BOOK XI

[Sidenote: 1313] _The Compact about Stirling_]

And quhen this cunnand thus wes maid, Schir Philip in-to Ingland raid, And tald the King all haill this tale, How he a tuelf moneth all hale Had, as it writtin wes in thair tale, 5 Till reskew Strevilling with battale. And quhen he herd Schir Philip say That Scottis men had set ane day To fecht, and at sic space he had Till purvay hym, he wes rycht glad; 10 And said, it wes gret succuddry That set thame apon sic folye; For he thocht to be, or that day, So purvait, and in sic aray, That thair suld na strinth him with-stand. 15 And quhen the lordis of Ingland Herd at this day wes set planly, Thai jugit it to gret foly, And thoucht till haff all thair liking, Giff men abaid thame in fechting. 20 Bot oft falyheis the fulys thoucht: And wis mennis etling cumis nocht Till sic end as thai weyn alwayis. A litill stane oft, as men sayis, May ger weltir a mekill wane. 25 Na manis mycht may stand agane The grace of God, that all thing steris; He wat quhat-to all thing efferis, And disponis at his liking, Eftir his ordinans, all thyng. 30

The winning of Stirling by Sir Edward the Bruce, though the Battle was set over a Year and a Day, betwixt him and Sir Philip the Mowbray.

Qwhen Schir Edward, as I yhow say, Had gevyn sa outrageous a day To yheld or reskew Strevilling, Richt soyne he went on-to the King. And tald quhat tretis he had maid, 35 And quhat day he thame gevyn had. The King said, quhen he herd the day, “That wes unwisly done, perfay; “I herd nevir quhar so lang warnyng “Wes gevin to so mychty ane Kyng 40 “As is the Kyng of England. “For he has now in-till his hand “Ingland, Irland, and Walys alsua, “And Akatane yhet, with all tha “That duellis undir his senyhory, 45 “And of Scotland a gret party. “And off tresour so stuffit is he, “That he may wageowris haf plente. “And we ar qwheyn agane so fele; “God may richt weill our werdis deill, 50 “Bot we ar set in juperdy “To tyne or wyn than hastely.” Schir Edward said; ‘Sa God me reid! ‘Thouch he and all that he may leid ‘Cum, we sall fecht, all war thai ma.’ 55 Quhen the King herd his brothir swa Spek to the battale so hardely, He prysit hym in his hert gretly, And said; “Brothir, sen swa is gane “At this thing thus is undirtane, 60 “Schap we us tharfor manfully; “And all that lufis us tendirly “And the fredome of this cuntre, “Purvay thaim at that time to be “Bowne with all mycht that evir thai may; 65 “Swa that gif our fayis assay “To reskew Strevillyng throu battale, “That we of purpos ger thame faill.”

The assembling of the English host, That with great power came and boast.

[Sidenote: 1314] _The Preparations in both Countries_]

[Sidenote: JUNE, 1314] _The English Host at Berwick_]

Till this all thai assentit ar, And bad thair men all mak thaim yhare 70 For to be boune agane that day On the best wis that evir thai may. Than all, that worthi war to ficht Of Scotland, set all haill thair mycht Till purvay thame agane that day; 75 Wapnys and armowris purvayit thai, And all that efferis to fichting. And of Ingland the mychty Kyng Purvait hym on so gret aray, That certis nevir I herd yheit say 80 That Inglis men mair aparaile Maid, than thai did than for battale. And quhen the tym wes cummyn ner, He assemblit all his power. And, but his awne chevelry, 85 That wes so gret it wes ferly, He had of mony a fer cuntre With hym gud men of gret bounte. Of Frans ane worthy chevelry He had in-till his cumpany; 90 The Erll of Hennaut als wes thar, And wyth him men that worthy war; Of Gascon and of Almanyhe; Of Duche als and of Bretanyhe He had wicht men and weill farrand, 95 Armyt clenly at fut and hand. Of Ingland hale the chevelry *97 He had thair gaderit so clenly, *98 That he left nane mycht wapnys welde, Or worthy war to ficht in felde. Of Walis als wyth hym had he, And of Irlande ane gret menyhe; 100 Of Pouty, Aquytane, and Bayon He had full mony of gret renoun. And of Scotland he had yheit then *103 *A gret menyhe of worthy men. *Quhen all thir sammyn assemblit war, He had of fechtaris with hym thar. *106 Ane hundreth thousand men and ma: And fourty thousand war of tha Armyt on hors, bath hede and hand. 105 And yheit of thai war thre thousand Wyth helit hors in plate and mailyhe, Till mak the front of the batailyhe And fifty thousand of archerys He had, forouten hoblerys; 110 With men on fut and small rangale, That yhemyt harnas and vittale He had so fele it wes ferly. Of cartis als that yheid thame by So feill that, but all thai that bar 115 Harnas, and als that chargit war Of palyheonys and veschall with-all, And apparall of chalmyr and hall, And wyne and wax, schot and vittale, Four scor wes chargit with fewale. 120 Thai war so fele quhar at thai raid, And thar batalis war ek so braid, And so gret rowme held thar charre, That men that mekill host mycht se Our-tak the landis so largely. 125 Men mycht se than, that had beyn by, Mony ane worthy man and wycht, And mony ane gayly armyt knycht, And mony ane sturdy sterand steid Arayit in-till so ryche weid; 130 And mony helmys, and hawbyrschownys, *Scheldis and speris, and pennownys, And so mony a cumly knycht, At semyt weill that in-to ficht Thai suld vencus the warld all hale. Quhy suld I mak to lang my tale? 135 Till Berwik ar thai cummyn ilkane, And sum thar-in thar innys has tane, And sum lugit without the townys, In tentis and in palyheownis.

