BOOK IV.

How the Queen and Other Ladies were taken and imprisoned, and her Men slain.

In Rauchryne leve we now the King In rest, for-owtyn barganying; And off his fayis a quhile spek we, That, throw thar mycht and thar powste, Maid sic a persecucioune, 5 Sa hard, sa strayt, and sa feloune, On thaim that till hym luffand wer, Or kyn, or freynd on ony maner; That it till her is gret pite. For thai sparyt, off na degre, 10 Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer, Nothir off the kyrk, na seculer. For off Glaskow byschop Robert, And Marcus off Man thai stythly speryt, Bath in fetrys and in presoune. 15 And worthy Crystoll off Seytoun In-to Lochdon betresyt was, Throw a discipill off Judas. Maknab, a fals tratour, that ay Wes off his duelling, nycht and day; 20 Quhom-to he maid gud cumpany. It wes fer wer than tratoury For to betreys sic a persoune, So nobill, and off sic renoune. Bot thar-off had he na pite: 25 In hell condampnyt mot he be! For quhen he him betrasyt had, The Inglis men rycht with him rad In hy, in Ingland, to the King, That gert draw hym, and hede, and hing, 30 For-owtyn pete, or mercy. It wes gret sorow sekyrly, That so worthy persoune as he Suld on sic maner hangyt be. Thusgate endyt his worthynes. 35 And off Crauford als Schyr Ranald wes. And Schyr Bruce als the Blar, Hangyt in-till a berne in Ar.

[17: Pinkerton read it _Loudon_ (S). E has _London_. H _Lochdon_: on which see note.]

[Sidenote: 1306] _The Queen goes to Tain_]

The Queyn, and als dame Marjory, Hyr dochtyr that syne worthily 40 Wes coupillyt in-to Goddis band With Walter, Stewart off Scotland; That wald on na wys langar ly In the castell off Kyldromy, To byd a sege, ar ridin raith 45 With knychtis and with squyeris bath, Throw Ros, rycht to the gyrth off Tayne. Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne; For thai off Ros, that wald nocht ber For thaim na blayme, na yheit danger, 50 Owt off the gyrth thame all has tayne; And syne has send thaim evirilkane Rycht in-till Ingland, to the King, That gert draw all the men, and hing; And put the ladyis in presoune, 55 Sum in-till castell, sum in dongeoun. It wes gret pite for till heir Folk till be troublyt on this maneir.

[51: E _hame_ (S).]

[58: E has _the folk_. Reading is from the Cambridge MS., which begins at line 57 (see Introd., 27). C has _tribulit_. C also has _Kyndrumy_ throughout. I have kept the more familiar form in E.]

How Prince Edward of England besieged Kyldrumy.

That tyme wes in-to Kyldromy, With men, that wycht war and hardy, 60 Schyr Neile the Bruce: and I wate weile That thar the Erle wes off Adheill. The castell weill victalyt thai, And mete and fuell gan purvay; And inforsit the castell sua, 65 That thaim thocht na strenth mycht it ta. And quhen that it the King wes tald Off Ingland, how thai schup to hald That castell, he wes all angry; And callit his sone till hym in hy, 70 The eldest and apperande air, A yhoung bachiller, stark and fair, Schyr Edward callit off Carnavirnane, That wes the starkest man off ane That men fynd mycht in ony cuntre; 75 Prynce off Walys that tym wes he. And he gert als call erlis twa, Glowsister and Herfurd war thai; And bad thame wend in-to Scotland And set a sege, with stalward hand, 80 To the castell of Kildromy. And all the haldaris halely He bad distroy, without ransoun, Or bring thame till him in presoune.

[60: C omits _with_, but the garrison was more than two! See note.]

[61: C omits _and_, giving line 62 as _And thar wes_, etc.]

[63: E begins _In_. C omits.]

[64: C begins _With_.]

[66: C begins _Thaim_. E as above.]

[83: E _for-owtyn_.]

Here the King of England collects his Men in Scotland.

