Part 15

Dunkan off Lorne Gilmychall fra thaim send, A spy to be, for he the contré kend. Be our party was passit Straithfulan, The small fute folk began to irk ilkane; And horss, off fors, behuffyt for to faill. 765 Than Wallace thocht that cumpany to waill. “Gud men,” he said, “this is nocht meit for ws; “In brokyn ray and we cum on thaim thus, “We may tak scaith, and harme our fayis bot small; “To thaim in lik we may nocht semble all. 770 “Tary we lang, a playne feild thai will get; “Apon thaim sone sa weill we may nocht set. “Part we mon leiff ws folowand for to be; “With me sall pass our power in to thre.” A hundyr fyrst till him selff he has tayne, 775 Off westland men, was worthi knawin ilkane. To Schyr Jhon Grayme als mony ordand he, And fyve hundreth to Rychard off Lundye In that part was Wallace off Ricardtoun; In all gud deid he was ay redy boun. 780 Fyve hundreth left, that mycht nocht with thaim ga, Supposs at thai to byd was wondyr wa. Thus Wallace ost began to tak the hicht; Our a montayne sone passit off thar sicht. In Glendowchar thair spy met thaim agayn, 785 With lord Cambell; than was our folk rycht fayn. At that metyng gret blithnes mycht be seyne; Thre hundreth he led that cruell was and keyne. He comford thaim, and bad thaim haiff no dreid: “Yon bestly folk wantis wapynnys and weid; 790 “Swne thai will fle, scharply and we persew.” Be Louchdouchyr full sodeynly thaim drew. Than Wallace said; “A lyff all sall we ta; “For her nayne will fra his falow ga.” The spy he send, the entré for to se; 795 Apon the moss a scurrour sone fand he. To scour the land Makfadyane had him send; Fol. 52 a Out off Cragmor that day he thocht to wend. Gylmychall fast apon him folowed thar, With a gud suerd, that weill and scharply schar; 800 Maid quyt off him, at tithandis tald he nane: The out spy thus was lost fra Makfadyhane. Than Wallace ost apon thair fute thai lycht; Thar horss thai left, thocht thai war neuir so wicht; For moss and crag thai mycht no langar dre. 805 Than Wallace said; “Quha gangis best lat se.” Throuch out the moss delyuerly thai yeid; Syne tuk the hals, quharoff thai had most dreid. Endlang the schoir ay four in frownt thai past, Quhill thai with in assemblit at the last. 810 Lord Cambell said; “We haiff chewyss this hauld; “I trow to God thair wakynning sall be cauld. “Her is na gait to fle yone peple can, “Bot rochis heich, and wattir depe and wan.” Auchtene hundreth off douchty men in deid 815 On the gret ost, but mar process, thai yeid, Fechtand in frount, and mekill maistry maid; On the frayt folk buskyt with outyn baid. Rudly till ray thai ruschit thaim agayne; Gret part off thaim wes men off mekill mayne. 820 Gud Wallace men sa stowtly can thaim ster, The battaill on bak fyve akyr breid thai ber; In to the stour feill tyrandis gert thai kneill. Wallace in hand had a gud staff off steyll; Quhom euir he hyt to ground brymly thaim bar; 825 Romde him about a large rude and mar. Schir Jhon the Grayme in deid was rycht worthy; Gud Cambell als, and Rychard off Lundy, Adam Wallace, and Robert Boid in feyr, Amang thair fayis, quhar deidis was sald full der. 830 The felloun stour was awfull for to se; Macfadyane than so gret debait maid he, With Yrage men, hardy and curageous, The stalwart stryff rycht hard and peralous; Boundance of blud fra woundis wid and wan; 835 Stekit to deid on ground lay mony man. The ferfast thar ynewch off fechtyn fand; Twa houris large into the stour thai stand, At Jop him selff weill wyst nocht quha suld wyn. Bot Wallace men wald nocht in sowndyr twyn; 840 Till help thaim selff thai war off hardy will; Off Yrage blud full hardely thai spill; With feyll fechtyn maid sloppys throuch the thrang. On the fals part our wicht wer men sa dang, Fol. 52 b That thai to byd mycht haiff no langar mycht. 