BOOK XVI.

Here passed in Ireland the noble King To his brother with great gathering.

Quhen Schir Edward, as I tald air, Had discumfit Richard of Clair, And of Irland all the barnage Thris, throu his worthy vassalage, And syne with all his men of mayne 5 Till Cragfergus wes cummyn agayn, The gud Erll of Murreff, Thomas, Tuk leiff in Scotland for till pas. And he hym levit with a gruching, And syne him chargit to the King, 10 Till pray him specialy that he Suld cum in Irland him to se. For, war thai bath in-to that land, Thai suld fynd nane suld thaim withstand. The Erll furth than his way has tane, 15 And till his schippes is he gane, And salit out weill our the se, In Scotland soyne arivit he. Syne to the king he went in hy: And he resavit hym gladsumly; 20 And sperit of his brotheris fair, And of journeis that he had thair; And he him tald all but lesyng. Quhen the King had left spering, His charge to the gud king tald he. 25 And he said, he wald blithly se His brothir, and als all the effeire Of that cuntre and of thar were. A gret menyhe than gaderit he: And twa lordis of gret bounte, 30 The tane the Steward Walter was, The tothir, James of Dowglas, Wardanis in his absens maid he, For till manteym weill the cuntre. Syne to the se he tuk his way; 35 And at Lowchryan in Galloway He schippit, with all his menyhe; Till Cragfergus soyne cummyn is he. Schir Edward of his com wes blith, And went down for to meit him swith, 40 And welcummyt him with gladsum cher: Sa did he all that with him wer; And specialy the Erll Thomas Of Murreff, that his nevo was. Syne to the castell went thai thar, 45 And maid thame mekill fest and far. Thai sojournyt thair dayis thre In gret myrth and in rialte.

[16: E _shipping_.]

[46: C _He maid_ (S). E H _And maid_.]

[47, 52: C _sudjornyt_ (S).]

[48: E _And that in myrth and jolyte_. H _royaltie_.]

How King Robert the Bruce passed in Ireland with his brother Edward.

[Sidenote: 1316] _The Month of May_]

King Robert, apon thiskyn wis, In-till Irland arivit is: 50 And quhen in Cragfergus had he With his men sojournyt dais thre, Thai tuk to consell that thai wald, With all thar folk, thar wayis hald Throu all Irland, fra end to othir. 55 Schir Edward than, the Kingis brothir, Befor in the avaward raid; The Kyng him-self the reirward maid, That had in-till his cumpany The Erll Thomas, that wes worthy. 60 Thair wayis furthwarde haf thai tane, And soyne are passit Inderwillane. This wes in the moneth of May, Quhen byrdis syngis on the spray; Melland thair notys with sydry sowne, 65 For softnes of that sweit sesoune; And levis on the branchis spredis, And blomys bricht besyd thame bredis And feldis florist ar with flowris Well savourit, of seir colowris; 70 And all thing worthis blith and gay; Quhen that this gud king tuk his way To ryd furthward, as I said are. The wardane than, Richard of Clare, Wist the Kyng wes arivit swa, 75 And wist that he schupe for till ta His way toward the south cuntre. Of all Irland assemblit he Bath burges and chevalry And hobilleris and yhumanry; 80 Quhill he had neir fourty thousand. Both he wald nocht yheit tak on hand With all his fayis in field to ficht, But umbethoucht him of a slicht; That he with all that gret menyhe 85 Wald in a wode enbuschit be, And prevely besyde the way, Quhar at thar fayis suld pas away, And let the vaward pas fer by, And syne assemmyll hardely 90 On the reirward, with all thar men. Thai did as thai devisit then. In a wode thai enbuschit wer: The Scottis hoost raid by thame nere; For thai na schawing of thame maid. 95 Schir Edward weill fer forrouth raid With thame that war of his menyhe; To the reirward na tent tuk he.

[61: E _southwart_. H _fordward_.]

[64: E _in ilk spray_. H _on ilk_.]

[65: E H _seymly_.]

[69: E _ar strowyt_. H _strowed ar_.]

[70: E _saverand_. H _savouring_.]

