Part 10

At the Corheid full fayne thai wald haif beyne; Bot Inglissmen weyll has thair purposs seyne. In playne battaill thai folowid hardely; In dangir thus thai held thaim awfully. Hew of Morland on Wallace folowid fast; 820 He had befor maid mony Scottis agast, Haldyn he was off wer the worthiast man, In north Ingland with thaim was leiffand than. In his armour weill forgyt off fyne steill, A nobill cursour bur him bath fast and weill. 825 Wallace retorned besyd a burly ayk, And on him set a fellone sekyr straik; Baith cannell bayne and schuldir blaid in twa, Throuch the myd cost, the gud suerd gert he ga. His speyr he wan, and als the coursour wicht, 830 Syne left his awn, for he had lost his mycht. For lak off blud he mycht no forthir gang. Wallace on horss, the Sotheron men amang, His men relewit, that douchty was in deid, Him to reskew out off that felloune dreid. 835 Cruell strakis forsuth thar mycht be seyne On athir syde, quhill blud ran on the greyne. Rycht peralous the semlay was to se: Hardy and hat contenyt the fell mellé. Skew and reskew off Scottis and Ingliss alss; 840 Sum kerwyt bran in sondyr, sum the hals; Sum hurt, sum hynt, sum derffly dong to dede: The hardy Scottis so steryt in that sted, With Halyday on fute bauldly that baid, Amang Sotheron a full gret rowme thai maid. 845 Fol. 30 b Wallas on horss, in hand a nobill sper, Out throuch thaim raid, as gud chyftayne in wer. Thre slew he thar, or that his sper was gayne: Than his gud suerd in hand sone has he tayne, Hewyt on hard with dyntis sad and sar; 850 Quhat ane he hyt grewyt the Scottis no mar. Fra Sotheron men be naturall resone knew, How with a straik a man euir he slew, Than merweld thai he was so mekill off mayne; For thar best man in that kynd he had slayne, 855 That his gret strenth agayne him helpyt nocht, Nor nane othir in contrar Wallace socht. Than said thai all; “Lest he in strenth wntayne, “This haill kynryk he wyll wyn him allayne.” Thai left the feild, syne to thair power fled, 860 And tald thair lord how ewill the formest sped, Quhilk Graystok hecht, was new cummyn in the land; Tharfor he trowit nane durst agayne him stand. Wondyr him thocht, quhen that he saw that sicht, Quhy his gud men for sa few tuk the flycht. 865 At that retorn twenty in feild was tynt, And Morland als; tharfor he wald nocht stynt, Bot folowed fast with thre hundreth but dreid; And swour he suld be wengit on that deid. The Scottis wan horss, becaus thair awne couth faill; 870 In flëyng syne chesd thaim the maist awaill. Owt off that feild thus wicht Wallas is gayn; Off his gud men he had nocht losyt ayne: Fyve woundyt wes, yeit blythly furth thai raid. Wallace a space behynd thaim ay he baid: 875 And Halyday prewyt weill in mony place; Sib sister sone he wes to gud Wallace. Warly thai raid, and held thar horss in aynd; For thai trowide weyll Sotheron wald afaynd With haill power at anys on thaim to sett: 880 Bot Wallace kest thair power for to let; To brek thar ray he besyit hym full fast. Than Inglissmen so gretly wes agast, That nane off thaim durst rusch out off the staill; All in aray held thaim to gidder haill. 885 The Sotheron saw, how that so bandounly Wallace abaid ner hand thar chewalry. Be Morlandis horss thai knew him wondyr weill; Past to thar lord, and tauld him euirilkdeill. “Lo Schyr,” thai said, “forsuth yon sammyn is he, 890 “That with his hand gerris so mony de! “Haiff his horss grace apon his feyt to bid, “He dredis nocht throw fyve thousand to ryd. Fol. 31 a “We rede ye cess, and folow him no mar, “For drede that we repent it syn full sar.” 895 He blamyt thaim, and said; ‘Men weyll may se, ‘Cowartis ye ar, that sor so few wald fle.’ For thar consaill yeit leiff thaim wald he nocht; In gret ire he apon thaim sadly socht, Wailland a place quhar he mycht bargane mak. 900 Wallace was wa apon him for to tak, And he so few, to bid thaim on a playne; At Quenysbery he wald haiff beyne full fayne. Apon him self he tuk full gret trawaill To fend his men, gyff that mycht ocht awaill. 905 A suerd he drew, rycht manlik him to wer, Ay wayttand fast gyff he mycht get a sper; Now her, now thar, befor thaim to and fra. His horss gaiff our, and mycht no forthir ga.

