BOOK IX

How Good King Robert lay Sick in Inverury.

Now leif we in-to the Forest Douglas, that sall haf litil rest, Till the cuntre deliverit be Of Inglis men and thair pouste: 4 And turne we to the nobill Kyng; That, with the folk of his leding, Toward the Month has tane the way Richt stoutly, in-to gud aray; 8 Quhar Alysandir Freser him met, And als his brothir, Symon het, With all the folk thai with thaim hade. The Kyng gud counternans thaim maid, 12 That wes richt blith of thair cummyng. Thai tald the King all the covyng Of Jhone Cumyne the Erll of Bouchane, That till help him had with him tane 16 Schir John Mowbra and othir ma, Schir David the Brechyne alsua, With all the folk of thair leding, “And yharnis mair than ony thing 20 “Vengeans on yhow, Schir Kyng, to tak, “For Schir John the Cumynis sak, “That quhilom in Drumfreis wes slayn.” The King said, ‘Sa our lord me sayn, 24 ‘I had gret caus hym for to slay. ‘And syn that thai on hand will ta, ‘Becaus of hym, to warra me, ‘I sall thoill all a quhile, and se 28 ‘On quhat wis that thai preif thar mycht. ‘And gif it fall at thai will ficht, ‘Giff thai assalyhe we mon defend; ‘Syne fall quhatevir that God will send.’ 32

Eftir this spek the Kyng in hy Held straucht the way till Enverrowry: And thair him tuk sic ane seiknes, That put him till full hard distres, 36 That he forbare bath drink and met. His men no medicine couth get That evir mycht to the King availyhe. His strinth so haly can him falyhe, 40 That he mycht nouthir ryde no ga. Than, wit yhe weill his, men wes wa! For nane wes in that cumpany, That wald haf beyn half so sary 44 For till half seyn his brothir ded Lyand befor hym in that sted, As thai war all for his sekness; For all thair confort in him wes. 48

But gud Schir Edward the worthy, His brothir that wes so hardy, And wis and wicht, set mekill payn To confort thame with all his mayn. 52 And quhen the lordis that war thair Saw that the evill ay mair and mair Travalit the King, thai thoucht in hy It war nocht speidfull thair to ly: 56 For thair all playn wes the cuntre, And thai war bot ane few menyhe To ly, but strinth, in-to the playn. For-thi, till that thair capitane 60 War coverit of his mekill ill, Thai thoucht to wend sum strinth soyn til.

[Sidenote: 1307] _The Importance of a Captain_]

For folk for-outen capitane, Bot thai the bettir be a-pane, 64 Sall nocht be all so gud in deid, As thai ane lord had thame to leid, That dar put him in aventure, But abasing, to tak the ure 68 That God will send: for quhen that he Is of sic will and sic bounte, That he dar put him till assay, His folk sall tak ensampill ay 72 Of his gud deid and his bounte, That ane of thame sall be worth thre Of thame that wikkid chiftane has; His wrechidnes so in thame gais, 76 That thai thair manlynes sall tyne Throu wrechidnes of his covyne. For quhen the lord at thame suld leid, May do nocht bot as he war ded, 80 Or fra his folk haldis his way Fleand, trow yhe nocht than that thai Sall vencust in thair hertis be? Yhus, sall thai, as I trow, per de, 84 Bot gif thair hertis be so hye Thai will nocht for thair worschip fle. And thouch sum be of sic bounte, Quhen thai the lord and his menyhe 88 Seis fle, yhit sall thai fle a-payn; For all men fleis the ded richt fayn. Se quhat he dois, that swa fowly Fleis thus for his cowardy! 92 Bath him and his, vencust is he, And gerris his fayis abovin be. Bot he that, throu his gret nobillay, To perellis him abawndonys ay 96 For to reconfort his menyhe, Gerris thame be of so gret bounte, That mony tym unlikly thing Thai bring richt weill to gud ending. 100

So did this King that I of reid, And, for his outrageous manheid, Confortit his men on sic maneir, That nane had radnes quhar he wer. 104 *Thai wald nocht ficht quhill that he wes Liand in-till sic seiknes; Tharfor in littar thai him lay, And till the Slevach held their way, And thoucht thair in that strinth to ly, 108 Till passit war his malady.

Here the Earl of Buchan gathers against the King.