[73: E _southwart_. H _southward_.]

[79, 80: C gives--

_Till him a full gret chevelry Of squyaris, burges and yhemanry_ (S).

But burgesses and yeomanry would not be _chevelry_, and H agrees with E.]

And Schir Richard of Clare in hy, Quhen Schir Edward wes passit by, 100 Send wicht yhomen, that weill couth schut, To bikkir the reirward apon fut. Than twa of thame that send furth war At the wode-syde thame bykkirrit thar, And schot emang the Scottis men. 105 The King, that had thar with him then Five thousand wicht and ek hardy, Saw thai twa sa abaundonly Schut emang thaim, and cum so neir; He wist richt weill, withouten weir, 110 That thai weill neir suppowal had. Tharfor a bydding has he mad, That no man suld be so hardy Till prik till thame, but sarraly Ryde reddy ay in-till battale, 115 Till defend gif men wald assale. “For we sall soyne, I undirta,” He said, “haf for till do with ma.”

[Sidenote: 1317] _Bruce strikes Sir Colin Campbell_]

Bot Schir Colyne Cammell, that ner Wes by quhar thai twa yhomen wer, 120 Schutand emang thame hardely, Prikit on thame in full gret hy, And soyne the tane he has our-tane, And with his sper him soyne has slayne. The tothir turnyt and schot agayne, 125 And at a schot his hors has slayne. With that the King come hastely, And, in his gret malancoly, With ane trunsione in-till his nave To Schir Colyne sic dusche he gave, 130 That he dynnyt on his arsoune. The King bad smertly tyt hym doune, Bot othir lordis, that war him by, Ameyssyt the King in sum party. He said, “The breking of bydding 135 “Micht caus be of discomfiting. “Weyn yhe yhon rebaldis durst assale “Us so neir, in-till our battale, “Bot gif thai had suppowale neir? “I wat richt weill, forouten weir, 140 “That we sall have till do in hy; “Tharfor luk ilk man be reddy.” With that weill neir thretty and ma Of bowmen com, and bykkyrrit swa That thai hurt of the Kyngis men. 145 The King has gert his archeris then Schute for till put thaim than agayne. With that thai enterit in ane playne, And saw arayit agane thame stand, In four battellis, fourty thousand. 150

[134: C _Avisit_ (S). H _Hes meased_.]

[Sidenote: 1317] _Success of the Scots_]

The king said, “Now, lordingis, lat se “Quha worthy in this ficht sall be. “On thame forouten mair abaid!” So stoutly than on thame thai raid, And assemblit so hardely 155 That of thair fayis a gret party War laid at erd at thar meting. Thar wes of speris sic bristing, As athir apon othir raid, That it a weill gret frusche has maid. 160 Hors com thair fruschand, hed for hed, Swa that feill on the grund fell ded. Mony a wycht and worthy man, As athir apon othir ran, War duschit ded doune to the ground; 165 The rede blude out of mony a wound Ruschit in sa gret fusioune than, That of the blude the stremes ran. And thai, that wrath war and angry, Dang on othir so hardely, 170 With wapnys that war bricht and bar, That mony a wicht man ded wes thar. For thai that hardy war and wicht, And frontly with thar fayis can ficht, Pressit thame formast for till be. 175 Thair mycht men cruell bargane se, And hard battall, I tak on hand. In all the weir of Irland So hard ane fichting wes nocht seyne: The-quhethir of gret victoris nynteyne 180 Schir Edward had, withouten wer, In-till les than in-to thre yheir; And in syndry battelis off thai He vencust twenty thousand and ma, With trappit hors richt to the feit. 185 Bot in all tymis he wes yheit Ay ane for fyve, quhen lest wes he, Bot the Kyng, in-to this melle, Had allwayis aucht of his famen For ane, bot he swa bar him then, 190 That his gud deid and his bounte Confortit swa all his menyhe, That the mast coward hardy wes. For, quhar he saw the thykkest pres, So hardely on thame he raid, 195 That ay about hym rowme he maid. And Erll Thomas, the worthy, Wes in all tymis neir hym by, And faucht as he war in a rage; Swa that, throu thar gret vassalage, 200 Thar men sic hardyment can tak, That thai no perell wald forsak; Bot thame abaundonyt so stoutly, And dang on thame so hardely, That all thair fayis afrayit war. 205 And thai, that saw weill, be thair fair, That thai eschewit sumdeill the ficht, Thai dang on thame with all thar mycht, And pressit thame dyngand so fast, *209 *That thai the bak gaf at the last, *And thai, that saw thaim tak the flicht, Pressit thame than with all thar mycht, *212 And in thair fleying feill can sla. The Kingis men has chasit swa, 210 That thai war scalit evirilkane. Richard of Clare the way has tane To Devillyng, in full gret hy, With othir lordis that fled him by, And warnyst bath castell and townys 215 That war in thair possessiownis.

