Part 22

The rede blasonys thai had born in to wer; 265 The toun was sone in till a sudane fer. The Rede Reiffar thai saw was at thair hand, The quhilk throu strenth mycht nayn agayne him stand. Sum schippis fled, and sum the land has tayn, Clariownys blew, and trumpattis mony ane. 270 Quhen Wallace saw the pepill was on ster, He gaiff commaund na schip suld ner apper; Bot his awin barge in to the hawyn gart draw. The folk was fayn quhen thai that senye saw; Rycht weyll thai knew in gold the rede lioun, 275 Leit wp the port, rasauit him in the toun, And sufferyt thaim, for all that he had brocht. The rede nawyn in to the hawyn thai socht; On land thai went, quhar thai likit to pass. Rycht few thar wyst quhat Scottisman Wallace was; 280 Bot weyll thai thocht he was a gudly man, And honouryt him in all the craft thai can. Bot four dayis still Wallace ramaynyt thar; Thir men he callyt, quhen he was boun to fair. Fol. 79 a He thaim commaundyt apon that cost to bid, 285 Quhill he thaim fred for chans at mycht betid. “Ber yow ewyn; quhat gud that euir yhe spend, “Leiff on your awin; quhill tithandis I yow send. “Ger sell thir schippis, and mak yow men off pes; “It war gud tym off wykkitness to cess. 290 “Your captane sall pass to the king with me, “Throu help off God I sall his warrand be.” He gert graith him in soit with his awin men; Was no man thar that mycht weill Thomas ken. Lykly he was, manlik off contenance, 295 Lik to the Scottis be mekill gouernance, Saiff off his tong, for Ingliss had he nane; In Latyn weill he mycht suffice for ane. Thus past his court in all the haste thai may. To Paris toun thai went apon a day. 300 Tythingis was brocht off Wallace to the king; So gret desyr he had off na kyn thing, As in that tym quhill he had seyn Wallace. To meyt him selff he waytit apon cace In a gardyng, quhar he gart thaim be brocht. 305 Till his presence with manly feyr thai socht, Twa and fyfty at anys kneland doun, And salust him, as ryoll off most renoun, With rewllyt spech in so gudly awyss, All France couth nocht [mair] nurtour tham dewyss. 310 The queyn had leiff, and com in hyr effer; For mekill scho herd off Wallace deid in wer. Quhat nedis mor off curtassy to tell? Thai kepyt weill that to the Scottis befell. Off kingis fer I dar mak no rahers; 315 My febill mynd, my trublyt spreit rewers. Off rich seruice quhat nedis wordis mor? Mycht non be found bot it was present thor. Sone eftir meit the king to parlour went, With gudly lordis; thar Wallace was present. 320 Than commound thai off mony syndry thing; To spek with him gret desyr had the king. At hym he speryt off wer the gouernance. He ansuerd him, with manly contenance, Till euery poynt, als fer as he had feill, 325 In Latyn tong rycht naturaly and weill. The king consauit, sone throu his hie knawlage, Quhat wermen oysyt be reyff in thar passage. In till his mynd the Rede Reiffar than was; Merwell he had how he leit Wallace pass. 330 Fol. 79 b Till him he said; “Ye war sum thing to blaym; “Ye mycht haiff send, be our harrold fra haym, “Eftir power, to bryng yow throu the se.” ‘God thank yow, schyr, ynewch tharoff had we. ‘Feill men may pass, quhar thai fynd na perell; 335 ‘Rycht few may kep, quhar nayn is to assaill.’ “Wallace,” he said, “tharoff merwell haiff I; “A tyran ryngis, in ire full cruelly, “Apon the se, that gret sorow has wrocht; “Mycht we him get, it suld not be for nocht. 340 “Born off this land, a natyff man to me; “Tharfor on ws the grettar harme dois he.” Than Thomas quok, and changyt contenans; He hard the king his ewill deidis awans. Wallace beheld, and fenyeit in a part; 345 ‘Forsuth,’ he said, ‘we fand nane in that art, ‘That proffryt ws sic wnkyndlynes. ‘Bot with your leiff I spek in haymlynes, ‘Trow ye be sycht ye couth that squier knaw?’ “Full lang it war sen tym that I him saw. 350 “Bot thir wordis off him ar bot in wayn; “Or he com her, rycht gud men will be slayn.” Than Wallace said; ‘Her I haiff brocht with me, ‘Off likly men that was in our countré: ‘Quhilk off all thir wald ye call him most lik?’ 355 Amang thaim blent that ryoll roy most ryk, Wesyit thaim weill, bathe statur and curage, Maner, makdome, thar fassoun and thar wesage. Sadly he said, awysit sobyrly; “That largest man, quhilk standis next yow by, 360 “Wald I call him, be makdome to dewice. “Thir ar no thing bot wordis off office.” Befor the king on kneis fell gud Wallace: ‘O ryoll roy, off hie honour and grace, ‘With waist wordis I will nocht yow trawaill; 365 ‘Now I will spek sum thing for myn awaill. ‘Our barnat land has beyn our set with wer, ‘With Saxonis blud that dois ws mekill der, ‘Slayn our eldris, distroyit our rychtwys blud, ‘Waistyt our realm off gold and othir gud. 370 ‘And ye ar her, in mycht and ryolté, ‘Yow suld haiff ey till our aduersité, ‘And ws support, throu kyndnes off the band, ‘Quhilk is conserwyt betuix yow and Scotland. ‘As I am her, at your charge, for plesance, 375 ‘My lyflat is bot honest chewysance. ‘Flour off realmys forsuth is this regioun; ‘To my reward I wald haiff gret gardoun.’ “Wallace,” he said, “now ask quhat ye wald haiff. Fol. 80 a “Gud gold or land sall nocht be lang to craiff.” 380 Wallace ansuerd; ‘So ye it grant to me, ‘Quhat I wald haiff it sall sone chosyn be.’ “Quhat euir yhe ask, that is in this regioun, “Ye sall it haiff, except my wyff and croun.” He thankit hym off his gret kyndlynes. 385 ‘My reward all sall be askyng off grace, ‘Pees to this man I broucht with me throu chans; ‘Her I quytcleym all othir gyfftis in Frans; ‘This samyn is he, gyff ye knaw him weill, ‘That we off spak, Thomas off Longaweill; 390 ‘Be rygour ye desyryt he suld be slayn; ‘I him restor in to your grace agayn. ‘Rasaiff him fayr, as liege man off your land.’ The king marweld, and couth in study stand; Perfytly knew that it was Longaweill; 395 He him forgaiff his trespas euirilkdeill, Bot for his saik that had him hydder brocht; For gold or land ellis he gat it nocht. “Wallace,” he said, “I had leuir off gud land, “Thre hundreth pund haiff sesyt in thi hand. 400 “That I haiff said sall be grantyt in plain; “Her I restor Thomas to pes agayn, “Derer to me than euyr he was befor, “All for your saik, thocht it war mekill mor. “Bot I wald wyt how that merwell befell.” 405 Wallace ansuerd; ‘The trewth I sall yow tell.’ Than he rahersyt quhat hapnyt on that day, As ye befor in my autor hard say. Quhen the gud king had herd this sudan cass Apon the se, be forsicht off Wallace, 410 The king him held rycht worthi till awans; He saw in hym manheid and gouernans. So did the queyn, and all thir othir lordis; Ilk wicht off hym gret honour than recordis. He purchest pes, for all the power haill, 415 Fyfteyn hundreth was left in the Rochaill; Gert cry thaim fre, trew serwandis to the king, And neuir agayn fautyt in sic thing. Quhen Thomas was restoryt to his rycht, Off hys awin hand the king has maid him knycht. 420 Eftir he gaiff stayt to his nerrest ayr; And maid him selff with Wallace for to fayr. Thus he was brocht fra naym off reyff, throu cace, Be sudand chans off him and wicht Wallace. Thus leyff I thaim in worschip and plesance, 425 At liking still with the gud king off France. Thai thretty dayis he lugyt in to rest; So to ramayn he thocht it nocht the best. Fol. 80 b Still in to pes he couth nocht lang endur; Wncorduall it was till his natur. 430 Rycht weyll he wyst that Inglissmen occupyit Gyane that tym; tharfor he has aspyit Sum jeperté apon thaim for to mak. A gudly leyff he at the kyng couth tak. Off Franchmen he wald nayne with him call, 435 At that fyrst tym for auentur mycht fall; Bot Schyr Thomas that seruice couth persew, He wyst nocht weyll gyff all the layff was trew. Off Scottis men thai semblyt hastely Nyne hundyr sum off worthi chewalry; 440 In Gyan land full haistely couth ryd, Raissyt feill fyr, and waistyt wonnyngis wid: Fortrass thai brak, and stalwart byggyngis wan; Derffly to dede brocht mony Sotheron man. A werlik toun so fand thai in that land, 445 Quhilk Schenown hecht, that Inglissmen had in hand. Towart that steid full sadly Wallace wrocht, Be ony wyss assailye gyff he mocht, Bargane till haiff and he mycht get thaim out. Gret strenth off wod that tym was thar about; 450 This toun [stud] als apon a wattir sid. In till a park, that was bath lang and wyd, Thai buschit thaim, quhill passit was the nycht. Quhen the sone raiss, four hundreth men he dycht; The laiff he gert Craufurd in buschement tak, 455 Gyff thai myster, a reskew for to mak. Than Longaweill, that ay was full sawage, With Wallace past, as ane to that scrymmage. Thir four hundreth rycht wondyr weyll arayit, Befor the toun the playn baner displayit. 