[Sidenote: NOV.-DEC. 1307] _Skirmishing at Slevach_]

Bot fra the Erll of Bouchane Wist that thai war thiddir gane, And wist that swa seik wes the King 112 That men doutit of his coveryng, He send eftir his men in hy, And assemblit gret cumpany. For all his awne men war thar, 116 And als frendis with him war; That wes Schir Johne the Mowbray, And his brothir, as I herd say, And als Schir David of Brechyne, 120 With fele folk in thair leding. And quhan thai all assemblit war, In hy thai tuk thair way till fair To the Slevach, with all thar men, 124 For till assaill the King, that then Wes liand in-till his seiknes. This was eftir the Martymes, Quhen snaw had helit all the land. 128 To the Slevach thai com neirhand, Arayit on thair best maneir. And than the Kingis men, that wer War of thair com, thame apparalit 132 Till defend, gif thai thame assalit. And nocht-for-thi thair fayis war Ay twa for ane that thai war thair. The Erlis men neir cumande war, 136 Trumpand and makand mekill fair, And maid knychtis quhen thai war neir. And thai, that in the wodsyde weir, Stude in aray richt sarraly, 140 And thoucht to byde thair hardely The cummyng of thair enymys. Bot thai wald apon nakyn wis Ysche till assale thame in fichting, 144 Till coverit war the nobill Kyng. Bot gif othir wald thame assalyhe, Thai wald defend, avalyhe que valyhe.

[147: E _vailyhe quod vailyhe_.]

And quhen the Erlis cumpany 148 Saw that thai wroucht so besaly, That thai that strinth schup to defend, Thair archaris furth to thame thai send To bykkir thame, as men of mayn. 152 And thai send archaris thame agayn, That bykkirrit thame so sturdely, Till thai of the Erlis party In-to thair battale withdrawin war. 156 Thre dayis on this wis lay thai thar, And bikkirrit thame evirilke day: Bot thar bowmen the wer had ay. And quhen the Kingis cumpany 160 Saw thair fayis befor thame ly, That ilka day wox ma and ma, And thai war quhoyn, and stad war swa That thai had no-thing for to et, 164 Bot gif thai travalit it to get, Tharfor thai tuk consale in hy That thai wald thar no langer ly, Bot hald thair way quhar thai mycht get, 168 Till thaim and thairis vittale and met.

In a littar the Kyng thai lay, And redyit thame and held thar way, That all thair fayis mycht thame se; 172 Ilk man buskit in his degre, To ficht gif thai assalyheit war. In myddis thame the King thai bair, And yheid about hym sarraly, 176 And nocht full gretly can thame hy. The Erll, and thai that with him war, Saw that thai buskit thame to fair; And saw how with so litill affray 180 Thai held furth with the King thar way, Reddy to ficht quha walde assale, Thair hertis all begouth to fale, And in pes let thame pas thar way, 184 And till thair hous hame went thai.

How the King discomfited at Inverury The Earl of Buchan shamefully.

[Sidenote: DEC. 23, 1307] _Brechin attacks at Inverury_]

The Erll his way tuk to Bouchane; And Schir Edward the Broys is gane Richt to Strabogy, with the Kyng; 188 And swa lang thair maid sojornyng, Till he begouth to cover and ga, And syne thair wayis can thai ta Till Enverrowry straucht agane; 192 For thai wald ly in-till the plane, The wyntir sesoune; for vittale In-to the playn mycht nocht thame fale. The Erll wist that thai war thar, 196 And gaderit his menyhe heir and thar, Brechyne, Mowbra, and thair men, All to the Erll assemblit then, And war a full gret cumpany 200 Of men arayit jolely. Till Ald Meldrom thai held the way, And thar with thair men lugit thai, Before Yhoill-evyn ane nycht bot mair; 204 And thousand, trow I weill, thai war. Thai lugit thame all thair that nycht; And on the morn, quhen day wes licht, The lord of Brechine, Schir Davy, 208 Is went towart Inverrowry, To luk gyff he on ony wys Mycht do skaith till his ennemys. In-to the end of Enverrowry 212 He com ridand so suddandly, That of the Kingis men he slew A part, and othir-sum thaim withdrew, And fled thair way toward the King, 216 That, with the mast of his gaderyng, On yhond half doun wes than lyand. And quhen men tald him the tithand, How Schir David had slayn his men, 220 His hors in hy he askit then, And bad his men all mak thame yhare In-to gret hy, for he wald fare To bargane with his enymys. 224 With that he buskit for to ris, That wes nocht all weill coverit then. Then said sum of his preve men; “Quhat think yhe, Schir, thusgat to fair 228 “To ficht, and yheit nocht coverit ar?” ‘Yhis,’ said the Kyng, ‘forouten wer; ‘Thair bost has maid me haill and fer. ‘For suld no medicine so soyne 232 ‘Haff coverit me, as thai haf done. ‘Tharfor, sa God him-self me se! ‘I sall outhir haf thaim, or thai me.’ And quhen his men has herd the King 236 Set him so haill for the fechting, Of his covering all blith thai war, And maid thame for the battale yhar.

