Part 8

The dyrk regioun apperand wondyr fast, In Nouember, quhen October was past, The day faillit, throu the rycht courss worthit schort; Till banyst men that is no gret comfort, With thair power in pethis worthis gang; 5 Hewy thai think quhen at the nycht is lang. Thus Wallas saw the nychtis messynger; Phebus had lost his fyry bemyss cler. Out of the wood thai durst nocht turn that tyd, For aduersouris that in thair way wald byde. 10 Wallace thaim tauld that new wer wes on hand; The Inglissmen was off the toune cummande. The dure thai brak, quhar thai trowyt Wallace wass; Quhen thai him myst, thai bownyt thaim to pass. In this gret noyis the woman gat away, 15 But to quhat steide I can nocht graithlye say. The Sothroun socht rycht sadlye fra that stede Throu the South Ynch, and fand thair twa men dede. Thai knew be that Wallace was in the strenth. About the park thai set on breid and lenth, 20 Fol. 22 a With sex hundreth weill graithit in thar armess, All likly men, to wrek thaim of thair harmess. A hundreth men chargit, in armes strang, To kepe a hunde that thai had thaim amang; In Gyllisland thar was that brachell brede, 25 Sekyr off sent to folow thaim at flede. So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill; Quhill scho gat blude no flëyng mycht awaill. Than said thai all, Wallace mycht nocht away, He suld be tharis for ocht at he do may. 30 The ost thai delt in diuerss part that tyde. Schyr Garrat Herroun in the staill can abide; Schyr Jhon Butler the range he tuk him till, With thre hundre quhilk war of hardy will; In to the woode apon Wallace thai yeid. 35 The worthi Scottis that wer in mekill dreid, Socht till a place for till haiff yschet out, And saw the staill enwerounyt thaim about. Agayne thai went with hydwyss strakis strang, Gret noyiss and dyne was rayssit thaim amang. 40 Thar cruell deide rycht merwaluss to ken, Quhen fourtie macht agayne thre hundyr men. Wallace so weill apon him tuk that tide, Throw the gret preyss he maid a way full wide; Helpand the Scottis with his der worthi hand: 45 Fell faymen he left fey vpon the land. Yheit Wallas lost fyfteyn in to that steid; And fourtie men of Sothroun part war dede. The Butleris folk so fruschit was in deid, The hardy Scottis to the strenthis throw thaim yeide. 50 On to Tay side thai hastyt thaim full fast, In will thai war the wattir till haiff past. Halff couth nocht swym that than with Wallas wass; And he wald nocht leiff ane, and fra thaim pass. Bettir him thocht in perell for to be 55 Wpon the land, than willfully to se His men to droun, quhar reskew mycht be nayne. Agayne in ire to the feild ar thai gayne. Butler be than had putt his men in ray, On thaim he sett with ane awfull hard assay, 60 On athir side with wapynnys stiff off steill. Wallace agayne no frendschipe lett thaim feill. Bot do or de, thai wist no mor socour; Thus fend thai lang in to that stalwart stour. The Scottis chyftayne was yong, and in a rage, 65 Vsyt in wer, and fechtis with curage. He saw his men off Sothroun tak gret wrang, Thaim to raweng all dreidles can he gang: Fol. 22 b For mony off thaim war bledand wondyr sar. He couth nocht se no help apperand thar, 70 Bot thair chyftayne war putt out off thair gait; The bryme Butler so bauldlye maid debait. Throu the gret preyss Wallace to him socht: His awful deid he eschewit as he mocht. Vndyr ane ayk, wyth men about him set: 75 Wallace mycht nocht a graith straik on him gett: Yeit schede he thaim, a full royd slope was maid. The Scottis went out, no langar thar abaid. Stewyn off Irland, quhilk hardy was and wicht, To helpe Wallace he did gret preyss and mycht; 80 With trew Kerlé, douchty in mony deid; Wpon the grounde feill Sothroun gert thai bleid. Sexty war slayne of Inglissmen in that place, And nyne off Scottis thair tynt was throuch that cace. Butleris men so stroyit war that tide, 85 In to the stour he wald no langar bide. To get supple he socht on to the staill: Thus lost he thar a hundreth of