Rycht at the skyrt off Quenysbery befell, 910 Bot wpon grace, as my autor will tell; Schir Jhone the Grayme, that worthi wes and wicht, To the Corhed come on the tothir nycht; Thretty with him off nobill men at wage. The fyrst dochtyr he had in mariage 915 Off Halyday was nevo to Wallace. Tithandis to sper Schyr Jhone past off that place, With men to spek, quhar thai a tryst had set, Rycht ner the steid quhar Scottis and Yngliss mete. Ane Kyrk Patryk, that cruell was and keyne, 920 In Esdaill wood that half yer he had beyne. With Ingliss men he couth nocht weyll accord; Off Torthorowald he barron wes and lord. Off kyn he was, and Wallace modyr ner, Off Craufurd syd that mydward had to ster. 925 Twenty he had off worthi men and wicht. Be than Wallace approchit to thair sycht. Schir Jhon the Grayme, quhen he the cownter saw, On thaim he raid, and stud bot litill aw; His gudfadyr he knew rycht wondyr weyll, 930 Kest doun his sper, and sonyeit nocht a deyll. Kyrk patryk alss, with worthi men in wer, Fyfty in fronte at anyss doun thai ber. Throuch the thikkest off thre hundreth thai raid, On Sotheron men full gret slauchter thai maid, 935 Thaim to reskew that was in fellone thrang. Wallace on fute the gret power amang, Gud rowme he gat, throuch help off Goddis grace. The Sotheron fled, and left thaim in that place. Horsis thai ran to stuff the chass gud spede, 940 Fol. 31 b Wallace and his that douchty wes in dede. Graystok tuk flycht on stern horss and stout; A hundreth held to gydder in a rout. Wallace on thaim full sadly couth persew; The flëyng weyll off Ingliss men he knew, 945 At ay the best wald pass with thair chyftayne. Befor him he fand gud Schyr Jhone the Grayme, Ay strykand doun quham euir he mycht ourhy. Than Wallace said; “This is bot waist foly, “Comons to slay, quhar chyftayns gayis away; 950 “Your horss is fresche, tharfor do as I say. “Gud men yhe haiff ar yeit in nobill stait: “To yon gret rout, for Goddis luff, had your gait; “Sowndyr thaim sone, we sall cum at your hand.” Quhen Schyr Jhon had his tayll weyll wndirstand, 955 Off nane othir fra thine furth tuk he heid; To the formast he folowid weill gud speid. Kyrk Patryk als consideryt thar consaill, Than chargyt thair men, “All folow on the stayll.” At his command full sone with hym thay met; 960 Sad straikys and sayr apon thaym sadly set. Schyr Jhone the Grayme to Graystok fast he socht; Hys pryss pissan than helpyt him rycht nocht. Vpon the crage a graith straik gat him rycht; The burly blaide was braid and burnyst brycht, 965 In sonder kerwyt the mailyeis off fyne steyll, Throwch bayne and brawne it prochyt euirilkdeill; Dede with that dent to the erd doun him draiff. Be that Wallace was semland with the laiff. Derfly to dede feyle frekys thar he dycht; 970 Rayss neuir agayne quhat ane at he hyt rycht. Kyrkpatryk than, Thom Halyday, and thair men, Thar douchty deid was nobill for to ken. At the Knokheid the bauld Graystok was slayne, And mony man quhilk wes off mekill mayne. 975 To saiff thair lyff part in the wood is past; The Scottis men than relewit to gidder fast. Quhen that Wallace with Schyr Jhone Grayme wes met, Rycht gudlye he with humylness him gret; Pardown he ast off the repreiff befor, 980 In to the chass; and said, he suld no mor Formacioune mak off him that was so gud. Quhen that Schyr Jhon Wallace weyll wndirstud, “Do away,” he said, “tharoff as now no mar; “Yhe dyd full rycht; it was for our weylfar. 985 “Wysar in weyr ye ar all out than I; “Fadyr in armess ye ar to me forthi.” Fol. 32 a Kyrk patryk syne, that wes his cusyng der, He thankit hym rycht on a gud maner. Nocht ane was lost off all thair chewalry; 990 Schir Jhone the Grayme to thaim come happely.