Quhen thai the mandment all had tane, 85 Thai assemblit ane ost on-ane, And to the castell went in hy, And it assegyt vigorusly; And mony tyme full hard assalit; Bot for to tak it yheit thame falit. 90 For thai within war rycht worthy, And thame defendit douchtely; And ruschit thair fayis oft agayne; Sum best woundit, and sum wes slayne. And mony tymes ysche thai wald, 95 And bargane at the barras hald; And wound thair fayis oft and sla. Schortly thai thaim contenyt swa, That thai without disparit war, And thoucht till Ingland for to far; 100 For thai sa stith saw the casteill, And wist that it wes warnist weill; And saw the men defend thame swa, That thai na hop had thame to ta.

[88: C has _rygorusly_.]

[94: E has _Sum best, sum woundyt, sum als slayne_, where _slayne_ as a past tense is impossible. The reading is from C, Skeat interpreting as _Some of the best were_, etc.]

[104: E has _nane_. C _na_.]

[Sidenote: SEP. 1306] _Kildrummy is set on Fire_]

Nane had thai done all that sesoune, 105 Gyff na had beyn thair fals tresoune. For thar within wes a tratour, A fals lurdane, ane losengeour, Osbarn to name, maid the tresoun, I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun, 110 Na quham-with he maid that covyne: Bot as thai said, that war thar-in, He tuk a culter hat glowand, That het wes in a fyre byrnand, And went in-to the mekill hall, 115 That than with corne wes fillit all, And heych up on a mow it did, Bot it full lang wes thar nocht hyd. For men sais oft that fyr, na pryd, But discovering may na man hyd. 120 For the pomp oft the prid furth shawis, Or ellis the gret bost that it blawis. Na mar may na man fyr sa covyr, Than low or rek sall it discovyr. So fell it heir, for fyre all cleir 125 Soyn throu the thik burd can appeir, Ferst as a sterne, syne as a moyne, And weill bradar thar-efter soyn The fyre out syne in blasis brast; And the reik rais rycht wounder fast. 130 The fyre our all the castell spred, Thar mycht no fors of men it red. Than thai within drew till the wall, That at that tym wes battalit all Within, rycht as it wes with-out. 135 That battalyng, withouten dout, Saffit thair liffis, for it brak Blesis that wald thame ourtak. And quhen thair fayis the myscheiff saw, Till armys went thai in a thraw; 140 And assalit the castell fast, Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast, Bot thai, within that myster had, Sa gret defens ande worthy maid, That thai full oft thair fayis ruschit, 145 For thai nakyn peralis refusit. Thai travaill for to sauf thair lifis: Bot werd, that to the end ay driffis The warldis thingis, sua thame travalit, That thai on twa halfis war assalit. 150 Within with fyr, that thame sa brulyheit; Without with folk, that thaim sa tulyheit, That thai brynt magre thairis the yhet, Bot for the fyre, that wes so het, Thai durst nocht enter swa in hy. 155 Thar folk thar-for thai can rely, And went to rest, for it wes nycht; Till on the morn that day wes lycht.

[123: C begins _And thair may_.]

How King Edward died in Burgh-in-Sand.

[Sidenote: SEP. 1306] _Kildrummy is surrendered_]

At sic myscheiff, as yhe herd say, War thai within; the-quhethir thai 160 Evir thame defendit worthely, And thame contenit sa manfully, That thai or day, throu mekill pane, Had muryt up the yhet agane. Bot on the morn, quhen day wes lycht, 165 And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht, Thai without in hale battale, Com purvait, reddy till assale. Bot thai within, that sa war stad, That na wittaill na fuaill had, 170 Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald, Tretit ferst, and syne thame yhald To be in-to the Kyngis will, That than to Scottis wes full ill; As soyn efter wes weill knawin, 175 For thai war hangit all and drawin.

Quhen this cunnand thus tretit wes, And affermit with sekirnes, Thai tuk thaim of the castell soyn. And in till schort tyme has swa done, 180 That all a quarter off Snawdoune, Rycht to the erd, thai tumlit doune. Syne toward Ingland wend thar way. Bot quhen the King Edward herd say How Neyll the Bruce held Kildrummy 185 Agane his sone sa stallwardly; He gaderit a gret chevelry, And toward Scotland went in hy.