gret waill. As thai war best arayand Butleris rout, Betuex parteys than Wallace ischit out; 90 Sexteyn with him, thai graithit thaim to ga; Off all his men he had lewyt no ma. The Inglissmen has myssyt hym; in hy The hund thai tuk, and folowit haistely. At the Gask woode full fayne he wald haiff beyne; 95 Bot this sloth brache, quhilk sekyr was and keyne, On Wallace fute folowit so felloune fast, Quhill in thar sicht thai prochit at the last. Thar horss war wicht, had soiorned weill and lang To the next woode twa myil thai had to gang, 100 Off vpwith erde; thai yeid with all thair mycht; Gud hope thai had for it was ner the nycht. Fawdoun tyryt, and said, he mycht nocht gang. Wallace was wa to leyff him in that thrang. He bade him ga, and said the strenth was ner; 105 Bot he tharfor wald nocht fastir him ster. Wallace in ire on the crag can him ta With his gud suerd, and strak the hed him fra. Dreidless to ground derfly he duschit dede. Fra him he lap, and left him in that stede. 110 Sum demys it to ill, and othyr sum to gud; And I say her, into thir termyss rude, Bettir it was he did, as thinkis me. Fyrst, to the hunde it mycht gret stoppyn be. Als Fawdoun was haldyn at [gret] suspicioun; 115 For he was haldyn of brokill complexioun. Rycht stark he was, and had bot litill gayne. Thus Wallace wist: had he beyne left allayne, Fol. 23 a And he war fals, to enemyss he wald ga; Gyff he war trew, the Sothroun wald him sla. 120 Mycht he do ocht bot tyne him as it was? Fra this questioun now schortlye will I pass. Deyme as yhe lest, ye that best can and may; I bott raherss as my autour will say.

Sternys, be than, began for till apper, 125 The Inglissmen was cummand wondyr ner; Fyve hundreth haill was in thair chewalry: To the next strenth than Wallace couth him hy. Stewyn off Irland, wnwitting of Wallas, And gud Kerlé, baid still ner hand that place, 130 At the mur syde, in till a scrogghy slaid, Be est Dipplyne quhar thai this tary maid. Fawdoun was left besid thaim on the land; The power come, and sodeynly him fand: For thair sloith hund the graith gait till him yeid, 135 Off othir trade scho tuk as than no heid. The sloith stoppyt, at Fawdoune still scho stude; Nor forthir scho wald, fra tyme scho fand the blud. Inglissmen dempt, for ellis thai couth nocht tell, Bot at the Scottis had fochtyn amang thaim sell. 140 Rycht wa thai war that losyt was thair sent. Wallace twa men amang the ost in went; Dissemblit weylle, that no man suld thaim ken, Rycht in affer, as thai war Inglissmen. Kerlé beheld on to the bauld Heroun, 145 Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune, A suttell straik wpwart him tuk that tide, Wndir the chokkeis the grounden suerd gart glid, By the gude mayle bathe halss and his crag bayne In sondyr straik; thus endyt that cheftayne. 150 To grounde he fell, feile folk about him thrang, Tresoune! thai criyt, traytouris was thaim amang. Kerlye with that fled out sone at a side; His falow Stewyn than thocht no tyme to bide. The fray was gret, and fast away thai yeid, 155 Lawch towart Ern; thus chapyt thai of dreid. Butler for woo off wepyng mycht nocht stynt. Thus raklesly this gud knycht [haiff] thai tynt. Thai demyt all that it was Wallace men, Or ellis him self, thocht thai couth nocht him ken. 160 “He is rycht ner, we sall him haif but faill; “This febill woode may him litill awaill.” Fourtie thar past agayne to Sanct Jhonstoun, With this dede corss, to berysing maid it boune. Partyt thar men, syne diuerss wayis raid; 165 A gret power at Dipplyn still thar baid. Till Dawryoch the Butler past but let; Fol. 23 b At syndry furdis the gait thai wmbeset; To kepe the wode quhill it was day [thai] thocht. As Wallace thus in the thik forrest socht, 170 For his twa men in mynd he had gret payne; He wist nocht weill giff thai war tayne or slayne, Or chapyt haile be ony jeperté. Threttene war left with him, no ma had he. In the Gask hall thair lugyng haif thai tayne; 175 Fyr gat thai sone, bot meyt than had thai nane. Twa scheipe thai tuk besid thaim of a fauld, Ordanyt to soupe in to that sembly hauld; Graithit in haist sum fude for thaim to dycht: So hard thai blaw rude hornyss wpon hycht. 