Part 18

Wallace tranountyt on the secund day; Fra York thai passyt rycht in a gud aray. Northwest thai past in battaill buskyt boun, Thar lugeyng tuk besyd Northallyrtoun, 570 And cryit his pess, thar market for till stand, Thai fourty dayis, for pepill off Ingland, Quha that likyt ony wyttaill till sell. Off all thair fer was mekill for to tell. Schyr Rawff Rymunt, captane off Maltoun was, 575 Fol. 63 b With gret power ordand he nycht to pass On Wallace ost, to mak sum jeperté. Feyll Scottis men, that duelt in that cuntré, Wyst off this thing, and gaderyt to Wallace; Thai maid him wyss off all that suttell cace. 580 Gud Lundy than till hym he callit thar, And Hew the Hay, off Louchowort was ayr. With thre thousand that worthely had wrocht, Syne prewaly out fra the ost he socht. The men he tuk, that come till hym off new, 585 Gydys to be, for thai the contré knew. The ost he maid in gud quyet to be; A space fra thaim he buschyt prewalé. Schyr Rawff Rymunt with sewyn thousand com in, On Wallace ost a jeperté to begyn. 590 The buschement brak, or thai the ost come ner; On Sotheroun men the worthi Scottis thai ster. Thre thousand haill was braithly brocht to ground; Jornay thai socht, and sekyrly has found. Schyr Rawff Rymunt was stekit on a sper; 595 Thre thousand slayn, that worthi war in wer. The Sotheroun wyst quhen thair chyftayn wes dede; To Maltoun fast thai fled, and left that sted. Wallace folowed with his gud chewalry; Amang Sotheroun thai entrit sodeynly, 600 Ingliss and Scottis in to the toun at anys. Sotheroun men schot, and braithly kest doun stanys, Off thar awn rycht feyll thair haiff thai slayn. The Scottis about, that war off mekill mayn, On grecis ran, and cessyt all the toun. 605 Derffly to dede the Sotheroun was dongyn doun. Gud Wallace thair has found full gud ryches, Jowellis and gold, bathe wapynnys and harnes; Spoulyeid the toun off wyn, and off wittaill; All off send with caryagis off gret waill. 610 Thre dayis still with in the toun thai baid; Syn brak doun werk that worthely was maid. Wyffis and childre thai put owt off the toun; Na man he sawft that was off that nacioun. Quhen Scottis had tane to turss at thair desyr, 615 Wallis thai brak, syn set the layff in fyr, The temir werk thai brynt wp all in playn, On the ferd day till his ost raid agayn, Gert cast a dyk that mycht sum strynthyng be, To kepe the ost fra sodeyn jeperté. 620 Than Inglissmen was rycht gretly agast, Fra north and south in to thair king thai past, At Pomfray lay, and held a parlement. Fol. 64 a To gyff battaill the lordis couth nocht consent, Less Wallace war off Scotland crownyt king. 625 Thar consaill fand it war a peralous thing: For thocht thai wan, thai wan bot as thai war; And gyff thai tynt, thai lossyt Ingland for euirmar, A payn war put in to the Scottis hand. And this decret thar wit amang thaim fand; 630 Gyff Wallace wald apon him tak the croun, To gyff battaill thai suld be redy boun. The sammyn message till him thai send agayn; And thar entent thai tald him in to playn. Wallace thaim chargyt his presens till absent; 635 His consaill callyt, and schawit thaim his entent. He and his men desyrit battaill till haiff, Be ony wayis, off Ingland our the laiff. He said; “Fyrst, it war a our hie thing, “Agayne the faith to reyff my rychtwis king. 640 “I am his man, born natiff of Scotland; “To wer the croun I will nocht tak on hand. “To fend the rewm it is my dett be skill; “Lat God abowe reward me as he will.” Sum bad Wallace apon him tak the croun. 645 Wyss men said; ‘Nay, it war bot derysioun, ‘To croun him king bot woice off the parlyment:’ For thai wyst nocht gyff Scotland wald consent. Othir sum said, it was the wrangwis place. Thus demyt thai on mony diuerss cace. 650 This knycht Cambell, off witt a worthi man, As I said ayr, was present with thaim than, Herd and ansuerd, quhen mony said thair will; “This war the best, wald Wallace grant thar till, “To croun him king solemply for a day, 655 “To get ane end off all our lang delay.” The gud erll Malcome said, that Wallace mycht. As for a day, in fens off Scotlandis rycht, Thocht he refusyt it lestandly to ber, Resawe the croun, as in a fer off wer. 660 The pepill all till him gaiff thar consent: Malcome off auld was lord off the parlyment. Yeit Wallace tholyt, and leit thaim say thair will. Quhen thai had demyt be mony diuerss skill, In his awne mynd he abhorryt with this thing. 