[183: C has _thai wend_ (S). E omits _thai_.]

And as in-to Northumbirland He wes, with his gret rowt, rydand, 190 A seiknes tuk him in the way; And put him in sa hard assay, That he mycht nouthir gang no ryde. Him worthit, magre his, abyde In-till ane hamelat neir thair-by, 195 A litill toune, and unworthy. With gret payn thiddir thai hym brocht; He wes sa stad that he na mocht Hys aynd bot with gret panys draw; Na spek bot gif it war weill law. 200 The-quethir he bad thai suld him say Quhat toune wes that, that he in lay. “Schir,” thai said, “Bowrch-in-the-Sand “Men callis this toune, in-to this land.” ‘Call thai it Burch? Allace!’ said he, 205 ‘My hope is now fordone to me. ‘For I wend nevir to thole the payn ‘Of dede, quhill I, throu mekyll mayn, ‘The Burch of Jerusalem had tane; ‘My lif wend I thair suld be gane. 210 ‘In Burch I wist weill I suld de: ‘Bot I was nouthir wis, no sle, ‘Till othir burchis kepe to ta. ‘Now may I no wis forthir ga.’ Thus plenyheit he off his folye; 215 As he had mater sekirly, Quhen he wend to wit certante Of that at nane may certane be.

[218: C has _that that_ (S). E _that at_.]

The-quhethir, men said enclosit he had Ane spirit, that hym ansuer mad 220 Of thingis that he wald inqueir. Bot he wes fule, forouten weir, That gaf treuth to that creature. For fendis ar of sic nature, That thai to mankynd has invy; 225 For thai wat weill and wittirly, That thai that weill ar liffand heir Sall wyn the segis, quhar-of thai weir Tumlit doune throu thair mekill pryde. Quharfor oftymis will betyde. 230 That quhen fendis distrenyheit ar For till apper and mak answar, Throu force of conjuracioune, That thai sa fals ar and felloune, That thai mak ay thair ansuering, 235 In-till dowbill undirstanding, Till dissaf thame that will thame trow. Ensampill will I set heir now Of a were, as I herde tell, Betuix France and the Flemynnis fell. 240

[234: C has _sa felloune_ (S).]

[Sidenote: 1306] _How Ferrand’s Mother was deceived_]

The Erll Ferrandis moder was Ane nygramansour; and Sathanas Scho rasit; and him askit syne, Quhat suld worth off the fichtyne Betuix the Franch king and hir sone. 245 And he, as he all tyme wes wone, In-to dissat maid his ansuer; And said to hir thir versis heir.

[244: C has _fichtyne_ (S), and (254) _fichting_.]

The Lines about the War of Bosbek.

_Rex ruet in bello tumulique carebit honore Ferrandus, comitissa, tuus, mea cara Minerva, 250 Parisius veniet, magna comitante caterva._ This wes the spek he maid, perfay; And is in Inglis for to say; “The king sall fall in the fichting, “And sall fale honor of erding; 255 “And thi Ferrand, Mynerff my deir, “Sall rycht to Paris went, but weir; “Followand him gret cumpany “Of nobill men and of worthy.” This is the sentens off the saw, 260 That he in Latyne can hir schaw. He callit hir his deir Mynerfe, For Mynerfe ay wes wont to serfe Him fullely at his devis. And for scho maid the samyn service, 265 His Minerf hir callit he: And als, throu his gret sutelte, He callit hir deir, hir till dissaf, That scho the titar suld consaf Of his spek the undirstanding, 270 That plesit mast to hir liking.

[265: C gives _maid him the sam_ (S).]

[268: For the second _hir_, C has _sone_ (S).]

