Part 17

The brym battaill, braithly on athir sid, Gret rerd thar raiss all sammyn quhar thai ryd. The sayr semblé, quhen thai to gidder met, Feill strakis thar sadly on athir set. 210 Punyeand speris throuch plattis persit fast; Mony off hors to the ground doun thai cast; Saidlys thai teym off horss bot maistris, thar; Off the south sid fyve thousand doun thai bar. Gud Wallace ost the formast kumraid sa, 215 Quhill the laiff was in will away to ga. Erll Patrik baid, sa cruell off entent, At all his ost tuk off him hardiment. Agayne Wallace in mony stour was he. Wallace knew weill, that his men wald nocht fle 220 For na power that leiffand was in lyff, Quhill thai in heill mycht ay be ane for fyfe. In that gret stryff mony was handlyt hate; The feill dyntis, the cruell hard debait, The fers steking, maid mony grewous wound, 225 Apon the erd the blud did till abound. All Wallace ost in till a cumpaiss baid; Quhar sa thai turnd full gret slauchtyr thai maid. Wallace and Grayme, and Ramsay full worthi, The bauld Cetoun, and Richard off Lundy, 230 [And] Adam, als Wallace, off Ricardtoun, Bathe Hay and Lyll, with gud men off renoun, Boyde, Bercla, Byrd, and Lauder, that was wycht, Feill Inglissmen derffly to ded thai dycht. Bot erll Patrik full fersly faucht agayn; 235 Throuch his awin hand he put mony to payn. Fol. 60 a Our men on him thrang forthwart in to thra. Maide throuch his ost feill sloppis to and fra. The Inglissmen began playnly to fle; Than byschope Beik full sodeynly thai se; 240 And Robert Bruce, contrar his natiff men: Wallace was wa, fra tyme he couth him ken. Off Brucis deid he was agrewit far mar Than all the laiff that day at semblit thar. The gret buschement at anys brak on breid, 245 Ten thousand haill that douchty war in deid, The flearis than with erll Patrik relefd To fecht agayn, quhar mony war myscheifd. Quhen Wallace knew the buschement brokyn was, Out off the feild on hors thai thocht to pass. 250 Bot he saw weill his ost sownd in thair weid; He thoucht to fray the formast or thai yeid. The new cummyn ost befor thaim semblit thar, On athir sid with strakis sad and sar. The worthi Scottis sa fersly faucht agayne, 255 Off Antonys men rycht mony haiff thai slayne: Bot that terand so wsit was in wer, On Wallace ost thai did full mekill der. And the bauld Bruce sa cruelly wrocht he, Throuch strenth off hand feill Scottis he gert de. 260 To resist Bruce Wallace him pressit fast, Bot Inglissmen so thik betuixt thaim past: And erll Patrik, in all the haist he moucht, Throuch out the stour to Wallace sone he socht; On the thé pess a felloun strak him gaiff, 265 Kerwit the plait, with his scharp groundyn glaiff, Throuch all the stuff, and woundyt him sumdeill. Bot Wallace thocht he suld be wengit weill, Folowed on him, and a straik etlyt fast. Than ane Mawthland rakless betwix thaim past: 270 Apon the heid gud Wallace has him tane, Throuch hat and brawn in sondyr bryst the bane; Dede at that straik doun to the ground him drawe. Thus Wallace was disseuiryt fra the lawe Off hys gud men, amang thaim him allane. 275 About him socht feill enemyss mony ane, Stekit his horss; to ground behufid him lycht, To fend him selff as wysly as he mycht. The worthy Scottis, that mycht na langar bid, With sair hartis out off the feild thai ryd. 280 With thaim in feyr thai wend Wallace had beyne, On fute he was amang his enemyss keyn. Gud rowme he maid about him in to breid; Fol. 60 b With his gud suerd that helpyt him in neid. Was nayne sa strang, that gat off him a strak, 285 Eftir agayne maid neuir a Scot to waik. Erll Patrik than, that had gret crafft in wer, With speris ordand gud Wallace doun to ber. Anew thai tuk was haill in to the feild; Till him thai yeid, thocht he suld haiff no beild; 290 On athir sid fast poyntand at his ger. He hewid off hedys, and wysly coud him wer. The worthy Scottis off this full litill wyst; Socht to gud Graym quhen thai thair chyftane myst. Lauder, and Lyle, and Hay, that was full wicht, 295 And bauld