[177: C _I undirstand_ (S). E H _tak on hand_.]

[178: C _In-til_ (S). S also inserts _all_, which C omits here, but inserts before _Irland_, which it gives as _Ingland_. C is clearly defective.]

[*197, *198:

_That he slew all he might ourtak And rudely rushed them abak._--In H only.]

[184: E _xxx_. H _twentie_.]

[206: C _by thair_ (S).]

[*209-*212: In C H, not in E; owing to occurrence of two _mychts_.]

Thai war so felly fleyit thar, That, as I trow, Richard of Clar Sall haf no will to faynd hys mycht In battell, na in fors of fycht, 220 Quhill King Robert and his menyhe Is duelland in-to that cuntre. Thai stuffit strynthis on this wis; And the King, that wes sa till pris, Saw in the feild richt mony slayn. 225 And ane of thame that thar wes tane, That wes arayit jolely, He saw greit wondir tendirly, And askit him quhy he maid sic cher: He said him, “Schir, forouten wer, 230 “It is no wonder thouch I grete, “I se feill heir fellit to fete, “The flour of all north Irland, “That hardyest wes of hert and hand, “And mast doutit in hard assay.” 235 The King said, ‘Thou has wrang, perfay; ‘Thou has mair caus myrthis till ma, ‘For thou the ded eschapit swa.’

[229: C _He askit_ (S).]

[232: E _lossyt the suet_. H _slain at my feete_.]

[Sidenote: 1317] _The King and the Laundress_]

Rychard of Clare on this maner, And all his folk, discumfit wer, 240 With few folk, as I to yhow tald. And quhen Edward the Bruce so bald, Wist at the King had fouchten swa, With sa feill folk, and he thar-fra, Micht no man se ane wrathar man. 245 Bot the gude King said till hym than, That it wes in his awn foly, For he raid sa unwittandly So fer befor, and no avaward Maid to thame of the reirward, 250 For, he said, quha on were wald ryde In the vaward, he suld na tyde Press fra his rerward fer of sycht; For gret perell so fall thair mycht. Of this ficht will we spek no mair. 255 The King, and all that with him war, Raid furthwarde in-to bettir aray, And neir to-giddir than ere did thai. Throu all the land planly thai raid; Thai fand nane that thame warnyng maid. 260 Thai raid evin forrouth Drouchyndra, And forrouth Devilling syne alsua: Bot to gif battale nane thai fand. Syne thai went forthwarde in the land, And sowth till Lynrike held their way, 265 That is the southmast toune, perfay, That in Irland may fundyn be. Thair lay thai dayis twa or thre, And buskit syne agane to fare. And quhen that thai all reddy war, 270 The King has herd ane woman cry, He askit quhat that wes in hy. “It is ane landar, schir,” said ane, “That hir childyne richt now has tane; “And mon leve now behynd us her, 275 “Tharfor scho makis yhon evill cher.” The King said; ‘Certis, it war pite ‘That scho in that poynt left suld be; ‘For certis, I trow, thar is no man ‘That he ne will rew a woman than.’ 280 His host all than arestit he, And gert ane tent soyne stentit be, And gert her gang in hastely, And othir women till be hir by, Quhill scho delyver wes, he bad; 285 And syne furth on his wayis raid; And how scho furth suld caryit be, Or evir he fure, than ordanit he. This wes a full gret curtasy, That sic a Kyng and swa mychty, 290 Gert his men duell on this maner Bot for a full pouir laynder. Northward agane thai tuk the way, Throu all Irland thus passit thai, Throw Conage richt to Devilling, 295 And throu all Myth, and Irell syne, And Monester, and Lenester, And syne haly throu Ullister, To Cragfergus, forout battell; For thar wes nane durst thame assale. 300 The kingis than of the Eryschrye Come to Schir Edwarde halely; And thair manrent till him ma, Bot gif that it war ane or twa. Till Cragfergus thai come agane; 305 In all that way wes no bargane, Bot gif that ony punyhe wer, That is nocht for till spek of her. The Erische kyngis than evirilkane Hayme till thar awne repar ar gane, 310 And undirtuk in all-kyn thyng For till obeys till the biddyng Of Schir Edward, that thar king call thai. He wes weill set now in gud way To conquest the land all halely; 315 For he had apon his party The Eryschry and Ullister, And he wes swa furth of his wer That he was passit throu all Irland, Fra end till end throu strynth of hand. 320 Couth he haf governit hym throu skill, And fallowit nocht to fast his will, Bot with mesour haf led his deid, It wes weill lik, withouten dreid, That he mycht haff conquerit weill 325 The land of Irland everilk deill. Bot his outrageous succudry And will, that mar wes than hardy, Of purpos letit hym, perfay, As I heir-eftir sall yhow say. 330