His doubill spek hir sua dissavit, That throu hir feill the ded resavit; For scho was of his ansuer blith, And till hir sone scho tald it swith; 275 And bad him till the battale spede, For he suld victor haf but drede. And he, that herd hir sermonyng, Sped hym in hy to the fichting; Quhar he discumfit wes and schent, 280 And takyn, and to Paris sent. Bot in the fechting nocht-for-thi The kyng, throu his chevelry, Wes laid at erd, and lamyt bath, Bot his men horsit hym weill rath. 285 And quhen Ferrandis moder herd How hir sone in the battale ferd, And that he swa wes discumfit, Scho rasit the evill spirit als tit: And askit quhy he gabbit had 290 Of the ansuer that he hir mad. And he said that he suth said all; “I said the that the kyng suld fall “In the battale, and sua did he; “And falys erding, as men may se. 295 “And I said that thi sone suld ga “To Paris, and he did he rycht sua; “Followand him sic a mengyhe, “That nevir, in his lif-tyme, he “Had sic mengyhe at his leding. 300 “Now seis thow I maid na gabbing.” The wif confusit wes, perfay, And durst no mair on-till him say.

[301: C has _mak_ (S).]

[Sidenote: JULY 7, 1307] _Edward I. dies at Burgh-on-Sand_]

Thusgat, throu doubill undirstanding, 304 That bargane come to sic ending, That the ta part dissavit was: Richt sua-gat fell it in this cas: At Jerusalem thus trowit he 308 Gravyn in the burch to be; The-quethir at Burch in-to the Sand He suelt rycht in his awne land. And quhen he to the ded wes ner, 312 The folk, that at Kyldrummy wer, Com with the presoners at thai had tane, And syne unto the Kyng ar gane. And for to confort him thai tald 316 How thai the castell to thame yhald; And how thai to his will war brocht, Till do of thame quhat-evir he thocht; And askit quhat thai suld of thaim do. 320 Than lukit he angyrly thame to, And said gyrnand, “Hangis and drawis.” It wes gret wounder of sic sawis; That he, that to the ded wes neir, 324 Suld ansuer apon sic maneir Forouten menyng of mercy, How mycht he trastly on hym cry, That suthfastly demys all thing 328 To haf mercy for his crying Of him that, throu his felony, In-to sic poynt had no mercy? His men his mandment has all done: 332 And he deit thar-eftir sone; And syne wes brocht till berynes: His son syne eftir kyng he wes.

[321: C has _awfully_ (S).]

How James of Douglas passed into Arran.

To Kyng Robert agane ga we, 336 That in Rauchryne, with his menyhe, Lay till the wyntir neir wes gane, And of that ile his met has tane. James of Douglas wes angry 340 That thai so lang suld ydill ly; And to Schir Robert Boyd said he; “The pouir folk of this countre “Ar chargit apon gret maner 344 “Of us, that ydill lyis her. “And I heir say that in Arane, “Intill a stith castell of stane, “Ar Inglis men that with strang hand 348 “Haldis the lordschip of the land. “Ga we thiddir; and weill may fall, “Anoy thame in sum thing we sall.” Schir Robert said, “I grant thar-till. 352 ‘To ly heir mair war litill skill: ‘Tharfor till Arane pass will we, ‘For I knaw rycht weill that cuntre. ‘And the castell alsua knaw I. 356 ‘We sall come thair sa prevely, ‘That thai sall haff na persavyng, ‘Na yheit witting of our cummyng. ‘And we sall neir enbuschit be, 360 ‘Quhar we thair out-cummyng may se. ‘Sa sall it on na maner fall, ‘Than scath thame on sum wis we sall.’

[Sidenote: 1307] _Douglas is in Ambush_]

With that thai buskit thame on-ane: 364 And at the Kyng thair leyf has tane, And went thaim furth syne on thair way. In-to Kentyre soyn cumin ar thai: Syne rowit all-wayis by the land, 368 Till at the nycht wes neir at hand; Than till Arane thai went thair way, And saufly thair arivit thai. And under ane bra thair galay dreuch, 372 And syne it helit weill ineuch; Thair takill, ayris, and thair stere, Thai hyde all on the samyn maner: And held thair way rycht in the nycht, 376 Sa that, or day wes dawyn lycht, Thai war enbuschit the castell neir, Arayit on the best maneir. And thouch thai wate war and wery, 380 And for lang fastyng all hungry, Thai thoucht to hald thame all preve, Till that thai weill thair poynt mycht se.

