BOOK VII.
How John of Lorn sought the Good King Robert Bruce with the Sleuth-hound.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce takes to the Water_]
The Kyng toward the wod is gane, Wery, for-swat, and will of wayn. In-till the wod soyn enterit he, And held doun toward a vale 4 Quhar throu the wod a wattir ran. Thiddir in gret hy went he than, And begouth to rest hym thair, And said he mycht no forthirmar. 8 His man said; “Schir, that may nocht be: “Abyde yhe heir, yhe sal soyn se “Five hundreth yharnand yhou to sla, “And thai ar fele aganis twa; 12 “And, sen we may nocht deill wyth mycht, “Help us all that we may wyth slycht.” The King said; ‘Sen that thou will swa, ‘Ga furth, and I sall with the ga. 16 ‘Bot I haf herd oftsis say, ‘That quha endlang a wattir ay ‘Wald wayd a bow-draucht, he suld ger ‘Bath the sleuthhund and the ledar, 20 ‘Tyne the sleuth men gert him ta, ‘Pruf we gif it will now do swa. ‘For war yhon devillis hund a-way, ‘I roucht nocht of the layff, perfay.’ 24
Here the Sleuth-hound lost his Scent.
As he devisit thai haf done, And enterit in the wattir sone, And held on endlang it thar way, And syne to the land yheid thai, 28 And held thair way as thai did ere. And John of Lorn, with gret effere, Com with his rout richt to the place, Quhar that his five men slan was. 32 He menyt thame quhen he thaim saw; And said, eftir a litill thraw, That he suld wenge in hy thar blude: Bot othir wayis the gammyn yhude. 36 Thair wald he mak no mair duelling, Bot furth in hy followit the King, Richt to the burn thai passit ar; Bot the sleuth-hund maid stynting thar, 40 And waveryt lang tyme to and fra, That he na certane gat couth ga; Till at the last than Johne of Lorn Persavit the hund the sleuth had lorn, 44 And said; “We haf tynt this travell; “To pas forthir may nocht avale; “For the wode is bath braid and wyde, “And he is weill fer be this tyde. 48 “Tharfor I rede we turn agane, “And wast no mair travale in vayn.” With that releyt he his menyhe, And his way to the host tuk he. 52
Or else he was Slain with an Arrow.
[Sidenote: 1307] _The King Escapes_]
Thus eschapit the nobill Kyng. Bot sum men sais, this eschaping Apon ane othir maner fell Than throu the wading; for thai tell 56 That the Kyng a gud archer had, And quhen he saw his lord swa stad, That he wes left swa anerly, He ran on fut alwayis him by, 60 Till he in-till the wod wes gane. Then said he till hym-self allane, That he arest rycht thair wald ma, And luk gif he the hund mycht sla. 64 For gif the hund mycht lest on lif, He wist full weill that thai wald drif The Kyngis tras till thai hym ta; Than wist he weill thai wald him sla. 68 And for he wald his lord succour, He put his lif in aventur. And stud in-till a busk lurkand Quhill that the hund com at his hand, 72 And with ane arrow soyn him slew, And throu the wod syne hym withdrew. Bot quhethir his eschaping fell As I tald first, or now I tell, 76 I wat it weill, without lesyng, At that burn eschapit the King.
How the Three Men that bare the Wedder Sheep thought to have slain King Robert Bruce.
The King has furth his wayis tane. And Johne of Lorn agane is gane 80 To Schir Amer, that fra the chas With his men than reparit was, That litill sped in thair chassing; For thow that thai maid following 84 Full egirly, thai wan bot small; Thair fayis neir eschapit all. Men sais, Schir Thomas Randale than, Chassand, the Kyngis baner wan; 88 Quhar-throu in Ingland wyth the Kyng He had rycht gret price and lovyng. Quhen the chaseris releit war, And Johne of Lorn had met thaim thar, 92 He tald Schir Amer all the cas, How that the King eschapit was; And how that he his fif men slew, And syne he to the wod hym drew. 96 Quhen Schir Amer herd this, in hy He sanyt hym for the ferly, And said; “He is gretly to pris; “For I knaw nane that liffand is 100 “That at myscheif can help hym swa. “I trow he suld be hard to sla “And he war bodyn all evynly.” On this wis spak Schir Amery. 104
Here Three Traitours meet the King, with a Wedder.
