Thus, by a species of transmigration of souls, Bruce's knight of France, with his praises of Bruce's worthiness, passes into an earlier existence as the comrade of Wallace and extoller of his prowess.[1]Similarly the historic traitor of Kildrummy in the Bruce (iv. 107) is adapted as the 'third brother'—in villainy—in the Wallace (xi. 595). So likewise Ramsay of Auchterhouse becomes his own ancestor,[2] and Sir Christopher Seton, Sir William Douglas, and Sir John Comyn leave their historic relationships towards Bruce for anterior service under Wallace.[3] In the same fashion Robert Boyd is made to antedate by mythical services as an esquire to Wallace his undoubted services as a knight in the army of Bruce.[4]
Soon comes a whole series of adaptations bolder still. Barbour tells a pleasant story of a martial churchman,
Of Dunkelden the gude bischop
That men callit Willyame Syncler,
whom Bruce admired for his patriotism and valour,
And held him into sic daynte
That his awne bischop him callit he.
But Bruce might not even call his bishop his own: Harry annexed him for the ecclesiastical establishment of Wallace, who indeed is represented by Harry as appointing Sinclair to the bishopric, although in fact Sinclair was only elected in 1309. Throughout the Wallace[5] he fills a first-class part as a counsellor and supporter of Wallace.
How these bland transferences from Bruce to Wallace may affect a comparison between the two heroes may well suggest a question whether at the end of the process anything