845 The Irland folk than maid thaim for the flycht; On craggis clam, and sum in wattir flett: Twa thousand thar drownyt with outyn lett. Born Scottis men baid still in to the feild; Kest wappynys [fra] thaim, and on thar kneis kneild: 850 With petouss woice thai cryt apon Wallace, For Goddis saik to tak thaim in his grace. Grewyt he was; bot rewth off thaim he had, Resauit thaim fair with contenance full sad. “Off our awne blud we suld haiff gret peté; 855 “Luk yhe sla nane off Scottis will yoldyn be. “Off outland men lat nane chaip with the liff.” Makfadyane fled, for all his felloun stryff, On till a cave, within a clyfft off stayne, Wndyr Cragmor, with fyftene is he gayne. 860 Dunkan off Lorn his leyff at Wallace ast; On Makfadyane with worthi men he past. He grantyt him to put thaim all to ded: Thai left nane quyk, syne brocht Wallace his hed; Apon a sper throuch out the feild it bar. 865 The lord Cambell syne hynt it by the har; Heich in Cragmor he maid it for to stand, Steild on a stayne for honour off Irland. The blessit men, that was off Scotland borne, Fwnde at his faith Wallace gert thaim be sworn; 870 Restorit thaim to thar landis, but less: He leit sla nayne that wald cum till his pes. Efftir this deid in Lorn syne couth he fayr; Reullyt the land had beyne in mekill cayr.

In Archatan a consell he gert cry, 875 Quhar mony man socht till his senyory. All Lorn he gaiff till Duncan, at was wicht, And bad him hald [in] Scotland with the rycht: “And thow sall weill bruk this in heretage. “Thi brothir sone at London has grettar wage; 880 “Yeit will he cum, he sall his landis haiff. “I wald tyne nayne that rychtwisnes mycht saiff.” Mony trew Scot to Wallace couth persew; At Archatan fra feill strenthis thai drew. A gud knycht come, and with him men sexté; 885 He had beyn oft in mony strang jeperté With Inglissmen, and sonyeid nocht adeill. Ay fra thar faith he fendyt him full weill; Kepyt him fre, thocht king Eduuard had suorne; Schir Jhon Ramsay, that rychtwyss ayr was borne 890 Fol. 53 a Off Ouchterhous, and othir landis was lord, And schirreff als, as my buk will record; Off nobill blud, and alss haill ancestré; Contenyt weill with worthi chewalré. In till Straithern that lang tyme he had beyne, 895 At gret debait agaynys his enemyss keyne; Rycht wichtly wan his lewing in to wer; Till him and his Sotheroun did mekill der; Weill eschewit, and sufferyt gret distress. His sone was calld the flour of courtlyness; 900 As witnes weill in to the schort tretty Eftir the Bruce, quha redis in that story. He rewllit weill bathe in to wer and pess; Alexander Ramsay to nayme he hecht, but less. Quhen it wes wer, till armes he him kest; 905 Wndir the croun he wes ane off the best: In tyme off pees till courtlynes he yeid; Bot to gentrice he tuk nayne othir heid. Quhat gentill man had nocht with Ramsay beyne; Off courtlynes thai cownt him nocht a preyne. 910 Fredome and treuth he had as men would ass; Sen he begane na bettyr squier was. Roxburch hauld he wan full manfully; Syne held it lang, quhill tratouris tresonably Causit his dede, I can nocht tell yow how; 915 Off sic thingis I will ga by as now. I haiff had blayme to say the suthfastnes; Tharfor I will bot lychtly ryn that cace, Bot it be thing that playnly sclanderit is; For sic I trew thai suld deyme me no myss. 920 Off gud Alexander as now I spek no mar. His fadyr come, as I tald off befor: Wallace off hym rycht full gud comford hais; For weill he coud do gret harmyng till his fais. In wer he was rycht mekill for to pryss; 925 Besy and trew, bath sobyr, wicht, and wyss. A gud prelat als to Archatan socht; Off his