[210, 211: C omits; in E and H.]

Here the Earl of Buchan flies, and Sir David Brechin yields himself to the King.

The nobill King ande his menyhe, 240 That mycht weill neir sevin hundreth be, Toward Ald Meldrome tuk the way, Quhar the Erll and his menyhe lay. The discurrouris saw thame comande 244 With baneris to the wynd wafand; And tald it to thar lord in hy, That gert arm his men hastely, And thame arayit for battale. 248 Behynd thame set thai thar merdale, And maid gude sembland for the ficht. The King com on with mekill mycht; And thai abaid, makand gret fair, 252 Till thai neir at assemble war. Bot quhen thai saw the nobill King Cum stoutly on without stinting, A litill on bridill thai thaim with-drew; 256 And the King, that rycht weill knew That thai war all discumfit neir, Pressit on thame with his baneir; And thai with-drew thaim mair and mair. 260 And quhen the small folk thai had thar, Saw thair lordis with-draw thame swa, Thai turnit thar bak all, and to-ga; And fled all scalit heir and thair. 264 The lordis, that yheit to-giddir war, Saw that thair small folk war fleand, And saw the Kyng stoutly cumand, Thai war ilkane abasit swa, 268 That thai the bakkis gaf, and to-ga. A litill stound sammyn held thai, And syne ilk man has tane his way.

[257: E gives _rycht_ (S). C has _thame_.]

[Sidenote: DEC. 23, 1307] _Buchan is Defeated_]

Fell nevir men so foull myschans 272 Eftir so sturdy cuntyrnans. For quhen the Kyngis cumpany Saw at thai fled so fowlely, Thai chasyt thame with all thar mayn, 276 And sum thai tuk, and sum war slayn. The remanand war fleand ay; Quha had gud hors gat best away! Till Ingland fled the Erll of Bouchane, 280 Schir Johne Mowbray is with him gane, And war resettit with the King. Bot thai had bath bot schort lesting, For thai deit soyn eftir syne. 284 And Schir David of Brechyne Fled to Brechine, his awn castele, And warnyst it bath fair and wele. Bot the Erll of Adell Davy, 288 His sone that wes in Kyldromy, Com syne, and him assegit thar. And he, that wald hald weyr no mair, Nor bargane with the nobill Kyng, 292 Com syne his man with gud treting.

Here the King burns all Buchan, and gets the Castle of Forfar and destroys it.

Now ga we to the King agane, That of his victor wes richt fane, And gert his men burn all Bouchane 296 Fra end till end, and sparit nane; And heryit thame on sic maneir, That eftir that, weile fifty yheir, Men menyt “the heirschip of Bouchane.” 300 The King than till his pes has tane The north cuntre, that humylly Obeysit till his senyhory. Swa that be north the Month war nane 304 That thai ne war his men ilkane. His lordschip wox ay mair and mair. Toward Angus than couth he fair, And thoucht soyn to mak all fre 308 Apon north half the Scottis Se. The castell of Forfer wes then Stuffit all with Inglis men. Bot Philip the Forster of Platan 312 Has of his frendis with him tane, And with ledderis all prevely To the castell he can hym hy, And clam out-our the wall of stane, 316 And swagat has the castell tan, Throu falt of wach, with litill payn. And syn all that he fand has slayn: Syne yhald the castell to the King, 320 That maid hym richt gud rewarding, And syne gert brek doune the wall, And fordid well and castell all.

[299: C _neir fifty_ (S). E _weile_.]

[309: Skeat reads _Apon_ from _All on_ in C; _cf._ lines 329, 460. E has _That wes on the_: H similarly.]

How Good King Robert the Bruce besieged the Town of Perth.