[93: E has _And off the worthyast of Bretangny_.]

[*97, *98: omitted by P.]

[*103, *106: Not in E. In C. H.]

[109: C _in-till playn male ... battale_ (S). H as in E.]

[120: E viii.: _pulaile_. H as in C.]

How Englishmen menaced at will The Scots and dealt their lands till.

And quhen the Kyng his host has seyne 140 So gret, so gud men, and so cleyne, He wes richt joyfull in his thoucht, And weil presumyt thar wes nocht In warld a Kyng mycht him withstand. Hym thoucht all wonnyn till his hand, 145 And largely emang his men The landis of Scotland delt he then. Of othir mennis landis large wes he. And thai, that war of his menyhe, Mannausit the Scottis men halely 150 With gret wordis; but, nocht-for-thi, Or thai cum all to thair entent, Howis in haill clath sall be rent!

In ten battles the English men Were dealt and taught to chieftains then.

The Kyng, throu consall of his men, His folk he delt in battalis ten. 155 In ilkane war weill ten thousand, That thoucht thai stalwardly suld stand In the battale and stoutly ficht, And leif nocht for thair fayis mycht. He set ledaris till ilk battale, 160 Knawyn war of gud governale. And till renownyt erllis twa, Of Glowcister and Herfurd war thai, He gaf the vangard in ledyng, With mony men at thar bydding, 165 Ordanit in-till full gret aray. Thai war so chevelrus, that thai Trowit, gif thai com to the ficht, Thair suld no strynth with-stand thar mycht. And the Kyng, quhen his menyhe wer 170 Devisit in-to battalis ser, His awne battale ordanit he, And quha suld at his bridill be. Schir Gylys de Argente he set Upon ane half, hys renyhe to get; 175 And of Vallanch Schir Amery On othir half, that wes worthy; For in thair soverane gret bownte Atour the layff affyit he.

[161: E _That knawin_.]

How all the noble chivalry At Edinburgh took harbery.

[Sidenote: JUNE 18, 1314] _The Splendour of the English March_]

And quhen the Kyng, apon this wis, 180 Had ordanit, as I heir devis, His battalis and his stering, Arly he rais in ane mornyng, And fra Berwik he tuk the way. Bath hyllis and valayis helit thai, 185 And the battalis that war so braid Departit, our the feldis raid. The sonne wes brycht and schynand cler, And armys, that new burnyst wer, So blenknyt with the sonnys beyme, 190 That all the land wes in ane leyme With baneris richt freschly flawmand, And pensalis to the wynd waffand, So fele thai war of ser quyntis, That it war gret slicht to devis. 195 For suld I tell all thar effer, Thair countynans and thar maner, Thouch I couth, I suld cummerryt be. The King, with all that gret menyhe, Till Edinburgh he raid on rycht. 200 Thai war all out to fele to ficht With few folk of ane sympill land; Bot quhar God helpis quhat may withstand?

[191: C _felde_ (S). E H _land_.]

How in this time assembled then, To King Robert have certain men.

