Part 13

In Feueryher befell the sammyn cace, That Inglissmen tuk trewis with Wallace. This passyt our till Marche till end was socht. The Inglismen kest all the wayis thai mocht, With suttelté and wykkit illusione, 5 The worthi Scottis to put to confusioune. In Aperill the king off Ingland come In Cvmmyrland of Pumfrat fro his home; In to Carleill till a consell he yeid, Quhar off the Scottis mycht haiff full mekill dreid. 10 Mony captane that was off Ingland born, Fol. 44 a Thidder thai past, and semblit thar king beforn; Na Scottis man to that consell thai cald, Bot Schyr Amer, that traytour was off ald. At him thai sperd, how thai suld tak on hand 15 The rychtwyss blud to scour out off Scotland. Schir Amer said; “Thair chyftayne can weill do, “Rycht wyss in wer, and has gret power to; “And now this trew gyffis thaim sic hardyment, “That to your faith thai will nocht all consent. 20 “Bot wald ye do rycht as I wald yow ler, “This pess to thaim it suld be sald full der.” Than demyt he, the fals Sotheroun amang, How thai best mycht the Scottis barownis hang. For gret bernys that tyme stud in till Ayr, 25 Wrocht for the king, quhen his lugyng wes thar; Byggyt about, that no man entir mycht, Bot ane at anys, nor haiff off othir sicht. Thar ordand thai thir lordis suld be slayne; A justice maid, quhilk wes of mekill mayne. 30 To lord Persye off this mattir thai laid. With sad awyss agayne to thaim he said; “Thai men to me has kepit treuth so lang, “Desaitfully I may nocht se thaim hang. “I am thar fa, and warn thaim will I nocht; 35 “Sa I be quytt, I rek nocht quhat yhe wrocht. “Fra thine I will, and towart Glaskow draw, “With our byschope to her off his new law.” Than chesyt thai a justice fers and fell, Quhilk Arnwlff hecht, as my auctour will tell, 40 Off South hantoun, that huge hie her and lord; He wndretuk to pyne thaim with the cord. Ane othir ayr in Glaskow ordand thai, For Cliddisdaill men, to stand that sammyn day: Syne chargyt thaim, in all wayis ernystfully, 45 Be no kyn meyne Wallace suld nocht chaip by. For weill thai wyst, and thai men war ourthrawin, Thai mycht at will bruk Scotland as thair awin. This band thai cloiss wndre thair seillis fast; Syne south our mur agayn king Edward past. 50 The new justice rasawit was in Ayr: The lord Persye can on to Glaskow fayr. This ayr was set in Jun the auchtand day, And playnly cryt, na fre man war away. The Scottis marweld, and pess tane in the land, 55 Quhy Inglissmen sic maistir tuk on hand. Schir Ranald set a day befor this ayr, At Monktoun kyrk; his freyndis mett him thar. Wilyham Wallace on to the tryst couth pass, Fol. 44 b For he as than wardane off Scotland was. 60 This maistir Jhone a worthi clerk was thar; He chargyt his kyne for to byd fra that ayr. Rycht weill he wyst, fra Persey fled that land, Gret perell was till Scottis apperand. Wallace fra thaim [in] to the kyrk he yeid; 65 Pater Noster, Aue, he said, and Creid. Syne to the grece he lenyt him sobyrly; Apon a sleip he slaid full sodandly. Kneland folowed, and saw him fallyn on sleip; He maid na noyis, bot wysly couth him kepe. 70 In that slummir, cummand him thocht he saw Ane agit man, fast towart him couth draw; Sone be the hand he hynt him haistelé, “I am,” he said, “in wiage chargit with the.” A suerd him gaiff off burly burnist steill; 75 “Gud sone,” he said, “this brand thou sall bruk weill.” Off topastone him thocht the plumat was; Baith hilt and hand all glitterand lik the glas. “Der sone,” he said, “we tary her to lang; “Thow sall go se quhar wrocht is mekill wrang.” 