Ramsay, quhilk was a worthy knycht; Lundy, and Boid, and Crystell off Cetoun, With fyve hundreth, that war in bargane boun, Him to reskew full rudly in thai raid, About Wallace a large rowme thai maid. 300 The byschop Beik was braithly born till erd; At the reskew thar was a glamrous rerd. Or he gat wp, feill Sotheroun thai slew. Out off the press Wallace thai couth raskew; Sone horssit him apon a coursour wicht; 305 Towart a strenth ridis in all thair mycht, Rycht wysly fled, reskewand mony man. The erll Patrik to stuff the chace began. On the flearis litill harm than he wrocht: Gud Wallace folk away to giddyr socht. 310 Thir fyve hundreth, the quhilk I spak off ayr, Sa awfully abawndownd thaim sa sar, Na folowar durst out fra his falow ga; The gud flearis sic raturnyng thai ma. Four thousand haill had tane the strenth befor, 315 Off Wallace ost, his comfort was the mor; Off Glaskadane that forrest thocht till hauld. Erll Patrik twrnd, thocht he was neir sa bauld, Agayne to Beik, quhen chapyt was Wallace, Curssand fortoun off his myschansit cace. 320 The feild he wan, and sewyn thowsand thai lost, Dede on that day, for all the byschoppis bost. Off Wallace men fyve hundreth war slayne, I gess; Bot na chyftayne, his murnyng was the less.

Ner ewyn it was, bot Beik wald nocht abid; 325 In Lammermur thai trauuentyt that tid; Thair lugyng tuk quhar him thocht maist awaill; For weyll he trowit the Scottis wald assaill. Apon the feild, quhar thai gaiff battaill last, The contré men to Wallace gaderyt fast. 330 Off Edynburch, with Crawfurd that was wicht, Fol. 61 a Thre hundreth come in till thar armour brycht. Till Wallace raid, be his lugeyng was tayne. Fra Tawydaill come gud men mony ane, Out off Jedwart, with Ruwane, at that tyd 335 To giddyr socht fra mony diuerss sid. Schir Wilyham Lang, that lord was off Douglas, With him four scor that nycht come to Wallace. Twenty hundreth off new men met that nycht, Apon thair fais to weng thaim at thair mycht. 340 At the fyrst feild thir gud men had nocht beyn. Wallace wachis thair aduersouris had seyn, In to quhat wiss thai had thair lugeyng maid. Wallace bownyt eftir soupper, but baid, In Lammermur thai passit hastely; 345 Sone till aray yheid this gud chewalry. Wallace thaim maid in twa partis to be. Schir Jhon the Graym and Cetoun ordand he, Lawder and Hay, with thre thousand to ryd; Hym selff the layff tuk wysly for to gid; 350 With him Lundy, bathe Ramsay and Douglace, Berkla and Boid, and Adam gud Wallace. Be this the day approchit wondyr neir, And brycht Titan in presens can apper. The Scottis ostis sone semblit in to sycht 355 Off thair enemyss, that was nocht redy dycht; Owt oft aray feill off the Sotheroun was. Rycht awfully Wallace can on thaim pas. At this entray the Scottis so weill thaim bar, Feill off thair fais to dede was bertnyt thar. 360 Redles thai raiss, and mony fled away; Sum on the ground war smoryt quhar thai lay. Gret noyis and cry was raissit thaim amang. Gud Grayme come in, that stalwart was and strang: For Wallace men was weill to gyddyr met. 365 On the south part sa aufully thai set, In contrar thaim the frayt folk mycht nocht stand; At anys thar fled off Sotheroun fyve thousand. The worthi Scottis wrocht apon sic wyss, Jop said hym selff, thai war mekill to pryss. 370 Yeit byschope Beik, that felloun tyrand strang, Baid in the stour rycht awfully and lang. A knycht Skelton, that cruell was and keyn, Befor him stud in till his armour scheyn, To fend his lord full worthely he wrocht. 