Part 25

Wallace hym selff was sekyr gyd that nycht; 1375 Till Dunbertane the way he chesyt rycht. Or it was day, for than the nycht was lang, On to the toun full prewaly thai gang. Mekill off it Inglissmen occupyit. Gud Wallace sone throu a dyrk garth hym hyit, 1380 And till a houss, quhar he was wont to ken, A wedow duelt was frendfull till our men. Abone hyr bed, on the baksid, was maid A dern wyndow, was nothir lang nor braid; Thar Wallace cauld, and son fra scho him knew, 1385 In haist scho rayss, and prewaly thaim in drew Till a closs bern, quhar thai mycht kepyt be: Baith meit and drynk scho brocht in gret plenté. A gudly gyft to Wallace als scho gaiff, A hundreth pownd and mar, atour the layff. 1390 Nyne sonnys scho had, was lykly men and wicht; Ane ayth till him scho gart thaim swer full rycht. In peess thai duelt, in trubyll that had beyn, And trewbut payit till Ingliss capdanis keyn. Fol. 90 b Schir Jhon Menteth the castell had in hand: 1395 Bot sum men said, thar was a prewa band Till Sotheroun maid, be menys off that knycht, In thar supplé to be in all his mycht. Tharoff as now I will no process mak. Wallace that day a schort purpos can tak; 1400 Quhen it was nycht he bad the wedow pass, Merk all the duris quhar Sotheroun duelland was. Syn efftir this, he and his chewalry Graithyt thaim weill, and wapynnys tuk in hy; Went on the gayt, quhen Sotheroun was on slep, 1405 A gret oystré our Scottis tuk to kep. Ane Ingliss captane was sittand wp so lait, Quhill he and his with drynk was maid full mait. Nyn men was thar, now set in hye curage; Sum wald haiff had gud Wallace in that rage; 1410 Sum wald haiff bound Schyr Jhone the Grayme throucht strenth; Sum wald haiff had Boyd at the suerdis lenth; Sum wyst Lundy, that chapyt was off Fyff; Sum wychtar was na Cetoun in to stryff. Quhen Wallace hard the Sotheroun maid sic dyn, 1415 He gart all byd, and hym allayn went in; The layff remaynyt to her off thar tithans. He salust thaim with sturdy contenance. “Falowis,” he said, “sen I com last fra haym, “In trawaill I was our land and wncouth fame. 1420 “Fra south Ireland I com in this cuntré, “The [new] conquest off Scotland for to se. “Part off your drynk, or sum gud I wald haiff.” The captane [than] a schrewed ansuer him gaiff; ‘Thow semys a Scot wnlikly, ws to spy; 1425 ‘Thow may be ane off Wallace cumpany: ‘Contrar our king he is ryssyn agane; ‘The land off Fyff he has rademyt in plane. ‘Thou sall her byd quhill we wyt how it be; ‘Be thow off his, thou sall be hyngyt hye.’ 1430 Wallace than thocht it was na tym to stand; His nobill suerd he gryppyt son in hand; Aukwart the face drew that captane in teyn, Straik all away that stud abowne his eyn. Ane othir braithly in the breyst he bar; 1435 Baith brawn and bayn the burly blaid throcht schar. The layff ruschyt wp to Wallace in gret ire; The thryd he feld full fersly in the fyr, Stewyn off Irland, and Kerlé, in that thrang, Kepyt na charge, bot entryt thaim amang; 1440 Fol. 91 a And othir ma that to the dur can press; Quhill thai him saw thar coud no thing thaim cess, The Sotheroun men full sone was brocht to ded. The blyth hosteler bad thaim gud ayle and breid. Wallace said; “Nay, till we haiff laysar mar. 1445 “To be our gyd thow sall befor ws fayr; “And begyn fyr quhar at the Sotheroun lyis.” The hostellar son, apon a hasty wyss, Hynt fyr in hand, and till a gret hous yeid, Quhar Inglissmen was in full mekill dreid. 