Part 29

The sayr trawaill, the ernystfull besynes, The feill labour had in mony place, To wyn the land at the gud king him gaiff, In till his ryng he wald no Sotheroun saiff. In Gyan land Wallace was still at wer; 5 Off Scotlandis loss it did his hart gret der; Off trew Scottis in mynd he had peté, He thocht to help quhen he his tym mycht se. Off set battaillis fyve he dyscumfyt haill, But jeperté and mony strang assaill. 10 Syn thai forsuk, and durst him nocht abid; The Sotheroun fled fra him on athir sid To Burdeouss, in gret multiplye; Than com thai stufft with wictaill be the se. All Gyan land Wallace brocht till his peess; 15 To Burdeouss yit he past or he wald cess. On out byggyngis full gret maister thai maid; Still saxté dayis at sar sailyie thai baid. Fortrace, and werk that was with out the toun, Thai brak, and brynt, and put to confusioun: 20 Hagis, alais, be laubour that was thar, Fulyeit and spilt; thai wald no froitis spar. The Inglissmen maid gret defens agayn With schot and cast, for thai war mekill off mayn. Off gownnys thai war, and ganyies, stuffyt weill, 25 All artailye and wapynnys off fyn steill; With men and meit within war buskit beyn; Thair gret capdane was wyss, cruell and keyn. Off Glosyster that huge lord and her, This erll had beyn weill vsyt in to wer, 30 Kepyt his men be wit and hardement; With out the toun thar durst nane fra him went. Fol. 110 a The landis with out wer ner waistyt away, Wermen so lang in to the contré lay. In Wallace ost so scantyt the wictaill, 35 Thai mycht nocht bid [na] langar till assaill. Than this wiss lord, the duk off Orlyance, To Wallace said; “Schyr, ye suld knaw this chance. “It standis our weill with this fals Sotheroun blud; “For on no wayis we can nocht stop thair fud. 40 “The hawin thai haiff and schippis at thair will; “Off Ingland cummys enewch off wittaill thaim till. “This land is purd off fud that suld ws beild; “And ye se weill als thai forsaik the feild. “Thai will nocht fecht, thocht we all yher suld bid; 45 “Ye may off pess plenyss thir landis wid. “My consaill is in playn, anent this thing, “At ye wald pass with worschip to the king. “Be his assent, ye may at lasar waill “With prouisioun agayn for till assaill.” 50 Wallace inclynd, and thankit this wyss lord. Than thai tranontyt all in a gud concord; Past wp in France with honour to the king, And schawit him haill the verité off this thing; And he tharoff in hart was wondyr glad. 55 Franch men befor that hundreth yer nocht haid Off Gyan halff sa mekill in to thair hand. Wrytting be than was new cumyn off Scotland, Fra part off lordis and byschop gud Synclar, Besocht the king in [to] thair termys fair, 60 Off his gentrice, and off his gudlye grace, For thair supplé, to consaill gude Wallace To cum agayne, and bring thaim off bandoun, And tak to wer the croun off that regioun. This wrytt as than he wald nocht till him schaw; 65 Rycht laith he war for frendschip, feik, or aw, Wallace suld pass sa son fra his presens: To duelling place he tuk to residens. In Schynnown still Wallace his duelling maid, And held about rycht likand landis braid. 70 A keyn capdane than clemyt in heretage Office off it, and gret landis in wage; Tharfor he thocht gud Wallace for to sla. Wndyr colour sic maistrie for to ma, Lang tym he socht to get a day and place; 75 Said he desyrd in seruice to Wallace. Fol. 110 b A tryst thai set with sexteyn on the sid; Fyfty thar by he gert in buschement byd Off men in armys. Quhen he with Wallace met, Rycht awfully he bad thaim on him set. 80 Na armour had Wallace men in to that place, Bot suerd and knyff thai bur on thaim throw grace. Parteis beyn met ner a fayr forest sid, Rycht boustously this capdane said that tyd, At Wallace held off his landis vnrycht. 85 Rycht sobyrly he said to that Franch knycht; “I haiff no land bot quhilk the king gaiff me; “My lyff tharfor has beyne in jeperté.” The knycht ansuerd; ‘Thi lyff thow sall forlorn, ‘Or ellis that land, the contrar quha had suorn.’ 