460 This was nocht to thaim weill knawyn in that contré, The lyoun in gold rycht awfull for to se; A forray kest, and sessit mekill gud. Wermen with in, that playnly wndrestud, Sone wschit forth the pray for to reskew. 465 The worthy Scottis feill Inglissmen thai slew; The laiff for dreid fled to the toun agayn. The forray tuk the pray, and past the playn, Towart the park; bot power off the toun Wschyt agayn in awfull battaill boun, 470 A thousand hayle wyth men off armys strang; Few baid tharin that mycht to bargane gang. Than Wallace gert the forreouris leyff the pray; Assemblyt sone in till a gud aray. A cruell conterans at that metyng was seyn, 475 Off wicht wermen in to thair armour cleyn. Feyll lessyt thar lyff apon the Sotheroun sid, Bot nocht for thi rycht bauldly thai abyd. Off the Scottis part worthi men thai slew. Wylyham Craufurd, that weyll the perell knew, 480 Fol. 81 a Out off the park he gert the buschement pas, In to the feild quhar feyll men fechtand was. At thair entré thai gert full mony de. The Inglissmen was wondyr laith to fle; Full worthely thai wrocht in to that place. 485 Baid neuir sa few so lang agayn Wallace, Wyth sic power as he that day was thar. On athir syd assailyeit ferly sayr. In to the stour so fellonly thai wrocht, Rycht worthy men derffly to dede thai brocht; 490 Wyth poyntis persyt throuch platis burnyst brycht. Wallace hym selff, and gud Thomas [the] knycht, Quhom that thai hyt maid neuir mor debait. The Sotheron part was handlyt thar full hayt. In to that place thai mycht no langar byd; 495 Out off the feyld with sar hartis thai ryd: On to the toun thai fled full haistely. Wallace folowit, and his gud chewalry, Fechtand so fast in to that thykkest thrang, Quhill in the toun he enterit thaim amang; 500 With him Crawfurd, and Longaweill off mycht, And Rychard als, Wallace his cusyng wicht; Fyfteyn thai war off Scottis cumpany. Thus hapnyt thai amang the gret party. A cruell portar gat apon the wall, 505 Powit out a pyn, the portculys leit fall. Inglissmen saw that entrit was na ma; Apon the Scottis full hardely thai ga: Bot tyll a wall thai haiff thar bakkis set, Sad strakys and sayr bauldly about thaim bet. 510 Rychard Wallace the turngreys weill has seyn; He folowit fast apon the portar keyn, A tour the wall dede in the dyk him draiff, Tuk wp the port, and leit in all the layff. Quhen Wallace men had thus the entré won, 515 Full gret slauchtir agane thai haff begon; Thai savit nayn apon the Sotheroun syd, That wapynnys bar, or harnes in that tid. Wemen and barnys, the gud thai tuk thaim fra, Syn gaiff thaim leyff in to realm to ga; 520 And preystis als, that war nocht in the feild. Off agyt men, quhilk mycht na wapynnis weild, Thai slew nayn sic, so Wallace chargis was; Bot maid thaim fre, at thair largis to pass. Ryches off gold thai gat in gret plenté, 525 Harnes and horss, that mycht thaim weill supplé; Wyth Franch folk plenyst the toun agayn; On the tend day the feyld thai tuk in playn; The riwer doun in to the land thai socht, On Sotheron men full mekill maister thai wrocht. 530 Quhen to [the] king trew men had tald this taill, Off Franchmen thai semblyt a battaill; Fol. 81 b Twenty thousand [off] lele legis off France; Hys brothir thaim led, was duk of Orlyans. Throu Gyan land in rayid battaill thai raid, 535 To folow Wallace, and maid but litill baid For Frans supplé, to help thaim in thair rycht. Ner Burdeous, or thai our tuk him mycht, Gud Wallace was, and Thomas had in playn; For sum men tald, that Burdeous, with gret mayn, 540 With in schort tym thocht battaill for to geyff. Bot fra thai wyst that Franch folk couth raleiff, Wyth gret power, with helpyng off Wallace, Wthyr purpos thai tuk in to schort space.