1450 For thai wyst nocht quhill that the rud low raiss; As wood bestis amang the fyr than gays, With paynis fell ruschyt full sorowfully. The layff with out, off our gud chewalry, At ilka houss, quhar the hostillar began, 1455 Kepyt the duris, fra thaim chapyt na man. For all thair mycht, thocht king Eduuard had suorn, Gat nayn away that was off Ingland born, Bot othir brynt, or but reskew was slayn, And sum throucht force drywyn in the fyr agayn. 1460 Part Scottis folk, in seruice thaim amang, Fra ony payn frely thai let thaim gang. Thre hundreth men was to Dunbertan send, To kep the land, as thair lordis thaim kend; Skaithless off thaim for ay was this regioun. 1465 Wallace or day maid him out off the toun; On to the coyff off Dunbartane thai yeid; And all that day [thar] soiornd out off dreid. Baith meit and drynk the hostillar gert be brocht. Quhen nycht was cummyn, in all the haist thai mocht, 1470 Towart Rossneth full ernystfully thai gang; For Inglissmen was in that castell strang. On the Garlouch thai purpost thaim to bid, Betwix the kyrk, that ner was thar besyd; And to the castell full prewaly thai draw. 1475 Wndyr a bray thai buschyt thaim rycht law, Lang the wattyr, quhar comoun oyss had thai, The castellis stuff, on to the kyrk ilk day. A maryage als that day was to begyn. All wschyt owt, and left na man with in, 1480 At fens mycht mak, bot serwandis in that place; Thus to that tryst thai passyt wpon cace. Wallace and his drew thaim full prewaly Nerhand the place, quhen thai war passyt by, With in the hauld; and thocht to kep that steid 1485 Fra Sotheroun men, or ellys tharfor be deid. Compleit was maid the mariage in to playn; Fol. 91 b On to Rossneth thai raturnyt agayn. Four scor and ma was in that cumpany, Bot nocht arayit as was our chewalry; 1490 To the castell thai weynd to pass but let. The worthy Scottis so hardly on thaim set, Fourtye at anys derffly to ground thai bar; The ramaynand affrayit was so sayr, Langar in feild thai had no mycht to bid, 1495 Bot fersly fled fra thaim on athir sid. The Scottis thar has weyll the entré woun, And slew the layff that in that houss was foun; Syn on the flearis folowid wondyr fast, Na Inglissman with lyff thar fra thaim past. 1500 The wemen sone thai seysyt in to hand, Kepyt thaim closs, for warnyng off the land. The dede bodyes all out off sycht thai kest: Than at gud ess thai maid thaim for to rest. Off purwians sewyn dayis thai lugyt thar 1505 At rud costis, to spend thai wald nocht spar. Quhat Sotheroun come, thai tuk all glaidly in, Bot owt agayn thai leit nane off that kyn. Quha tithandis send to the captane off that steid, Thai seruitouris the Scottis put to ded, 1510 Spulyeid the place, and left na gudis thar, Brak wallis doun, and maid that byggyng bar. Quhen thai had spilt off stayne werk at thai mocht, Syn kendillyt fyr, and fra Rossneth thai socht. Quhen thai had brynt all tre werk in that place, 1515 Wallace gert freith the wemen, off hys grace; To do thaim harm neuir his purpos was Than to Faslan the worthy Scottis can pass, Quhar erll Malcom was bidand at defence; Rycht glaid he was off Wallace gud presence. 