scottus adductus London, prius fuit tractus, postea suspensus, tertio decapitatus, et caput ejus positum super pontem London juxta caput Willelmi Waleis.’ In the same year the Earl of Athol’s head (Comes de Athetel) was placed above that of William Wallace; and in 1307 it is said, ‘In die autem sancto Paschæ Dungallus factus est miles, et infra eandem septimanam captus est dominus Johannes Waleis et ad Regem apud Karl. adductus, qui misit eum London ut ubi caperet idem judicium quod prius acceperat frater suus Willelmus.’” Fol. 212.
We have a similar account in the St Albans Chronicle.