[372: _In a glen_, E H.]

[375: C has _sam_ (S) as in 265.]

Schir John the Hastyngis, at that tyde, 384 With knychtis of full mekyll pryde, And squyaris and gude yhemanry, That war a weill gret cumpany, Wes in the castell of Brathwik. 388 And oftsis, quhen it wald him lik, He went to hunt with his menyhe And sua the land abandonit he, That nane durst warn to do his will. 392 He wes in-to the castell still, The tym that James of Douglas, As I haf tald, enbuschit was. Sa hapnyt at that tyme, throu chans, 396 With vittalis and ek purvians, And with clething, and with armyng, The day befor, in the evynnyng, The undirwardane arivit was, 400 With thre batis, weill neir the place Quhar that the folk I spak off ar Prevely enbuschit war. Soyn fra the batis saw thai ga 404 Of Inglis men thretty and ma, Chargit all with syndry thing, Sum bare wyne, and sum armyng: The remanand all chargit were 408 With thingis on syndry manere: And othir syndry yheid thame by, As thai war masteris, ydilly. Thai that enbuschit war thame saw, 412 Ande, for-outen dreid or aw, Thair buschement apon thame thai brak, And slew all that thai mycht ourtak. The cry rais hydwisly and hee: 416 For thai, that dredand war to de, Rycht as bestis can rair and cry, Thai slew thaim for-outen mercy; Swa that, in-to the samyn sted, 420 Weill neir to fourty thar war ded.

[398: C omits second _with_ (S).]

[402, 403: C has _ere ... were_ (S).]

[414: C and S omit _thai_.]

[419: C has _And thai slew fast without_ (S).]

Quhen thai, that in the castell war, Herd the folk sa cry and rair, Thai yschit furth to the fechtyng; 424 Bot quhen Douglas saw thar cummyng, His men till hym he can rely, And went till meit thame hastely. And quhen thai of the castell saw 428 Hym cum on thaim forouten aw, Thai fled forouten mair debate; And thai thame followit to the yhate, And slew of thame, as thai in past. 432 Bot thai thair yhet barrit so fast, At thai mycht do at thame no mair: Tharfor thai left thame ilkane thair, And turnit to the see agane, 436 Quhar that the men war forrow slane. And quhen thai that war in the batis Saw thair cummyng, and wist how-gatis Thai had discumfit thair menyhe, 440 In hy thai put thame to the se, And rowit fast with all thare mayn. Bot the wynde wes thame agayn, That it gert sa the land-brist rys, 444 That thai mycht weld the se na wis. Na thai durst nocht cum to the land, Bot hald thame thair so lang hobland, That of thre batis drownyt twa, 448 And quhen Dowglas saw it wes swa, He tuk the armyng, and cleything, Vittalis, wyne, and othir thing At thai fand thar; and held thair way 452 Rycht glad and joyfull of thair pray.

The Coming of King Robert Bruce to Arran.

[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce gets News of Douglas_]

On this wis James of Douglas, And hys menyhe, throu Goddis grace, War weill releyit with armying, 456 With vittale als and with clething; Syne till a strenth thai held thair way, And thame full manly governit thai; Till on the tend day at the King, 460 With all that war in his ledyng, Arivit in-to that cuntre, With thretty small galais and thre. The King arivit in Arane; 464 And syne to the land is gane, And in a toune tuk his herbery: And sperit syne full specialy, Giff ony man couth tell tithand 468 Of ony strange men in that land. “Yhai,” said a woman, “Schir, perfay, “Of strange men I can yhow say, “That ar cumin in this cuntre, 472 “And schort quhile sen, throu thare bounte, “Thai haff discumfit our wardane, “And mony of his folk has slane. “In-till a stalward place heir-by 476 “Reparis all thair cumpany.” ‘Dame,’ said the King, ‘wald thou me wis ‘To that place quhar thair repair is, ‘I sall reward the but lesing, 480 ‘For thai ar all of my duelling; ‘And I richt blithly wald thame se, ‘And richt sua trow I thai wald me.’ “Yhis,” said scho, “Schir, I will blithly 484 “Ga with yhow and yhour cumpany, “Till that I schaw yhow thair repair.” ‘That is eneuch, my sister fair; ‘Now ga furthwardis,’ said the Kyng. 488 Than went thai furth but mair letting, Followand hir as scho thame led, Till at the last scho schewit a sted Till the King, in a woddy glen, 492 And said; “Schir, heir I saw the men, “That yhe speir eftir, mak luging: “Heir trow I be thair reparyng.”