And the gud Kyng held furth his way, He and his man, ay quhill that thai Passit owt throu the forest war; Syne in a mure thai enterit ar. 108 That wes bath hee and lang and braid; And or thai half it passit had, Thai saw on syde thre men cumand, Lik to licht men and waverand. 112 Swerdis thai had and axis als, And ane of thame apon his hals A mekill bundyn weddir bare. Thai met the Kyng, and halsit him thar: 116 And the Kyng thame thar halsing yhald, And askit thame quhethir thai wald. Thai said, Robert the Bruce thai socht, To meit with hym gif that thai mocht, 120 Thair duelling with hym wald thai ma. The King said, “Gif that yhe will swa, “Haldis furth yhour way with me, “And I sall ger yhow soyn him se.” 124
[Sidenote: 1307] _The King goes with the Men_]
Thai persavit be his spekyng And his effer, he wes the Kyng. Thai changit contenans and late, And held nocht in the first stat; 128 For thai war fayis to the Kyng; And thoucht to cum in-to scowkyng, And duell with hym quhill that thai saw Thar tym, and bryng hym than of daw. 132 Thai grantit till his spek for-thi, Bot the Kyng, that wes witty, Persavit weill be thair havyng That thai lufit hym in na thing: 136 He said; “Fallowis, yhe man all thre “Forthir aquynt quhill that we be, “All be yhour-self forrouth ga, “And, on the sammyn wis, we twa 140 “Sall fallow yhow behynd weill neir.” Quod thai; ‘Schir, it is na mysteir ‘To trow in-till us any ill.’ “Nane do I,” said he, “bot I will 144 “That yhe ga forrow us, quhill we “Bettir with othir knawyn be.” ‘We grant,’ thai said, ‘sen yhe will swa:’ And furth apon thair gat can ga. 148
[126: In E _That he wes the selvyn Robert king_.]
Thus yheid thai till the nycht wes neir. And than the formast cumin weir Till a wast husbandis hous; and thar Thai slew the weddir at thai bar, 152 And slew fyre for to rost thar met, And askit the Kyng gif he wald et, And rest hym till the met war dicht? The Kyng, that hungry wes I hicht, 156 Assentit to thair speke in hy: Bot he said, he wald anerly Betuyx hym and his fallow be At a fyre, and thai all thre 160 In the end of the hous suld ma Ane othir fyre; and thai did swa. Thai drew thame in the hous end, And half the weddir till him send; 164 And thai rostit in hy thair met, And fell rycht frakly for till et. The King weill lang he fastyt had, And had rycht mekill travale made: 168 Tharfor he ete richt egyrly. And quhen he etyn had hastely, He had to slepe sa mekill will, That he mycht set na let thar-till. 172 For quhen the wanys fillit ar, The body worthis hevy evirmar; And to slepe drawis hevynes. The Kyng, that all for-travalit wes, 176 Saw that hym worthit slep neidwais; Till his fostir brothir he sais, “May I trast the me to walk, “Till I a litill slepyng tak?” 180 ‘Yha, Schir,’ he said, ‘till I may dre.’ The Kyng than wynkit a litill we, And slepit nocht full ynkurly, Bot gliffnyt up oft suddandly; 184 For he had drede of thai thre men, That at the tothir fyre war then. That thai his fais war he wyst; Tharfor he slepit as foul on twist. 188
[153: H _And strake_ (S). C E as text.]
[174: E _Men worthis_.]
[181, 182: E _drey--wey_.]
Here he slew the three traitors.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce’s Foster-Brother is Slain_]
The Kyng slepit bot litill than, Quhen sic a slepe fell on his man That he mycht nocht hald up his e, Bot fell on slepe and routit he. 192 Now is the King in gret perell: For slepe he swa a litill quhile, He sall be ded, forouten dred. For the thre tratouris tuk gud hede, 196 That he on slep wes and his man. In full gret hy thai rais up than, And drew thair swerdis hastely, And went toward the King in hy, 200 Quhen that thai saw he slepit swa, And slepand thoucht thai wald hym sla. *Till hym thai yheid a full gret pas, Bot in that tym, throu Goddis grace, *204 The Kyng blenkit up hastely, And saw his man slepand him by, 204 And saw cumand the tratouris thre. Delyverly on fut gat he, And drew his suerd out and thame met, And, as he yheid, his fut he set 208 Apon his man weill hevaly. He walkynt, and rais all desaly: For the sleip maisterit hym swa, That, or he gat up, ane of thai, 212 That com for to sla the Kyng, Gaf hym a strake in his rysyng, Swa that he mycht help hym no mair. The Kyng so stratly stad wes thair, 216 That he wes never yheit swa stad; Na war the armyng that he had, He had beyn ded foroutyn weyr. Bot nocht-for-thi on sic maneir 220 He helpit hym swa in that bargane, That thai thre tratouris he has slane, Throu Goddis grace and his manheid. His fostir-brothir thair wes ded. 224 Than wes he wounder will of wayn, Quhen he saw he wes left allane. His fostir-brothir menyt he, And waryit all the tothir thre, 228 And syne his way tuk hym allane, And richt toward his trist is gane.
