Part 7

His leiff he tuk at heris of the toune; To Meffane wode rycht glaidly maid him boune. 420 Hiss horn he hynt, and bauldly loud can blaw, Hiss men him hard, and tharto sone couth draw. Rycht blyth he wass, for thai war all in feyr; Mony tithingis at him thai wald nocht speyr. He thaim commaunde to mak thaim redy fast. 425 In gud array out of the woode thai past; Towart Kynclewyn thai bownyt thaim that tid. Syn in a waill that ner was thar besid, Fast on to Tay his buschement can he draw. In a dern woode thai stellit thaim full law; 430 Set skouriouris furth the contré to aspye. Be ane our nowne thre for rydaris went bye. The wach turned in to witt quhat was his will; He thaim commaund in couert to bide still: “And we call, Feyr! the houss knawlege will haiff; 435 “And that may sone be warnyng to the laiff. “All forss in wer do nocht but gouernance.” Wallace was few; bot happy ordinance Maid him fell syiss his aduersouris to wyn. Be that the court of Inglissmen com in, 440 Four scoyr and ten weill graithit in thar ger, Harnest on horss, all likly men of wer. Wallace saw weill his nowmir was na ma; He thankit God, and syne the feild couth ta. The Inglissmen merweild quhat thai suld be; 445 But fra thai saw thai maid [thaim] for mellé, In fewtir thai kest scharpe speris at that tide; In ire thai thoucht atour the Scottis to ryd. Wallace and his went cruelly thaim agayne. At the fyrst rusche feill Inglissmen war slayne. 450 Wallace straik ane, with hiss gud sper of steill, Throw out the cost; the shafft to brak ilk deyll. A burnyst brand in haist he hyntis out; Thryss apon fute he thrang throuch all the rout. Stern horss thai steik, suld men of armyss ber; 455 Sone wndir feit fulyeid was men of wer. Butler lychtyt him self for to defend, Witht men of armyss quhilk war full worthi kend. On athyr syde feill frekis war fectand fast. Fol. 18 b The captayne baid, thocht he war sor agast. 460 Part of the Scottis be worthines thai slew: Wallace was wa, and towart him he drew. His men dred for the Butler bauld and keyn. On him he socht in ire and propyr teyn; Vpon the hed him straik in matelent: 465 The burnyst blaid throu his basnett went. Bathe bayne and brayn he byrst throw all the weid; Thus Wallace hand deliuerit thaim off dreid. Yeitt feill on fold was fechtand cruelly: Stewyn of Irland, and all the cheualry, 470 In to the stour did cruelly and weill; And Kerlé alss with his gud staff of steill. The Inglissmen, fra thar cheftayne was slayne, Thai left the feild and fled in all thair mayn. Thre scoyr war slayne or thai wald leif that steid. 475 The fleande folk, that wist of no rameid, Bot to the houss thai fled in all thair mycht; The Scottis folowit, that worthi war and wycht. Few men of fenss was left that place to kepe, Wemen and preistis wpon the wall can wepe: 480 For weill thai wend the flearis was thar lord; To tak him in thai maid thaim redy ford, Leit doun the bryg, kest wp the yettis wide. The frayit folk entrit, and durst nocht byde: Gud Wallace euir he folowit thaim so fast, 485 Quhill in the houss he entryt at the last; The yett he wor, quhill cumin was all the rout Of Ingliss and Scottis; he held na man tharout. The Inglissmen, that won war in that steid, With outyn grace thai bertnyt thaim to deid. 490 The capteynis wiff, wemen, and preistis twa, And yong childer, forsuth thai sawyt no ma; Held thaim in closs eftir this sodeyn cass, Or Sothron men suld sege him in that place; Tuk wp the bryg, and closyt yettis fast. 495 The dede bodyes out of sicht he gart cast, Baith in the houss, and with out at war dede; Fyve of hys awne to beryniss he gart leid.