[260: E _obstakill maid_.]

[264: E _southwart_.]

[265: E _rycht till_.]

[265: C _Lunyk_ (S). E _Kynrike_. H _Lynrike_. In Anderson’s edition we find _Lymrik_.]

[280: C _up-on woman_ (S). H like E.]

[293: E H _lavender_.]

[295: E _Connach_. H _Connoch_.]

[296: E _Methy_. H _Mich_. E _Iereby_. H _Irrelle_.]

How the Good Douglas slew the Earl Richmond of England.

[Sidenote: APRIL 1317] _Douglas at Lintalee_]

Now leiff we heir the nobill King All at his eis, and his liking, And spek we of the lord Douglas, That left to kep the marchis was. He gert get wrichtis that wes sle, 335 And in the hawch of Lyntoun-le He gert thame mak a fair maner. And quhen the housis biggit wer, He gert purvay him richt weill thar; For he thoucht for till make infair, 340 And till mak gud cher till his men. In Rychmond wes thar wonnand then Ane Erll men callit Schir Thomas. He had invy at the Dowglas, And said, gif that he his baner 345 Micht se displayit apon wer, That soyn assemble on it suld he. He herd how Dowglas thoucht to be At Lyntoun-le ane fest till ma. And he had wittyng weill alsua, 350 That the King and a gret menyhe, War passit than of the cuntre, And the Erll of Murref, Thomas. Tharfor he thoucht the cuntre was Febill of men for till withstand 355 Men that thame soucht with stalward hand: And of the marchis than had he The governale, and the pouste. He gaderit folk about hym then, Quhill he wes neir ten thousand men, 360 And wode-axis gert with hym tak; For he thoucht he his men wald mak Till hew doune Jedward forest cleyne, That na tre suld tharin be seyne.

[336: E _Lyntaile_. H _Lyntalle_.]

[Sidenote: APRIL, 1317] _Douglas slays Richmond_]

