Part 31

At euirilk part a stalwart wach he maid; 755 Fermyt a sege, and stedfastly abaid. Byschop Synclar in till all haist him dycht, Com out off Bute with symly men to sycht; Owt off the ilys off Rauchlé and Aran, Lyndsay and Boid, with gud men mony ane. 760 Adam Wallace, barroun off Ricardtoun, Full sadly socht till Wallace off renoun, At Sanct Jhonstoun baid at the sailye still. For Sotheroun men thai mycht weill pass at will: For in thar way thar durst na enemys be, 765 Bot fled away be land, and als be se. About that toun thus semblyt thai but mor; For thai had beyn with gud Wallace befor. Cetoun, Lauder, and Richard off Lundé, In a gud barge thai past about be se; 770 Thair ankyr in Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn set. Twa Inglyss schippys thai tuk with outyn let; The tane thai brynt, syn stuffyt the tothir weill With artailye, and stalwart men in steyll, To kep the port, thar suld com na wictaill 775 In to that toun, nor men at mycht thaim waill. Fra south and north mony off Scotland fled, Left castellys waist, feill left thar lyff to wed. The South byschop, befor that left Dunkell, Fol. 118 a Till London past, and tald Eduuard him sell, 780 In Scotland thar had fallyn a gret myschance. Than send he son for Amar the Wallance, And askyt him quhat than war best to do. He hecht to pass, and tak gret gold tharto, In to Scotland sum menys for to mak 785 Agane Wallace; on hand this can he tak. Thai said, he wald wndo king Eduuardis croun, Bot gyff thai mycht throu tresoun put him doun. King Eduuard hecht, quhat thing at Wallang band, He suld it kep, war it bathe gold and land. 790 Wallange tuk leyff, and is in Scotland went; To Bothwell com; syn kest in his entent, Quhat man thar was mycht best Wallace begyll: And sone he fand, with in a litill quhill, Schyr Jhon Menteth Wallace his gossop was. 795 A messynger Schyr Amar has gert pass On to Schyr Jhon, and sone a tryst has set; At Ruglyn kyrk thir twa to gydder met. Than Wallang said; “Schyr Jhon, thow knawis this thing, “Wallace agayn ryssis contrar the king; 800 “And thow may haiff quhat lordschip thow will waill, “And thou wald wyrk as I can gyff consaill. “Yon tyrand haldys the rewmys at troubill bathe, “Till thryfty men it dois full mekill scaith. “He traistis the, rycht weyll thow may him tak; 805 “Off this mater ane end I think to mak. “War he away, we mycht at liking ryng “As lordys all, and leiff wndyr a king.” Than Menteth said; ‘He is our gouernour; ‘For ws he baid in mony felloun stour, 810 ‘Nocht for him selff, bot for our heretage: ‘To sell him thus it war a foull owtrage.’ Than Wallang said; “And thow weill wndyrstud, “Gret neid it war, he spillis so mekill blud “Off Crystin men, puttis saullis in peraill; 815 “I bynd me als, he sall be haldyn haill “As for his lyff, and kepyt in presoune; “King Eduuard wald haiff him in subiectioun.” Than Menteth thocht, sa [thai] wald kepe connand, He wald full fayn [haiff] had him off Scotland. 820 Wallange saw him intill a study be, Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se; And hecht he suld the Lewyn-houss haiff at will. Thus tresonably Menteth grantyt thartill; Obligacioun with his awn hand he maid; 825 Fol. 118 b Syn tuk the gold, and Eduuardis seill so braid, And gaiff thaim his, quhen he his tym mycht se To tak Wallace our Sulway, giff him fre Till Inglissmen; be this tresonabill concord Schyr Jhon suld be off all the Lennox lord. 830 Thus Wallace suld in Ingland kepyt be, So Eduuard mycht mak Scotland till him fre. Thar cowatyss was our gret maystir seyn; Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beyn For cowatice put in gret paynys fell; 835 For cowatice, the serpent is off hell. Throuch cowatice, gud Ector tuk the ded; For cowatice thar can be no ramed. Throuch cowatice gud Alexander was lost; And Julius als, for all his reiff and bost. 840 Throuch cowatice deit Arthour off Bretane. For cowatice thar has deit mony ane. For cowatyce, the traytour Ganyelon The flour off France he put till confusion. For cowatice thai poysound gud Godfra 845 In Antioche, as the autor will sa. For cowatice, Menteth, apon falss wyss, Betraysyt Wallace, that was his gossop twyss.