80 Than he him led till a montane on hycht; The warld him thocht he mycht se with a sicht. He left him thar, syne sone fra him he went. Tharoff Wallace studiit in his entent; Till se him mar he had still gret desyr. 85 Tharwith he saw begyne a felloune fyr, Quhilk braithly brynt on breid throu all the land, Scotland atour, fra Ross to Sulway sand. Than sone till him thar descendyt a qweyne, Inlumyt lycht, schynand full brycht and scheyne. 90 In hyr presens apperyt so mekill lycht, At all the fyr scho put out off his sycht; Gaiff him a wand off colour reid and greyne, With a saffyr sanyt his face and eyne. “Welcum,” scho said, “I cheiss the as my luff. 95 “Thow art grantyt, be the gret God abuff, “Till help pepill that sufferis mekill wrang: “With the as now I may nocht tary lang. “Thou sall return to thi awne oyss agayne; “Thi derrast kyne ar her in mekill payne. 100 “This rycht regioun thow mon redeme it all: “Thi last reward in erd sall be bot small. “Let nocht tharfor, tak redress off this myss: “To thi reward thou sall haiff lestand blyss.” Off hir rycht hand scho betaucht him a buk; 105 Humylly thus hyr leyff full sone scho tuk; On to the cloud ascendyt off his sycht. Wallace brak vp the buk in all his mycht. Fol. 45 a In thre partis the buk weill writyn was; The fyrst writtyng was gross letteris off bras, 110 The secound gold, the thrid was siluer scheyne. Wallace merueld quhat this writyng suld meyne. To rede the buk he besyet him so fast, His spreit agayne to walkand mynd is past; And wp he raiss, syne sodandly furth went. 115 This clerk he fand, and tald him [his] entent Off this wisioun, as I haiff said befor, Completly throuch. Quhat nedis wordis mor? “Der sone,” he said, “my witt vnabill is “To runsik sic, for dreid I say off myss. 120 “Yeit I sall deyme, thocht my cunnyng be small: “God grant na chargis efftir my wordis fall! “Saynct Androw was, gaiff the that suerd in hand; “Off sanctis he is wowar off Scotland. “That montayne is, quhar he the had on hycht, 125 “Knawlage to haiff off wrang that [thow] mon rycht. “The fyr sall be fell tithingis, or ye part, “Quhilk will be tald in mony syndry art. “I can nocht witt quhat qweyn at it suld be, “Quhethir fortoun, or our lady so fre. 130 “Lykly it is, be the brychtnes scho brocht, “Modyr off him that all this warld has wrocht. “The prety wand, I trow be myn entent, “Assignes rewlle and cruell jugément. “The red colour, quha graithly wndrestud, 135 “Betaknes all to gret battaill and blud: “The greyn, curage that thow art now amang, “In strowbill wer thou sall conteyne full lang. “The saphyr stayne, scho blissit the with all, “Is lestand grace, will God, sall to the fall. 140 “The thrynfald buk is bot this brokyn land, “Thou mon rademe be worthines off hand. “The bras lettris betakynnys bot to this, “The gret oppress off wer and mekill myss, “The quhilk thow sall bryng to the rycht agayne; 145 “Bot thou tharfor mon suffer mekill payne. “The gold takynnis honour and worthinas, “Wictour in armys, that thou sall haiff be grace. “The siluer schawis cleyne lyff, and hewynys blyss; “To thi reward that myrth thou sall nocht myss. 150 “Dreid nocht tharfor, be out off all dispayr. “Forthir as now her off I can no mair.”