1520 Than he fand thar a nobill cumpany, Schir Jhon the Graym, and Richard off Lundy, Adam Wallace, that worthy was and wyss, Berklay and Boid, with men mekill to pryss. At Cristinmess thar Wallace soiornyt still; 1525 Off his modyr tithandis was brocht him till, That tym befor scho had left Elrislé; For Inglissmen in it scho durst nocht be. Fra thine dysgysyt scho past in pilgrame weid, Sum gyrth to sek to Dunfermlyn scho yeid. 1530 Seknes hyr had so socht in to that sted, Decest scho was, God tuk hir spreit to leid. Fol. 92 a Quhen Wallace hard at that tithandis was trew, How sadness so in ilk sid can persew; In thank he tuk, be causs it was naturaill, 1535 He lowyt God with sekyr hart and haill. Bettyr him thocht, that it was hapnyt sa, Na Sotheroun suld hyr put till othir wa. He ordand Jop, and als the maister Blayr, Thiddyr to pass, and for no costis spayr, 1540 Bot honour do the corp till sepultur. At his commaund thai seruit ilka hour, Doand thar to as dede askis till haw: With worschip was the corp graithit in grawe. Agayn thai turnyt, and schawit him off hir end. 1545 He thankit God quhat grace that euir he send; He seis the warld sa full off fantasie, Confort he tuk, and leit all murnyng be; His most desyr was for to freith Scotland. Now will I tell quhat new cass com on hand. 1550

Schyr Wilyam lang off Douglace daill was lord; Off his fyrst wyff, as rycht was to record, Decest or than out off this warldly cair, Twa sonnys he had with hyr, that leyffyt thar, Quhilk likly war, and abill in curage, 1555 To sculle was send in to thair tendre age; James and Hew, so hecht thir brethyr twa. And eftir sone thar wncle couth thaim ta, Gud Robert Keth, had thaim fra Glaskow toun; Atour the se in Frans he maid thaim boun. 1560 At study syn he left thaim in to Parys, With a maister that worthy was and wyss. The king Eduuard tuk thair fadyr that knycht, And held him thar, thocht he was neuir so wicht, Till tym he had assentit till his will. 1565 A mariage als thai gert ordane him till, The lady Ferss, off power and hye blud: Bot tharoff com till his lyff litill gud. Twa sonnys he gat on this lady but mar. With Eduuardis will he tuk his leiff to far; 1570 In Scotland com, and broucht hys wyff on pes, In Douglass duelt; forsuth this is no les. Kyng Eduuard trowyt that he had stedfast beyn, Fast to thair faith; bot the contrar was seyn: Ay Scottis blud remaynyt in to Douglace, 1575 Agayn Ingland he prewyt in mony place. The Sanchar was a castell fayr and strang; Fol. 92 b Ane Ingliss capdane, that dyd feyll Scottis wrang, In till it duelt, and Bewffurd he was cauld, That held all waist fra thine to Douglace hauld. 1580 Rycht ner off kyn was Douglace wiff and he; Tharfor he trowyt in pess off hym to be. Schyr Wylyham saw at Wallace raiss agayn, And rycht likly to freyth Scotland off payn. Till help him part in till hys mynd he kest; 1585 For in that lyff rycht lang he coud nocht lest. He thoucht na charge to brek apon Ingland; It was throucht force that euir he maid thaim band. A young man than, that hardy was and bauld, Born till him selff, and Thom Dycson was cauld. 1590 “Der freynd,” he said, “I wald preyff at my mycht, “And mak a fray to fals Bewfurd the knycht, “In Sanchar duellys, and dois full gret owtrage.” Than Dycson said; ‘My selff in that wiage ‘Sall for yow pass, with Anderson to spek, 1595 ‘Cusyng to me; frendschip he will nocht brek. ‘For that ilk man thar wod ledys thaim till; ‘Throucht help off him purpos ye may fullfill.’ Schyr Wilyham than, in all the haist he mycht, Thretty trew men in this wiage he dycht; 1600 And tauld his wyff till Drumfress he wald fayr, A tryst, he said, off Ingland he had thair. Thus passyt he quhar that na Sotheroun wyst, With thir thretty throw waist land at his lyst. Quhill nycht was cummyn, he buschit thaim full law 1605 In tyll a clewch ner the wattyr off Craw. To the Sanchar Dykson allayn he send; And he son maid with Anderson this end; Dicson suld tak bathe his hors and his weid, Be it was day, a drawcht off wod to leid. 1610 Agayn he past, and tauld the gud Dowglace, Quhilk drew him sone in till a preway place. Anderson tauld quhat stuff thar was tharin Till Thom Dicson, that was ner off his kyn: “Fourty thai ar off men off mekill waill; 1615 “Be thai on fute, thai will yow sayr assayll. “Gyff thow hapnys the entré for to get, “On thi rycht hand a stalwart ax is set, “Thar with thow may defend the in a thrang; “Be Douglace wyss he bydis nocht fra the lang.” 1620 Anderson yeid to the buschement in hy; Ner the castell he drew thaim prewaly In till a schaw; Sotheroun mystraystit nocht. To the next wode, wyth Dycson, syn he socht, Fol. 93 a Graithyt him a drawcht, on a braid slyp and law, 1625 Chargyt a horss, and to the houss can caw. Arayit he was in Andersonnis weid, And bad haiff in. The portar com gud speid; “This hour,” he said, “thow mycht haiff beyn away; “Wntymys thow art, for it is scantly day.” 1630 The yet yeid wp, Dicson gat in but mar; A thourtour bande, that all the drawcht wpbar, He cuttyt it; to ground the slyp can ga, Cumryt the yet, stekyng thai mycht nocht ma. The portar son he hynt in to that stryff, 1635 Twyss throuch the hede he stekit him with a knyff. The ax he gat, that Anderson off spak; A bekyn maid, tharwith the buschement brak. Douglace him selff was formest in that press, In our the wod entryt, or thai wald cess. 1640 Thre wachmen sa, off wallis was cummyn new, With in the closs the Scottis son thaim slew. Or ony scry was raissyt in that stour, Douglace had tane the yet off the gret tour; Rane wp a grece, quhar at the capdane lay. 1645 On fut he gat, and wald haiff beyn away. Our lait it was; Dowglace strak up the dur, Bewfurd he fand in to the chawmyr flour; With a styff suerd to dede he has him dycht. His men folowit, that worthy was and wycht. 1650 The men thai slew, that was in to thai wanys; Syn in the closs thai semblit all at anys. The hous thai tuk, and Sotheroun put to ded; Gat nane, bot ane, with lyff out off that sted, For that the yet so lang wnstekit was. 1655 This spy he fled, till Durisder can pass; Tauld that captane, that thai had hapnyt sa. Ane other he gert in to the Enoch ga; And Tybris mur was warnyt off this cass; And Louchmaban all semblyt to that place. 1660 The cuntré raiss, quhen thai herd off sic thing, To sege Douglace, and hecht thai suld him hyng. Quhen Douglace wyst na wayis fra thaim [to] chaip, To sailye him he trowyt thai wald thaim schaip, Dicson he send, apon a cursour wycht, 1665 To warn Wallace, in all the haist he mycht. Off Lewynhouss Wallace had tayn in playn, Witht thre hundreth gud men off mekill mayn; Kylsith a castell, he thocht to wesy it, Ane Rawynsdaill held; bot trew men leit him wyt, 1670 That he was out that tym off Cummyrnauld; Fol. 93 b Lord Cumyn duelt on tribut in that hauld. Quhen Wallace wyst, he gert erll Malcom ly With twa hundreth in a buschement ner by, To kep the houss, that nayn till it suld fayr; 1675 He tuk the layff, and in the wod ner thar A scurrour set, to warn quhen he saw ocht. Son Rawynsdaill com, off thaim he had na thocht. Quhen he was cummyn the twa buschementis betweyn, The scurrour warnd the cruell men and keyn; 1680 Than Wallace brak, and folowit on thaim fast. The Sotheroun fled, for thai war sar agast. Rawynsdaill