Part 24

Be that, Ruwan and Ramsay off renown, Be a trew Scot, that past to Sanct Jhonstoun, Thaim warnyng maid, that Sewart folowit fast Apon Wallace; than war thai sayr agast. Owt off the toun thai wschit with all thair mycht, 1025 With thre hundreth, that worthi war and wicht; Till Black Irnsid assemblyt in that place, As Wallang was gayne in to gud Wallace. The knycht Sewart has weill thair cummyng seyn; A fayr playn feild he chesyt thaim betweyn. 1030 Elewyn hundreth and four scor than had he; The Scottismen war fyve hundreth and saxté. Thai war bot few, a playn feild for to tak. Out of the wod gud Wallace can thaim mak; He wyst no thing off thaim that cummyng was; 1035 Mar hardement was fra the strenth to pass. Bot quhen thai hard Ruwan and Ramsay cry, Off Ochtyrhous, blyth was that chewalry. Mycht thai off gold haiff brocht a kingis rent, To gud Wallace mycht nocht so weyll content. 1040 Than till aray thai yeid on athir sid, In cruell ire, in battaill bown to byd. Worthiar men than Sewart semblyt thar, In all his tym, Eduuard had neuirmar. Bot Sewart saw his nowmyr was fer ma; 1045 Hys power sone he gart dewyd in twa; To fecht at anys, rycht knychtlik he thaim kend, In that jornay othir to wyn or end. The worthi Scottis ruschyt on thaim, in gret ire, With cruell strakis, that flawmyt fers as fyr. 1050 Fol. 87 a Wallace and his, als Sotheroun that was thar, Few speris had, for feyll fechtyng and sar In to the wod at sailye all the day: Bot new cummyn men weill waillyt speris had thai. In to the stour thai gart feill Sotheroun de; 1055 Thar cruell deid gret merwell was to se. Thai worthi Scottis, that fyrst amang thaim baid, Full gret slauchtir on Inglissmen thai maid; In to the wod befor had prewyt weill, Than on the playn thai sonyeit nocht adeill; 1060 In curage grew, as thai war new begon; Schort rest thai had fra ryssyng off the son. Be that Ramsay, and with him gud Ruwan, Throw owt the thykkest off the pres is gan; Sloppis thai maid throw out the Inglissmen; 1065 Deseueryt thaim be twenty and by ten, Quhen speris war gayn, with suerdys off metall cler. Till Inglissmen thar cummyng was sauld full der. Wallace and his, be worthines off hand, Feyll Sotheroun blud gart [licht] wpon the land. 1070 The twa feildys togiddyr relyt than Schyr Jhon Sewart, with mony nobill man, To help thair lord; thre hundreth in [a] place About hym stud, and did thair besines; Defendand him, with mony awfull dynt, 1075 Quhill all the owtwart off the feild was tynt. Off comowns part into the forest fled Succour to sek, thair men had thaim so led. The Scottis, has seyn so mony in a rout With Sewart stand, na warrand thaim about, 1080 Apon all syd assailyeit wondyr sayr; Throu polyt platis with poyntis persyt thair. The Sotheroun made defens full cruelly; All occupyit was this gud chewalry. Schyr Jhon Ramsay wald thai had yoldyn beyn. 1085 Wallace said; “Nay, it is all wrang ye meyn. “Ranson to mak we can nocht now begyn. “On sic awyss this land we may nocht wyn. “Yon knycht off auld our enemy has beyn. “So fell till ws off thaim I haiff nocht seyn. 1090 “Now he sall de, with help off Goddis grace; “He com to pay his ranson in this place.” The Sotheroun wyst all playnly for to de; Reskew was nayn, suppos at thai wald fle. Freschlye thai faucht as thai [had] entryt new; 1095 Apon our sid part worthy men thai slew. Than Sewart said; ‘Alace, throw wrangwis thing Fol. 87 b ‘Our lywys we loss, throu desyr off our king.’ The felloun knycht dowtyt his dede rycht nocht; Amang the Scottis full manfully he wrocht; 1100 Besat he straik to dede with outyn mar. Wallace prest in, with his suerd burnyst bar, At Sewart hals he etlyt in gret ire, Throu pissanis stuff in sondyr strak the swyr; Dede to the ground he duschit for all his mycht: 1105 Off Wallace hand thus endyt this gud knycht. The ramaynand with out mercy thai sla; For gud Besat the Scottis was wondyr wa. In handis sum thai straik with out remed; Na Sotheroun past with lyff out off that sted. 1110 Than to the wod, for thaim that left the feild, A rang [thai] set; thus thai may get na beild. Yeid nayn away was contrar our punyoun. Gud Ruwan past agayn to Sanct Jhonstoun. Schyr Jhon Ramsay to Couper castell raid; 1115 That hous he tuk, for defens nayn was maid. Wallace, Crawfurd, and with thaim gud Guthré, Rychard Wallace had lang beyn in mellé, And Longaweill, in to Lundoris baid still; Fastyt thai had to lang agayn thar will. 1120 Wallange thai maid thair stwart for to be; Off meit and drynk thai fand aboundandlé. The priour fled, and durst na reknyng bid; He was befor apon the tothir syd. Apon the morn to Sanct Androwis thai past, 1125 Owt off the toun that byschop turnyt fast. The king off Ingland had him hydder send; The rent at will he gaiff hym in commend. His kingis charge as than he durst nocht hald: A wrangwys pape that tyrand mycht be cald. 1130 Few fled with him, and gat away be see; For all Scotland he wald nocht Wallace se. As than off him he maid bot lycht record. Gert restor him that thar was rychtwyss lord. The worthy knycht, that in to Coupar lay, 1135 Gart spulye it apon the secund day, Syn ordand men, at commaund off Wallace, But mar process, for to cast doun that place. Mynouris sone thai gert press throw the wall, Syn pounciounis fyryt, and to the ground kest all. 1140 Schyr Jhon Ramsay syne to the kyrk can fayr; Sotheroun was fled, and left bot wallis bayr: Efter Sewart thai durst nocht tary lang. The Scottis at large [out] throu all Fyff thai rang. Fol. 88 a Off Inglissmen nayn left in that cuntré. 1145 Bot in Lochlewyn thair lay a cumpané, Apon that inch, in a small hous thai dycht; Castell was nayn, bot wallyt with water wicht. Besyd Carraill thai semblyt Wallace beforn; His purposs was for till assay Kyngorn. 1150 A knycht, hecht Gray, than captane in it was; Be schort awyss purpos he tuk to pas. Erar he wald bid chalans off his king, Than with Wallace to rakyn for sic a thing. That houss thai tuk, and litill tary maid. 1155 Vpon the morn, with outyn mar abaid, Atour the mur, quhar thai a tryst had set, Ner Scotlandis Well thair lugyng tuk but let. Eftir souper Wallace bad thaim ga rest: “My selff will walk, me think it may be best.” 1160 As he commaundyt, but gruching thai haiff don. In to thar slep Wallace him graithit son, Past to Lochlewyn as it was ner mydnycht, Auchtene with him, at he hed warnyt rycht; Thir men wend weill he come to wesy it. 1165 “Falows,” he said, “I do yow weill to wyt; “Considyr weill this place, and wndirstand, “That it may do full gret scaith to Scotland. “Out off the south and power cum thaim till, “Thai may tak in, and kep it at thair awn will. 1170 “Apon yon inche rycht mony men may be, “And syn wsche out, thair tym quhen at thai se. “To bid lang her we may nocht wpon chans, “Yon folk has fud, trast weill, at sufficians. “Wattir fra thaim forsuth can nocht be set; 1175 “Sum wthyr wyill ws worthis for to get. “Yhe sall remayn her at this port all still, “And I my selff the boit sall bryng yow till.” Thair with in haist his weid off castis he: “Apon yon sid na wachman can I se;” 1180 Held on his sark, and tuk his suerd so gud Band on his nek, and syn lap in the flud, And our he swam; for lattyng fand he nocht. The boit he tuk, and till hys men it brocht; Arayit him weill, and wald no langar bid, 1185 Bot passyt in, rowit to the tothir sid. The inch thai tuk with suerdis drawyn in hand, And sparyt nayn that thai befor thaim fand; Strak duris wp, stekyt men quhar thai lay; Apon the Sothroun thus sadly semblyt thai. 1190 Thretty thai slew, that was in that samyn place; To mak defens the Inglissmen had no space. Thar women fyve Wallace send off that sted; Woman nor barne he gart neuir put to dede. Fol. 88 b The gud thai tuk, as it had beyn thair awyn. 1195 Than Wallace said; “Falowis, I mak yow knawin, “The purwyance, that is with in this wanys, “We will nocht tyne; ger sembyll all at anys, “Gar