[456: _Relevit_ in E.]

[458: C gives _strate_ (S). H _strait_. E as above, which seems more fitting.]

[481: C _I wald_ (S).]

The King than blew his horn in hy; 496 And gert the men, that war him by, Hald thaim still, and all prive; And syne agane his horn blew he. James of Dowglas herd him blaw, 500 And he the blast all soyn can knaw; And said, “Suthly yhon is the Kyng: “I knaw lang quhill syne his blawyng.” The thrid tym thar-with-all he blew, 504 And than Schir Robert Boyde it knew, And said, “Yhon is the King, but dreid; “Ga we furth till hym bettir speid.” Than went thai till the King in hy, 508 And him salusit full curtasly; And blithly welcumit thame the Kyng, That joyfull wes of thair meting, And kyssit thame, and sperit syne 512 How thai had farn in thair huntyne. And thai hym tald all but lesyng: Syne lovit thai God of thair meting. Syne with the Kyng to his herbry 516 Thai wend, bath joyfull ande joly.

[498: C gives _Hald thame all still than preve_ (S). E as in text.]

[513: C has _ontyne_, whence _hontyne_ (S).]

How the King sent his Man to spy in Carrick who were to him Friendly.

[Sidenote: 1307] _Reasons for Vengeance_]

The King apon the tothir day Can till his preve menyhe say; “Yhe knaw all weill, and wele may se, 520 “How we ar out of our cuntre “Banyst, throu Inglis mennys mycht; “And that, that ouris suld be of richt, “Throu thair mastrice thai occupy; 524 “And wald alsua, without mercy, “Gif thai had mycht, distroy us all. “Bot God forbeid that it suld fall “Till us, as thai mak mannasyng! 528 “For than war thair na recoveryng. “And mankynd biddis us that we “To procur vengeans besy be. “For yhe may se we haf thre thingis 532 “That makis us amonestyngis “For to be worthy, wis, and wicht, “And till anoy thame at our mycht. “Ane is our liffis savite, 536 “That suld on na wis savit be, “Gif thai had us at thair liking. “The tothir that makis us egging, “Is that thai our possessioune 540 “Haldis with strinth agane resoune. “The thrid is the joy that we abyde, “Gif that it hapyn, as weill may tyde, “That we haf victor and mastry 544 “Till ourcum thair felony. “Tharfor we suld our hertis rais, “Sua that na myscheif us abais; “And schape all-wayis to that ending 548 “That beris mensk and ek lovyng. “And tharfor, lordis, gif yhe se “Emang yhow that it spedfull be, “I will send a man to Carrik, 552 “To spy and speir how the kynrik, “Is led, or quha is frend or fa. “And gif he seis we land may ta, “On Turnberys snuke he may 556 “Mak a fyre, on a certane day, “And mak taknyng till us, that we “May thair ariffe in-to saufte. “And gif he seis we may nocht swa; 560 “Luk on na wis the fyre he ma. “Swa may we thar throw haff wittering “Of our passage, or our duelling.”

[523: C gives _And it_ (S).]

[525: E _for-owtyne_.]

[536: E _sawfte_.]

[556: C _Turnberyis nuk_ (S); but see note.]