He thankit hym, and thus his leyff has tayne; Till Corsbé syne with his wncle raid hayme. Fol. 45 b With myrthis thus all nycht thai soiornyt thar. 155 Apon the morn thai graith thaim to the ar; And furth thai ryd, quhill thai come to Kingace. With dreidfull hart thus sperit wicht Wallace At Schyr Ranald, for the charter off pees. “Neuo,” he said, “thir wordis ar nocht les. 160 “It is lewyt at Corsbé, in the kyst “Quhar thou it laid; tharoff na othyr wist.” Wallace ansuerd; ‘Had we it her to schaw, ‘And thai be falss, we suld nocht entir awe.’ “Der sone,” he said, “I pray the pass agayne; 165 “Thocht thou wald send, that trawaill war in wayne: “Bot thou, or I, can nane it bryng this tid.” Gret grace it was maid him agayne to ryd. Wallace raturnd, and tuk with him bot thre; Nane off thaim knew this endentour bot he. 170 Wnhap him led, for bid him couth he nocht; Off fals dissayt this gud knycht had na thocht. Schir Ranald raid but restyng to the town, Wittand na thing off all this falss tresown. That wykked syng so rewled the planait; 175 Saturn was than in till his heast stait. Aboune Juno in his malancoly, Jupiter, Mars, ay cruell off inwy, Saturn as than awansyt his natur. Off terandry he power had and cur; 180 Rebell renkis in mony seir regioun; Trubbill weddyr makis schippis to droune, His drychyn is with Pluto in the se; As off the land, full off iniquité, He waknys wer, waxyng off pestilence, 185 Fallyng off wallis with cruell wiolence, Pusoun is ryff, amang thir othir thingis; Sodeyn slauchter off empriouris and kingis. Quhen Sampsone powed to grond the gret piller, Saturn was than in till the heast sper. 190 At Thebes als off his power thai tell, Quhen Phiorax sank throuch the erd till hell. Off the Troianis he had full mekill cur, Quhen Achilles at Troy slew gud Ectur, Burdeous schent, and mony citeis mo; 195 His power yeit it has na hap to ho. In braid Brytane feill wengeance has beyne seyne; Off this and mar, ye wait weill quhat I meyn. Bot to this hous, that stalwart wes and strang, Schir Ranald come, and mycht nocht tary lang. 200 A bawk was knyt all full of rapys keyne; Fol. 46 a Sic a towboth sen syn was neuir seyne. Stern men was set the entré for to hald; Nayne mycht pass in, bot ay as thai war cald. Schir Ranald fyrst, to mak fewté for his land, 205 The knycht, went in, and wald na langar stand: A rynnand cord thai slewyt our his hed, Hard to the bawk, and hangyt him to ded. Schyr Bryss the Blayr next with hys eyme in past; On to the ded thai haistyt him full fast, 210 Be he entrit, hys hed was in the swar; Tytt to the bawk, hangyt to ded rycht thar. The third entrit, that peté was for thy, A gentill knycht, Schyr Neill off Mungumry; And othir feill off landit men about. 215 Mony yeid in, bot na Scottis com out. Off Wallace part, thai putt to that derff deid, Mony Craufurd sa endyt in that steid. Off Carrik men Kennadyss slew thai alss; And kynd Cambellis, that neuir had beyne falss. 220 Thir rabellit nocht contrar thair rychtwiss croun; Sotheroun for thi thaim putt to confusioun; Berklais, Boidis, and Stuartis off gud kyn: Na Scott chapyt that tyme that entrit in. Vpon the bawk thai hangit mony par, 225 Be sid thaim ded in the nuk kest thaim thar. Sen the fyrst tyme that ony wer wes wrocht, To sic a dede so mony sic yeid nocht Vpon a day, throuch curssit Saxons seid: Vengeance off this throuch out that kynrik yeid. 230 Grantyt wes fra God in the gret hewyn, Sa ordand he that law suld be thair stewyn. To falss Saxons, for thair fell jugément, Thar wykkydnes our all the land is went. Yhe nobill men, that ar off Scottis kind, 235 Thar petous dede yhe kepe in to your mynd; And ws rawenge, quhen we ar set in thrang. Dolour it is her on to tary lang. Thus auchtene scor to that derff dede thai dycht, Off barronis bald, and mony worthi knycht. 