warn Ramsay, and our gud men ilkane; “I will remayn quhill this warnstor be gane:” 1200 Send furth a man, thair horsis put to kep, Drew wp the boit, syne beddys tuk to sleip. Wallace power, quhilk Scotland Well ner lay, Befor the son thai myssyt him away. Sum menyng maid, and merweillyt off that cace. 1205 Ramsay bad, ‘Cess, and murn nocht for Wallace. ‘It is for gud at he is fra us went; ‘It sall ye se, trast weill, in werrament. ‘My hed to wed, Lochlewyn he past to se: ‘Bot that is thar, no Inglissman knaw we 1210 ‘In all this land, betwix thir watters left; ‘Tithandis off hym ye sall se son hereft.’ As thai about was talkand on this wyss, A message com, and chargyt thaim to ryss. “My lord,” he said, “to dyner has yow cald 1215 “In till Lochlewyn, quhilk is a ryoll hald. “Ye sall fair weyll, tharfor put off all sorow.” Thai graithit thaim rycht ayrly on the morow; And thidder past, off Wallace will to wytt. Thus semblyt thai in a full blyth falowschip. 1220 Thai lugyt thar till aucht dayis was at end; Off meit and drynk thai had inewch to spend; Turssyt furth ger, that Sothroun had brocht thar; Gert byrn the boit, till Sanct Jhonstoun thai fair. Byschop Synclar, that worthy was and wyss, 1225 Till Wallace com, and tald him his awyss; Thus he desyryt Wallace suld with him ryd, And in Dunkell soiorn that wynter tyd. Bot he said; “Nay, that hald I nocht the best, “And Scotland thus; in pess we can nocht rest.” 1230 The byschop said, ‘Playnly ye may nocht wend; ‘In to the north for men I rede yow send.’ “I grant,” quoth he, “and cheissit a messynger.” The worthi Jop, was with the byschop ther; And maister Blair to Wallace cam bot baid, 1235 With that gud lord that nobill cher thaim maid. Wallace send Blayr, in [to] his priestis weid, To warn the west, quhar freyndys had gret dreid How they suld pass, or to gud Wallace wyn, For Inglissmen that held thaim lang in twyn. 1240 Adam Wallace, and Lyndsay that was wycht, Rawchlé thai left, and went away be nycht. Throu out the land to the Lennox thai cair, Fol. 89 a Till erll Malcom, that welcummyt thaim full fair. Maister Jhon Blair was blith off that semblé; 1245 Gud Graym was thair, and Richard off Lunde; Als Robert Boid, that out off But thaim socht. Had thai Wallace, off no thing ellis thai roucht; Bot Inglissmen betuix thaim was so strang, That thai in playn mycht nocht weyll to him gang. 1250 Jop passit north, for leiching wald nocht let: Gret power thar as than he couth nocht get; The lord Cwmyn, that erll off Bouchane was, For auld inwy he wald [let] na man pass That he mycht let, in gud Wallace supplé; 1255 For erll Patrik a playn feild kepyt he. Yeit pur men com, and prewyt all thair mycht To help Wallace, in fens off Scotlandis rycht. The gud Randell in tendyr age was kend, Part off men out off Murray he [did] send. 1260 Jop past agayn, and com in presens sone Befor Wallace, and tauld how he had don. Bot maister Blayr so gud tithingis him brocht, That off Cwmyn Wallace full litill roucht. Als Inglissmen had than full litill dreid; 1265 Fra Fyff was tynt, the war thai trowyt to sped. The duk and erll, that in Scotland thaim led, Captanys thai maid, in Ingland syn thaim sped. Wallace hym bownyt, qwhen he thocht tym suld be, Off Sanct Jhonstoun, and with him tuk fyfté. 1270 Stewin off Irland, and Kerlé that was wicht, For Inglissmen thai had haldyn the hycht In wachman lyff, and fayndyt thaim rycht weill: Till gud Wallace thai war as trew as steill; To folow him thai twa thocht neuyr lang. 1275 Throucht the Ochell thai maid thaim for to gang. Off mar power he taryt nocht that tyd; To keip the land he gert the laiff abid. To Styrlyng bryg as than he wald nocht pass, For strang power of Inglissmen thar was. 1280