To this spek all assentit ar. 564 And than the King, withouten mair, Callit till him ane that wes preve, And born of Carrik his cuntre: And chargit him, in les and mare, 568 As yhe herd me devis it are; And set him certane day to may The fyr, gif he saw it wes sway That thai had possibilite 572 To manteme were in that cuntre. And he, that wes richt weill in will His lordis yharnyng to fulfill, As he that worthy wes and leill, 576 And couth secretis rycht weill conceil, Said, he wes boune in-till all thing For till fullfill his commaunding: And said he suld do sa wisly, 580 That na repreif suld eftir ly, Syne at the King his leif has tane; And furth apon his way is gane.

Now gais the messinger his way, 584 That hat Cutbert, as I herd say. In Carrik soyn arivit he, And passit throu all the cuntre. Bot he fand few thair-in, perfay, 588 That gud wald of his mastir say. For feill of thame durst nocht for dreid, And othir-sum rycht in-to ded War fais to the nobill Kyng, 592 That rewit syne thair barganyng. Bath hye and law, the land wes then All occupyit with Inglis men; That dyspitit, atour all thing, 596 Robert the Bruce the douchty Kyng. Carrik wes gevyn than halely To Sir Henry the lord Persy; That in Turnberyis castell then 600 Wes, with weill neir thre hundreth men; And dantit suagat all the land, That all wes till hym obeysand. This Cutbert saw thair felony, 604 And saw the folk sa halely Be worthyn Inglis, rich and pure, That he to nane durst hym discure. Bot thoucht to leif the fyre unmaid, 608 Syne till his mastir to wend but baid, And all thair covyne till hym tell, That wes sa angry and sa fell.

Of the Fire the King saw Burning.

[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce sees the Fire_]

The Kyng, that in-to Arane lay, 612 Quhen that cumin wes the day, That he set till his messyngere, As I devisit yhow lang ere, Eftir the fyre he lukit fast; 616 And als soyn as the moyn wes past, Hym thoucht weill that he saw a fyre, By Turnbery byrnand weill schyre; And till his menyhe can it schaw: 620 Ilk man thoucht weill that he it saw. Than with blith hert the folk can cry; “Gud king, speid yhow deliverly; “Swa that we soyn in the evynnyng 624 “Arif, withouten persavyng.” ‘I grant,’ said he, ‘now mak yhow yhair. ‘God furthir us in-till our fair!’

[616: E _none_. H _noone_.]

Than in schort tym men mycht thaim se 628 Schute all thair galais to the se, Ande beir to se bath ayr and steir, And othir thyngis that mystir weir.

Here the King’s Hostess foretells what is to be, and gives him her Two Sons.

And as the King apon the land 632 Wes gangand up and doun, bydand Till that his menyhe reddy war, His hostes come rycht till hym thar. And quhen that scho him halsit had, 636 A preve spek till hym scho mad, And said, “Ta gude tent to my saw: “For or yhe pas I sall yhow schaw “Of yhour fortoun a gret party. 640 “And atour all thing specialy “A wittering heir I sall yhow may, “Quhat end that your purpos sall ta. “For in this warld is nane trewly 644 “Wat thingis to cum sa weill as I. “Yhe pas now furth on yhour viage, “To venge the harme and the outrage “That Inglis men has to yhow done; 648 “Bot yhe wat nocht quhat-kyn forton “Yhe mon dre in yhour warraying. “Bot wit yhe weill, without lesing, “That fra yhe now haf takyn land, 652 “Thair sal no micht, no strinth of hand, “Ger yhow furth pas of this cuntre “Quhill all to yhow abandonyt be. “Within schort tym yhe sall be king, 656 “And haf the land at yhour liking, “And ourcum yhour fayis all; “Bot feill anoyis thoill yhe sall, “Or that yhour purpos ende haf tane; 660 “Bot yhe sall thame ourdriff ilkane. “And, that yhe trow this sekirly, “My twa sonnys with yhow sall I “Send to tak with yhow yhour travell; 664 “For I wat weill thai sall nocht fale “Till be rewardit weill at rycht, “Quhen yhe ar heyt on to yhour hicht.”

[644: E _land_.]