In that castell thar sewyn dayis baide he; On ilka nycht thai spoilyeid besylé. 500 To Schortwode schaw leide wittaill and wyn wicht, And houshald ger, baithe gold and siluer brycht. Women, and thai that he had grantyt grace, Quhen him thoucht tyme, thai put out of that place. Quhen thai had tayne quhat he likit to haiff, 505 Straik doun the yettis and set in fyr the laiff; Out off wyndowis stanssouris all thai drew; Full gret irne wark in to the wattir threw; Burdyn duris and lokis, in thair ire, All werk of tre, thai brynt wp in a fyr: 510 Spylt at thai mycht, brak brig and bulwark doune. Fol. 19 a To Schortwode schawe in haist thai maid thaim boune; Chesyt a strenth, quhar thai thar lugyng maid, In gud affer a quhill thar still be baid; Yit in the toune no wit of this had thai. 515 The contré folk, quhen it was lycht of day, Gret reik saw ryss, and to Kynclewyn thai socht: Bot wallis and stane, mar gud thar fand thai nocht. The captennis wiff to Sanct Jhonstoun scho yeid, And to Schyr Garrate scho tauld this felloune deid; 520 Alss till hyr son quhat hapnyt was be cass. Than demyt thai all that it wass wicht Wallas; Off for tyme thar he spyit had the toune. Than chargyt thai all, thai suld be redy boune. Harnest on horss in to thair armour cler, 525 To seik Wallace thai went all furth in feyr, A thousand men weill garnest for the wer, Towart the woode rycht awfull in affer, To Schortwode schaw, and set it all about, Wytht fyve staillis that stalwart was and stout; 530 The sext thai maid a fellon range to leid, Quhar Wallace was full worthi ay in deid. The strenth he tuk, and bade thaim hald it still, On ilka syde, assailye quha sa will. Schyr Jhon Butler in to the forrest went 535 With twa hundreth, sor mowit in his entent; His fadris dede to wenge him giff he mocht, To Wallace sone with men of armyss socht. A cleuch thar was, quharoff a strenth thai maid With thuortour treis, [and] bauldly thar abaid. 540 Fra the ta side thai mycht ische till a playne, Syn throuch the wode to the strenth pass agayn. Twenty he had that nobill archaris war, Agayne sewyn scoyr of Ingliss bowmen sar. Four scoyr of speris ner hand thaim baid at rycht, 545 Giff Scottis ischit to help thaim at thair mycht. On Wallace sett a bykkyr bauld and keyn; A bow he bair was byg and weyll beseyn, And arrouss als, bath lang and scharpe with aw; No man was thar that Wallace bow mycht draw. 550 Rycht stark he was, and in to souir ger, Bauldly [he] schott amang thai men of wer. Ane angell hede to the hukis he drew, And at a schoyt the formast sone he sleu. Yngliss archaris, that hardy war and wicht, 555 Amang the Scottis bykkerit with all thair mycht; Thar awfull schoyt was felloun for to byd, Off Wallace men thai woundyt sor that tid. Few off thaim was sekyr of archary; Bettyr thai war, and thai gat ewyn party, 560 In feild to byde, othir with suerd or speyr. Fol. 19 b Wallace persauit his men tuk mekill deyr: He gart thaim change, and stand nocht in to steid; He kest all wayis to saiff thaim fra the dede. Full gret trauaill vpon him self tuk he; 565 Off Sothron men feill archaris he gert de, Off Longcaschyr bowmen was in that place. A sar archar ay waytit on Wallace, At ane opyn, quhar he vsyt to repair: At him he drew a sekir schot and sar, 570 Undyr the chyn, throuch a coler of steill, On the left side, and hurt his halss sumdeill. Astonaide he was, bot nocht gretlye agast; Out fra his men on him he folowit fast; In the turnyng, with gud will hass him tayne 575 Vpon the crag, in sondyr straik the bayne. Feill of thaim ma na freyndschip with him fand; Fyfteyn that day he schot to dede of hys hand. Be that his arrous waistyt war and gayne; The Ingliss archaris forsuth thai wantyt nayne: 580 With out thai war thar power to ranew, On ilka side to thaim thai couth persew. Wylyham Loran com with a boustouss staill, Out of Gowry, on Wallace to assaill; Neuo he was, as it was knawin in playn, 585 To the Butler befor that thai had slayn; To wenge his eyme he come with all his mycht. Thre hundreth he led of men in armyss brycht; To leide the range on fute he maid him ford. Wallace to God his conscience fyrst remord, 590 Syne comfort thaim with manly contenance; “Yhe se,” he said, “gud schiris, thar ordinance; “Her is no choss, bot owdir do or de. “We haiff the rycht, the happyar may it be, “That we sall chaipe with grace out of this land.” 595 The Loran, by that, was redy at his hand. Be that it was eftir nown of the day, Feill men of witt to consaill sone yeid thai. The Sothron kest scharply at ilka side, And saw the wood was nothir lang no wide. 600 Lychtly thai thought he suld hald it so lang: Fywe hundreth maid throu it on fute to gang, Sad men off armess that war off eggyr will; Schyr Garratis self with out the woode baid still. Schyr Jhon Butler the ta sid chesyt he, 605 The tothyr Loran with a fell menyhe. Than gud Wallace, that of help had gret neid, Was fyfty men in all that felloun dreid. Ane awfull salt the Sothren son began, About the Scottis socht mony likly man, 610 With bow, and sper, and swerdis stiff of steill: On athir side no frendschip was to feill. Wallace in ire a burly brand can draw, Quhar feill Sothron war semblit vpon raw, Fol. 20 a To fende his men with his deyr worthi hand: 615 The folk was fey that he befor him fand. Throw the thikkest of the gret preiss he past, Vpon his enemyss hewand wondyr fast. Agayne his dynt na weidis mycht awaill; Quham so he hyt was dede with outyn faill. 620 Off the fersest full braithly bair he doun, Befor the Scottis that war of gret renoun. To hald the strenth thai preist, with all thair mycht, The Inglissmen, that worthi war and wicht. Schir Jhon Butler relewit in agayne, 625 Swndryt the Scottis and did thaim mekill payn; The Loran alss that cruell was and keyn. A sar assay forsuth thar mycht be seyn. Than at the strenth thai mycht no langer bide, The range so strang come wpon athir syde. 630 In the thikkest woode thar maid thai felle defens, Agayn thair fayis so full of wiolens: Yit felle Sothron left the lyff to wed.