[Sidenote: JAN. 1313] _Perth is too Strong for Assault_]

Qwhen that the castell of Forfar, 324 And all the towris tumlit war Doun to the erd, as I haf tald, The wis king, that wes wicht and bauld, That thoucht that he wald mak all fre 328 Apon north half the Scottis Se, Till Perth is went with all his rout, And umbeset the toune about, And till it has ane sege soyn set. 332 Bot quhill it mycht haf men and met, It mycht nocht, but gret payn, be tane For the wallis war all of stane, With thik towris and hye standand. 336 And that tym war thar-in duelland Moffat, and als Olyfard; Thai twa the toun had all in ward. Of Strathern als the Erll wes thar; 340 Bot his sone and of his men war Without, in-to the Kingis rout. Thar wes oft bikkyrring stith and stout, And men slayn apon ilk party. 344 Bot the gud King, that all vitty We in his dedis evirilkane, Saw the wall so stith of stane, And saw defens at thai can ma, 348 And how the toun wes hard to ta With oppyn assale, be strinth or mycht, Tharfor he thoucht to wirk with slicht. And all the tym that he thair lay 352 He spyit, and slely gert assay Quhar of the dik the schawdest was; Till at the last he fand a place That men mycht to thair schulderis waid. 356 And quhen he that place fundyn had, He gert his menyhe busk ilkane, Quhen sex woukis of the sege wes gane. Thai tursit thair harnas halely, 360 And left the sege all oppinly, And furth with all his folk can fair, As he wald do thar-to no mair.

[338: C has _Olifert_ (S), but _Olifard_ on record as in E.]

[359: C gives _owkis_ (S).]

Here he gets it with Jeopardy.

And thai that war within the toune, 364 Quhen thai to fair so saw him boune, Thai schowtit hym and scornyng maid; And he furth on his wayis raid, As he na will had agane to turne, 368 Na besyde thame to mak sojorne. Bot in aucht dais nocht-for-thi, He gert mak ledderis prevely, That mycht suffice till his entent, 372 And in a myrk nycht syne is went *Toward the toun with his menyhe. *Bot hors and knafis all left he Fer fra the toun, and syne has tane *376 *Thair ledderis, and on fut are gane Toward the toune all prevely. Thai herd no wachis spek no cry: For thai that war within, ma fall, 376 As men that drede nocht, slepit all. Thai had no dreid than of the King, For thai of hym herd no tithing All thai thre dais befor and mair; 380 Tharfor sekir and trast thai war. And quhen the King herd thame nocht steir, He wes blith apon gret maneir; And his leddir in hand can ta, 384 Ensampill till his men till ma, Arayit weill in all his geir, Schot in the dik, and with his speir Tastit, quhill he weill our woude, 388 Bot till his throt the wattir stude.

[*374-*377: Four lines from C and H. E omits for usual reason.]

[Sidenote: JAN. 1313] _Perth is captured_]

That tym wes in his cumpany A knycht of France, wicht and hardy; And quhen he in the wattir swa 392 Saw the King pas, and with him ta His leddir unabasitly, Ha sanyt him for the ferly, And said; “A Lord! quhat sall we say 396 “Of our lordis of France, that ay “With gud morsellis farsis thair panch, “And will bot et and drynk and dance, “Quhen sic a knycht, sa richt worthy 400 “As this is throu his chevelry, “In-to sic perill has hym set, “To wyn ane wrechit hamlet?” With that word to the dik he ran, 404 And our eftir the Kyng he wan. And quhen the Kyngis menyhe saw Thar lord pas our, in-till a thraw Thai passit the dik, and, but mar let, 408 Thair ledderis to the wall thai set; And to clym up fast pressit thai; Bot the gud Kyng, as I herd say, Was the tothir man that tuk the wall, 412 And baid thair, till his menyhe all War cummyn our in full gret hy; Yheit rais thar nouthir nois nor cry. Bot soyn eftir thai noyis maid, 416 That of thame first persaving had, So that the cry rais throu the toune; Bot he, that with his men wes boune Till assale, to the toune is went, 420 And the mast of his menyhe sent All scalit throu the toun, bot he Held with him-self a gret menyhe, Swa that he mycht be appurvait, 424 To defend, gif he war assayit.