[Sidenote: 1307] _Of Astrology_]

[Sidenote: 1307] _Of Necromancy_]

The Kyng, that herd all hir carpyng, 668 Than thankit hir in mekill thing; For scho confortit hym sumdeill: The-quhethir he trowit nocht full weill Hir spek, for he had gret ferly 672 How scho suld wit it sekirly: As it wes wounderfull, perfay, How ony man throu steris may Knaw the thingis that ar to cum 676 Determinabilly, all or sum, Bot gif that he enspirit war Of him, that all thing evirmar Seis in his presciens, 680 *As it war ay in his presens: As David wes, and Jeromy, Samuell, Joell, and Ysay, That throu his haly grace can tell Feill thingis that eftirward befell. 684 Bot thai prophetis so thyn ar sawin, That nane in erd now is knawin. Bot feill folk ar sa curious, And to wit thingis sa covatous, 688 That thai, throu thair gret clergy, Or ellis throu thair devilry, On thir twyn maners makis fanding Of thingis to cum to haf knawing. 692 Ane of thame is astrology, Quhar-throu clerkis, that ar witty, May knaw conjunctione of planetis, And quhethir that thair cours thaim settis 696 In soft segis, or in angry; And of the hevyn all halely How that the disposicioune Suld apon thingis wirk heir doune, 700 On regiones, or on climatis, That wirkis nocht ay-quhar a-gatis, Bot sum ar les, sum othir mair, Eftir as thair bemys strekit air, 704 Owthir all evin, or on wry. Bot me think it war gret mastry Till ony astrolog to say This sall fall heir, and on this day. 708 For thouch a man his liff haly Studeit swa in astrology, That on the sternis his hed he brak, Wis men sais he suld nocht mak, 712 His liftyme, certane domys thre; And yheit suld he ay dout quhill he Saw how that it com till ending: Than is thar na certane demyng. 716 Or gif thai men that will study In the craft of astrology, Knaw all mennis nacioune, And als the constillacioune 720 That kyndly maneris giffis thaim til, For till inclyne to gud or ill; How that thai throu craft of clergy, Or throu slicht of astrology, 724 Couth tell quhatkyn perell apperis To thame that haldis kyndly maneris; I trow that thai suld faill to say The thingis that thame happyn may. 728 For quhethir sa men inclynit be Till vertu or to mavite, He may richt weill refrenyhe his will, Outhir throu nurtour or throu skill, 732 And to the contrar turne him all. And men has mony tymis seyn fall, That men, kyndly to ivill giffin, Throu thair gret wit away has drivin 736 Thair evill, and worthyn of gret renoune, Magre the constillacioune. As Arestotill, gif, as men redis, He had followit his kyndly dedis, 740 He had beyn fals and covatous; Bot his wit maid him virtuous. And syn men may on this kyn wis Wirk agane that cours, that is 744 Principal caus of thair demyng, Me think thair dome na certane thing. Nigramansy ane othir is, That kennys men on syndry wis, 748 Throw stalward conjuraciones, And throw exorcizaciones, To ger spiritis to thame apeir, And gif ansuer on seir maneir. 752 As quhilom did the Phitones, That, quhen Saull abasit wes Of the Philistianis mycht, Rasit, throu hyr mekill slycht, 756 Samuelis sperit als tit, Or in his sted the evill spirit, That gaf rycht graith ansueir hir to. Bot of hir-self rycht nocht wist scho. 760 And man is in-to dreding ay Of thingis that he has herd say, And namly of thingis to cum, quhill he Have of the end the certante. 764 And sen thai ar in sic wenyng, Fourouten certane witting, Me think, quha sayis he knawis thingis To cum, he makis gret gabbingis. 768 Bot quhethir scho that tald the King How his purpos suld tak ending, Wenit, or wist it witterly; It fell eftir all halely 772 As scho said: for syne king wes he, And of full mekill renomme.

[* Pinkerton, whose numbering of the lines is followed by Skeat, omits this line by an oversight.]

[686: C has _That thair in erd now nane is knawin_ (S). Reading from E. H has _nane in eird_.]

[753: C _That_ (S): _As_ E H.]

[764: _Knaw_ in E H.]