Wallace's fame spread far and wide, his amazing survival and astonishing deeds of arms bringing joy to the Scots and confusion to the English. Percy rode to Glasgow to seek advice from his seasoned peers there. Their assembled forces ran to some ten thousand but no leader could be found who was able and willing to lead them against Wallace. Percy was at a loss and asked his superiors' advice. Sir Aylmer de Valance, a mighty and false traitor living in Bothwell, spoke up: 'My lord, here is my advice and unless you take it God help you. You must seek a truce with Wallace at once and play for time till we can inform the King himself.' Percy replied, 'I can't see Wallace making any truce with us. He is a ferocious chief and thinks the only good Englishman is a dead one--he slays without the least compunction'. Sir Aylmer said, 'All the same it is imperative to try, and we will deal with Wallace later. I know he is very loyal to his kinsmen, honour and nobility being habitual with him. We might get at him through his uncle, Sir Ranald: try persuading him to get Wallace to make a truce, and if he won't, seize his lands.'

Sir Ranald was brought before them and they made it clear to him that he should persuade Wallace to make peace or else he would be sent to London. Sir Ranald said: 'My lords, you know as well as I do that nothing I say will make the least difference to Wallace. You slew his dearest kin, you cast him out for dead after abusing him in jail, and now that he is free and in arms, though you were to slay me on the spot, you would not stop him--on the contrary.' Sir Aylmer replied: 'Once the King hears the news these lords have sent him, this matter will be ended for ever, whatever you or Wallace do. But if Wallace could be won over to Edward for land or gold and become his liegeman in Scotland, Edward would give him power over the whole country.'

Hearing this the other lords protested, saying: 'You are proposing for Wallace more power and glory than becomes his humble rank, and the King will never hear of it. He seeks to rule by conquest, not by currying favour, and he would be furious at such a suggestion, whatever Wallace's undoubted qualities.' But Lord Percy went on trying to persuade Sir Ranald: 'You are Sheriff of Ayr, Sir Ranald, and I for my part will bind myself to you to be responsible for seeing that every Englishman shall keep the peace nor seek to take Wallace or any other Scot, unless provoked.' Sir Ranald saw that he could not withstand them. Percy was a true knight, sincere in peace, terrible in war, and of great influence. He agreed therefore to seek out Wallace and he set off for the great forest of Clyde. There he soon found his nephew, arriving just at dinner-time. He was well received, though Wallace was surprised to see him and wondered what he wanted. He gave him generous hospitality and such food and wine as might have come from King Edward himself: they had plenty of venison and all sorts of meats and provender. It was only when the dinner was over that Sir Ranald told Wallace how he had been coerced into proposing a truce with the English to Wallace. He went on to point out that if Wallace failed to agree, he would bring disaster on his kinsmen.

Wallace was against any truce, but he consulted his companions at the table. Sir Robert Boyd was of the opinion that it might be best to make a temporary truce to save Sir Ranald's life and a number of other important men were of the same opinion. Wallace accepted their suggestion and authorised his uncle to negotiate a ten-month truce with the English. They took their farewells of each other in friendship, invoking St John the Beloved to preserve them all till they met again. The band broke up, most of the chief men going home: but Wallace went with his uncle Sir Ranald to stay with him in Crosby.

This dubious peace was signed in the pleasant month of August, but Mars, the god of battle, enraged and untameable, and the goddess Juno, went on stirring up strife, as did Venus the goddess of love and beauty, Mars's camp-follower and mistress, and lugubrious old Saturn. They found fertile soil for their sowing wherever there were Scots and English.

Wallace soon tired of inaction at Crosby and longed to be once again in arms, and one day when Sir Ranald was away, Wallace took fifteen men and rode for the town of Ayr. He kept his face well-covered in hope he would not be recognised by any of the enemy he might run into. His men were also kept well muffled up against recognition.

It happened that on the way to Ayr they ran into an Englishman who was practicing skirmishing techniques, his shield on his arm. Wallace and his men stood and watched. When the man saw them, he joked, 'Well, Scotty, have you the guts to try a cut at me?' Wallace replied 'Yes, if you feel like it.' 'Any time,' said the man, 'Lay on as hard as you like.' Wallace took his sword and struck at the man's head and though the man shielded himself with great skill the sword sheared through shield, shield-arm and skull, splitting him down to the chin. Great was the hullabaloo among the women standing round. Armed men came running as if from nowhere and soon Wallace and his fifteen companions were beset by many times their own number. Wallace's mighty figure whirled his five-foot two-handed sword with such ferocity and skill that any who came within range paid with his life, and his men were inspired to deeds beyond their own unaided custom. Scotland lost many enemies that day. But as new forces kept arriving from the castle Wallace covered his men as they all retreated, and once clear they rode full-pelt for Laglyne wood. The English, with thirty dead on the field, dared not follow into the wood and hastened back to the town, cursing the truce they had entered into.

Lord Percy was furious when he heard the news, his mind having been temporarily lulled by the truce. Three of his own kin were among the dead, and when he heard the English had brought it on themselves, being the first to attack--for the killing of the warrior had been fair play--he was doubly aggrieved.