lordschip as than he brukyt nocht. This worthi clerk, cummyn off hie lynage, Off Synclar blude, nocht fourty yer off age, 930 Chosyne he was be the Papis consent; Off Dunkell lord was maid with gud entent. Bot Inglissmen, that Scotland gryppit all, Off benyfice thai leit him bruk bot small. Quhen he saw weill tharfor he mycht nocht mwte, 935 To saiff his lyff thre yer he duelt in But; Fol. 53 b Leifyde as he mycht, and kepyt ay gud part, Wndir saifté off Jamys than lord Stewart, Till gud Wallace, quhilk Scotland wan with payne, Restord this lord till his leyffing agayne; 940 And mony ma, that lang had beyne ourthrawin, Wallace thaim put rychtwisly to thair awin. The small ost alss, the quhilk I spak off ayr, In to the hycht that Wallace lewyt thar, Come to the feild quhar Makfadyane had beyne, 945 Tuk at was left, baithe weid and wapynnys scheyne; Throw Lorn syne past als gudly as thai can: Off thair nowmyr thai had nocht lost a man. On the fyft day thai wan till Archatan, Quhar Wallace baid with gud men mony ane. 950 He welcummyt thaim apon a gudly wyss, And said thai war rycht mekill for to pryss. All trew Scottis he honourit in to wer; Gaiff that he wan, hym selff kepyt no ger.

Quhen Wallace wald no langar soiorn thar, 955 Fra Archattan throu out the land thai far Towart Dunkell, with gud men off renoun; His maist thocht than was haill on Sanct Jhonstoune. He calld Ramsai, that gud knycht off gret waill; Sadly awysyt, besocht him off consaill: 960 “Off Saynct Jhonstoun now haiff I in remembrance; “Thar I haiff beyne, and lost men apon chance: “Bot ay for ane we gert ten off thaim de. “And yeit me think that is no mendis to me; “I wald assay, off this land or we gang, 965 “And lat thaim witt thai occupy her with wrang.” Than Ramsay said; ‘That toune thai may nocht kep; ‘The wallis ar laych, supposs the dyk be depe. ‘Ye haiff enewch, that sall thaim cummyr sa; ‘Fyll wp the dyk, that we may playnly ga 970 ‘In haill battaill, a thowsand our at anys: ‘Fra this power thai sall nocht hald yon wanys.’ Wallace was glaid that he sic comfort maid; Furth talkand thus on to Dunkell thai raid. Four dayis thar thai lugyt with plesance, 975 Quhill tyme thai had forseyne thair ordinance. Ramsay gert byg strang bestials off tre, Be gud wrychtis the best in that cuntré: Quhan thai war wrocht, betaucht thaim men to leid The wattir doun, quhill thai come to that steid. 980 Schir Jhon Ramsay rycht gudly was thair gid, Rewillyt thaim weill at his will for to bid. Fol. 54 a The gret ost than about the willage past; With erd and stayne thai fillit dykis fast. Flaikis thai laid on temyr lang and wicht; 985 A rowme passage to the wallis thaim dycht. Feill bestials rycht starkly wp thai raiss; Gud men of armys sone till assailye gais. Schir Jhon the Grayme, and Ramsay that was wicht. The turat bryg segyt with all thair mycht; 990 And Wallace selff, at mydsid off the toune, With men of armys thai was to bargane bown. The Sotheron men maid gret defens that tid, With artailye, that felloune was to bid. With awblaster, gaynye, and stanys fast, 995 And hand gunnys rycht brymly out thai cast; Pwnyeid with speris men off armys scheyn. The worthi Scotts, that cruell war and keyne, At hand strakis fra thai to gidder met, With Sotheroun blud thair wapynnys sone thai wet. 1000 Yeit Inglissmen, that worthi war in wer, In to the stour rycht bauldly can thaim ber. Bot all for nocht awailyeid thaim thar deid; The Scottis throw force apon thaim in thai yeid. A thousand men our wallis yeid hastely; 1005 In to the toun raiss hidwiss noyis and cry. Ramsay and Graym the turat yet has wown, And entrit in, quhar gret striff has begown. A trew squier, quhilk Rwan hecht be nayme, Come to the salt, with gud Schyr Jhon the Grayme; 1010 Thretty with him off men that prewit weill, Amang thair fais with wapynnys stiff off steill. Quhen at the Scottis semblyit on athir sid, Na Sotheroun was that mycht thair dynt abid. Twa thousand sone, was fulyied vnder feit, 1015 Off Sotheroun blud, lay stekit in the streit. Schir Jhon Sewart saw weill the toune was tynt; Tuk him to flycht, and wald no langar stynt; In a lycht barge, and with him men sexté, The water doun, socht succour at Dundé. 