Part 26

Bot Sotheroun men durst her no castell hald, Bot left Scotland, befor as I yow tald, 1840 Saiff ane Morton, a capdane fers and fell, That held Dundé. Than Wallace wald nocht duell; Thiddyr he past, and lappyt it about. Quhen Morton saw, that he was in sic dout, He askyt leyff with thar lywys to ga. 1845 Wallace denyit, and said; “It beis nocht sa; “The last capdane off Ingland that her was, “I gayff him leyff with his men for to pass. “Thow sall forthink sic maister for to mak; “All Ingland sall of the exemple tak. 1850 “Sic men [I wend] fra thine now to haiff worn; “Thow sall be hangyt, supposs thi king had suorn.” He gert commaund na Scottis suld to thaim spek; “Conferme the sege, and so we sall ws wrek “On Inglissmen, has sic will off Dundé.” 1855 Scrymiour he maid thar constable for to be. A ballingar off Ingland, that was thar, Past out off Tay, and com to Whitbé far, Till London send, and tauld off all this cace; Fol. 95 b Till hyng Morton wowyt had Wallace. 1860 Befor this tym Eduuard with power yeid To wer on Frans, for than he had no dreid; Before he trowyt Scotland suld be his awn. Quhen thai him warnyt how his men was ourthrawn, Agayn he turnyt till Ingland haistely, 1865 And left his deid all fykit in to fy. Gascon he clemyt as in to heretage, He left it thus, for all his gret barnage; And Flandris als he thocht till tak on hand; And thir he left, and come to reyff Scotland. 1870 Quhen that this king in Ingland was cummyn hayme, Sowmoundis thai maid, and chargyt Bruce be nayme, And all wthir, that leyffyt wndir his croun, Byschop, barroun, to cum at thair sowmoun. Quhen Wallace twyss, throw grace, had fred Scotland, 1875 This tyran king tuk playnly wpon hand, For sic desyr that he mycht haiff no rest, He thocht till hym of it to mak conquest. In cowatice he had rongyn so lang, Chyftanis he maid; at thai suld nocht pas wrang, 1880 Gydis thai chessyt, fra strenthis thaim to ghy, Thai thocht no mor to byd at juperty. In playn battaill, and thai mycht Wallace wyn, He trowyt off wer thai wald no mor begyn. Lat I this king makand hys ordinans; 1885 My purpos is to spek sum thing off Frans. The Inglissmen, that Ghyan held at wer, Till Franch folk thai did full mekill der. King and consaill sone in thar wyttis kest, To get Wallace thai thocht it was the best. 1890 For Gyan land the Inglissmen had thai; Thai schup thaim thus in all the haist thai may: For thai traistyt, and Scotland war weill stad, Wallace wald cum, as he thaim promyst had. The sammyn harrald, befor in Scotland was, 1895 Thai him commaundyt, and ordand he suld pas In to Scotland, with out langar delay, Out off the Slus, as gudly as he may. Redy he was, in schip he went on cace, In Tayis mowth the hawyn but baid he tais, 1900 Quhar Wallace was than at the saylye still; And he rasawyt the harrold with gud will. Thar wryt he raid, and said him on this wyss, Ane ansuer sone he couth thaim nocht dewyss. Till honest in the harrold than he send, 1905 On Wallace cost rycht boundandly to spend, Quhyll tym he saw how [othir] materis yeid; Fol. 96 a Ane ansuer he suld hawe with outyn dreid; The wyt off Frans thocht Wallace to commend; In to Scotland, with this harrold, thai send 1910 Part off his deid, and als the discriptioune Off him tane thar, be men off discretioun, Clerkis, knychtis, and harroldys, that him saw; Bot I hereoff can nocht reherss thaim aw. Wallace statur, off gretnes, and off hycht, 1915 Was jugyt thus, be discretioun off rycht, That saw him bath dissembill and in weid; Nyne quartaris large he was in lenth indeid; Thryd part lenth in schuldrys braid was he, Rycht sembly, strang, and lusty for to se; 1920 Hys lymmys gret, with stalwart paiss and sound, Hys browys hard, his armes gret and round; His handis maid rycht lik till a pawmer, Off manlik mak, with naless gret and cler; Proportionyt lang and fayr was his wesage; 1925 Rycht sad off spech, and abill in curage; Braid breyst and heych, with sturdy crag and gret; His lyppys round, his noyss was squar and tret; Bowand bron haryt, on browis and breis lycht, Cler aspre eyn, lik dyamondis brycht. 