Bot thai, that he send throu the toune, Put soyn to gret confusioune Thair fayis, that in beddis war, 428 Or scalit, fleand heir and thair; That, or the sone rais, thai had tane Thair fayis, or discumfit ilkane. The wardanis bath tharin war tane: 432 And Malis of Strathern is gane Till his fader, the Erll Malis, And with strinth tuk him and all his; Syne, for his sake, the nobill King 436 Gaf hym his land in governyng. The laif, that ran out throu the toune, Sesit to thame in gret fusioune Men, armyng and marchandis, 440 And othir gudis on syndri wis; Quhill thai, that war eir pouer and bare, Of that gude rych and mychty war. Bot thair wes few slayne; for the King, 444 Had gevin thame in commandyng, On gret payn, thai suld slay nane, That, but gret bargane, mycht be tane; That thai war kynde to the cuntre 448 He wist, and had of thame pite.

On this maner the toun wes tane. And syne the towris everilkane And wallis gert he tummyll doune: 452 He levit nocht about that toune Tour standand, stane no wall, That he na haly gert distroy all. And presoneris, that thair tuk he, 456 He send quhar thai mycht haldin be, And till his pes tuk all the land; Wes nane that durst him than withstand.

Here All Scots obey the King except Lorn.

Apon north half the Scottis Se 460 Obeysit all till his majeste, Outane the Lord of Lorn, and thai Of Argile that wald with him ga. He held evir agane the King, 464 And hatit hyme atour all thing. Bot yheit, or all the gammyn ga, I trow weill that the King sall ta Vengeans of his gret cruelte, 468 And that him sair repent sall he, That he the King contraryit ay, May fall, quhen he no mend it may.

Here Sir Edward Bruce is much commended.

[Sidenote: JUNE 1308] _Edward Bruce is in Galloway_]

The Kingis brothir, quhen the towne 472 Wes takyn thus and doungyn doune, Schir Edward, that wes so worthy, Tuk with him a gret cumpany, And tuk his gat toward Galloway. 476 For with his men he walde assay Gif he recover mycht that land, And wyn fra Inglis mennys hande. This Schir Edward, forsuth, I hicht, 480 Wes of his handis a nobill knycht, And in blithnes swet and joly; Bot he wes outrageous hardy, And of so hye undirtaking, 484 That he had nevir none abasing Of multitude of men; for-thi He discumfit commonly Mony with quheyn: tharfor had he 488 Outour his peris renowne. And quha rehers wald all his deid, Of his hye worschipe and manheid Men mycht mony romanys mak; 492 And, nocht-for-thi, I think till tak On hand off hym to say sum thing, Bot nocht the tend part his travaling.

This gud knycht, that I spek of heir, 496 With all the folk that with hym weir, Weill soyn to Galloway cummyn is, All that he fand he maid it his; And ryotit gretly the lande. 500 Bot than in Galloway war wonnand Schir Ingerame Umphrevell, that wes Renownit of so hye prowes, That he of worschip passit the rout: 504 Tharfor he gert ay ber about Apon a sper ane red bonat, In-to the takyn that he wes set In-to the hicht of chevelry; 508 Of Sanct Johne als Schir Amery. Thai twa the land had in stering, And quhen thai herd of the cummyng Of Schir Edward, that so planly 512 Our-raid the land, than in gret hy Thai assemblit all thair menyhe. I trow twelf hundreth thai mycht be.

Here Sir Edward Bruce discomfits the Englishmen at Cree.

Bot he with fewar folk thaim met 516 Besyde Cre, and so hard thame set, With hard battale in stalwarde ficht, That he thame all put to the flicht, And slew twa hundreth wele and ma, 520 And the chiftanis in hy can ta Thair way to Buttill, for till be Resavit in-to gude savite. And Schir Edward thame chasit fast; 524 Bot till the castell at the last Gat Schir Ingerame and Schir Amery; Both the best of thair cumpany Left ded behynd thame in the plas. 528 And quhen Schir Edward saw the chas Wes falit, he gert seys the pray; A swa gret cattell had away, That it war woundir for till se. 532 Of Buttill tour thai saw how he Gert his men drif with him thar pray, Bot no let set tharin mycht thai.