[*203, 204: Not in E, but in C and H (S).]
[210: E omits _all_.]
Here the King goes to his Tryst.
The Kyng went furth wrath and angry, Menand his man full tendirly, 232 And held his way all hym allane, And richt toward the hous is gane, Quhar he set trist to mete his men; It wes weill lat of nycht be then. 236 He come soyn in the hous, and fand The gud wif on the bynk sytand Scho askit hym soyn quhat he wes, And quhyne he com, and quhar he gais. 240 “A travalland man, dame,” said he, “That travalys heir throu the cuntre.” Scho said, ‘All that travaland ere, ‘For saik of ane, ar welcom here.’ 244 The Kyng said, “Gud dame, quhat is he “That garris yhow have sik specialte “Till men that travalis?” ‘Schir, perfay,’ Quod the gud wif, ‘I sal yhow say; 248 ‘Gud Kyng Robert the Bruce is he, ‘That is rycht lord of this cuntre. ‘His fayis him haldis now in thrang; ‘Bot I thynk to se or oucht lang 252 ‘Hym lord and kyng our all the land, ‘That na fayis sall hym withstand.’ “Dame, lufis thou hym sa weill?” said he. ‘Yha Schyr,’ scho said, ‘sa God me se!’ 256 “Dame,” said he, “lo! hym her the by, “For I am he”;--‘Sa yhe suthly?’ “Yha, certis, dame.”--‘And quhar are gane ‘Yhour men, quhen yhe ar thus allane?’ 260 “At this tyme, dame, I have no ma.” Scho said, ‘It may no wis be swa; ‘I have twa sonnys wicht and hardy, ‘Thai sall becum yhour men in hy.’ 264 As scho devisit thai have done, His sworn men becom thai sone. The wif gart soyn him syt and et. Bot he had schort quhil at the met 268 Sittyn, quhen he herd gret stampyng About the hous; than, but lettyng, Thai stert up, the hous to defend; Bot soyn eftir the Kyng has kend 272 James of Douglas: than wes he blith, And bad oppyn the dures swith: And thai com in, all at thai ware. Schir Edward the Bruce wes thare, 276 And James als of Douglas, That wes eschapit fra the chas, And with the Kyngis brothir met. Syne to the trist that thame wes set 280 Thai sped thame with thair cumpany, That war ane hundreth and fyfty.
[236: E _inwith nycht_.]
Here meets he with his Company.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce Plans a Surprise_]
And quhen at thai has seyn the Kyng, Thai war joyfull of thair metyng: 284 And askit how he eschapit was, And he thaim tald all haill the cas; How the five men him presit fast, And how he throu the wattir past, 288 And how he met the thevis thre, And how he slepand slayn suld be, Quhen he walknyt, throu Goddis grace; And how his fostyr-brothir was 292 Slayne, he tald thame halely. Than lovyt thai God all comonly, That thair lord wes eschapit swa. Than spak thai wordis to and fra, 296 Till at the last the Kyng can say; “Fortoun has travalit us this day, “That scalit us sa suddandly. “Our fayis this nycht sall trastly ly;” 300 For thai trow we so scalit ar *301 *And fled to-waverand her and thar, *That we sall nocht thir dayis thre All to-giddir assemblit be *304 *Tharfor this nycht thai sall trastly. “But wachis, tak thair eis and ly. “Quharfor, quha knew thair herbery, “And wald cum on thame suddanly, “With few menyhe mycht soyn thame scath, 304 “And yhet eschape withouten vath.” ‘Perfay,’ quoth James of Douglas, ‘As I com hiddirward, per-cas ‘I com so neir thair herbery, 308 ‘That I can bring yhow quhar thai ly. ‘And wald yhe speid yhow, yheit or day ‘It may sa happyn that yhe may ‘Do thame a gretar scath weill soyn 312 ‘Than thai us all the day has done, ‘For thai ly scalit as thame lest.’ Than thocht thai all it wes the best To speid thame to thaim hastely; 316 And thai did swa in full gret hy, And com on thame in the dawyng, Richt as the day begouth to spryng.