The day was downe, and prochand wes the nycht; At Wallace thai askit his consaill rycht. He ansuerd thus; “I spek bot with your leiff; “Rycht laith I war ony gud man to greyff. 995 “Bot thus I say, in termes schort for me, “I wald sailye, giff ye think it may be, “Lowmaban houss, quhilk now is left allayne; “For weyll I wait power in it is lewyt nayne. “Carlauerok als yeit Maxwell has in hand; 1000 “And we had this, thai mycht be bath a wand “Agayne Sotheroun, that now has our cuntré. “Say quhat ye will, this is the best, think me.” Schir Jhone the Grayme gaiff fyrst his gud consent; Syne all the layff, rycht with a haill entent. 1005 To Lowmaban rycht haistely thai ryd. Quhen thai cum ner, nocht half a myill besid, The nycht was myrk; to consaill ar thai gayne: Off mwne nor stern gret perans was thar nayne. Than Wallace said; “Methink, the land at rest; 1010 “Thom Haliday, thow knawis this cuntré best: “I her no noyis of feyll folk her about; “Tharfor I trow we ar the less in dout.” Haliday said; ‘I will tak ane with me, ‘And ryde befor, the maner for to se.’ 1015 Watsone he callit; ‘With me thow mak the boun; ‘With thaim thow was a nychtbour off this toun.’ “I grant I was with thaim agayne my will, “Myn entent is euir to do thaim ill.” Unto the yeitt thir twa pertly furth raid; 1020 The portar come with owt langar abaid. At Jhone Watsone sone tythandis he couth ass; Opyn, he bad, the captayne cummand was. The yett, but mayr, wnwysly he wp drew. Thom Haliday sone be the craig him threw; 1025 And with a knyff he stekit him to dede; In a dyrk holl kest him doun in that sted. Jhone Watsone syne has hynt the keyis in hand. The power than with Wallace wes cummand; Thai entryt in, befor thaim fand no ma, 1030 Excep wemen, and sympill serwandis twa. In the kyching scudleris lang tyme had beyne; Fol. 32 b Sone thai war slayne. Quhen the ladie had thaim seyne, “Grace,” scho cryit, “for hym that deit on tre.” Than Wallace said; ‘Mademe, your noyis lat be. 1035 ‘To wemen yeit we do bot litill ill; ‘Na yong childir we lik for to spill. ‘I wald haiff meit; Haliday, quhat sayis thow? ‘For fastand folk to dyne gud tym war now.’ Gret purwiance was ordand thaim befor, 1040 Bath breid and aylle, gud wyne and othir stor. To meyt thai bownyt, for thai had fastyt lang; Gud men off armes in to the closs gert gang. Part fleand folk on fute, that fra thaim glaid On the Knok heid, quhar gret mellé was maid, 1045 Ay as thai come Jhon Watsone leit thaim in, And doun to dede with outyn noyis or din: Na man left thar that was off Ingland born. The castell weyll thai wesyt on the morn; For Jhonstoune send, a man off gud degre: 1050 Secund dochtir forsuth weddyt had he Off Halidays, nere neuo to Wallace; Gret captayne [than] thai maid him off that place. Thai leyffit him thar in till a gud aray, Syne wsched furth wpon the secund day. 1055 Wemen had leyff in Ingland for to fayr. Schyr Jhon the Grayme and gud Wallace couth cair To the Corhed, and lugyt all that nycht. Wpon the morn the sone wes at the hycht, Eftir dyner thai wald na langer byde, 1060 Thar purposs tuk in Craufurd mur to ryd; Schir Jhon the Grayme, with Wallace that was wycht. Thom Haliday agayne retorned rycht To the Corhall, and thar remanyt but dred. Na Sotheroun wyst prynsuall quha did this dede. 1065 Kyrk patrik past in Aisdaill woddis wyd; In saufté thar he thoucht he suld abid.