[Sidenote: JUNE 1308] _Umfraville thinks to surprise Edward_]

Throu his chevelrous chevelry 536 Galloway wes stonayit gretumly, And doutit hym for his bounte. Sum of the men of the cuntre Com till his pes, and maid him ath. 540 Both Schir Amery, that had the scath Of the bargane I tald of er, Raid till Ingland, and purchast ther Of armyt men gret cumpany, 544 To venge hym of the velany That Schir Edwarde, the nobill knycht, Him did by Cre in-till the ficht. Of gude men he assemblit thair 548 Weill fyftene hundreth men and mar, That war of rycht gude renowne. His way with all that folk tuk he, And in the land, all prevely, 552 He enterit with that chevelry; Thinkand Schir Edward to suppris, Gif that he mycht on ony wis: For he thoucht he wald him assale, 556 Or that he left, in playn batale. Now may yhe heir of gret ferly, And of richt hye chevelry. For Schir Edward into the land 560 Wes with his menyhe neir at hand; And in the mornyng richt airly He herd the cuntre men mak cry, And had wittering of thair cummyng. 564 Than buskit he him but delaying. And lap on hors deliverly. He had than in his rowt fifty, Apon gude hors armyt richt weill. 568 His small folk gert he ilk deill With-draw thame till a strate neir by: And he raid furth with his fifty.

Here he discomfits far more manfully, that is to say, Fifteen Hundred with Fifty.

A knycht, that than wes in his rout, 572 Worthy and wicht, stalward and stout, Curtas and fair, and of gude fame, Schir Alane of Catkert be name, Tald me this taill as I sall tell. 576 Gret myst in-to the mornyng fell, Swa that men mycht nocht se thaim by, For myst, ane bow-draucht fullely. Sa hapnyt that thai fand the trais, 580 Quhar at the rout furth passit was Of thair fayis, that forouth raid. Schir Edward, that gret yharnyng had All tyme for till do chevelry, 584 With all his rout in full gret hy, Followit the tras quhar gane war thai: And, before myd-morne of the day The myst wox cleir all suddanly; 588 Than he and all his cumpany War nocht ane bow-draucht fra the rout. Than schot thai on thame with a schout; For gif thai fled, thai wist that thai 592 Suld nocht weill ferd part get away. Tharfor in aventure till de He wald him put or he wald fle. And quhen the Inglis cumpany 596 Saw on thame cum so suddanly Sic folk, forouten abasing, Thai war stonayit for affraying. And the tothir, but mair abaid, 600 So hardely emang thame raid, That fele of thame to erde thai bare. Richt gretly thus stonayit thai ware Throu the fors of that first assay, 604 That thai war in-to gret affray, And wend be fer thai had beyn ma, For that thai war assalyhit swa. And syne Schir Edwardis cumpany, 608 Quhen thai had thrillit thame hastely, Set stoutly in the hedis agane, And at that cours borne doun and slane War of thair fais a gret party, 612 That than affrait war so gretly, That thai war scalit gretly then. And quhen Schir Edward and his men Saw thame in-to so ill aray, 616 The thrid tyme on thame prikid thai. And thai that saw thame so stoutly Cum on thame, dred thame gretumly, That all thair rout, bath les and mair, 620 Fled, ilkane scalit, heir and thair. Wes nane emang thame so hardy To byde, bot all comonly Fled to warand; and he can chas, 624 That wilfull till distroy thame was: For sum he tuk, and sum war slayn, Bot Schir Amery with mekill payn Eschapit, and his gat is gane. 628 His men discumfit war ilkane; Sum tane, sum slayn, sum gat away. This wes a richt fair point, perfay!

[575: C _Carcat_: S adopts _Catcart_.]

Sir Edward Bruce in a Year won Thirteen Castles.

[Sidenote: 1308] _Edward Bruce subdues Galloway_]

Lo! how hardyment tane suddanly, 632 And drivin syne till end scharply, May ger oft-sis unlikly thyngis Cum to richt fair and gud endingis! Richt as it fell in this case heir; 636 For hardyment, withouten weir, Wan fyftene hundreth with fifty, Quhar ay for ane thai war thretty: And twa men ar a manis her; 640 Bot ure thame led on sic maner, That thai discumfit war ilkane. Schir Amery hame his gate is gane, Richt blith that he so gat away. 644 I trow he sall nocht mony day Have will to warra that cuntre, With-thi Schir Edward tharin be! Ande he duelt furth in-to the land, 648 Thame that rebelland war warrand, And in a yheir so warrait he, That he wan quytly that cuntre Till his brothiris pes, the king; 652 Bot that wes nocht but hard fichting. For in that time thair him befell Mony fair poynt, as I herd tell, The quhilk that ar nocht writin heir. 656 Bot weill I wat that, in that yheir, Thretten castellis with strynth he wan, And ourcom mony a mody man. Quha-sa the suth of hym wald reid; 660 Had he had mesur in his deid, I trow that worthyar than he Micht nocht in his tyme fundyn be, Outakyn his brothir anyrly, 664 To quhom, in-to gude chevelry, I dar peir nane wes in his day. For he led hym with mesure ay, And with gret wit his chevelry 668 He governit ay sa worthely, That he oft full unlikly thing Brocht rycht weill to gud ending.