665 The commounis cryit, ‘Mak Wallace crownyt king.’ Than smylyt he, and said; “It suld nocht be: “At termys schort, ye get no mar for me. “Wndyr colour we mon our ansuer mak; “Bot sic a thing I will nocht on me tak. 670 “I suffer yow to say that it is sa. Fol. 64 b “It war a scorn the croun on me to ta.” Thai wald nocht lat the message off Ingland Cum thaim amang, or thai suld wndirstand. Twa knychtis passit to the message agayn, 675 Maid thaim to trow Wallace was crownyt in playn; Gart thaim traist weill that this was suthfast thing. Delyuyrit thus, thai passit to thair king; To Pomfrait went, and tald that thai had seyn Wallace crownyt, quharoff the lordis was teyn, 680 In barrate wox, in parlement quhar thai stud. Than said thai all; “Thir tithingis ar nocht gud. “He did so weyll in to thir tymys befor, “And now thair king, he will do mekill mor. “A fortonyt man, no thing gois him agayn. 685 “To gyff battaill we sall it rew apayn.” And othir said; ‘And battaill will he haiff, ‘Or stroy our land; na tresour may ws saiff. ‘In his conquest, sen fyrst he coud begyn, ‘He sellis nocht, bot takis at he may wyn. 690 ‘For Inglissmen he settis no doym bot ded; ‘Pryce off pennys may mak ws no ramed.’ And Wodstok said; “Yhe wyrk nocht as the wyss, “Gyff that ye tak the awnter, off supprice: “For thocht we wyn that ar in till Ingland, 695 “The laiff ar stark agaynys ws for to stand. “Be Wallace saiff, othir thai cownt bot small. “For thi me think this war the best off all, “To kepe our strynth off castell and off wall toun, “Swa sall we fend the fek off this regioun. 700 “Thocht north be brynt, bettir off sufferans be, “Than set all Ingland on a jeperté.” Thai grantyt all, as Wodstok can thaim say; And thus thai put the battaill on delay; And kest thaim haill for othir gouernance, 705 Agayn Wallace to wyrk sum ordinance. Thus Wallace has in playn discumfyt haill, Agayn king Eduuard, all his strang battaill; For throucht falsheid, and thar subtilité, Thai thocht he suld, for gret necessité, 710 And faute off fude, to steyll out off the land. And this decret thair wytt amang thaim fand; Thai gert the king cry all thar merket doun, Fra Trent to Tweid off throchtfayr and fre toun, That in thai boundis na man suld wittaill leid, 715 Sic stuff, nor wyn, on na less payn bot deid. This ilk decret thai gaiff in thar parlement. Off Scottis forsuth to spek is myne entent. Wallace lay still, quhill fourty dayis was gayn, And fyve atour; bot perance saw he nayn 720 Fol. 65 a Battaill till haiff, as thair promyss was maid. He gert display agayne his baner braid; Rapreiffyt Eduuard rycht gretlye off this thing; Bawchillyt his seyll, blew out on that fals king, As a tyrand; turnd bak, and tuk his gait. 725 Than Wallace maid full mony byggyng hayt. Thai rassyt fyr, brynt wp Northallyrtoun, Agayn throucht Yorkschyr bauldly maid thaim boun; Dystroyed the land, als fer as euir thai rid; Sewyn myle about thai brynt on athir sid. 730 Palyce thai spylt, gret towris can confound; Wrocht the Sotheroun mony werkand wound. Wedowis wepyt with sorow in thar sang; Madennys murnyt with gret menyng amang. Thai sparyt nocht bot wemen and the kyrk. 735 Thir worthy Scottis off laubour wald nocht yrk. Abbayis gaiff thaim rycht largly to thair fud; Till all kyrk man thai did no thing bot gud. The temporall land thai spoulyeit at thair will, Gud gardens gay, and orchartis gret thai spill. 740