In Pykarté sone message thai couth send; 545 Off Wallace com thai tald it till ane end. Off Glosister, captane off Calyss was, The hardy erll; and maid him for to pass In Ingland sone; and syne to London went. Off Wallace deid he tald in the parlement. 550 Sum playnly [said] that Wallace brak the pess. Wysmen said Nay, and prayit thaim for to cess. Lord Bowmont said; “He tuk bot for Scotland, “And nocht for Frans, that sall ye wndyrstand. “Gyff our endentour spekis for ony mair, 555 “He has doyne wrang, the suth ye may declar.” Wodstok ansuerd; ‘Schyr, ye haiff spokyn weill. ‘Bot contrar resone that taill is euirilkdeill: ‘Gyff yon be he that band for him and his, ‘May na man say bot he has wrocht amyss. 560 ‘For pryncipaly he band with ws the trew, ‘And now agayn begynnys a malice new. ‘Schyr king,’ he said, ‘gyff ye think euir to mak ‘On Scotland wer, on hand now ye sall tak, ‘Quhill he is out, or ellis it helpis nocht.’ 565 As Wodstok said, the haill consaill has wrocht; Power thai raissyt on Scotland for to ryd, Be land and se; thai wald no langar byd. Thar land ost thai rayit weyll in deid; Thar wantgard tuk the hardy erll to leid 570 Off Glosister, that off wer had gret feill; Off Longcastell the duk demanyt weill The mydillward; on to the se thai send Schyr Jhon Sewart, that weyll the northland kend. The knycht Wallang befor the ost in raid; 575 In sic a way wyth ewyll Scottis men he maid, Mony castellis he gert sone yoldin be Till Inglissmen, with outyn mar mellé. Or the best wyst, that it was wer in playn, Entryt he was in to Bothwell agane. 580 Schyr Jhon Sewart, that com in be the se, Fol. 82 a Sanct Jhonstoun sone gat throw a jeperté. Dundé thai tuk, and putt Scottismen to dede; In Fyff fra thaim was nocht kepyt a sted; And all the south, fra Cheuyot to the se. 585 In to the west thar mycht na succour be; The worthy lord, that suld haiff gouernyt this, God had hym tayn, we trow, in lestand blyss: Hys son Walter, that bot a child than was, Trew men him tuk, and couth in Arrane pass. 590 Adam Wallace than wyst off no supplé, Till Rawchlé went, and Lindsay off Craggé; Gud Robert Boid maid no residens; For haisty desait, thai tuk thaim to defens. Schyr Jhon the Graym in Dundaff mycht nocht bid, 595 Succour he socht in to the forest off Clid. The knycht Sewart, a schyrreff maid in Fyff Schyr Amer Brim; and gaiff, for term off lyff, The landis haill that Wallang aucht befor. Rychard Lundy had gret dreid off thar schoyr; 600 He likyt nocht for to cum to thar pess, For thi in Fyff thai wald nocht lat him cess. To pass our Tay as than it mycht nocht be, For Inglissmen so rewllyt that cuntré. Owt off the land he staw away be nycht, 605 Auchtene with him that worthy war and wycht; And als his sone, that was off tendyr eild; Bot eftir sone he couth weill wapynnys weild. At Sterlyng bryg, quhar at the wach wes set, Thar passyt he away with outyn let. 610 In Dundaff mur Schyr Jhon the Graym he socht; A woman tald, as than befor was wrocht; And till a strenth he drew him on the morn. Laynrik was tayn with young Thomas off Thorn; So Lundy thair mycht mak no langar remayn: 615 Besouth Tynto lugis thai maid in playn. Schyr Jhon the Graym gat wit that he was thair; Till him he past with outyn wordis mar. Wallang gart bryng fra Carlele cariage, To stuff Bothwell with wyn and gud warnage. 