1020 Wallace baid still, quhill the ferd day at morn; And left nane thar that war off Ingland born. Riches thai gat off gold and othir gud; Plenyst the toun agayne with Scottis blud. Rwan he left thair capteyn for to be; 1025 Fol. 54 b In heretage gaiff him office to fee Off all Straithern, and schirreiff off the toun; Syne in the north gud Wallace maid him boune. In Abyrdeyn he gert a consaill cry, Trew Scottis men suld semble hastely. 1030 Till Cowper he raid to wesy that abbay; The Ingliss abbot fra thine was fled away. Bischop Synclar, with out langar abaid, Met thaim at Glammyss, syne furth with thaim he raid. In till Breichyn thai lugyt all that nycht; 1035 Syne on the morn Wallace gert graith thaim rycht, Displayed on breid the baner off Scotland In gud aray, with noble men at hand; Gert playnly cry, that sawfté suld be nayne Off Sotheroun blud, quhar thai mycht be ourtayn. 1040 In playne battaill throuch out the Mernyss thai rid. The Inglissmen, at durst thaim nocht abid, Befor the ost full ferdly furth thai fle Till Dwnottar, a snuk within the se. Na ferrar thai mycht wyn out off the land. 1045 Thai semblit thar quhill thai war four thousand; To the kyrk rane, wend gyrth for till haiff tayne, The laiff ramaynd apon the roch off stayne. The byschope than began tretty to ma Thair lyffis to get, out off the land to ga. 1050 Bot thai war rad, and durst nocht weill affy; Wallace in fyr gert set all haistely, Brynt wp the kyrk, and all that was tharin, Atour the roch the laiff ran with gret dyn. Sum hang on craggis rycht dulfully to de, 1055 Sum lap, sum fell, sum floteryt in the se. Na Sotheroun on lyff was lewyt in that hauld, And thaim with in thai brynt in powdir cauld. Quhen this was done, feill fell on kneis doun, At the byschop askit absolutioun. 1060 Than Wallace lewch, said; “I forgiff yow all; “Ar ye wer men, rapentis for sa small? “Thai rewid nocht ws in to the toun off Ayr; “Our trew barrownis quhen that thai hangyt thar.”

Till Abyrdeyn than haistely thai pass, 1065 Quhar Inglissmen besyly flittand was. A hundreth schippis, that ruther bur and ayr, To turss thair gud, in hawyn was lyand thar. Bot Wallace ost come on thaim sodeynlye; Thar chapyt nane off all that gret menyhe; 1070 Bot feill serwandis, in thaim lewyt nane. At ane eb se the Scottis is on thaim gayne; Fol. 55 a Tuk out the ger, syne set the schippys in fyr; The men on land thai bertynyt bayne and lyr. Yeid nane away bot preistis, wyffis and barnys; 1075 Maid thai debait, thai chapyt nocht but harmys. In to Bowchane Wallace maid him to ryd, Quhar lord Bewmound was ordand for to bid. Erll he was maid off bot schort tyme befor; He brukit [it] nocht for all his bustous schor. 1080 Quhen he wyst weill that Wallace cummand was, He left the land, and couth to Slanys pass; And syne be schip in Ingland fled agayne. Wallace raid throw the northland in to playne. At Crummadé feill Inglissmen thai slew. 1085 The worthi Scottis till hym thus couth persew. Raturnd agayne, and come till Abirdeyn, With his blith ost, apon the Lammess ewyn; Stablyt the land, as him thocht best suld be. Syne with ane ost he passit to Dundé, 1090 Gert set a sege about the castell strang. I leyff thaim thar, and forthir we will gang.