had than bot fyftye men; Amang the Scottis thar deidis was litill to ken. Quhen erll Malcom had bard thaim fra the place, 1685 Na Sotheroun yeid with lyff that thai did grace. Part Lennox men thai left the horss to ta; On spulyeyng than thai wald na tary ma. To sege the houss than Wallace coud nocht bid; Throu out the land in awfull feyr thai ryd. 1690 Than Lithquow toun thai brynt in to thair gayt; Quhar Sotheroun duelt, thai maid thair byggyngis hayt. The peyll thai tuk, and slew that was tharin; Off Sotheroun blud the Scottis thocht na syn. Syn on the morn brynt Dawketh in a gleid; 1695 Than till a strenth in Newbottyll wod thai yeid. Be that Lawder, and Crystall off Cetoun. Com fra the Bass, and brynt Northallyrtoun; For Inglissmen suld thar na succour get: Quham thai ourtuk, thai slew with outyn let. 1700 To meit Wallace thai past with all thair mycht, A hundreth with thaim off men in armes brycht. A blyth metyng that tym was thaim betweyn, Quhen erll Malcom and Wallace has thaim seyn. Thom Dycson than was met with gud Wallace, 1705 Quhilk grantyt sone [for] to reskew Douglace, “Dicson,” he said, “wait thow thair multiplé?” ‘Thre thousand men thair power mycht nocht be.’ Erll Malcom said; “Thoucht thai war thousandys fyffe, “For this actioun me think that we suld stryff.” 1710 Than Hew the Hay, that duelt wndyr trewage, Off Inglissmen son he gaiff our the wage; Mar for to pay as than he likyt nocht. With fyfté men with Wallace furth he socht; To Peblis past, bot no Sotheroun thar baid, 1715 Thar at the croice a playn crya thai maid. Wallace commaund, quha wald cum to his pess, Fol. 94 a And byd tharat, reward suld haiff but les. Gud Ruthirfurd, that euir trew has beyn, In Atryk wode, agayn the Sotheroun keyn, 1720 Bydyn he had, and done thaim mekill der; Saxté he led off nobill men in wer. Wallace welcummyt quha com in his supplé With lordly feyr, and chyftaynlik was he. Thaim till aray thai yeid with out the toun; 1725 Thar nowmyr was sex hundreth off renoun, In byrneis brycht, all men off mekill waill; With glaid hartis thai past in Clyddisdaill. The sege be than was to the Sanchar set; Sic tithingis com, quhilk maid tharin a let. 1730 Quhen Sotheroun hard that Wallace was so ner, Throw haisty fray the ost was all on ster; Na man was thar wald for ane othir byd, Purpos thai tuk in Ingland for to ryd. The chyftane said, sen thair king had befor 1735 Fra Wallace fled, the causis was the mor. Fast south thai went; to bid it was gret waith. Douglace as than was quyt [thus] off thair scaith. In Crawfurd mur be than was gud Wallace, Quhen men him tauld, that Sotheroun apon cace 1740 Was fled away, and durst nocht him abid. Thre hundreth than he chessyt with him to rid, In lycht harnes, and hors at thai wald waill. The erll Malcom he bad byd with the staill. To folow thaim, a bakgard for to be, 1745 To stuff a chace in all haist bownyt he. Throw Durisder he tuk the gaynest gayt; Rycht fayn he wald with Sotheroun mak debait. The playnest way abone Mortoun thai hald, Kepand the hycht, gyff that the Sotheroun wald 1750 Houss to persew, or turn to Lochmaban. Bot tent thar to the Inglissmen tuk nan; Doune neth thai held, graith gydys can thaim leyr, Abon Closburn Wallace approchyt ner. In ire he grew, quhen thai war in his sycht; 1755 To thaim thai sped with wyll and all thair mycht. On a out part the Scottis set in that tyd; Sewyn scor at erd thai had sone at a syd. The Sotheroun saw that it was hapnyt sa, Turnyt in agayn [sum] reskew for to ma. 1760 Quhen thai trowyt best agayn Scotland to stand, Erll Malcom com [than] rycht ner at thair hand. The hayll power tuk playn purpos to fle. Fol. 94 b Quha was at erd Wallace gert lat thaim be; Apon the formest folowit in all his mycht. 