620 Lundy and Graym gat wyt off that awaill, Rycht sudanly thai maid thaim till assaill: Fyfty thai war off nobill chewalry, Agayn four scor off Ingliss cumpany. Ane Skelton than kepyt the careage, 625 All Brankstewat that was his heretage. Lundy and Graym met with the squier wicht; Feill Inglissmen to ded derffly thai dycht. Sexté was slayn apon the tothir sid, And fyve off Scottis, so bauldly thai abid. 630 Gret gud thai wan, bath gold and othir ger, Wittayll and horss that hapnyt in that wer. Fol. 82 b Syn thai haiff seyn weyll lang thai mycht nocht lest In to that land, tharfor thai thocht it best To seik sum place, in strenth that thai mycht bid, 635 For Sotheron men had plenyst on ilk sid. Lundeis luge thai left upon a nycht; In the Lennox the way thai passyt rycht Till erll Malcom, that kepyt that cuntré Fra Inglissmen, with help off thar supplé. 640 Cetoun and Lyll in to the Bass thai baid; For Sotheroun folk so gret mastryss had maid, That all the south was tayn in to thar hand. Gud Hew the Hay was send in to Ingland, And vthir ayris, to presoune at thar will. 645 The northland lordis, saw na help cum thaim till, A squier Guthré amang thaim ordand thai, To warn Wallace in all the haist he may. Out off Arbroth he passit to the se. And at the Slus, land takyn son had he; 650 In Flandrys land no residens he maid; In Frans he past; bot Wallace weill abaid On his purpos in Gyan at the wer: On Sotheroun men he had doyn mekill der. Quhill gud Guthré had gottyn his presens, 655 He haistyt him sone, and maid no residens; He has him tald, with Scotland how it stud. Than Wallace said; “Thai tithingis ar nocht gud. “I had exampill, off tym that is by worn, “Trewys to bynd with thaim that was maynsuorn: 660 “Bot I as than couth nocht think on sic thing, “Be causs that we tuk this pess with thar king. “Be thar chansler the tothir pess was bwn, “And that full sair our forfadris has fwn; “Wndyr that trew auchtene scor thai gart de, 665 “At noblis war, the best in our cuntré! “To the gret God my wow now her I mak, “Pess with that king I think neuir for to tak. “He sall repent, that thai this wer began.” Thus mowit he, with mony ryoll man, 670 On to the king, and tauld him his entent. Till lat him pass the king wald nocht consent. Quhill [Wallace] thar maid promyss be his hand, Gyff euir agayn he thocht to leyff Scotland, To cum till him; his gret seyll he him gaiff 675 Off quhat lordschip that he likit till haiff. Thus at the king haisty leiff tuk he. Na ma with him he brocht off that cuntré, Bot his awn men, and Schyr Thomas the knycht. In Flawndrys land thai past with all thar mycht. 680 Guthreis barg was at the Slus left styll; Fol. 83 a To se thai went wyth ane full egyr wyll. Bath Forth and Tay thai left and passyt by On the north cost, [gud] Guthré was thar gy. In Munross hawyn thai brocht hym to the land; 685 Till trew Scottis it was a blyth tithand. Schyr Jhon Ramsay, that worthi was and wycht, Fra Ochtyrhouss the way he chesyt rycht, To meite Wallace with men off armes strang; Off his duellyng thai had thocht wondyr lang. 690 The trew Ruwan come als with outyn baid; In Barnan wod he had his lugyng maid. Barklay be that to Wallace semblyt fast; With thre hundreth to Ochtyrhouss he past.