375 Lundy him saw, and sadly on him socht; With his gud suerd an awkwart straik him gaiff, Throuch pesan stuff his crag in sondyr draiff; Quhar off the layff astunyt in that sted, The bauld Skelton off Lundyis hand is dede. 380 Fol. 61 b Than fled thai all, and mycht no langar bid; Patrik and Beik away with Bruce thai ryd. Fyve thousand held in till a slop away Till Noram houss, in all the haist thai may. Our men folowed, that worthi war and wicht; 385 Mony flear derffly to dede thai dycht. The thre lordis on to the castell socht; Full feill thai left, that was off Ingland brocht. At this jornay twenty thousand thai tynt, Drownyt and slayn be sper and suerdis dynt. 390 The Scottis at Tweid haistyt thaim sa fast, Feill Sotheroun men in to wrang furdis past. Wallace raturnd, in Noram quhen thai war; For worthi Bruce his hart was wondyr sar; He had leuer haiff had him at his large, 395 Fre till our croun, than off fyne gold to carge, Mar than in Troy was fund, at Grekis wan. Wallace than passit, with mony awfull man, On Patrikis land, and waistit wondyr fast; Tuk out gudis, and placis doun thai cast. 400 His stedis sewyn, that mete hamys was cauld, Wallace gert brek thai burly byggyngis bauld, Baithe in the Merss, and als in Lothiane; Except Dunbar, standand he lewit nane. Till Edynburgh apon the auchtand day; 405 Apon the morn, Wallace with out delay Till Pert he passit, quhar the consaill was set; To the barrownis he schawit with outyn let, How his gret wow rycht weill eschewyt was. Till a maister he gert erll Patrik pass, 410 Be causs he said off Scotland he held nocht: Till king Eduuard, to get supplé, he socht. The lordis was blyth, and welcummyt weill Wallas, Thankand gret God off this fair happy chass. Wallace tuk state to gowern all Scotland; 415 The barnage haill maid him ane oppyn band. Than delt he land till gud men him about, For Scotlandis rycht had set their lyff in dout. Stantoun he gaiff to Lauder in his wage; The knycht Wallang aucht it in heretage. 420 Than Birgeane cruk he gaiff Lyle that was wicht; Till Scrymgeour als full gud reward he dycht. Syne Wallace toun, and othir landis thartill, To worthi men he delt with nobill will. Till hys awne kyn heretage nayne gaiff he, 425 Bot office haill, at [euer] ilk man mycht se, For cowatice thar couth na wicht him blayme; He baid reward quhill the king suld cum hayme. Off all he dyd, he thoucht to bid the law Fol. 62 a Be for his king, master quhen he him saw. 430 Scotland was blyth, in dolour had beyne lang: In ilka part to gud laubour thai gang.

Be this the tyme off October was past; Ner Nouember approchit wondyr fast. Tithandis than come, king Eduuard grewit was, 435 With his power in Scotland thocht to pass; For erll Patrik had gyffyn hym sic consaill. Wallace gat wit, and semblit power haill, Fourty thousand on Roslyn mur thar met. “Lordis,” he said, “thus is King Eduuard set, 440 “In contrar rycht to sek ws in our land. “I hecht to God, and to yow, be my hand, “I sall him meit, for all his gret barnage, “With in Ingland, to fend our heretage. “His falss desyr sall on him selff be seyn; 445 “He sall ws fynd in contrar off his eyn. “Sen he with wrang has ryddyn this regioun, “We sall pass now in contrar off his crown. “I will nocht bid gret lordis with ws fayr; “For myn entent I will playnly declar. 450 “Our purposs is othir to wyn or de; “Quha yeildis him, sall neuir ransownd be.” The barrons than him ansuerd worthely, And said, thai wald pass with thair chewalry. Him selff and Jop prowidyt that menyhé; 455 Twenty thousand off waillit men tuk he, Harnes and hors he gert amang thaim waill; Wappynnys enew, at mycht thaim weill awaill; Grathyt thar men, that cruell wes and keyn; Bettir in wer in warld coud nocht be seyn. 460 He bad the laiff on laubour for to bid. In gud aray fra Roslyn mur thai ryd. At thair muster gud Wallace couth thaim ass, Quhat mysteryt ma in a power to pass? “All off a will, as I trow, set ar we, 465 “In playne battaill can nocht weill scumfit be. “Our rewme is pur, waistit be Sotheroun blud; “Go wyn on thaim tresour, and othir gud.” The ost inclynd all in till humyll will, And said, thai suld his commandment fulfill. 