To York thai went, thir wermen off renoun; A sege thai set rycht sadly to the toun. For gret defens thai garnest thaim within: A felloun salt with out thai can begyn; Gert woid the ost in four partis about, 745 With wachys feyll, that no man suld wsche out. Abowne the toune, apon the southpart sid, Thar Wallace wald, and gud Lundy, abid. Erll Malcom syne at the west yett abaid; With him the Boid, that gud jornays had maid. 750 The knycht Cambell, off Louchow [that] was lord, At the north yett, and Ramsay, maid thaim ford. Schyr Jhon the Graym, that worthy was in wer, Awchinlek, Crawfurd, with full manlik affer, At the est part bauldly thai bowne to bid. 755 A thousand archaris apon the Scottis sid Disseueryt thaim amang the four party. Fyve thousand bowemen in the toun forthi, With in the wallis, arayit thaim full rycht, Twelf thousand and ma that sembly was to sycht. 760 Than said Wallace; “Thar yond apon a playn, “In feild to fecht me think we suld be bayn.” Than sailyeit thai rycht fast on ilka sid. The worthy Scottis that bauldly durst abid, Fol. 65 b With sper and scheild, for gownnys had thai nayn, 765 Within the dykys thai gert feill Sotheroun grayn. Arowys thai schot, als fers as ony fyr, Atour the wall, that flawmyt in gret ire, Throuch byrneis brycht, with hedys fyn off steyll. The Sotheroun blud thai leyt no frendschip feyll; 770 Our schefferand harnes schot the blud so scheyn. The Inglissmen, that cruell was and keyn, Kepyt thar toun, and fendyt thar full fast. Fagaldys off fyr amang the ost thai cast; Wp pyk and ter on feyll sowys thai lent; 775 Mony was hurt or thai fra wallys went. Stanys and spryngaldis thai cast out so fast, And gaddys off irne, maid mony goym agast: Bot neuirtheles, the Scottis that was with out, The toun full oft thai set in to gret dout; 780 Thar bulwerk brynt rycht brymly off the toun; Thar barmkyn wan, and gret gerrettis kest doun. Thus sailyeit thai, on ilk sid, with gret mycht. The day was gayn, and cummyn was the nycht. The wery ost than drew thaim fra the toun, 785 Set owt wachis, for restyng maid thaim boun; Wysche woundis with wyn, off thaim that was wnsound; For nayn wes dede; in gret myrth thai abound. Feyll men was hurt, bot na murnyng thai maid; Confermyt the sege, and stedfastly abaid. 790 Quhen that the son on morow raiss wp rycht, Befor the chyftanys semblyt thai full rycht; And mendis thocht off the toun thai suld tak, For all the fens that the Sotheroun mycht mak. Arayit agayn, as thai began afor, 795 About the toun thai sailye wondyr sor, With felloun schot atour the wall so scheyn. Feill Inglissmen, that cruell was and keyn, With schot was slayn, for all thar targis strang; Byrstyt helmys, mony to erd thai dang. 800 Brycht byrnand fyr thai kest till euirilk yet; The entress thus in perall oft thai set. The defendouris was off so fell defens, Kepyt thar toun with strenth and excellens. And thus the day thai dryff on to the nycht; 805 To palyounnys bownyt mony wery wycht. All yrk off wer; the toun was strang to wyn, Off artailye, and nobill men with gyn. Fol. 66 a Quhen that thai trowyt the Scottis was all at rest, For jeperté the Inglissmen thaim kest. 810 Schyr Jhon Nortoun was knawyn worthy and wycht, Schyr Wilyham off Leis, graithit thaim that nycht, With fyve thowsand welle garnest and sawage; Apon the Scottis thai thocht to mak scrymmage; And at [the] yet wschyt owt haistely 815 On erll Malcom, and his gud chewalry. To chak the wache Wallace and ten had beyn Rydand about, and has thair cummyng seyn. He gert ane blaw, was in his cumpany; The redy men arayit thaim hastely. 820 Feill off the Scottis ilk nycht in harnes baid, Be ordinance, for thai sic rewll had maid. With schort awyss to gyddyr ar thai went, Apon thair fais, quhar feill Sotheroun was schent. Wallace knew weill the erll to haisty was; 825 For thi he sped him to the press to pass. A suerd off wer in till his hand he bar; The fyrst he hyt, the crag in sondyr schar. Ane othir awkwart apon the face tuk he; Wysar and frount bathe in the feild gert fle. 830 The hardy erll befor his men furth past, In to the press, quhar feill war fechtand fast; A scherand suerd bar drawyn in his hand; The fyrst was fey that he befor him fand. Quhen Wallace and he was to gidder set, 835 Thayr lestyt nayn agayn thaim that thai met, Bot othir dede, or ellis fled thaim fray. Be this the ost, all in [a] gud aray, With the gret scry assemblit thaim about; Than stud the Sotheroun in a felloun dout. 840 Wallace knew weill the Inglissmen wald fle; For thi he preyst in the thikkest to be, Hewand full fast on quhat sege that he socht; Agaynys hys dynt fyn steyll awailyeit nocht. Wallace off hand, sen Arthour, had na mak; 845 Quhom he hyt rycht was ay dede off a strak. That was weyll knawin in mony place; and thar Quhom Wallace hyt he deryt the Scottis no mar. Als all his men did cruelly and weyll, At com to strak; that mycht the Sotheroun feill. 