Thai held thaim furthward on thar way; 365 Bot the gud lord of Dowglas ay Had spyis out on ilka syde, And had gud witting that thai wald ryde, And cum apon hym suddanly. Than gaderit he richt hastely 370 Thame that he mycht of his menyhe. I trow that than with hym had he Fifty, that worthy war and wicht, At all poynt armyt weill and dicht; And of archeris a gret menyhe 375 Assemblit als with hym had he. A place thar was thar in the way, Quhar he wist weill thai wald away, That had wode apon athir syde; The entre wes weill large and wyde; 380 And as ane schelde it narrowit ay Quhill that, in-till ane place, the way Wes nocht a penny-stane cast of breid. The lord of Douglas thidder yheid, Quhen he wist thai war neir cumand, 385 And in a clewch on the ta hand, All his archeris enbuschit he, And bad thame hald thame all preve Quhill that thai herd him rais the cry, And than suld thai schute hardely 390 Emang thar fayis, and hald thame thar Quhill that he throu thame passit war; And syne with him furth hald suld thai. Than byrkis on athir syde the way, That yhoung and thik wes growand ner, 395 He knyt to-giddir on sic maner, That men mycht nocht weill throu thame ryde. Quhen this wes done, he can abyde Apon the tothir half the way: And Richmond in-till gude aray 400 Com rydand in the first escheill. The lorde Dowglas has seyn him weill, And gert his men all hald thame still, Quhill richt at hand thai com thame till And enterit in the narrow way. 405 Than with a schout on thame schot thai, Cryand on hicht, “Douglas! Douglas!” Than Richmonde, that rycht worthy was, Quhen he has herd sa ris the cry, And Dowglas baner saw planly, 410 He dressit him thiddir-ward in hy. And thai come on sa hardely, That thai throu thame maid thame gud way; All at thai met till erd bar thai. The Richmond borne doune thar was; 415 On hym arestit the Dowglas, And him reversit, syne with a knyff Richt in that place hym reft the liff. Ane hat apon his helm he bare, And that tuk Douglas with him thar 420 In taknyng, for it furrit was. And syne in hy his way he tais, Quhill in the wode thai enterit war. The archeris weill has borne thame thar; For weill and hardely schot thai. 425 The Inglis rout in gret effray War set, for Douglas suddandly, With all thame of his cumpany, Or evir thai wist, war in thar rout, And thrillit thame weill neir throuout; 430 And had almast all done his deid, Or thai till help thame couth take hede.

[391: E _and sow thaim sair_. H _saile them saire_.]

[401: C _battale_ (S). H _eshell_.]

[402: C _seyn weill all_ (S). H as E.]

[408: _Rycht_ is from H alone (S).]

And quhen thai saw thar lord wes slayne, Thai tuk him up, and turnyt agayne Till draw thame fra the schot away. 435 Than in ane playne assemblit thai; And, for thar lord that thar wes ded, Thai schupe thame in that ilke sted For till take herbery all that nycht. And than the Douglas, that wes wicht, 440 Gat wittering that ane clerk, Elys, With weill thre hundreth enymys, All straucht till Lyntoun-le war gane, And herbery for thair host had tane. Than thiddir is he went in hy, 445 With all thame of his cumpany, And fand clerk Elis at the met, And all his rout about him set. And thai com on thaim stoutly thair, And with suerdis that scharply schar 450 Thai servit thame full egyrly. Thai war slayn doune so halely, That thar weill neir eschapit nane; Thai servit thame in sa gret wayne With scherand swerdis and with knyvis, 455 That weill neir all lesyt thar livis. Thai had ane felloune entremas, For that surcharge to chargeand was! Thai that eschapit thair throu cas Richt till thar host thar wayis tais, 460 And tald how that thar men war slayne So cleyne that neir eschapit nane. And quhen thai of the host has herd How that the Dowglas with thame ferd, That had thar herbreouris all slayne, 465 And ruschit als thame-self agane, And slew thar lord in-myd thar rowt, Ther wes nane of thame all sa stowt, That mair will had than till assale The Dowglas; tharfor till consale 470 Thai yheid, and till purpos has tane Till wend hamward, and haym ar gane; And sped thame swa apon thair way, That in Ingland soyne cummyn ar thai. The forest left thai standand still; 475 Till hew it than thai had no will: And specialy quhill the Dowglas So neir hand by thair nychtbour was. And he, that saw thame turn agane, Persavit weill thar lord wes slane, 480 And by the hat that he had tane He wist alsua weill; for ane, That takyn wes, said him suthly, That the Richmond commonly Wes wount that furrit hat to were. 485 Than Dowglas blithar wes than ere; For he weill wist that the Richmond, His felloune fa, wes broucht to ground.

[434: C _and went_ (S). H _turned_.]

[449: C _on hym_ (S). H as E.]