Till a new strenth Wallace and his men fled; On aduersouris thai maid full gret debait, 635 Bot help thaim self, no socour ellis thai wait. The Sothron als war sundryt than in twyn; Bot thai agayne to gidder sone can wyn: Full sutellye thar ordinance thai maid, The rang agayne bownyt but mar abaid. 640 The Scottis war hurt, and part of thaim war slayn; So fair assay thai couth nocht mak agayn. Be this the host approchand was full ner; Thus wrandly thai held thaim wpon ster. Quhen Wallace saw the Sothroune was at hand, 645 Him thocht no tym langar for to stand. Rycht manfully he graithit has his ger; Sadly he went agayne the men of wer. Throw out the stour full fast fechtand he socht, With Goddis grace to wenge him gif he mocht. 650 Vpon the Butler awfully straik he; Saiffgarde he gat wndir a bowand tre; The bowcht in twa he straik, aboune his hede, Alss to the ground, and feld him in that stede. The haill pouer wpon him com so fast, 655 At thai beforce reskewit him at the last. Loran was wa, and thidder fast can draw. Wallas retornd, sa sodeynly him saw: Out at a syde full fast till him he yeid; He gat no gyrth for all his burnyst weid: 660 With ire him straik on his gorgeat off steill, The trensand blaid to persyt euirydeill Throu plaitt and stuff, mycht nocht agayn it stand; Derffly to dede he left him on the land. Hym haif thai lost, thocht Sotheren had it suorn; 665 Fol. 20 b For his crag bayne was all in sondyr schorn. The worthi Scottis did nobilly that day About Wallace, till he was woun away. He tuk the strenth magre thar fayis will; Abandonly in bargan baid thar still. 670 The scry sone raiss, the bald Loran was dede: Schyr Garrat Heroun tranontit that stede, And all the host assemblit him about. At the north side than Wallace ischet owt, With him his men, and bownyt him to ga, 675 Thankand gret God at thai war partyt sa. To Cargyll wood thai went that samyn nycht. Sewyn of his men that day to dede was dycht: In feld was left of the Sothren sex scoyr; And Loran als, thair murnyng was the mor. 680 The rang in haist thai rayit sone agayne: Bot quhen thai saw thair trauaill was in wayne, And he was past, full mekill mayne thai maid To rype the wood, bath wala, slonk, and slaid, For Butleris gold Wallace tuk off befor; 685 Bot thai fand nocht, wald thai seke euirmor. Hys horss thai gat, and nocht ellis of thair ger. With dulfull mayn retorned thir men of wer To Sanct Jhounston, in sorou and gret cayr. Off Wallace furth me likis to spek mair. 690

The secunde nycht the Scottis couth thaim draw Rycht priwaly agayne to Schortwod schaw; Tuk wp thair gud, quhilk was put owt of sycht, Cleithing and stuff, bathe gold and siluer brycht. Vpon thar fute, for horsis was thaim fra; 695 Or the son raiss, to Meffen wood can ga. Thar twa dayis our thar lugyng still thai maid; On the thrid nycht thai mowit but mar abaid. Till Elkok park full sodeynly thai went: Thar in that strentht to bide was his entent. 700 Than Wallace said, he wald go to the toun; Arayit him weill in till a preistlik goun. In Sanct Jhonstoun disgysyt can he fair, Till this woman the quhilk I spak of ayr. Off his presence scho rycht reiosit was; 705 And sor adred how he away suld pass. He soiornyt thar fra nowne was of the day Quhill ner the nycht, or that he went away. He trystyt hyr quhen he wald cum agayne, On the thrid day; than was scho wondyr fayne. 710 Yeitt he was seyn with enemyss as he yeid; To Schyr Garraid thai tald off all his deid, And to Butler, that wald haiff wrokyn beyne. Than thai gart tak that woman brycht and scheyne, Accusyt hir sar of resset in that cass: 715 Feyll syiss scho suour, that scho knew nocht Wallass. Than Butler said; “We wait weyle it was he; Fol. 21 a “And bot thou tell, in bayle fyre sall thou de. “Giff thou will help to bryng yon rebell doune, “We sall the mak a lady off renoun.” 