850 The Inglissmen fled, and left the feild playnly. The worthy Scottis wroucht so hardely, Schyr Jhon off Nourtoun in that place was dede, And twelf hundreth, with outyn ony ramede. Fol. 66 b Thar mony was left in to the feild and slayn: 855 The layff raturnyt in to the toun agayn, And rwyt full sar that euyr thai furth coud found; Amang thaim was full mony werkand wound. The ost agayn ilkane to thar ward raid, Comaundyt wachis, and no mayr noyis maid, 860 Bot restyt still quhill that the brycht day dew. Agayne began the toun to sailye new. All thus thai wrocht with full gud worthines, Assailyeit sayr with witt and hardines. The ostis wictaill worth scant, and failyeit fast. 865 Thus lay thai thair, quhill diuerss dayis war past; The land waistyt, and meit was fer for to wyn: Bot that wyst nocht the stuff that was within; Thai dred full sar for thair awn warysoun. For souerance prayed the power off the toun, 870 To spek with Wallace thai desyryt fast; And he aperyt, and speryt quhat thai ast. The mayr ansuerd, said; “We wald gyff ransoun, “To pass your way, and der no mayr the toun. “Gret schaym it war that we suld yoldyn be, 875 “And townys haldyn off less power than we. “Yhe may nocht wyn ws suthlie, thocht ye bid; “We sall gyff gold, and yhe will fra ws rid. “We may gyff battaill, durst we for our king; “Sen he has left, it war ane our hie thing 880 “Till ws to do, with out his ordinance; “This toun off him we hald in gouernance.” Wallace ansuerd; ‘Off your gold rek we nocht; ‘It is for battaill that we hydder socht. ‘We had leuir haiff battaill off Ingland, 885 ‘Than all the gold that gud king Arthour fand ‘On the mont Mychell, quhar he the gyand slew. ‘Gold may be gayn, bot worschip is ay new. ‘Your king promyst that we suld battaill haiff; ‘His wrytt tharto undyr his seyll he gaiff. 890 ‘Lettir nor band, ye se, may nocht awaill ‘Ws; for this tyme he hecht to gyff battaill. ‘Me think we suld on his men wengit be; ‘Apon our kyn mony gret wrang wrocht he: ‘His dewyllyk deid he did in to Scotland.’ 895 The mayr said; “Schyr, rycht thus we wndyrstand: “We haiff no charge quhat our king gerris ws do; “Bot in this kynd we sall be bundyn yow to, “Sum part off gold to gyff you with gud will, “And nocht efftyr to wait yow with na ill, 900 “Be no kyn meyn, the power off this town; Fol. 67 a “Bot gyff our king mak him to battaill boun.” Into the ost was mony worthi man With Wallace, ma than I now rekyn can. Bettir it was, for at his will thai wrocht, 905 Thocht he wes best, no nothir lak we nocht; All seruit thank to Scotland euirmar, For manlyk wit, the quhilk thai schawit thar. The haill consaill thus demyt thaim amang, The toun to sege thaim thocht it was to lang; 910 And nocht a payn to wyn it be no slycht. The consaill fand it was the best thai mycht Sum gold to tak, gyff that thai get no mar; Syne furth thar way in thar wiage thai far. Than Wallace said; “My selff will nocht consent; 915 “Bot gyff this toun mak us this playne content; “Tak our baner, and set it on the wall, “(For thar power our rewme has ridyn all,) “Yoldyn to be, quhen we lik thaim to tak, “In till Ingland residence gyff we mak.” 920 This ansuer sone thai send in to the mair. Than thai consent, the ramayn that was thar, The baner tuk, and set it in the toun, To Scotland was hie honour and renoun. That baner thar was fra aucht houris to none; 925 Thar finance maid, delyuerit gold full sone. Fyve thousand pund, all gud gold off Ingland, The ost rasawit, with wictaill haboundand. Baith breid and wyne rycht gladly furth thai gaiff, And othir stuff at thai likit to haiff. 930 Twenty dais owt the ost remaynit thar; Bot want off wictaill gert thaim fra it far. Yeit still off pees the ost lugyt all nycht, Quhill on the morn the sone was ryssyn on hycht.