[Sidenote: 1317] _Three Feats by Fifty Men_]

Schir James of Dowglas, on this wis, Throu his worschip and gret empris, 490 Defendit worthely the land. This poynt of weir, I tak on hand, Wes undirstane so apertly, And eschevit richt hardely. For he stonayit, withouten weir, 495 The folk that weill ten thousand weir, With fifty armyt men but ma. I can als tell yhow othir twa Poyntis, that weill eschevit weir With fifty men; and, but all weir, 500 Thai war done swa richt hardely, *501 *That thai war prisit soveranly, *Atour all othir poyntis of wer That in thar tym eschevit wer. *504 This wes the first, that sa stoutly Wes broucht till end weill with fifty. In Galloway the tothir fell; Quhen, as yhe forrouth herd me tell, Schir Edward the Bruys, with fifty, 505 Vencust of Saint Johne Schir Amery, And fifteene hundreth men be tale. The thrid fell in-to Eske-dale, Quhen that Schir Jhone the Sowlis was The governour of all that plas, 510 That to Schir Androu the Herdclay With fifty men withset the way, That had thar in his cumpany Thre hundreth horsit jolely. This Schir Jhone in-to plane melle, 515 Throu hardyment and soverane bounte Vencust thame sturdely ilkane, And Schir Androu in hand has tane. I will nocht rehers all the maner; For quha sa likis, thai may heir 520 Yhoung women, quhen thai will play, Syng it emang thame ilke day. Thir war the worthy poyntis thre, That, I trow, evirmar sall be Prisit, quhill men may on thaim meyn. 525 It is weill worth, forouten weyn, That thar namys for evirmar, That in thar tyme so worthy war That men till heir yheit has dantee Of thair worschip and gret bounte, 530 Be lestand ay furth in lovyng: Quhare he, that is of hevyn the king, Bring thame hye up till hevynnis blis, Quhar alway lestand loving is!

[*501-*504: Not in E. In C H.]

[505: C _Brys_ (S).]

[507: E _fyfty_. H _fifteene_. C _xv_ (S).]

[Sidenote: 1317] _An English Fleet in the Forth_]

In-till this tyme that the Rychmond 535 Was on this maner broucht to ground, Men of the cost of Ingland, That duelt on Hummyr or neirhand, Gaderit thame a gret menyhe, And went with schippes to the se, 540 And toward Scotland went in hy, And in the Firth com hastely. Thai wend till haf all thar liking: For thai wist richt weill at the King Wes than fer out of the cuntre, 545 And with him mony of gret bounte. Tharfor in-to the Firth com thai And endlang it up held thai thar way, Quhill thai, besyde Enverkethyne, On west half, toward Dunfermlyne, 550 Tuk land, and fast begouth to reif. The Erll of Fiff and the schirreff Saw till thar cost schippes approachand: Thai gaderit till defend thair land, And ay forgane the schippis ay, 555 As thai salit, thai held thar way, And thoucht till let thame land to tak, And quhen the schipmen saw thame mak Sie contenans in sic aray, Thai said emang thaim all, that thai 560 Wald nocht let for thame land to ta, Than to the land thai sped thame swa, That thai com thair in full gret hy And arivit full hardely. The Scottis men saw thair cummyng, 565 And had of thame sic abasyng, That thai all sammyn raid thame fra, And the land letles leit thame ta. Thai durst nocht fecht with thame, for-thi Thai withdrew thame all halely; 570 The-quhethir thai war fyve hundreth ner. Quhen thai away thus ridand wer, And na defens begouth to schop, Of Dunkelden the gude bischop, That men callit Willyhame Syncler 575 Com with a rout in gud manere, I trow on hors thai war sexty. Hym-self wes armyt jolely, And raid apon a stalward steid. A chemeyr, for till heill his weid, 580 Above his armyng had he then; And als weill armyt wes his men. The Erll with the schirreff met he, Awayward with thar gret menyhe: And askyt thame weill soyn, quhat hy 585 Maid thame till turne so hastely. Thai said, thair fais with stalward hand Had in sic fusioune takyne land, That thai thoucht thame allout to fele, And thame to few with thame to dele. 590 Quhen the bischop herd it wes sa, He said; “The King aucht weill to ma “Of yhow, that takis sa weill on hand “In his absens till wer the land. “Certis, gif he gert serve yhow weill, 595 “The gilt spuris, richt by the heill, “He suld in hy ger hew yhow fra; “Richt wald with cowardis men did swa. “Quha lufis his lord and his cuntre, “Turne smertly now agane with me!” 600 With that he kest of his chemer, And hynt in hand a stalward sper, And raid toward his fayis in hy. All turnyt with hym halely; For he had thame reprevit swa, 605 That of thame all nane went him fra. He raid befor thame sturdely, And thai hym followyt sarraly, Quhill that thai com neir approchand To thar fais that had tane land. 610 And sum war knyt in gud aray, And sum war set to the forray.