1930 Wndyr the chyn, on the left syd, was seyn, Be hurt, a wain; his colour was sangweyn. Woundis he had in mony diuerss place, Bot fayr and weill kepyt was his face. Off ryches he kepyt no propyr thing; 1935 Gaiff as he wan, lik Alexander the king. In tym off pes, mek as a maid was he; Quhar wer approchyt the rycht Ector was he. To Scottis men a gret credens he gaiff; Bot knawin enemyss thai couth him nocht disayff. 1940 Thir properteys was knawin in to Frans, Off him to be in gud remembrans. Maistir Jhon Blayr that patron couth rasaiff, In Wallace buk brewyt it with the layff. Bot he her off as than tuk litill heid, 1945 His lauborous mynd was all on othir deid. At Dundé sege thus ernystfully thai lay; Tithandis to him Jop brocht on a day, How Eduuard king, with likly men to waill, A hundyr thousand, com for to assail; 1950 Than Scotland ground thai had [tane] apon cace. In to sum part it grewyt gud Wallace. He maid Scrymiour still at the houss to ly, With twa thousand; and chargyt him forthi, That nayn suld chaip with lyff out off that sted, 1955 Fol. 96 b At Sotheroun war, bot do thaim all to ded. Scrymgeour grantyt rycht faithfully to bid; With aucht thousand Wallace couth fra him ryd To Sanct Jhonstoun; four dayis he graithit him thar; With sad awyss towart the south can fayr. 1960 For king Eduuard that tym ordanit had Ten thousand haill to pass, that was full glad, With yong Wodstok, a lord off mekill mycht. At Sterlyng bryg he ordand thaim full rycht, And thar to byd, the entré for to wer; 1965 Off Wallace than he trowit to haiff no der. Thar leyff thai laucht, and passit bot delay, Rycht far alyand, in a gud aray; To Sterlyng com, and wald nocht thar abyd; To se the north furth than can he ryd. 1970 Sic new curage so fell in his entent, Quhilk maid Sotheron full sar to rapent.

EXPLICIT LIBER NONUS, ET INCIPIT DECIMUS.

BUKE TEND.

This Wodstok raid in to the north gud speid; Off Scottis as than he had bot litill dreid; For weyll he trowyt for to reskew Dundé; Thar schippys com to Tay in be the se. His gydys said, thai suld him gyd in by 5 Saynct Jhonstoun, quhar passage was playnly. The hycht thai tuk, and lukit thaim about, So war thai war off Wallace and his rout. In sum part than he remordyt his thocht, The kingis commaund becauss he kepyt nocht: 10 Bot quhen he saw thai war fewar than he, He wald thaim byd, and othir do or de. Schyr Jhon Ramsay formest his power saw, He said; “Yon is, that yhe se hydder draw, “Othir Sotheroun, that cummys sa cruellye, 15 “Or ellis erll Malcom to sek yow for supplé.” Than Wallace smyld, and said; ‘Ingliss thai ar; ‘Ye may thaim ken rycht weyll, quhar euir thai far.’ On Schyrreff mur Wallace the feild has tane, With aucht thousand, that worthy was in wane. 20 The Sotheroun was rycht douchty in thair deid, To gydder straik, weyll stuffyt in steyll weid. Than speris sone all in to splendrys sprent. The hardy Scottis throw out the Sotheroun went; In reddy battaill sewyn thowsand doun thai bar, 25 Dede on the bent, that recoueryt neuir mar. With fell fechtyng off wapynnys groundyn keyn, Fol. 97 a Blud fra byrneis was bruschyt on the greyn. The felloun stour, that awfull was and strang, The worthy Scottis so felloun on thaim dang, 30 At all was dede within a litill stound; Nane off that place had power for to found. Yong Wodstok has bathe land and lyff forlorn. The Scottis spulyeit off gud ger thaim beforn, Quhat thaim thocht best, off fyn harnes thai waill, 35 Bath gold and gud, and horss that mycht thaim waill. To Sterlyng bryg, with out restyng, thai raid, Or ma suld com; Wallace this ordinans maid; Past our the bryg; Wallace gert wrychtis call, Hewyt trastis; wndyd the passage all. 40 Sa tha sam folk he send