Wallang in haist, with blyth will and glaid hart, Till London past, and schawit till king Eduuart. 850 Off this contrak he had a mar plesance, Than of fyn gold had geyffyn, in ballance, A grettar wecht na his ransoun mycht be. Off Wallace furth sum thing spek will we, At Sanct Jhonstoun was at the segeyng still. 855 In a mornyng Sotheroun, with egyr will, Fyve hundreth men in harnas rycht juntly, Thai wschet furth to mak a jeperty; At the south port, apon Scot and Dundass, Quhilk in that tym rycht wyss and worthy was. 860 Agayn thair fayis rycht scharply focht and sayr. In that cowntyr sewyn scor to ded thai bayr. Yeit Inglissmen, at cruell war and keyn, Full ferely faucht, quhar douchty deid was seyn. Fra the west yett drew all the Scottis haill 865 To the fechtaris; quhen Sotheroun saw na waill, Bot in agayn full fast thai can thaim sped; The knycht Dundass prewyt so douchty deid. Our neyr the yett full bandounly he baid, Wyth a gud suerd full gret maister he maid; 870 Fol. 119 a Nocht wittandly his falowis was him fra. In at the yett the Sotheroun can him ta, On to the erll thai led him haistelé. Quhen he him saw, he said he suld nocht de; “To slay this ane it may ws litill rameid.” 875 He send him furth to Wallace in that steid. On the north syd his bestials had he wrocht; Quhill he him saw, off this he wyst rycht nocht; Send to the erll, and thankit him largelé; Hecht for to quyt quhen he sic cace mycht se. 880 Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant, Thocht thai yoldin wald cum as recreant; For gold na gud, he wald no trewbut tak. A full strang salt than he begouth to mak. The erll of Fyf duelt wndyr trewage lang 885 Off king Eduuard; and than him thocht it wrang, At Wallace sa was segeand Sanct Jhonstoun, Bot gyff he com in rycht help off the croun. Till Inglissmen he wald nocht kep that band, Than he come sone with gud men off the land. 890 And Jhon Wallang, was than schyreff off Fyff, Till Wallace past, starkyt him in that stryff. That erll was cummyn off trew haill nobill blud, Fra the ald thane, quhilk in his tym was gud. Than all about to Sanct Jhonstoun thai gang, 895 With felloun salt, was hydwyss scharp and strang. Full feill fagaldys in to the dyk thai cast, Hadyr and hay bond apon flakys fast; Wyth treis and erd a gret passage thai maid; Atour the wallis thai yeid with battaill braid. 900 The Sotheroun men maid gret defens agayn, Quhill on the wallys thar was a thousand slayn. Wallace yeid in, and his rayit battaill rycht; All Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dycht. To sayff the erll Wallace the harrald send, 905 Gud Jop him selff, the quhilk befor him kend. For Dundass saik thai said he suld nocht de; Wallace him selff this ordand for to be. A small haknay he gert till him be tak, Siluer and gold his costis for to mak; 910 Set on his clok a takyn for to se, The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be; Conwoyit him furth, and na man him withall. Wemen and barnys Wallace gert freith thaim all: And syn gert cry trew Scottis men to thair awn; 915 Plenyst the land quhilk lang had been ourthrawn. Fol. 119 b Than Wallace past the southland for to se. Eduuard the Bruce, in his tym rycht worthé. That yer befor he had in Irland ben, And purchest thar off cruell men and keyn. 920 Fyfty in feyr, was off his modrys kyn, At Kirkwbré on Galloway entryt in. With thai fyfté he had vencust nyne scor, And syn he past, withoutyn tary mor, Till Wygtoun sone, and that castell has tayne; 925 Sotheroun was fled, and left [it] all allayne. Wallace him met with trew men reuerently; To Lowmabane went all that chewalry. Thai maid Eduuard bath lord and ledar thar. This conditioun Wallace him hecht but mar, 930 Bot a schort tym to bid Robert the king; Gyff he come nocht in this regioun to ryng, At Eduuard suld resaiff the croun but faill. Thus hecht Wallace, and all the barnage haill. In Louchmabane prynce Eduuard lewyt still; 935 And Wallace