The Kyng Robert, quhen he herd say That Inglis men in sic aray 205 And in-to sa gret quantite, Com in his land, in hy gert he His men be summond generaly; And thai come all full willfully To the Torwod, quhar at the Kyng 210 Had ordanit to mak thar meting. Schir Edward the Bruce, that wes worthy, Com with a full gret cumpany Of gud men, armyt weill and dicht, Hardy and forsy for the ficht. 215 Waltir, Steward of Scotland, syne, That than wes bot ane berdlas hyne, Com with a rout of nobill men, That all be contynans mycht ken. And the gud lord Dowglas alswa 220 Brocht with him men, I undir-ta, That weill war oysit in fichting; Thai sall the les haf abaysing, Giff men betyd in thrang to be; And avantage sall tytar se 225 For till stonay thar fayis mycht, Than men that oysis nocht to ficht. The Erll of Murreff, with his men Arrayit weill, com alsua then In-to gud covyne for to ficht, 230 In gret will to maynteyme thar rycht; With othir mony gud baroune, And knychtis of full gret renoune, Com with thair men full stalwardly. Quhen thai assemblit halely, 235 Of fechtand men I trow thai ware Thretty thousand and sum deill mare, Foroutyn cariage and pouerale, That yhemyt harnas and vittale.

[235: C has _assemblit worthely_ (S). H _hailly_, as in E.]

Our all the host than yheid the Kyng, 240 And beheld to thair contenyng, And saw thame of full fair effer; Of hardy contynans thai wer, Be liklynes the mast cowart Semyt till do richt weill his part. 245 The King has seyn all thair having, That knew hym weill in-to sic thing, And saw thame all comonly Of sekyr contynans and hardy, Forouten effray or abaysyng. 250 In his hert had he gret liking. And thoucht that men of sa gret will, Gif thai wald set thair mycht thair-till, Suld be full hard till wyn, perfay. Ay as he met thame in the way, 255 He welcummyt thame with gladsum fair, Spekand gud wordis heir and thair. And thai, that thar lord so mekly Saw welcum thame and so hamly, Joyfull thai war, and thoucht at thai 260 Micht weill put thame in-till assay Of hard fechting in stalwart stour, For till maynteym weill his honour.

[259: E _hamly_. H _hamely_. C _myldly_ (S).]

The parting of the Scots men, That in four battles dealt were then.

[Sidenote: JUNE, 1314] _Bruce explains his Plan_]

The worthy Kyng, quhen he has seyn His host assemblit all bedeyn, 265 And saw thame wilfull to fulfill His liking, with gud hert and will; And to maynteym weill thair franchis, He wes rejosit on mony wis; And callit all his consell preve, 270 And said thame; “Lordingis, now yhe se “That Inglis men with mekill mycht “Has all disponit thame for the ficht; “For thai yhon castell wald reskew. “Tharfor is gud we ordane now 275 “How we may let thame of purpos, “And swa to thame the wayis clos “That thai pas nocht but gret lettyng. “We haf heir with us at byddyng “Weill thretty thousand men and ma. 280 “Mak we four battalis of all thai; “And ordane us on sic maner, “That, quhen our fayis cummys neir, “We till the New Park hald our way; “For thair behufis thaim pas, perfay, 285 “Bot gif that thai beneth us ga “And our the marras pas, and swa “We sall be at avantage thair. “For me think that richt speidfull war “To gang on fut to this fechting, 290 “Armyt bot in-to licht armyng; “For schupe we us on hors to ficht, “Syn our fayis ar mar of mycht, “And bettir horsit than ar we, “We suld in-to gret perell be. 295 “And gif we fecht on fut, perfay, “At avantage we sall be ay; “For in the park emang the treis, “The hors men alwais cummerit beis. “And the sykis alswa thair doune, 300 “Sall put thame to confusioune.”

[285: E _nede away_. C _neidwais gay_. Reading from H (S).]

[287: E _passand_. There is a difficulty in either reading.]