In Aperill amang the schawis scheyn, 935 Quhen the paithment was cled in tendyr greyn, Plesand war it till ony creatur, In lusty lyff that tym for till endur. Thir gud wermen had fredome largly; Bot fude was scant, thai mycht get nayn to by. 940 Tursyt tentis, and in the contré raid; On Inglissmen full gret herschipe thai maid; Brynt and brak doun byggyngis, sparyt thai nocht; Rycht worthi wallis full law to ground thai brocht. All Mydlame land thai brynt wp in a fyr, 945 Brak parkis doun, distroyit all the schyr; Wyld der thai slew, for othir bestis was nayn; Fol. 67 b Thir wermen tuk off venysoune gud wayn. Towart the south thai turnyt at the last, Maid byggyngis bar als fer as euir thai past. 950 The commons all to London ar thai went, Befor the king, and tald him thar entent; And said, thai suld, bot he gert Wallace cess, Forsaik thair faith, and tak thaim till his pess. Na herrald thar durst than to Wallace pass, 955 Quharoff the king gretly agrewit was. Thus Eduuard left his pepill in to baill, Contrar Wallace he wald nocht giff battaill; Nor byd in feild for nocht that thai mycht say; Gayff our the causs, to London past his way. 960 At men off wit this questioun her I ass, Amang noblis gyff euyr ony thar was, So lang throw force in Ingland lay on cass, Sen Brudus deit, but battaill, bot Wallace. Gret Julius, the empyr had in hand, 965 Twyss off force he was put off Ingland. Wycht Arthour als, off wer quhen that he prewit, Twyss thai fawcht, supposs thai war myschewit. Awfull Eduuard durst nocht Wallace abid In playn battaill, for all Ingland so wid. 970 In London he lay, and tuk him till his rest; And brak his vow. Quhilk hald ye for the best? Deyme as ye lest, gud men off discrecioun; Rycht clayr it is to ransek this questioun: To my sentence breyffly will I pass. 975 Quhen Wallace thus throw Yorkschyr jowrnat was, Wictaill as than was nayne left in the land, Bot in houssis quhar it mycht be warrand. The ost heroff abaissit was to bid; Fra fude scantyt na plesance was that tid. 980 Sum bald ryd haym, sum bald ryd forthermar: Wallace callit Jop, and said till him rycht thar; “Thow knawis the land, quhar most aboundance is, “Be thow our gyd, and than we sall nocht myss “Wictaill to fynd, that wait I wondir weill: 985 “Thow has, I traist, off Ingland mekill feill. “The kyng and his to stark strenthis ar gayn; “Bot jeperté, now perell haiff we nayn.” Than Jop said; ‘[Schir,] be ye gydyt be me, ‘The bowndandest part off Ingland ye sall se. 990 ‘Off wyn and quheyt thar is in Rychmwnt schyr, ‘And othir stuff off fud that ye desyr; ‘Quharoff I trow yhe sall be weyll content.’ Fol. 68 a The ost was glaid and thiddyrwart thai went. Mony trew Scot was semblyt in that land, 995 To Wallace com weill ma than nyne thowsand; Off presone part, sum had in lawbour wrocht, Fra athir part hill fast till him thai socht. Wallace was blyth off our awn natiff kyn, That come till him off baill that thai war in: 1000 And all the ost off comforde was the blythar, Fra thair awn folk was multipliand the mar.