Schyr Jhone the Grayme, and gud Wallace in feir, With thaim fourtye off men in armes cleir, Throuch Craufurd mur as that thai tuk the way, 1070 On Ingliss [men] thar mynd ramaynit ay. Fra Crawfurd Jhon the wattir doune thai ryd; Ner hand the nycht thai lychtyt apon Clyd: Thar purposs tuk in till a quiet waill. Than Wallace said; “I wald we mycht assaill 1075 “Craufurd castell, with sum gud jeperté. “Schir Jhon the Grayme, how say yhe best may be?” This gud knycht said; ‘And the men war with out, ‘To tak the hous thar is bot litill doubt.’ Fol. 33 a A squier than rewllyt that lordschip haill, 1080 Off Cummyrland borne, his name was Martyndaill. Than Wallace said; “My selff will pass in feyr, “And ane with me, off herbré for to speyr. “Folow on dreich, giff that we mystir ocht.” Edward Litill with his mastir furth socht 1085 Till ane oystry, and with a woman met. Scho tald to thaim that Sothroune thar was set: ‘And ye be Scottis, I consaill yow pass by; ‘For, and thai may, yhe will get ewill herbry. ‘At drynk thai ar, so haiff thai bene rycht lang; 1090 ‘Gret worde thar is of Wallace thaim amang. ‘Thai trew that he has found hys men agayne: ‘At Lowchmaban feyll Inglis men ar slayne. ‘That houss is tynt; that gerris thaim be full wa: ‘I trow to God that thai sall swne tyne ma.’ 1095 Wallace sperd, of Scotland giff scho be. Scho said him; ‘Ya, and thinkis yet to se ‘Sorow on thaim, throw help off Goddis grace.’ He askit hyr, quha was in to the place. ‘Na man of fens is left that houss within, 1100 ‘Twenty is her, makand gret noyis and dyn. ‘Allace,’ scho said, ‘giff I mycht anys se, ‘The worthy Scottis maist maister in it to be.’ With this woman he wald no langar stand; A bekyn he maid, Schyr Jhon come at his hand. 1105 Wallace went in, and bad _Benedicite_. The capteyne speryt; “Quhat bellamy may thow be, “That cummys so grym? sum tithandis till vs tell. “Thow art a Scot; the dewyll thi natioune quell.” Wallace braid out his suerd with outyn mar; 1110 In to the breyst the bryme captayne he bar, Throuch out the cost, and stekit him to ded. Ane othir he hyt awkwart vpon the hed. Quham euir he strak he byrstyt bayne and lyr; Feill off thaim dede fell thwortour in the fyr. 1115 Haisty payment he maid thaim on the flur; And Eduuard Litill kepyt weill the dur. Schir Jhon the Graym full fayne wald haiff beyne in; Eduuard him bad at the castell begyne; “For off thir folk we haiff bot litill dreid.” 1120 Schir Jhon the Grayme fast to the castell yeid. Wallace rudly sic routis to thaim gaiff, That twenty men derffly to dede thai draiff. Fyfteyne he straik, and fyfteyne has he slayne; Edward slew fyve quhilk was off mekill mayne. 1125 To the castell Wallace had gret desyr. Fol. 33 b Be that Schir Jhone had set the yett in fyr; Nane wes tharin at gret defens couth ma, Bot wemen fast sar wepand in to wa. With out the place ane ald bulwark was maid; 1130 Wallace yeid our with out langar abaid. The wemen sone he sauffyt fra the dede; Waik folk he put, and barnys, off that stede. Off purwiaunce thai fand litill or nane; Befor that tyme thar wictaill was all gayne. 1135 Yeit in that place thai lugyt still that nycht; Fra oystré broucht sic gudis as thai mycht. Wpon the morn the houss thai spoilye fast, All thing that doucht out off that place thai cast. Tre wark thai brynt, that was in to tha wanys; 1140 Wallis brak doun that stalwart war off stanys; Spylt at thai mycht, syne wald no langar bid: On till Dundaff that sammyn nycht thai ryde; And lugit thar with myrthis and plesance, Thankand gret God that lent thaim sic a chance. 1145

EXPLICIT LIBER QUINTUS, ET INCIPIT SEXTUS.

BUKE SEXT.