1765 The erll and his apon the layff can lycht, Dyd all to ded wnhorssyt was that tyd. Feyll men was slayn apon the Sotheroun sid. Fyve hundreth larg, or thai past Dawswyntoun, On Sotheroun sid to ded was brocht adoun. 1770 The Scottis horss mony began to tyr, Supposs thaim selff was cruell fers as fyr. The flearis left bathe wode and watterys haill; To tak the playn thai thocht it most awaill. In gret battaill away full fast thai raid; 1775 In to strenthtis thai thocht to mak na baid. Ner Louchmaban and Lochyrmos thai went, Besyd Crouchmaid, quhar feyll Sotheroun was schent. Rycht mony horss, at ronnyn had so lang, And trawalyt sayr, thai mycht no forthir gang. 1780 Schyr Jhon the Graym apon his fut was set; Than Wallace als lychtyt with outyn let. Thir twa on fute amang the enemyss yeid; Was nayn, but hors, mycht fra thaim [pas] throw speid. On Inglissmen so cruelly thai socht, 1785 Quhom thai ourtuk agayn harmyt ws nocht. To Wallace com a part off power new, On restyt horss, that partly couth persew; Adam Corré, with gud men off gret waill, And Jhonstoun als, that duelt in [to] Housdaill; 1790 And Kyrkpatrik was in that cumpany, And Halyday, quhilk semblyt sturdely. Quhar thai entryt, the sailye was so sayr, Dede to the ground feill frekis doun thai bayr. Sewyn scor was haill off new cummyn men in deid; 1795 The south party off thaim had mekill dreid. Wallace was horssyt apon a cursour wicht, At gud Corré had brocht in to thair sycht, To stuff the chas with his new chewalry. He commaundyt Graym, and all his men for thi, 1800 To gydder byd, and folow as thai mycht. Thre capdanys thar full son to dede he dycht. That restyt horss so wondyr weill him bayr, Quhom he our tuk agayn raiss neuir mar. Raithly he raid, and maid full mony wound, 1805 Thir thre capdanis he stekit in that stound, Off Durisdeyr, Enoch, and Tybyr mur. Lord Clyffurdis eym away to Clyffurd fur, The quhilk befor that kepyt Lowchmaban; Na landyt man chapyt with him bot ane. 1810 For Maxwell als, out off Carlauerok com, Fol. 95 a On to the Sotheroun the gaynest wayis nom. In to the chass so wysly thai rid, Few gat away that com apon that sid. Besyd Cokpull full feyll fechtand thai fand; 1815 Sum drownyt was, sum slayn wpon the sand; Quha chapyt was, in Ingland fled away. Wallace returnd; na presoner tuk thai. In Carlauerok restyng that nycht thai maid, Apon the morn till Drumfres blythly raid. 1820 Thar Wallace cryid, quha wald cum to his pes, Agayn Sotheroun, thar malice for to cess. Till trew Scottis he ordand warysoun; Quha fawtyt had, he grantyt remissioun. In Drumfress than he wald no langer byd. 1825 The Sotheroun fled off Scotland on ilk sid, Be sey and land, without langar abaid. Off castellys, townys, than Wallace chyftanys maid Rewlyt the land, and put it to the rest, With trew keparys, the quhilk he traistyt best. 1830 The trew Douglace, that I yow tauld off ayr, Kepar was maid fra Drumlanryk till Ayr. Becauss he had on Sotheroun sic thing wrocht, Hyss wyff was wraith; but it scho schawit nocht, Wndyr cowart hyr malice hid perfyt, 1835 As a serpent watis hyr tym to byt. Till Douglace eft scho wrocht full mekill cayr; Off that as now I leyff quhill forthirmar.