[548: C _endlang furth held thai thar way_. E _it up held thai_. H _it held up their way_.]

[549: E _Enverkething_.]

[550: E _Dunferling_.]

[Sidenote: 1317] _The Wonderful Feat of an Englishman_]

The gud bischop, quhen he thame saw, He said; “Lordingis, but dreid or aw, “Prek we apon thame hardely, 615 “And we sall haf thame weill lichtly, “Se thai us cum but abaysing, “Swa that we mak heir na stynting, “Thai sall weill soyne discumfit be. “Now dois weill; for men sall se, 620 “Quha lufis the Kyngis mensk to-day.” Than all to-giddir in gud aray Thai prekit apon thame sturdely. The bischop, that wes richt hardy And mekill and stark, raid forrouth ay. 625 Than in a frusche assemblit thai. And thai that, at the first metyng Of speris, feld so sair sowing, Wayndist and wald haf beyn away; Toward thar schippis in hy held thai, 630 And thai com chassand felonly, And slew thame sa dispitfully, That all the feldis strowit war Of Inglis men that slayn wes thar. And thai that yheit held unslayn, 635 Pressit thame to the se agane. And Scottis men, that chassit swa, Slew all that thai mycht our-ta. Bot thai that fled yheit, nocht-for-thi, Swa till thar schippis can thame hy, 640 And in sum bargis sa feill can ga, And thair fais thame chasit swa, That thai ourtummyllit, and the men That war thar-in all drownit then. Thar did ane Inglis man, perfay, 645 A weill gret strynth, as I herd say. For quhen he chassit wes to the bat, A Scottis man, that him handlyt hat, He hynt than by the armys twa; And, war him weill or war him wa, 650 He evin apon his bak hym flang, And with hym till the bat can gang, And kest him in, all magre his. This wes ane weill gret strynth, i-wis. The Inglis men, that wan away, 655 Till thair schippes in hy went thai. And salit hayme, angry and wa That thai had beyn reboytit swa.

How Good King Robert the Bruce came Home again from Ireland.

[Sidenote: 1318] _King Robert returns from Ireland_]

Qwhen that the schipmen on this wis War discumfit, as I devis, 660 The bischop, that so weill hym bare That he all hertit that was thar, Wes yheit in-to the fechting-sted, Quhar that fyve hundreth neir wes ded, Forouten thame that drownyt war. 665 And quhen the feld wes spulyheit bare, Thai went all hayme to thar repare. To the bischop is fallen faire, That, throu his pris and his bounte, Has eschevit sa gret journee; 670 The Kyng tharfor, ay fra that day, Hym lufit, honorit and prisit ay, And held hym in-to sic daynte That “his awne bischop” him callit he. Thus thai defendit the cuntre 675 Apon bath halfis the Scottis Se, Quhill that the King wes out of land, That than, as I have borne on hand, Throu all Irland his cours had maid, And agane to Cragfergus raid. 680 And quhen his brothir, as he war King, Had all Erischry at his bidding, And halely Ulcister alsua, He buskit hame his way to ta. Of his men that war mast hardy 685 And prisit of all chevelry, With his brothir gret part left he, And syne he went on-to the se. Quhen thair levis on athir party Wes tane, he went to schip in hy. 690 The Erll Thomas with him he had; Thai rasit salys but abaid, And in the land of Gallowa, Forouten perell, arivit thai.