[Linenote: *301-305 not in E, running on from the second _trastly_.]
Here the King and his Company come hastily upon their Enemies, and slay Many.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Sir Aymer praises Bruce_]
So fell it that a cumpany 320 Had in toune tane thair herbry, Weill fra the host a myle or mair; Men said that thai twa thousand war. Thar assemblit the nobill Kyng. 324 And soyn eftir thair assemblyng, Thai, that slepand assalyheit war, Rycht hyduisly can cry and rar; And othir-sum, that herd the cry, 328 Ran furth rycht swa effraytly, That sum of thame all nakyt war, Fleand to-waverand heir and thair; And sum thair armys with thaim drew: 332 And thai without mercy thame slew; And swa cruell vengeans can ta, That the twa part of thame and ma, War slayn rycht in that ilk sted; 336 Till thar host the remanand fled. The host, that herd the noyis and cry, And saw thair men sa wrechidly Cum nakit, fleand heir and thair, 340 Sum haill, and sum woundit sair, In-to full gret affray thai rais, And ilk man to his baner gais: Swa that the host wes all on steir. 344 The Kyng and thai that with hym weir, Quhen thai on steir the host saw swa, Toward thair warrand can thai ga, And tharin swith cummyn ar thai. 348 And quhen Schir Amery herd say How that the Kyng thar men had slayn, And how thai turnit war agane, He said, “Now may we cleirly se 352 “That nobill hert, quhar-evir it be, “Is hard till ourcum throu mastry. “For quhar a hert is rycht worthy “Agane stoutnes it is ay stout; 356 “And, as I trow, thair may na dowt “Ger it all out discumfit be, “Quhill body liffand is and fre; “As be this melle may be seyn. 360 “We wend Robert the Bruce had beyn “Swa discumfit that, be gud skill, “He suld nouthir haff hert no will “Swilk juperdy till undirta; 364 “For he wes put at undir swa “That he wes left all hym allane, “And all his folk war fra hym gane; “And he wes sa fortravalit, 368 “To put of thame that hym assalit, “That he suld haf yharnit restyng “Mair than fechtyng or travalyng. “Bot his hert fillit is of bownte, 372 “Swa that it vencust may nocht be.”
[323: E _hundir_.]
[331: E _to warrand_.]
[359: C has _all fre_ (S).]
[371: E _This nycht atcur all othir thing_. H as in C.]
Here Sir Aymer passes to Carlisle.
On this wis spak Schir Amery. And quhen thai of his cumpany Saw how thai travalit had in vane, 376 And how the Kyng thar men had slane, That at his larges wes all free, Thame thoucht it wes a nyste For to mak thair langer duellyng, 380 Sen thai mycht nocht anoy the Kyng; And said that to Schir Amery, That umbethoucht hym hastely That he to Carleill than wald ga, 384 And a quhill thar-in sojorn ma; And haf his spyis on the Kyng, To knaw alwais his contenyng. For quhen that he his poynt mycht se, 388 He thoucht that with a gret menyhe He suld schute on hym sodanly. Tharfor, with all his cumpany, Till Ingland he the way has tane, 392 And ilk man till his hous is gane. In hy till Carleill went is he. And thar-in thynkis for to be Till he his poynt saw of the Kyng, 396 That than with all his gaderyng Wes in Carrik, quhar umbestount He wald went with his men till hount.
[378: E _And that his wes gane al fre_.]