Till Erth ferry thai passit prewaly; And buschit thaim in a dern sted tharby. A cruell captane intill Erth duelt thar, In Ingland born, and hecht Thomlyn off Wayr. A hundreth men was at his ledyng still; 1285 To bruk that land thai did power and will. A Scottis fyschar, quhilk thai had tayn beforn, Contrar his will gert him be to thaim suorn. In thar seruice thai held him day and nycht. Befor the son Wallace gart Jop him dycht, 1290 And send him furth the passage for to spy. On that fyschar he hapnyt sodandly, All him allayn, bot a boy that was thar; Jop hynt hym son, and for no dreid wald spar, Be the collar, and owt a knyff hynt he. 1295 Fol. 89 b For Goddis saik this man askit mercé. Jop sperd sone; “Off quhat nacioun art thow?” ‘A Scot,’ he said, ‘bot Sothroun gart me bow. ‘In thair seruice, agayn my will full sayr, ‘Bot for my lyff that I remaynit thair. 1300 ‘To sek fysch I com on this north sid. ‘Be ye a Scott, I wald fayn with yow bid.’ Than he him brocht in presens to Wallace. The Scottis was blyth quhen thai haiff seyn this cace, For with his bait thai mycht weill passage hawe; 1305 For fery craft na fraucht he thocht to crawe. Apon that syd langar thai taryed nocht, Till the south land with glaid hartis thai socht; Syn brak the bait, quhen thai war landyt thair; Serwice off it Sotheroun mycht haiff no mayr. 1310 Than throuch the moss thai passit full gud speid Till the Torwod, this man with thaim thai leid. The wedow thar brocht tithandis to Wallace, Off his trew eyme that duelt at Dunypace. Thomlyn off Wayr in presoun had him set, 1315 For mar tresour na he befor mycht get. Wallace said; “Deym, he sall weill lowsyt be “Be none to morn, or ma tharfor sall de.” Scho gat thaim meit, and in quiet thai baid Quhill it was nycht, syn redy sone thaim maid; 1320 Towart Arth hall rycht sodeynly thaim drew. A strenth thar was, that weyll the fyschar knew, Off draw dykis, and full off watter wan; Wysly tharoff has warnyt thaim this man. On the baksid he led thaim prewalé, 1325 Fra the watter, as wont to cum was he, Our a small bryg. Gud Wallace entryt in In to the hall, hym selff thocht to begyn; Fra the sowper as thai war bown to ryss, He salust thaim apon ane awfull wyss. 1330 His men hym folowit sodanly at anys, Haisty sorow was rassyt in thai wanys; With scherand suerdis scharply about thaim dang; Feyll on the flur was fellyt thaim amang. With Thomlyn Wayr Wallace hym selff has met; 1335 A felloun strak sadly apon him set, Throcht hede and swyr all throucht the cost him claiff. The worthy Scottis fast stekit off the layff; Kepyt duris, and dulfully thaim dycht; To chaip away the Sotheroun had no mycht. 1340 Sum wyndowys socht for till haiff brokyn out, Bot all for nocht, full fey was maid that rout. About the fyr bruschit the blud so red, A hundreth men was slayn in to that sted. Fol. 90 a Than Wallace socht quhar his wncle suld be; 1345 In a dyrk cawe he was set dulfullé, Quhar watter stud, and he in yrnyss strang. Wallace full sone the brassis wp he dang; Off that myrk holl brocht him with strenth and lyst. Bot noyis he hard, off no thing ellis he wyst; 1350 So blyth befor in warld he had nocht beyn, As thair with sycht, quhen he had Wallace seyn. In dykys owt the dede bodyis thai kest; Graithyt the place as at thaim likyt best; Maid still gud cher, and wyss wachis gert set; 1355 Quhill ner the day thai slepe with outyn let; Quhen thai had lycht, spulyeid the place in hy, Fand gaynand ger, baithe gold and jowelry: Our all that day in quiet held thaim still. Quhat Sothroun come, thai rasawyt with gud will; 1360 In that laubour the Scottis was full bayn: Inglissmen com, bot nayn yeid owt agayn. Women and barnys put in the presonys cawe; So thai mycht mak no warnyng to the lawe. Stewyn off Irland, and Kerlé, that wes wicht, 1365 Kepyt the port apon the secund nycht. Befor the day the worthy Scottis rayss, Turssyt gud ger, and to the Torwod gayss; Remaynyt thar quhill nycht was cummyn on hand, Syn bownyt thaim in quiet throuch the land. 1370 The wedowis son, fra thai had passit dout, A serwand send, and leit the women out, To pass fra Arth quhar at thaim likit best. Now spek off thaim that went in to the west.