All thai consentit to that saw, And than, in-till ane litill thraw, Thair four battalis ordanit thai. And to the Erll Thomas, perfay, 305 He gaf the vaward in leding; For in his nobill governyng And in his hye chevelry Thai assoueryt rycht soveranly. And, for to maynteym his baner, 310 Lordis, that of gret worschip wer, War assignit with thair menyhe, In-till his battale for till be. The tothir battale wes gevin to lede Till hym that douchty wes of dede, 315 And prisit of gret chevelry, That wes Schir Edward the worthy; I trow he sall manteyme him swa That, how sa evir the gammyn ga, His fayis to plenyhe sall mater haf. 320 And syne the thrid battale he gaf To Waltir Stewart for to leid, And till Dowglas douchty of deid. Thai war cosyngis in neir degre, Tharfor till hym betaucht wes he, 325 For he wes yhoung; but nocht-for-thi I trow he sall sa manfully Do his devour, and wirk so weill, That hym sall neyd no mar yheymseill. The ferd battalle the nobill Kyng 330 Tuk till hym-self in governyng, And had in-till his cumpany The men of Carryk all halely, And of Argile and of Kentyre, And of the Ilis, quhar-off wes syre 335 Angus of Ile, and But, all tha. He of the playne-land had alsua Of armyt men ane mekill rout; His battale stalward wes and stout. He said the rerward he wald ma, 340 And evyn forrouth hym suld ga The vaward, and on athir hand The tothir battalis suld be gangand Behynd, on syde a litell space: And the Kyng, that behynd thaim was, 345 Suld se quhar thair war mast mystir, And relief thaim with his baneir.

[309: C _Thai had assouerans, trast trewly!_ (S). H _Thai had affiance soverainely._]

[326: C _and nocht_ (S).]

[336: C _of Ilis_ (S). He was “_of Islay_.”]

How King Robert gart pots make And cover them well, I undertake.

[Sidenote: JUNE 21, 1314] _The Scots march to the New Park_]

The King thus, that wes wicht and wis, And richt worthy at all devis, And hardy als atour all thing, 350 Ordanit his men for the fechting. And on the morn, on Settirday, The King herd his discurrouris say That Inglis men with mekill mycht Had lyin at Edinburgh that nycht. 355 Tharfor, forouten mair delay, He to the New Park held his way With all that in his leding war, And in the Park thame herbryit thar. And in ane playne feld, by the way, 360 Quhar he thoucht neid behufit away The Inglis men, gif that thai wald Throw the Park to the castell hald, He gert men mony pottis ma, Of a fut breid round, and all tha 365 War deip up till ane manis kne, Swa thik, that thai mycht liknyt be Till ane wax-cayme that beis mais. All that nycht travaland he was; Swa that, or day wes, he had maid 370 Thai pottis, and thame helit had With stikis and with gyrs al greyne, Swa that thai mycht nocht weill be seyne.

[350: E omits. In C and H. E gives after line 351 _In gud aray in alkin thing_.]

On Sonday than in the mornyng, Weill soyn eftir the sonne-rising, 375 Thai herd the mes full reverently. And mony shraf thame devotly, That thoucht till de in that melle, Or than to mak thar cuntre fre. To God for thair richt prayit thai. 380 Thair dynit nane of thame that day, Bot, for the vigill of Sanct Johne, Thai fastit bred and wattir ilkone. The King, quhen that the mes wes done, Went for to se the pottys soyne; 385 And at his liking saw thaim maid. On athir syde the way weill braid It wes pottit, as I haf tald. Gif that thair fais on hors will hald Furth in that way, I trow thai sall 390 Nocht weill eschew foroutyn fall. Throu-out the host syne gert he cry That all suld arme thame hastely, And busk thame on thar best maner. And quhen thai all essemblit wer, 395 He gert aray thame for the ficht, And syne our all gert cry on hicht, That quhat sa evir he war that fand His hert nocht sekir for till stand To wyn all or de with honour, 400 For to maynteyme that stalward stour, That he be tyme suld tak his way; And nane suld duell with him bot thai That wald stand with him to the end, And tak the ure that God wald send. 405 Then all ansuerd with a cry, And with a voce said generaly; That nane for dout of dede suld fale, Quhill discumfit war the battale.

[376: E _thair mess commounaly_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _The Camp-followers in a Valley_]

Qwhen the gud King had herd his men 410 Sa hardely him ansuer then, Sayand that nouthir ded no dreid Till sic discomfort suld thame leid, That thai suld eschew the fechting, In hert he had gret rejosyng. 415 For him thoucht men of sic covyne, So gud so hardy and so fyne, Suld weill in battall hald thair rycht Agane men of full mekill mycht. Syne all the small folk and pouerale 420 He send with harnase and vittale In-till the Park, weill fer him fra, And fra the battall gert thame ga; And as he bad, thai went thair way; Twenty thousand weill neir war thai. 425 Thair way thai held till ane vale, The King left with ane clene menyhe; The-quhethir thai war thretty thowsand. I trow they stalwardly sall stand, And do thair devour as thai aw. 430 Thai stude than rangit all on raw, Reddy for till byde battale, Gif ony folk wald thame assale.