Than passit was wtass off Feuiryher, And part off Marche off rycht degestioune; Apperyd than the last moneth off wer, The syng off somir with his suet sessoun. Be that Wallace off Dundaff maid him boune; 5 His leyff he tuk, and to Gilbank can fair. The rewmour raiss throuch Scotland vp and doune, With Ingliss men, that Wallace leiffand war. In Aperill quhen cleithit is, but weyne, The abill grounde be wyrking off natur, 10 And woddis has won thar worthy weid off greyne. Quhen Nympheus, in beldyn off his bour, With oyle and balm fullfillit off suet odour, Faunis materis, as thai war wount to gang, Walkyn thair courss in euery casuall hour, 15 To glaid the huntar with thair merye sang. In this samyn tyme to him approchit new His lusty payne, the quhilk I spak off ayr, Be luffis cass, he thoucht [for] to persew In Laynryk toune, and thidder he can fayr: 20 At residence a quhill ramaynit thair In hyr presence as I said off befor; Thocht Inglissmen was grewyt at his repayr, Yeit he desyrd the thing that sat him sar. The feyr off wer rewllyt him on sic wiss; 25 Fol. 34 a He likit weyll with that gudlye to be; Quhill wald he think off danger for to ryss, And othir quhill out of hir presens fle. “To cess off wer it war the best for me; “Thus wyn I nocht bot sadnes on all syde. 30 “Sall neuir man this cowartyss in me se, “To wer I will, for chance that may betyd. “Quhat is this luff? it is bot gret myschance, “That me wald bryng fra armess wtterly. “I will nocht loss my worschip for plesance; 35 “In wer I think my tyme till occupy: “Yeit hyr to luff I will nocht lat for thy; “Mor sall I desyr hyr frendschip to reserue, “Fra this day furth than euir befor did I, “In fer off wer quhethir I leiff or sterue.” 40 Quhat suld I say, Wallace was playnly set To luff hyr best in all this warld so wid; Thinkand he suld off his desyr to get; And so befell be concord in a tid, That scho [was] maid at his commaund to bid; 45 And thus began the styntyn off this stryff: Begynnyng band, with graith witnes besyd, Myn auctor sais, scho was his rychtwyss wyff. Now leiff in pees, now leiff in gud concord! Now leyff in blyss, now leiff in haill plesance! 50 For scho be choss has bath hyr luff and lord. He thinkis als, luff did him hye awance, So ewynly held be fauour the ballance, Sen he at will may lap hyr in his armyss. Scho thankit God off hir fre happy chance, 55 For in his tyme he was the flour off armys. Fortoune him schawit hyr fygowrt doubill face, Feyll syss or than he had beyne set abuff: In presoune now, delyuerit now throw grace, Now at vness, now in to rest and ruff; 60 Now weyll at wyll, weyldand his plesand luff, As thocht him selff out off aduersité; Desyring ay his manheid for to pruff, In curage set apon the stagis hye. The werray treuth I can nocht graithly tell, 65 In to this lyff how lang at thai had beyne: Throuch naturall courss off generacioune befell, A child was chewyt thir twa luffaris betuene, Quhilk gudly was, a maydyn brycht and schene; So forthyr furth, be ewyn tyme off hyr age, 70 Fol. 34 b A squier Schaw, as that full weyll was seyne, This lyflat man hyr gat in mariage. Rycht gudly men come off this lady ying. Forthyr as now off hyr I spek no mar. Bot Wallace furth in till his wer can ryng, 75 He mycht nocht cess, gret curage so him bar; Sotheroun to sla for dreid he wald nocht spar, And thai oft syss feill causis till him wrocht, Fra that tyme furth, quhilk mowit [hym sa sar, That neuir in warld out of his mind was brocht.] 80 Now leiff thi myrth, now leiff thi haill plesance; Now leiff thi bliss, now leiff thi childis age; Now leiff thi youth, [now] folow thi hard chance; Now leyff thi lust, now leiff thi mariage; Now leiff thi luff, for thow sall loss a gage 85 Quhilk neuir in erd sall be redemyt agayne; Folow fortoun, and all hir fers owtrage; Go leiff in wer, go leiff in cruell payne. Fy on fortoun, fy on thi frewall quheyll; Fy on thi traist, for her it has no lest; 90 Thow transfigowryt Wallace out off his weill, Quhen he traistyt for till haiff lestyt best. His plesance her till him was bot a gest; Throw thi fers courss, that has na hap to ho, Him thow our threw out off his likand rest, 95 Fra gret plesance, in wer, trawaill, and wo. What is fortoune, quha dryffis the dett so fast? We wait thar is bathe weill and wykit chance. Bot this fals warld, with mony doubill cast, In it is nocht bot werray wariance; 100 It is nothing till hewynly gowernance. Than pray we all to the Makar abow, Quhilk has in hand off justry the ballance, That he vs grant off his der lestand lowe. Her off as now forthyr I spek no mar, 105 Bot to my purposs schortly will I fayr.