Here the King meets three Traitors.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce taunts the Bowmen_]
Swa hapnyt it that on a day 400 He went till hunt, for till assay Quhat gammyn wes in that cuntre. And swa hapynt that day that he By a wode-syde to sett is gane, 404 With his twa hundis, hym allane; Bot he his swerd ay with hym bare. He had bot schort quhill syttyn thare, Quhen he saw fra the wode cumand 408 Thre men with bowis in thar hand, That toward hym com spedely; And he persavit that in hy, Be thair effeir and thair havyng, 412 That thai lufit hym na kyn thyng. He rais and his leysche till him drew he, And leit his houndis gang all fre. God help the Kyng now for his mycht! 416 For bot he now be wis and wicht, He sall be set in mekill pres. For thai thre men, withouten les, War his fayis all utrely: 420 And had wachit so besaly, To se quhen thai vengeans mycht tak Of the Kyng for Jhone Cumynys sak, That thai thoucht than thai laser had; 424 And, sen he hym allane wes stad, In hy thai thoucht thai suld him sla: And gif that thai mycht chevis swa, Fra that thai the Kyng had slayn, 428 That thai mycht wyn the wode agayn, His men, thai thoucht, thai suld nocht dreid. In hy towart the Kyng thai yheid, And bend thair bowis quhen thai war neir; 432 And he, that dred in gret maneir Thar arowis, for he nakit was, In hy ane spekyng to thame mais, And said; “Yhe aucht to shame, perde, 436 “Syn I am ane and yhe ar thre, “For to schut at me on fer. “Bot haf yhe hardyment, cum ner “With yhour swerdis me till assay; 440 “Wyn me on sic wis gif yhe may; “Yhe sall weill mair all prisit be.” ‘Perfay,’ quod ane than of the thre, ‘Sall no man say we drede the swa, 444 ‘That we with arrowis sall the sla.’
With that thair bowis away thai kest, And com on fast, but langar frest. The Kyng thame met full hardely, 448 And smat the first so rigorusly, That he fell ded doun on the greyn. And quhen the Kyngis hounde has seyn Thai men assale his mastir swa, 452 He lap till ane and can hym ta Richt be the nek full felonly, Till top our taill he gert hym ly. And the Kyng, that his swerd up had, 456 Saw he so fair succour hym maid, Or he that fallyn wes mycht rys, He hym assalyheit on sic wis, That he the bak strak evyn in twa. 460 The thrid, that saw his fallowis swa Forouten recoveryng, be slayne, Tuk till the wod his way agane. Bot the Kyng followit spedely; 464 And als the hound that wes hym by, Quhen he the man saw gang hym fra, Schot till hym soyn, and can him ta Richt be the nek, and till hym dreuch; 468 And the Kyng, that wes neir eneuch, In his risyng sik rowt hym gaf, That stane-ded till the erd he draf.
[459: C _Had hym_.]
The Kyngis menyhe that war neir, 472 Quhen at thai saw on sic maneir The Kyng assalit sa suddandly, Thai sped thame toward hym in hy, And askit how that cas befell? 476 And he all haly can thaim tell, How thai assalyheit hym all thre. “Perfay,” quod thai, “we may weill se “That it is hard till undirtak 480 “Sic mellyng with yhow for to mak, “That so smertly has slayn thir thre “Forouten hurt.” ‘Perfay,’ said he, ‘I slew bot ane forouten ma, 484 ‘God and my hund has slane the twa; ‘Thair tresoune cumrit thame, perfay, ‘For richt wicht men all thre war thai.’
[484: Not in E, which has after 485 _The thrid eschapyt nocht alsua_. H as in C.]
Here Sir Aymer sets the King in Great Jeopardy.
[Sidenote: 1307] _Bruce is in Glentrool_]
Qwhen that the Kyng, throu Goddis grace 488 On this maner eschapit was, He blew his home, and than in hy His gud men till hym can rely; Than hamwardis buskit he to fair, 492 For that day wald he hunt no mair. In Glentruell a quhile he lay, And went weill oft to hunt and play, For to purchase thame venysoun, 496 For than the deir war in sesoun. In all that tyme Schir Amery, With nobill men in cumpany, In Carleill lay, his poynt to se; 500 And quhen he herd the certante That in Glentruell wes the King, And went to hunt and to playing, He thoucht than with his chevelry, 504 To cum apon hym suddanly; Fra Carleill all on nychtis ryde, And in covert on dayis byde. And swagat, with sic tranonting, 508 He thoucht he suld suppris the Kyng. Than he assemblit a gret menyhe Of folk of full gret renowne. Bath of Scottis and Inglis men. 512 Thair way all sammyn held thai then, And raid on nychtis so prevaly, Till thai com to the wode neir by Glentruell, quhar lugit wes the Kyng, 516 That wist richt nocht of thair cummyng. In-to gret perell now is he, For, bot God throu his gret powste, Saif hym, he sall be tane or slane; 520 For thai war sex quhar he wes ane.
[494: C has _all a quhile_ (S), where _all_ seems a duplication of the preceding syllable.]
How Sir Aymer Valence sent the Woman to spy King Robert in Glentrool.