past in Cumno with blith will. At the Blak Rok, quhar he was wont to be, Apon that sted a ryall hous held he. Ingliss wardans till London past but mar, And tauld the king off all thair gret mysfar; 940 How Wallace coud Scotland fra thaim reduce, And how he had resawyt Eduuard the Bruce. The commouns suor thai suld cum neuir mar Apon Scotland, and Wallace leiffand war. Than Eduuard wrayt till Menteth prewalie, 945 Prayit him till haist; the tym was passit by Off the promess the quhilk at he was bund. Schyr Jhon Menteth in till his wit has fund, How he suld best his purpos to fullfill. His syster son in haist he cald him till, 950 And ordand him in duellyng with Wallace. Ane ayth agayn he gert him mak on cace, Quhat tym he wyst Wallace in quiet draw, He suld him warne, for awentur mycht befaw. This man grantyt at sic thing suld be done; 955 With Wallace thus he was in seruice sone. As off tresoun Wallace had litill thocht; His laubourous mynd on othir materis wrocht. Thus Wallace thryss has maid all Scotland fre; Than he desyryt in lestand peess to be. 960 For as off wer he was in sumpart yrk, He purpost than to serue God and the kyrk, And for to leyff wndyr hys rychtwyss king; That he desyryt atour all erdly thing.

The harrold Jop in Ingland sone he send, 965 And wrayt to Bruce rycht hartlie this commend, Fol. 120 a Besekand him to cum and tak his croun; Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, na barroun. The harrald past; quhen Bruce saw his credans, Tharoff he tuk a perfyt gret plesans; 970 With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace, And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas, Besekand him this mater to conseill; For he behuffyd owt off Ingland to steill; For lang befor was kepyt the ragment, 975 Quhilk Cwmyn had, to byd the gret parlement In to London; and gyff thai him accuss, To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excuss. He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walk The fyrst nycht off Julii for his salk; 980 And bad he suld bot in to quiet be, For he with him mycht bryng few chewalré. Wallace was blyth quhen he this wrytyng saw; His houshald sone he gert to Glaskow draw. That moneth thar he ordand thaim to byd; 985 Kerlé he tuk ilk nycht with him to ryd; And this yong man that Menteth till him send; Wyst nane bot thir quhat way at Wallace wend; The quhilk gart warn his eym the auchtand nycht. Sexté full sone Schyr Jhone [Menteth] gert dycht 990 Off hys awn kyn, and off alya born; To this tresoun he gert thaim all be suorn. Fra Dunbertane he sped thaim haistely, Ner Glaskow kyrk thai bownyt thaim priwaly. Wallace past furth quhar at the tryst was set, 995 A spy thai maid, and folowed him but let Till Robrastoun, was ner be the way syd, And bot a howss quhar Wallace oysyt to byd. He wouk on fut quhill passyt was myd nycht; Kerlé and he than for a sleip thaim dycht. 1000 Thai bad this cuk, that he suld wach hys part, And walkyn Wallace, com men fra ony art. Quhen thai slepyt, this traytour tuk graith heid, He met his eym, and bad him haiff no dreid: “On sleip he is, and with him bot a man, 1005 “Ye may him haiff, for ony craft he can; “With owt the houss thair wapynnys laid thaim fra.” For weill thai wyst, gat Wallace one off tha, And on his feyt, hys ransoun suld be sauld. Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld. 1010 This traytour wach fra Wallace than he stall Bathe knyff and suerd, his bow and arowis all. Eftyr mydnycht in handis thai haiff him tane, Dyschowyll on sleipe, with him na man bot ane. Fol. 120 b Kerlé thai tuk, and led him off that place, 1015 Dyd him to ded with outyn langar space. Thai thocht to bynd Wallace throu strenthis strang; On fute he gat the feill traytouris amang, Grippyt about, bot no wapyn he fand. Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand, 1020 The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang; And off ane othir the harness out he dang. Than alss mony as handis mycht on him lay, Beforce hym hynt for till haiff him away. Bot that power mycht nocht a fute him leid 1025 Owt off that houss, quhill thai or he war deid. Schir Jhon saw weill beforce it coud nocht be; Or he war tayne he thocht erar to de. Menteth bad cess, and thus spak to Wallace; Syn schawyt him furth a rycht sutell fals cace. 1030 “Yhe haiff so lang her oysyt yow allane, “Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane. “Tharfor her me, and sobyr your curage. “The Inglissmen, with a full gret barnage, “Are semblyt her, and set this hous about, 1035 “That ye, be force, on na wayis may wyn out. “Supposs ye had the strenth off gud Ectour, “Amang this ost ye may nocht lang endour. “And thai you tak, in haist your ded is dycht. “I haiff spokyn with lord Clyffurd that knycht, 1040 “Wyth thair chyftanys weill menyt for your lyff. “Thai ask no mar bot be quyt off your stryff. “To Dunbertane ye sall furth pass with me; “At your awn houss ye may in saifté be.” Sotheroun sic oyss with Menteth lang had thai, 1045 That Wallace trowyt sum part at he wald say. Menteth said; “Schyr, lo, wappynnys nane we haiff; “We com in trayst, your lyff gyff we mycht saiff.” Wallace trowyt weill, and he his gossep twyss, That he wald nocht, be no maner off wyss, 1050 Him to betrayss for all Scotland so wyd. Ane ayth off him he askit in that tid. Thar wantit wit; quhat suld his aythis mor? Forsuorn till him he was lang tym befor. The ayth he maid; Wallace com in his will; 1055 Rycht frawdfully all thus schawyt him till. “Gossep,” he said, “as presoner thai mon yow se, “Or thai throu force wyll ellis tak yow fra me.” A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid, And wndyr syn with seuir cordys thai braid, 1060 Bath scharp and tewch, and fast to gyddyr drew. Allace, the Bruce mycht sayr that byndyng rew, Quhilk maid Scotland sone brokyn apon cace, For Cumeinis ded, and loss off gud Wallace! Fol. 121 a Thai led him furth in feyr amang thaim aw. 1065 Kerlé he myst, off na Sotheroun he saw: Than wyst he weyll that he betraysyt was, Towart the south with him quhen thai can pass. Yeit thai him said, in trewth he suld nocht de; King Eduuard wald kep him in gud saufté, 1070 For hie honour in wer at he had wrocht. The sayr bandys so strowblyt all his thocht, Credence tharto forsuth he coud nocht geyff; He wyst full weyll thai wald nocht lat him leiff. A falss foull causs, thai Menteth for, him tauld, 1075 Quhen on this wyss gud Wallace he had sauld. Sum off thaim said, it was to saiff thair lord; Thai leid all out that maid that fals racord. At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn, Our corniclis reherss that in [to] playn, 1080 On Madelan day, that auchtand yer befor; Comynis ded tharoff it wytness mor. At Robrastoun Wallas was tresonabilly Thus falsly stowyn fra his gud chewalry. In Glaskow lay, and wyst nocht off this thing; 1085 Thus he was lost in byding off his king. South thai him led, ay haldand the west land, Delyuerit him in haist our Sullway sand. The lord Clyffurd and Wallang tuk him thar; To Carleyll toun full fast with him thai fayr; 1090 In presoun him stad, that was a gret dolour; That houss efter was callyt “Wallace tour.” Sum men sen syn said, that knew nocht weill the cass, In Berweik thai to ded put gud Wallace. Contrar is knawin, fyrst be this opinioun; 1095 For Scottis men than had haly Berweik toun, And Scotland fre, quhill that Soullis it gaiff For lord Cumyn till Ingland with the laiff. Ane othir poynt is, the traytouris durst nocht pass, At sauld him sa, quhar Scottis men maistris was. 1100 The thrid poynt is, the commouns off Ingland, Quhat thai desyr, thai will nocht wndirstand That thing be done, for wytness at may be, Na credence geyff, forthyr than thai may se. To se him de Eduuard had mar desyr, 1105 Than to be lord off all the gret empyr. For thir caussis thai kepyt him sa lang, Quhill the commouns mycht on to London gang.