[666: E _Lyk wes nane in his day_. Neither reading is quite satisfactory. Skeat puts a comma after _nane_, but what, then, is the subject of _wes_? Is it not a suppressed relative?--that? _Cf._ x. 86.]

[671: C omits _rycht_ and inserts _full gud_. Skeat adopts both, but one is surely superfluous.]

Here Sir James Douglas meets with Sir Alexander Stewart, Lord Bonkill.

In all this tym James of Douglas 672 In the Forest travaland was, And it throu hardiment and slicht Occupyit, magre all the mycht Of his feill fayis, the-quhethir thai 676 Set him full oft in hard assay. Bot oft throu wit and throu bounte His purpos to gud end brocht he. In-till that tym him fell, throu cas, 680 A nycht, as he travaland was, And thought for till have tan restyne In a hous on the wattir of Lyne; And as he com with his menyhe 684 Neirhand the hous, swa lisnyt he, And herd thair sawis ilke deill, And be that he persavit weill At thai war strange men at thair 688 That nycht thar-in herberyit wair. And as he thoucht it fell, per cas; For of Bonkill the lord thar was, Alysander Stewart hat he, 692 With othir ma of gret bounte, Thomas Randole of gret renown, And Adame alsua of Gordoun, That com thair with gret cumpany, 696 And thoucht in the Forest to ly, And occupy it throu thar gret mycht, Bath with travale and stallwart ficht, To chas Douglas of that cuntre; 700 Bot othir wayis than yheid the gle.

[686: E has _And herd ane say tharin, “The devill!”_ H like C.]

[Sidenote: 1308] _Randolph is Taken_]

For quhen James had witteryng That strange men had tane herbreyng In the place quhar he schupe to ly, 704 He till the hous went hastely, And umbeset it all about. Quhen thai within herd sic a rout About the hous, thai rais in hy, 708 And tuk thair geir rycht hastely, And schot furth, fra thai harnast war. Thair fayis thaim met with wapnys bar, And assalyheit richt hardely; 712 And thai defendit douchtely With all thair mycht, till at the last Thar fais pressit thame so fast, That thair folk falyheit thame ilkane. 716 Thomas Randoll thar wes tane; And Alexander Stewarde alsua Wes woundit in a place or twa. Adame of Gordoun fra the ficht, 720 Quhat throu slicht and quhat throu mycht, Eschapit, and feill of his men; Bot thai that war arestit then, War of thair taking woundir wa; 724 Bot nedlyngis thame behufit be swa.

Here Sir James Douglas comes to the King with Sir Alexander Stewart and Thomas Randolph.

That nycht the gud lord of Douglas Maid to Schir Alysander, that was His emys son, richt gladsum cheir: 728 Sa did he als, forouten weir, Till Thomas Randole, for that he Wes till the King in neir degre Of blude, for his sister him bare. 732 And on the morn, forouten mare, Toward the nobill King he raid, And with him bath thai twa he had. The King of his cummyng wes blith, 736 And thankit him tharof feill sith. And till his nevo can he say, “Thou has a quhill renyit thi fay; “Bot thou reconsalit now mon be.” 740 Then to the King soyn anseurd he, And saide, ‘Yhe chasty me, bot yhe ‘Aw bettir chastyit for till be. ‘For sen that yhe warrait the King 744 ‘Of Ingland in-to playn fichting ‘Yhe suld pres till derenyhe yhour richt, ‘And nocht with voidre na with slicht.’ The King said; “Yheit may fall it may 748 “Cum, or oucht lang, to sic assay. “Bot sen thou spekis so ryaly, “It is gret skill at men chasty “Thi prowd wourdis till at thou knaw 752 “The richt, and bow it as thou aw.” The King, for-out mair delaying, Send hym to be in ferm keping, Quhar that he all a quhill suld be, 756 Nocht all apon his awn pouste.