How the King bad the Earl Murray To keep beside the Kirk the way.

The King gert thame all buskit be, For he wist in-to certante 435 That his fayis all nycht lay At the Fawkirk, and syne at thai Held toward him the way all straucht, With mony men of mekill mawcht. Tharfor till his nevo bad he, 440 The Erll of Murreff, with his menyhe, Besyd the kirk till kepe the way, That na man pass that gat away, For-out debat, to the castele. And he said, that him-self suld wele 445 Kepe the entre with his battale, Gif that ony wald thair assale. And syne his brothir, Schir Edward, And yhoung Waltir, the gud Steward, And the lord Dowglas alsua, 450 With thair menyhe, gud tent suld ta, Quhilk of thaim had of help mister, And help with thame that with him weir.

[440: C _said he_ (S).]

[443: C _past_ (S). H _sould passe_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _The Scots are Encouraged_]

The King send than James of Douglas And Schir Robert of Keth, that wes 455 Marshal of all the host of fee, The Inglis mennys com to se. And thai lap on and furth thai raid; Weill horsit men with thame thai had: And soyn the gret host haf thai seyne 460 Quhar scheldis schynand war so scheyne, And basnetis weill burnyst bricht, That gaf agane the sonne gret licht. Thai saw so fele browdyn baneris, Standartis, pennownys and speris, 465 And so feill knychtis apon stedis, All flawamand in-to thair wedis, And so fele battalis and so braid, That tuk so gret rowme as thai raid, That the mast host and the stoutest 470 Of Crystyndome, and ek the best, Suld be abasit for till se Thair fais in-to sic quantite, And swa arayit for to ficht. Quhen the discurrowris has had sicht 475 Of thair fais, as I herd say, Towart the King thai tuk the way, And tald him, in gret prevate, The multitude and the bewte Of thair fais, that comme so braid, 480 And of the gret mycht at thai had. Than the King bad thame thai suld ma Na contynans that it war swa; Bot bad thame in-to commoune say That thai com in-till evill aray, 485 And confort his man on that wis. For oftsis of ane word may ris Discomfort and tynsall with-all. And throu a word, als weill may fall, Confort may ris and hardiment, 490 That gerris men cum to thair entent. And on the sammyn wis it did her; Thair comfort and thair hardy cher Confortit thame so gretumly, That of thar host the lest hardy 495 Be countinans, wald formast be For till begin the gret melle.

[453: C _Suld help_ (S).]

How with a hundred the Earl Murray To eight hundred battle gave.

Apon this wis the nobill King Gaf all his men reconforting, Throu hardy countynans and cher 500 That he maid on sa gud maner. Thame thoucht that na myscheif mycht be Sa gret with-thi thai him mycht se Befor thame, that suld swa engreiff, That na hys worschip suld thame releif. 505 His worschip thame confortit swa, And contenans that he can ma, That the mast coward wes hardy. On athir half, full stalwardly, The Inglis men, in sic aray 510 As yhe haf herd me forouth say, Com with thair battalis approchand, The banerys to the wynd waffand. And quhen thai cummyn war so neir, That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer, 515 Thai chesit ane gud cumpany Of men that wicht war and hardy, On fair courseris armyt at rycht: Thre banrentis of full mekill mycht War capitanys of all that rout: 520 The lord Clyffurd, that wes so stout, Wes of thame all soverane ledeir, Aucht hundreth armyt, I trow, thai weir. Thai war all yhong men and joly, And yharnand till do chevelry; 525 The best of all the host war thai Off contenans and of aray: Thai war the farast cumpany That men mycht find of sa mony.

[519: E _Four lordys off_.]