to the dep furd, Ger set the ground with scharp spykis off burd. Bot nyne or ten he kest a gait befor, Langis the schauld, maid it bath dep and schor. Than Wallace said; “On a sid we sall be, 45 “Yon king and I, bot gyff he southwart fle.” He send Lawder, quhilk had in hand the Bass, Langis the cost, quhar ony weschell wass, And men with him, that bysily couth luk; Off ilka boyt a burd or twa out tuk. 50 Schippys thai brynt off strangearis that was thar, Cetoun and he; to Wallace thus thai fayr, In Sterlyng lay apon his purpos still, For Inglissmen to se quhat way thai will. The erll Malcom Sterlyng in kepyng had; 55 Till him he com with men off armes sad, Thre hundreth haill, that sekyr war and trew, Off Lennox folk, thair power to renew. Schir John the Graym, fra Dundaff prewaly, Till Wallace com with a gud chewalry; 60 Tithandis him brocht, the Sotheroun com at hand, In Torfychan king Eduuard was lugeand; Stroyand the place off purwiance that was thar; Sanct Jhonys gud for thaim thai wald nocht spar. The gud Stewart of But com to the land, 65 With him he ledys weill ma than twelf thowsand; Till Cumyn past, was than in Cummyrnald. Apon the morn bownyt the Stewart bald Sone till aray, with men off armes brycht; Twenty thowsand than semblyt to thair sycht. 70 The lord Stewart and Cumyn furth thai rid To the Fawkyrk, and thar hecht to abid. The Scottis chyftane than owt off Sterlyng past; Fol. 97 b To the Fawkyrk he sped his ost full fast. Wallace and his than till aray he yeid, 75 With ten thousand off douchty men in deid. Quha couth behald thair awfull lordly wult, So weill beseyn, so forthwart, stern, and stult; So gud chyftanys, as with sa few thar beyn, With out a king, was neuir in Scotland seyn. 80 Wallace him selff, and erll Malcom that lord, Schir Jhon the Graym, and Ramsay at accord, Cetoun, Lawder, and Lundy that was wicht, Adam Wallace to that jornay him dycht, And mony gud, quhilk prewyt weill in press; 85 Thar namys all I may nocht her rehress. Sotheroun or than off Torfychan fur, Thar passage maid in to Slamanan mur; In till a playn set tentis and palyon, South hald Fawkyrk, a litill abon the ton. 90 And Jop him selff jugit thaim, be his sycht, In haill nowmyr a hundyr thousand rycht. Off Wallace com the Scottis sic confort tuk. Quhen thai him saw, all raddour thai forsuk; For off inwy was few thar at it wyst; 95 Tresonable folk thair mater wyrkis throu lyst. Poyson sen syn at the Fawkyrk is cald, Throu treson and corruption off ald. Lord Cumyn had inwy at gud Wallace, Fer erll Patrik that hapnyt vpon cace. 100 Cunttas off Merch was Cumyns sister der; Wndyr colour he wroucht in this maner, In to the ost had ordand Wallace dede, And maid Stewart with him to fall in pled; He said that lord, at Wallace had no rycht 105 Power to leid, and he present in sycht. He bad him tak the wantgard for to gy; So wyst he weyll that thai suld stryff forthi. Lord Stewart ast at Wallace his consaill, Said; “Schyr, ye knaw quhat may ws maist awaill; 110 “Yon felloun king is awfull for to bid.” Rycht wnabasyt Wallace ansuerd that tyd; ‘And I haiff seyn may twyss in to Scotland, ‘With yon ilk king, quhen Scottismen tuk on hand ‘With fewar men than now ar hydder socht, 115 ‘This realm agayn to full gud purpos brocht. ‘Schyr, we will fecht, for we haiff men inew, ‘As for a day; sa that we be all trew.’ The Stewart said, he wald the wantgard haiff. Wallace ansuerd, and said; “Sa God me saiff, 120 “That sall ye nocht, as lang as I may ryng; Fol. 98 a “Nor no man ellis, quhill I se my rycht king. “Gyff he will cum, and tak on him the croun, “At his commaund I sall be reddy boun. “Throw Goddis grace I reskewed Scotland twyss; 125 “I war to mad to leyff [it] on sic wyss, “To tyn for bost that I haiff gowernd lang.” Thus halff in wraith frawart him can he gang. Stewart tharwith all bolynt in to baill. ‘Wallace,’ he said, ‘be the I tell a taill.’ 