90 On bak he lap, and owt his suerd he drew; The buschement brak, quhen he that takyn schew, Gud Wallace thocht that mater stud nocht weill. He gryppyt sone a scherand suerd off steill, And at a straik the knycht to ded he draiff; 95 About sexteyn sone lappyt all the layff. Wallace and his so worthely thai wrocht, Full feill thai slew that sarest on them socht. The knychtis brodyr rycht stalwart was and strang; And thocht he suld be wengyt or thai gang. 100 Off Wallace men sum part thai woundyt sair. Mawand thar was in till a medow fair Nyne stout carllis, all serwandis to that knycht; Sythis thai hynt, and ran in all thair mycht To the fechtaris. Or thai com ner that place, 105 Off thaim persawyt rycht weill was gud Wallace. Sa awfull thing off sic he neuir saw; Thaim to rasyst him selff can to thaim draw, In to the stour left his men fechtand still, To meit thai carllis that com with egyr will. 110 The fyrst leit draw at Wallace with his sith; Deliuer he was, and heich our lappyt swyth, And awkwart straik that churl apon the hed; Derffly on ground he has him left for ded. The tothir he met, our lap his syth so keyn, 115 On the schuldir als straik him in that teyn; Throuch all the cost the noble suerd doun schair. The thrid he met, with a rycht awfull fayr The groundyn syth at Wallace he leit draw. This gud chyftan cleynly our lap thaim aw. 120 With his gud suerd he maid a hidwyss wound, Fol. 111 a Left thaim for ded, syne on the ferd can found; On the wan bayn with gret ire can him ta, Cleyffyt the cost rycht cruelly in twa. Thre formast sythis thus gud Wallace our lap, 125 And four he slew; thai saw sic was his hap; [For] a man ay he slew at euirilk straik. The layff fled fast; thus can the power slaik. Wallace folowed, and sone the fyrst our tais; Straik him to ded, that na forthyr he gais; 130 Syn sped him fast till his awn men agayn. Be than thai had the knychtis brothyr slayn. Sexté and sex sexteyn to ded has dycht, Bot saiff sewyn men at fled out off thair sycht; Fyve malwaris als, that Wallace selff with met. 135 To Franch men syn na sic trystis he set, Be causs that thai him brocht to sic a cace. The king hard tell weill chapyt was Wallace; Send for him sone, and prayit him for to be Off his housshald, so leyff in gud saufté. 140 For weill he saw thai had him at inwye; Still with him selff he gert him bid forthi. Twa yeris thus with myrth Wallace abaid Still in to Frans, and mony gud jornay maid. The king him plessed in all his gudly mane, 145 Fra him he thocht he suld nocht part agayn. Lordys and ladiis honoryd him reuerently, Wrechys and schrewis ay had him at inwy.

Twa campiowns that tyme duelt with the king, Had gret despyt at Wallace in all thing. 150 To giddyr ay yeid thir twa campiowns, Off felloun fors and frawart attenciouns. Rycht gret despyt thai spak oft off Scotland; Quhill on a day it hapnyt apon hand, Wallace and thai was lewit all thaim allayn, 155 Be awentur, in till a hous off stayne. Thai oysyt to ber na wapynnys in that hall, Thai trowyt thar for a myss thai mycht nocht fall. Thar commownd thai off Scotland scornfully. Than Wallace said; “Ye wrang ws owtragely, 160 “Sen we ar bownd in frendschip to your kyng; “And he off ws is plessed in all thing. “Als Scottis men has helpyt this realme off dreid. “Me think ye suld geyff gud word for gud deid. “Quhat may ye spek off your enemys bot ill?” 165 In lychtlynes thai maid ansuer him till; Fol. 111 b And him dispysyt in thar langage als; ‘Ye Scottis,’ thai said, ‘has euir yeit beyne fals.’ Wallace tuk ane on the face in his teyn With his gud hand, quhill ness, mouth, and eyn, 170 Throuch the braith blaw, all byrstyt owt off blud; Butless to ground he smat him quhar he stud. The tothir hynt to Wallace in that sted; For weill he wend his falow had beyne ded. And he agayn in greiff him grippyt sayr, 175 Quhill spretis failyeid ner; he mycht do no mayr. The fyrst frek raiss, and smat on Wallace fast; Bathe to the ded he brocht thaim at the last. Apon a pillar thair harnys owt he dang, Bot with his handis, syn owt at the dur thaim flang; 180 And said; “Quhat dewyll mowyt yon churllys at me? “Lang tyme in France I wald haiff lattyn thaim be.” Traistis for trewth, thus war thai ded in deid; Thocht Franchmen [now] likis it nocht to reid. Als I will cess and put it nocht in rym: 185 Bettir tharis quha rycht can luk in tym. Mony gret lord was displessyd in Frans, Bot the gud king, that knew all haill the chans. Oft gret dispyt off Scotland spokyn had thai. This passyt our, quhill eftir a nothir day. 190 Was nayn off thaim that durst it wndirtak He had done wrang, nor tharfor battaill mak. This ryoll roy a hie worschip him gaiff; As conquerour him honowryd our the layff. A