470 The erll Malcome with thir gud men is gayne; Bot nayme off rewill on him he wald tak nayne. Wallace him knew a lord and full worthi; At his consaill he wrocht full stedfastly. Starkar he was, gyff thai had battaill seyn; 475 For he befor had in gud jornays beyn. A man off strenth, that has gud wit with all, A haill regioune may comfort at his call: Fol. 62 b As manly Ectour wrocht in till his wer; Agayn a hundreth cowntyt was his sper. 480 Bot that was nocht throuch his strenth anerly; Sic rewill he led off worthi chewalry. Thir ensampyllis war noble for to ken. Ectour I leiff, and spek furth off our men. The knycht Cambell maid hime to that wiage, 485 Off Louchow cheiff, that was his heretage. The gud Ramsay furth to that jornay went; Schir Jhone the Grayme, forthwart in his entent; Wallace cusyng, Adam, full worthi was, And Robert Boid; full blythly furth thai pass. 490 Baith Awchynlek, and Richard off Lundy, Lawder and Hay, and Cetoun full worthy. This ryall ost, but restyng, furth thai rid, Till Browis feild, and thar a quhill thai bid. Than Wallace tuk with him fourty, but less, 495 Till Roxburgh yett raid sone, or he wald cess. Sotheroun marueld giff it suld be Wallace, With out souerance come to persew that place. Off Schyr Rawff Gray sone presence couth he ass; And warnd him thus, forthwart [or] he wald pass. 500 “Our purposs is in Ingland for to ryd; “No teyme we haiff off segyng now to bid. “Tak tent and her off our cummyng agayne; “Gyff our the houss, send me the keyis in playn. “Thus I commaund befor this witnes large, 505 “Gyff thow will nocht, ramayne with all the charge. “Bot this be done, throuch force and I tak the, “Out our the wall thow sall be hyngit hye.” With that he turnd, and till his ost can wend. This ilk commaund to Berweik sone he send, 510 With gud Ramsay, that was a worthi knycht. The ost but mar full awfully he dycht; Began at Tweid, and spard nocht at thai fand; Bot brynt befor throuch all Northummyrland. All Duram toun thai brynt wp in a gleid. 515 Abbays thai spard, and kyrkis quhar thai yeid. To York thai went but baid, or thai wald blyn; To byrn and sla off thaim he had na syne. Na syn thai thocht, the samyn thai leit ws feill; Bot Wilyam Wallace quyt our quarell weill. 520 Fortrace thai wan, and small castellis kest doun; With aspre wapynnys payit thair ransoune. Off presonaris thai likit nocht to kep; Quhom thai our tuk, thai maid thair freyndis to wepe. Thai sawft na Sotheroun for thair gret riches; 525 Off sic koffre he callit bot wretchitnes. On to the yettis and faboris off the toun Fol. 63 a Braithly thai brynt, and brak thair byggyngis doun; At the wallys assayed fyfetene dayis; Till king Eduuard send to thaim, in this wayis, 530 A knycht, a clerk, and a squier of pes; And prayit him fayr off byrnyng [for] to cess; And hecht battaill, or fourty dayis war past, Souerance so lang, gyff him likit, till ass. And als he sperd, quhy Wallace tuk on hand 535 The felloun stryff, in defens off Scotland. And said, he merweld on his wyt for thy, Agayn Inglande was off so gret party; “Sen ye haiff maid mekill off Scotland fre. “It war gret tym for to lat malice be.” 540 Wallace has herd the message say thair will; With manly wytt rycht thus he said thaim till: ‘Yhe may knaw weill that rycht ynewch we haiff; ‘Off his souerance I kep nocht for to craiff. ‘Be causs I am a natyff Scottis man, 545 ‘It is my dett to do all that I can ‘To fend our kynrik out off dangeryng. ‘Till his desyr we will grant to sum thing; ‘Our ost sall cess, for chans that may betid, ‘Thir fourty dayis, bargane for till bid. 550 ‘We sall do nocht, less than it mowe in yow; ‘In his respyt my selff couth neuir trow.’ King Eduuardis wrytt wndir his seill thai gaiff, Be fourty dayis that thai suld battaill haiff. Wallace thaim gaiff his credence off this thing. 555 Thair leyff thai tuk, syne passit to the king, And tauld him haill how Wallace leit thaim feill, “Off your souerance he rekis nocht adeill; “Sic rewllyt men, sa awfull off affer, “Ar nocht crystynyt, than he ledis in wer.” 560 The king ansuerd, and said; ‘It suld be kend, ‘It cummys off witt enemyss to commend. ‘Thai ar to dreid rycht gretly in certane; ‘Sadly thai think off harmys thai haiff tane.’ Leyff I thaim thus at consell with thair king, 565 And off the Scottis agayne to spek sum thing.