130 “Say furth,” quoth he, “off the farrest ye can.” Wnhappyly his taill thus he began. ‘Wallace,’ he said, ‘thow takis the mekill cur; ‘So feryt it, be wyrkyng off natur, ‘How a howlat complend off his fethrame, 135 ‘Quhill deym natur tuk off ilk byrd, but blame, ‘A fayr fethyr, and to the howlat gaiff; ‘Than he throuch pryd reboytyt all the laiff. ‘Quhar off suld thow thi senye schaw so he? ‘Thow thinkis nan her at suld thi falow be. 140 ‘This makis it, thow art cled with our men, ‘Had we our awn, thin war bot few to ken.’ At thir wordis gud Wallace brynt as fyr; Our haistely he ansuerd him in ire: “Thow leid,” he said; “the suth full oft has ben, 145 “Thar haiff I baid, quhar thow durst nocht be seyn “Contrar enemys, na mar, for Scotlandis rycht, “Than dar the howlat quhen that the day is brycht. “That taill full meit thow has tauld be thi sell; “To thi desyr thow sall me nocht compell. 150 “Cwmyn it is has gyffyn this consaill; “Will God, ye sall off your fyrst purpos faill. “That fals traytour, that I off danger brocht, “Is wondyr lyk till bryng this realm till nocht. “For thi ogart othir thow sall de, 155 “Or in presoun byd, or cowart lik to fle. “Reskew off me thow sall get nane this day.” Tharwith he turnd, and fra thaim raid his way. Ten thousand haill fra thaim with Wallace raid; Nan was bettyr in all this warld so braid, 160 As off sic men, at leiffand was in lyff. Allace, gret harm fell Scotland throucht that stryff!

Past till a wod fra the Fawkyrk be est, He wald nocht byd for commaund na request; For charge off nan, bot it had ben his king, 165 At mycht that tym bryng him fra his etlyng. The tothir Scottis, that saw this discensioun, For disconford to leiff the feild was boun; Fol. 98 b Bot at thai men, was natyff till Stwart, Principaill off But, tuk hardement in hart. 170 Lord Stewart was at Cumyn grewyt thar, Hecht, and he leiffd, he suld repent full sar The gret trespace, that he, throw raklesnace, Had gert him mak to Wallace in that place. For thair debait it was a gret peté; 175 For Inglissmen than mycht na treté be, Haistyt sa fast a bataill to the feild, Thretty thowsand that weill coud wapynnys weild. Erll off Harfurd was chosyn thair chyftane. The gud Stewart than till aray is gane; 180 The feild he tuk, as trew and worthy knycht. The Inglissmen come on with full gret mycht. Thar fell metyng was awfull for to se, At that countour thai gert feill Sotheroun de. Quhen speris was spilt, hynt owt with suerdis son; 185 On athir sid full douchty deid was don. Feill on the ground was fellyt in that place: Stewart and his can on his enemys race; Blud byrstyt out throuch maill and byrneis brycht. Twenty thowsand, with dredfull wapynnys dycht, 190 Off Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dyng; The remanand agayn fled to thair king. Ten thousand thar, that fra the ded eschewyt, With thair chyftane in to the ost relewyt. Agayn to ray the hardy Stwart yeid. 195 Quhen Wallace saw this nobill worthi deid, Held wp his handys, with humyll prayer prest, To God he said; “Gyff yon lord grace to lest, “And power haiff his worschip till attend, “To wyn thir folk, and tak the haill commend. 200 “Gret harm it war at he suld be ourset; “With new power thai will on him rebet.” Be that the Bruce ane awfull battaill baid, And Byschop Beik, quhilk oft had been assayd, Fourty thowsand, apon the Scottis to fair, 205 With fell affer; thai raissit wp rycht thair The Bruce baner, in gold off gowlis cler. Quhen Wallace saw battallis approchyt ner, The rycht lyon agayn his awn kynryk, “Allace,” he said, “the warld is contrar lik! 210 “This land suld be yon tyrandis heretage, “That cummys thus to stroy his awn barnage. “Sa I war fre off it that I said ayr, “I wald forswer Scotland for euirmair; “Contrar the Bruce I suld reskew thaim now, 215 Fol. 99 a “Or de tharfor, to God I mak a wow.” The gret debait in Wallace wit can waid, Betwix kyndnes and wyllfull wow he maid. Kyndness him bad reskew thaim fra thair fa. Than Wyll said; ‘Nay, quhy, fuyll, wald thow do sa? 220 ‘Thow has na wyt with rycht thi selff to leid; ‘Suld thow help thaim that wald put the to deid?’ Kyndnes said; “Yha, thai ar gud Scottis men.” Than Will said; ‘Nay; weryté thow may ken; ‘Had thai bene gud, all anys we had ben. 225 ‘Be reson heyr the contrar now is seyn; ‘For thai me hayt ma na Sotheroun leid.’ Kyndnes said; “Nay, that schaw thai nocht in deid. “Thocht ane off thaim be fals in till his saw, “For causs off him thow suld nocht loss thaim aw. 230 “Thai haiff done weill in to yon felloun stour; “Reskew thaim now, and tak a hye honour.” Wyll said; ‘Thai wald haiff reft fra me my lyff; ‘I baid for thaim in mony stalwart stryff.’ Kyndnes said; “Help, thair power is at nocht; 235 “Syn wreik on hym that all the malice wrocht.” Wyll said; ‘This day thai sall nocht helpyt be; ‘That I haiff said, sall ay be said for me ‘Thai ar bot dede; God grant thaim off his blys! ‘Inwy lang syn has done gret harme but this.’ 240 Wallace tharwith turnyt for ire in teyn, Braith teris for baill byrst out fra bathe his eyn. Schyr Jhon the Graym, and mony worthi wicht, Wepyt in wo for sorow off that sycht. Quhen Bruce his battaill apon the Scottis straik, 245 Thair cruell com maid cowardis for to quaik; Lord Cwmyn fled to Cummyrnauld away. About the Scottis the Sotheroun lappyt thay. The men off But befor thair lord thai stud, Defendand him, quhen fell stremys off blud 250 Wer thaim about in flothis quhar thai yeid. Bathid in blud was Bruce suerd and his weid, Throw fell slauchtyr off trew men off his awn. Son to the dede the Scottis was ourthrawn; Syn slew the lord, for he wald nocht be tayn. 255 Quhen Wallace saw quhen thir gud men was gayn, “Lordis,” he said, “quhat now is your consaill? “Twa choyss thar is, the best I rede ws waill. “Yondyr the king this ost abandonand; “Heyr Bruce and Beyk, in yon battaill to stand. 260 “Yon king in wer has wyss and felloun beyn; Fol. 99 b “Thar capdans als full cruell ar and keyn; “Bettyr off hand is nocht leiffand, I wyss, “In tyrandry; ye trow me weill off this. “Than Bruce and Beik to quhat part thai be set, 265 “We haiff a choiss, quhilk is full hard but let. “And we turn est, for strenth in Lowthiane land, “Thai stuff a chass rycht scharp, I dar warrand. “Tak we the mur, yon king is ws befor. “Thar is bot this, with outyn wordis mor; 270 “To the Torwod; for our succour is thar. “Throuch Brucis ost forsuth fyrst mon we far; “Amang ws now thar nedis no debayt, “Yon men ar dede, we will nocht stryff for stayt.” Thai consent haill to wyrk rycht as he will; 275 Quhat him thocht best thai grantyt to fullfill. Gud Wallace than, that stoutly couth thaim ster, Befor thaim raid in till his armour cler, Rewellyt speris all in a nowmyr round; “And we hawe grace for to pass throw thaim sound, 280 “And few be lost, till our strenth we will ryd. “Want we mony, in faith we sall all byd.” Thai hardnyt horss fast on the gret ost raid; The rerd at rayss, quhen sperys in sondyr glaid, Duschyt in gloss, dewyt with speris dynt. 285 Fra forgyt steyll the fyr flew out but stynt. The felloun thrang, quhen horss and men remowyt, Wp drayff the dust quhar thai thair pichtis prowyt. The tothir ost mycht nocht no deidis se, For stour at raiss, quhill thai disseuyrit be. 290 The worthy Scottis aucht thousand doun thai ber; Few war at erd at gud Wallace brocht thar. The king cryt horss apon thaim for to ryd; Bot this wyss lord gaiff him consaill to bid, The erll off York, said; “Schyr, ye wyrk amyss. 295 “To brek aray; yon men quyt throucht thaim is. “Thai ken the land, and will to strenthis draw; “Tak we the playn, we ar in perell aw.” The king consawyt at his consaill was rycht, Rewllyt his ost, and baid still in thair sycht. 300 Or Bruce and Beik mycht retorn thair battaill, The Scottis was throucht, and had a great awaill.