240 Quhen thai had slayne the worthiast that was thar, For waik peple thai wald na langar spar: In till a garth kest thaim out off that sted, As thai war born, dispulyeit, bar, and ded. Gud Robert Boid on till a tawern yeid, 245 With twenty men that douchty war in deid, Off Wallace houss, full cruell off entent; He gouernyt thaim quhen Wallace was absent. Kerlé turnyt with his mastir agayne, Kneland and Byrd, that mekill war off mayne. 250 Fol. 46 b Stewyn off Irland went furth; apon the streit A trew woman full sone with him couth meit. He speryt at hir, quhat hapnyt in the ayr. “Sorou,” scho said, “is nothing ellis thar.” Ferdly scho ast, “Allace! quhar is Wallace?” 255 ‘Fra ws agayne he passit at Kingace.’ “Go warn his folk, and haist thaim off the toun; “To kepe him selff I sall be reddy boun.” With hir as than no mar tary he maid; Till his falowis he went with outyn baid. 260 And to thaim tald off all this gret mysfair. To Laglane wood thai bownyt with outyn mar. Be this Wallace wes cummand wondir fast; For his freyndis he was full sar agast. On to the bern sadly he couth persew 265 Till entir in, for he na perell knew. This woman than apon him loud can call; “O fers Wallace, feill tempest is befall. “Our men ar slayne, that peté is to se, “As bestiall houndis hangit our a tre; 270 “Our trew barrounis be twa and twa past in.” Wallace wepyt for gret loss off his kyne. Than with wness apon his horss he baid; Mair for to sper to this woman he raid. ‘Der nece,’ he said, ‘the trewth giff thow can tell, 275 ‘Is my eyme dede, or hou the cace befell?’ “Out off yon bern,” scho said, “I saw him borne, “Nakit, laid law on cald erd, me beforn. “His frosty mouth I kissit in that sted; “Rycht now manlik, now bar, and brocht to ded. 280 “And with a claith I couerit his licaym; “For in his lyff he did neuir woman schayme. “His systir sone thou art, worthi and wicht; “Rawenge thar dede, for Goddis saik, at thi mycht: “Als I sall help, as I am woman trew.” 285 ‘Der wicht,’ he said, ‘der God, sen at thou knew ‘Gud Robert Boid, quhar at thou can him se; ‘Wilyham Crawfurd als giff he lyffand be. ‘Adam Wallace wald help me in this striff, ‘I pray to God send me [thaim] all in liff; 290 ‘For Marys saik bid thaim sone cum to me. ‘The justice innys thow spy for cheryté; ‘And in quhat feir that thai thair lugyne mak. ‘Son efftir that we will our purposs tak ‘In to Laglane, quhilk has my succour beyne. 295 ‘Adew market, and welcum woddis greyne!’ Her off as than till hir he spak no mair; His brydill turnyt, and fra hir can he fair: Sic murnyng maid for his der worthi kyn, Him thocht for baill his breyst ner bryst in twyn. 300 Fol. 47 a As he thus raid in gret angyr and teyne, Off Inglissmen thar folowed him fyfteyn, Wicht, wallyt men, at towart him couth draw, With a maser, to tach him to the law. Wallace raturnd in greiff and matelent; 305 With his suerd drawyn amang thaim sone he went. The myddyll off ane he mankit ner in twa; Ane othir thar apon the hed can ta; The thrid he straik, and throuch the cost him claiff; The ferd to ground rycht derffly ded doun he draiff; 310 The fyft he hit with gret ire in that sted; With out reskew dreidles he left thaim ded. Than his thre men had slayn the tothir fyve. Fra thaim the laiff eschapit in to lyff; Fled to thair lord, and tald him off this cass. 315 To Laglane wode than ridis wicht Wallas. The Sotheroun said, quhat ane that he hit rycht, With out mercye, dredles, to ded wes dycht. Merwell thai had sic strenth in ane suld be; Ane off thair men at ilk straik he gert de. 320 Than demyt thai, it suld be Wallace wicht. To thar langage maid ansuer ane ald knycht; “Forsuth,” he said, “be he chapyt this ayr, “All your new deid is eking off our cair.” The justice said, quhen thar sic murmur raiss; 325 ‘Yhe wald be ferd, and thar come mony faiss, ‘That for a man me think yow lik to fle, ‘And wait nocht yeit in deid gyff it be he. ‘And thocht it be, I cownt him bot full lycht; ‘Quha bidis her, ilk gentill man sall be knycht: 330 ‘I think to deill thair landis haill to morn ‘To yow about, that ar off Ingland born.’