Qwhen Schir Amer, as I herd tald, With his men that wes stout and bald, Wes cum so neir the Kyng that thai 524 War bot a myle fra hym away, He tuk avisment with his men, On quhat maner thai suld do then. For he said thame, that the King wes 528 Lugit in-to so strate a place, That hors-men mycht hym nocht assale; And gif fut-men gaf hym battale, He suld be hard to wyn, gif he 532 Of thair cummyng ma warnit be: “Tharfor I rede, all prevaly “We send a woman hym to spy, “That pouerly arayit be. 536 “Scho may ask met per cherite, “And se thair covyne halely, “And on quhat maner at thai ly, “The quhilis we and our menyhe, 540 “Cumand throu-out the wod may be “On fut, all arayit as we ar. “May we do swa, that we cum thar “On thaim or thai wit our cummyng 544 “We sall fynd in thame no styntyng.”
[Sidenote: 1307] _The Woman Discloses the Plot_]
This consall thoucht thaim wes the best, Than send thai furth, but langar frest, The woman that suld be thar spy, 548 And scho hir way can hald in hy Richt to the logis, quhar the King, That had no dreid of supprising, Yheid unarmyt, mery and blith. 552 The woman has he seyn alswith, He saw hir uncouth, and for-thi He beheld hir mayr ynkirly, And by hir countenans hym thoucht 556 That for gud cummyn wes scho nocht. Than gert he men in hy hir ta; And scho, that dred men suld hir sla, Tald thame how that Schir Amery, 560 With the Cliffurd in cumpany, And the flour of Northumbirland, War cummand on thame at thar hand.
[556: C has _And by_ (S).]
Quhen at the King herd that tithing, 564 He armyt hym but mair duelling; Sa did thai all that evir thar war, Syne in a sop assemblit ar: I trow they war thre hundreth ner. 568 And quhen thai all assemblit wer, The King his baner gert display, And set his men in gude aray. Thai had nocht standyn bot a thraw, 572 Richt at thair hand quhen at thai saw Thair fayis throu the wod cumand, Armyt on fut, with sper in hand, That sped thame full enforsaly. 576 The noyis begouth soyne and the cry; For the gud King, that formast was, Stoutly towart his fayis gais, And hint out of a manis hand, 580 That neir besyde him wes gangand, A bow and a braid arrow als, And hyt the formast in the hals, Till throppill and wassand yheid in twa, 584 And he doune to the erd can ga.
Here were Fifteen Hundred discomfited with Few Scots.
The laiff with that maid a stopping; Than, but mair baid, the nobill King Hynt fra his baneour the banar, 588 And said, “Apon thame! for thai ar “Discomfit all!” and with that word He swappit swiftly out his sword, And on thame ran so hardely, 592 That all thai of his cumpany Tuk hardyment of his gud dede. For sum, that first thar wayis yhede, Again com to the ficht in hy, 596 And met thair fayis so rigorusly, That all the formast ruschit war. And quhen thai that war hendirmar Saw that the formast left the stede, 600 Thai turnit soyn the bak and fled, And of the wod thai thaim with-drew. The King a few men of thame slew, For thai rycht soyn thair gat can ga; 604 It discomfortyt thame all swa, That the King with his menyhe was All armyt to defend that plas, That thai wend throu thar tranonting 608 Till have wonnyn for-out fichting, That thai effrayit war suddanly. And he thame soucht so angyrly, That thai in full gret hy agane 612 Out of the woud ran to the plane. For thai falyheit of thair entent, Thai war that tym sa fowly schent, That fiften hundreth men and ma 616 Wyth fewar war rebutit swa, That thai with-drew thaim schamfully. Tharfor emang thame sudanly Thair rais debate and gret distans 620 Ilkane with othir of thar myschans; Clyffurd and Vaus maid a melle, Quhar Cliffurd raucht him a cole; And athir syne drew to partis. 624 Bot Schir Amer, that wes wis, Departit thame with mekill pane, And went till Ingland hame agane. He wist, fra stryff rais thame amang, 628 He suld thame nocht hald sammyn lang For-outen debat or melle; Tharfor till Ingland turnit he With mar schaym than he com of toune; 632 Quhen sa mony of sic renoun Saw sa few men bid thaim battale, Quhar thai ne war hardy to assale.
[605: C _discumfit_ (S), which is metrically short, and does not suit the context or the sense.]
[623: E _roucht nocht him to lee_. H _raught him routes three_, which so far supports the reading of the text.]