[527: C _Be_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _The English pass Murray_]

To the castell thai thoucht to fair: 530 For, gif that thai mycht weill cum thair, Thai thoucht it suld reskewit be. Furth on thair way held this menyhe, And toward Strevilling tuk the way. The New Park all eschewit thai, 535 For thai wist weill the King wes thair; Beneth the New Park can thai fair, Quhill neuth the kirk, in-till a rout. The Erll Thomas, that wes so stout, Quhen he saw thame swa tak the playne, 540 In gret hye went he thame agane With fif hundreth, forouten ma, Anoyit in his hert and wa That thai so fer war passit by. For the King had said hym roydly, 545 That ane rose of his chaplet Wes faldyn; for, quhar he wes set To kep the way, thai men war past. Tharfor he hastit hym so fast That cummyn in schort tyme wes he 550 To the playn feld with his menyhe. For he thoucht that he suld amend That he trespassit had, or than end. And quhen the Inglis men him saw Cum on, forouten dreid or aw, 555 And tak sa hardely the playne, In hy thai sped thame him agane, And strak with spuris the stedis stith, That bar thame evyn hard and swith. And quhen the Erll saw that menyhe 560 Cum so stoutly, tiil his said he; “Beis nocht abasit for thair schor, “Bot settis speris yhow befor, “And bak to bak set all yhour rout “And all the speris poyntis out; 565 “Swagat defend us best may we, “Enveronyt with thame gif we be.”

[537: C _And beneth_, but S drops the _And_. E _And newth_. H _And beneath_.]

[538: E _Weill newth_.]

[547: E _fallen_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 13, 1314] _The Dusk darkens the Air_]

And as he bad thame thai haf done; And the tothir come alsoyne. Before thame all thair com prikand 570 A knycht, hardy of hert and hand; He wes a weill gret lord at hame, Schir Wilyhame Dencort wes his name; He prekit on thame so hardely, And thai him met so sturdely, 575 That he and hors war born all doune And slayne rycht thair for-out ransoune. With Inglis men gretly wes he Menyt that day, and his bountee. The layffe com on thame sturdely; 580 Bot nane of thame so hardely Ruschit emang thame as did he. Bot with fer mair maturite, Thai assemblit all in ane rout, And enveronyt thame all about, 585 Assalyheand thame on ilka syde. And thai with speris woundis wyde Gaf to the hors that com thame neir: And thai that rydand on thame weir, That doune war born, lossit the lyvis. 590 And mony speris, dartis and knyvis, And wapnys apon seir maneir, Kest emang thame that fechtand weir, That thame defendit so wittandly That thair fayis had gret ferly. 595 For sum wald schut out of thar rout, And of thame that assalyheit about, Stryk stedis, and ber doune men. The Inglis men so roydly then Kest emang thame swerdis and mas, 600 That inwith thame ane montane was Of wapnys, that war warpit thair. The Erll and his thus fechtand war At gret myscheiff, as I yhow say; For quhenar, be full fer, war thai 605 Than thair fayis, and all about Enveronyt war, quhar mony a rout War roucht, and full dyspitfully-- Thair fayis demanit thaim rycht stratly. On athir half thai war so stad, 610 For the rycht gret heit that thai had Of fechting and of sonnys het, That all thair flesche of swat wes wete. And sic ane stew rais owth thame then Of aynding, bath of hors and men, 615 And of powdir, that sic myrknes In-till the ayr abovyn thame wes, That it wes woundir for till se: Thai war in gret perplexite. Bot with gret travale nocht-for-thi 620 Thai thame defendit manfully, And set bath will and strenth and mycht Till rusch thair fais in that ficht, That than demanit thame angrely. Bot gif God help thame hastely, 625 Thai sall thar fill haf of fechtyng!

How good James of Douglas asked of King Robert the Bruce Leave to go to support Earl Thomas Randolph.

Bot quhen the nobill renownyt Kyng, With othir lordis that war hym by, Saw how the Erll abaundonly Tuk the playn feld, James of Douglas 630 Come to the Kyng richt quhar he was, And said; “A Schir! Sanct Mary! “The Erll of Murreff oppynly “Takis the playne feld with his menyhe. “He is in perell bot giff he be 635 “Soyne helpit, for his fayis ar ma “Than he, and horssit weill alsua. “And, with yhour leif, I will me speid “To help him, for that he has neid; “All enveronyt with fayis is he.” 640 The King said; ‘Sa our Lord me se, ‘A fut till hym thou sall nocht ga. ‘Giff he weill dois, let him weill ta. ‘Quhethir him happin to win or los, ‘I will nocht for him brek purpos.’ 645 “Certis,” he said, “I will no wis “Se that his fayis him suppris, “Quhen that I may set help thar-till. “With yhour leiff, sekirly I will “Help hym, or de in-to the payne.” 650 ‘Do than, and speid the soyn agane,’ The King said: and he held his way. Gyff he may cum in tyme, perfay, I trow he sall hym help so weill, That of his fayis sum sall it feill! 655

[655: _It_ in E H. C omits (S).]