fell lyoun the king has gert be brocht 195 With in a barrace, for gret harm that he wrocht, Terlyst in yrn, na mar power him gaiff. Off wodness he excedyt all the layff; Bot he was fayr, and rycht felloun in deid. In that strang strenth the king gert men him feid; 200 Kepyt him closs fra folk and bestiall. In the court duelt twa squieris off gret waill, At cusyngis war on to thir campiounis twa, The quhilk befor Wallace hapnyt to sla. A band thai maid in prewa illusioun, 205 At thair power to wyrk his confusioun, Be ony meyn, throw frawd or sutelté; Eftir, tharfor, thai roucht nocht for to de, To ded or schaym sa that thai mycht him bryng. Fol. 112 a Apon a tym thai went on to the king; 210 “This man,” thai said, “at ye sa welthfull mak, “He seis nocht her bot he wald wndyrtak, “Be his gret fors, to put to confusioun. “Now he desyris to fecht on your lyoun; “And bad ws ask at yow this battaill strang, 215 “Ye grant him leyff in that barrace to gang.” Sadly agayn to thaim ansuerd the king; ‘Sayr me forthinkis at he desiris sic thing; ‘Bot I will nothir for greyff, nor gret plesance, ‘Deny Wallace quhat he desiris off France.’ 220 Than went thai furth, and sone met with Wallace; A fygourd taill thai tald hym off this cace. “Wallace,” thai said, “the king desiris that ye “Doren battaill sa cruell be to se, “And chargis you to fecht on this lioun.” 225 Wallace ansuerd in haisty conclusioun, And said; ‘I sall, quhat be the kingis will, ‘At my power rycht glaidly to fullfill.’ Than passit he on to the king but mair. A lord off court, quhen he approchyt thar, 230 Wnwisytly sperd, with outyn prouisioun; “Wallace, dar ye go fecht on our lioun?” And he said; ‘Ya, so the king suffyr me; ‘Or on your selff, gyff ye ocht bettyr be.’ Quhat will ye mar? this thing amittyt was, 235 That Wallace suld on to the lyoun pas. The king thaim chargyt to bryng him gud harnas: And he said; “Nay, God scheild me fra sic cass. “I wald tak weid, suld I fecht with a man; “Bot [for] a dog, that nocht off armes can, 240 “I will haiff nayn, bot synglar as I ga.” A gret manteill about his hand can ta, And his gud suerd; with him he tuk na mar; Abandounly in barrace entryt thar. Gret chenys was wrocht in the yet with a gyn, 245 And puld it to quhen Wallace was tharin. The wod lyoun, on Wallace quhar he stud, Rampand he braid, for he desyryt blud; With his rude pollis in the mantill rocht sa. Aukwart the bak than Wallace can him ta, 250 With his gud suerd, that was off burnyst steill, His body in twa it thruschyt euirilkdeill. Syn to the king he raykyt in gret ire, Fol. 112 b And said on lowd; “Was this all your desyr, “To wayr a Scot thus lychtly in to wayn? 255 “Is thar ma doggis at ye wald yeit haiff slayne? “Go, bryng thaim furth, sen I mon doggis qwell, “To do byddyng, quhill that I with yow duell. “It gaynd full weill I graithit me to Scotland; “For grettar deidis thair men has apon hand, 260 “Than with a dog in battaill to escheiff. “At you in France for euir I tak my leiff.” The king persawyt Wallace agrewyt was, So ernystfully he askyt leiff to pass; Rewid in his mynd at it was hapnyt sa, 265 Sa lewd a deid to lat him wndyrta. Knawand the worschip, and the gret nobilnace Off him, quhilk sprang that tym in mony place, Hwmblely he said; ‘Ye suld displess you nocht; ‘This ye desyryt, it mowyt neuir in my thocht. 270 ‘And, be the faith I aw the croun off France, ‘I thocht neuyr to charge you with sic chance ‘Bot men off waill, at askyt it for yow.’ Wallace ansuerd; “To God I mak awow, “I likyt neuir sic battaill to be in; 275 “Apon a dog na worschip is to wyn.” The king consawyt how this falsheid was wrocht. The squiers bath, was till his presens brocht, Coud nocht deny quhen thai com him befor; All thair trespas thai tald with outyn mor. 280 The king commaundyt thai suld be don to ded; Smat off thair hedys with out ony rameid. The campiounis, lo, for inwy causlace, To sodand dede Wallace brocht thaim throu cace; The squiers als, fra thair falsheid was kend, 285 Inwy thaim brocht bathe till a sodand end. Lordis, behald, inwy the wyle dragoun, In cruell fyr he byrnys this regioun. For he is nocht, that bonde is in inwy; To sum myscheiff it bryngis hym haistely. 290 Forsaik inwy, thow sall the bettir speid. Heroff as now I will no forthir reid; Bot in my mater, as I off for began, I sall conteyn als playnly as I can.