720 Thai gaiff till hyr baith gold and siluer brycht; And said, scho suld be weddyt with ane knycht, Quham scho desirit, that was but mariage. Thus tempt thai hir, throu consaill and gret wage, That scho thaim tald quhat tyme he wald be thar. 725 Than war thai glad; for thai desirit no mar Off all Scotland, bot Wallace at thair will. Thus ordaynyt thai this poyntment to fullfill. Feyle men off armes thai graithit hastelye To kepe the yettis, wicht Wallas till aspye. 730 At the set trist he entrit in the toune, Wittand no thing of all this falss tresoune. Till hir chawmer he went but mair abaid. Scho welcummyt him, and full gret plesance maid. Quhat at thai wrocht, I can nocht graithly say; 735 Rycht wnperfyt I am of Venus play: Bot hastelye he graithit him to gang. Than scho him tuk, and speryt giff he thocht lang; Scho askit him that nycht with hir to bid. Sone he said; “Nay, for chance that may betide; 740 “My men ar left all at mysrewill for me. “I may nocht sleipe this nycht quhill I thaim se.” Than wepyt scho, and said full oft; ‘Allace ‘That I was maide, wa worthe the courssit cass! ‘Now haiff I lost the best man leiffand is; 745 ‘O feble mynd, to do so foull a myss! ‘O waryit witt, wykkyt and wariance, ‘That me hass brocht in to this myschefull chance! ‘Allace,’ scho said, ‘in warld that I was wrocht! ‘Giff all this payne on my self mycht be brocht! 750 ‘I haiff seruit to be brynt in a gleid.’ Quhen Wallace saw scho ner of witt couth weid, In his armess he caucht hir sobrely, And said; “Der hart, quha hass mysdoyne ocht, I?” ‘Nay, I,’ quoth scho, ‘hass falslye wrocht this trayn, 755 ‘I haiff you sald; rycht now yhe will be slayn.’ Scho tauld [to] him hir tresoun till ane end, As I haiff said; quhat nedis mair legend? At hir he speryt, giff scho forthocht it sar. “Wa, ya,” scho said, “and sall do euirmar. 760 “My waryed werd in warld I mon fullfill; “To mend this myss I wald byrne on a hill.” He comfort hir, and baide hir haiff no dreide. ‘I will,’ he said, ‘haiff sumpart off thi weid.’ Hir gowne he tuk on hym, and courchess alss. 765 ‘Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune falss. Fol. 21 b ‘I the forgyff.’ With outyn wordis mair He kissyt hyr, syne tuk his leiff to fayr. Hys burly brand, that helpyt him offt in neid, Rycht priwalye he hid it wndyr that weid. 770 To the south yett, the gaynest way, he drew; Quhar that he fand off armyt men enew. To thaim he tald, dissemblyt [in] contenance; “To the chawmer, quhar he was vpon chance, “Speid fast,” he said, “Wallace is lokit in.” 775 Fra him thai socht with outyn noyiss or dyn, To that sammyn houss; about thai can thaim cast. Out at the yett [than] Wallas gat full fast, Rycht glaid in hart; quhen that he was with out, Rycht fast he yeide, a stour paiss and a stout. 780 Twa him beheld, and said; “We will go se; “A stalwart queyne, forsuth, yon semyss to be.” Him thai folowit throwe the South Ynche thai twa. Quhen Wallace saw with thaim thar come na ma, Agayne he turnede, and has the formast slayn. 785 The tothir fled; than Wallas, with gret mayn, Vpon the hede, with his suerd, has him tayne; Left thaim bathe dede, syne to the strenth is gayne. His men he gat, rycht glaid quhen thai him saw; Till thair defens in haist he gart thaim draw; 790 Deuoydyde him sone of the womannys weid: Thus chapyt he out of that felloun dreid.

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