180 Twa sende he furth to luk quhat it mycht be; Thai baid rycht lang, and no tithingis herd he, Bot boustouss noyis so brymly blew and fast: So othir twa in to the woode furth past. Nane come agayne, bot boustously can blaw. 185 In to gret ire he send thaim furth on raw. Quhen he allayne Wallace was lewyt thar, The awfull blast aboundyt mekill mayr. Than trowit he weill thai had his lugyng seyne; His suerd he drew of nobill mettall keyne, 190 Syn furth he went quhar at he hard the horne. With out the dur Fawdoun was him beforn, As till his sycht, his awne hed in his hand; A croyss he maid, quhen he saw him so stand At Wallace in the hed he swaket thar; 195 And he in haist sone hynt [it] by the hair, Syne out agayne at him he couth it cast; In till his hart he was gretlye agast. Rycht weill he trowit that was no spreit of man; It was sum dewill, at sic malice began. 200 He wyst no waill thar langar for to bide, Vp throuch the hall thus wicht Wallace can glid, Till a closs stair; the burdis raiff in twyne, Fyftene fute large he lap out of that in. Wp the wattir sodeynlye he couth fair; 205 Agayne he blent quhat perance he sawe thair. Him thocht he saw Faudoun that hugly syr; That haill hall he had set in a fyr; A gret raftre he had in till his hand. Wallace as than no langar walde he stand, 210 Off his gud men full gret meruaill had he, How thai war tynt throuch his feyle fantasé. Traistis rycht weill all this was suth in deide, Supposs that it no poynt be of the creide. Power thai had witht Lucifer that fell, 215 The tyme quhen he partyt fra hewyn to hell. Be sic myscheiff giff his men mycht be lost, Fol. 24 a Drownyt or slayne amang the Ingliss ost; Or quhat it was in liknes of Faudoun, Quhilk brocht his men to suddand confusioun; 220 Or gif the man endyt in ewill entent, Sum wikkit spreit agayne for him present; I can nocht spek of sic diuinité, To clerkis I will lat all sic materis be: Bot of Wallace, furth I will yow tell. 225 Quhen he wes went of that perell fell, Yeit glaid wes he that he had chapyt swa: Bot for his men gret murnyng can he ma; Flayt by him self to the Maker off buffe, Quhy he sufferyt he suld sic paynys pruff. 230 He wyst nocht weill giff it wes Goddis will, Rycht or wrang his fortoun to fullfill: Hade he plesd God, he trowit it mycht nocht be He suld him thoill in sic perplexité. Bot gret curage in his mynd euir draiff, 235 Off Inglissmen thinkand amendis to haiff.

As he was thus walkand be him allayne Apon Ern side, makand a pytuouss mayne, Schyr Jhone Butler, to wache the furdis rycht, Out fra his men of Wallace had a sicht. 240 The myst wes went to the montanys agayne; Till him he raid; quhar at he maid his mayne On loude he sperde; “Quhat art thow walkis that gait?” ‘A trew man, Schyr, thocht my wiagis be layt; ‘Erandis I pass fra Doun to my lord, 245 ‘Schir Jhon Sewart; the rycht for [till] record, ‘In Doune is now, new cummyn fra the king.’ Than Butler said; “This is a selcouth thing. “Thou leid all out, thow has beyne with Wallace; “I sall the knaw, or thou cum of this place.” 250 Till him he stert the courser wondyr wicht, Drew out a suerd, so maid [hym] for to lycht. Abowne the kne gud Wallas has him tayne, Throw the and brawn in sondyr straik the bayne; Derffly to dede the knycht fell on the land. 255 Wallace the horss sone sesyt in his hand, Ane awkwart straik syne tuk him in the sted, His crag in twa; thus was the Butler dede. Ane Inglissman saw thair chiftayne wes slayn; A sper in reyst he kest with all his mayne, 260 On Wallace draiff, fra the horss him to ber. Warly he wrocht, as worthi man in wer: The sper he wan with outyn mor abaid; On horss he lap, and throw a gret rout raid. Fol. 24 b To Dawryoch he knew the forss full weill. 265 Befor him come feyll stuffyt in fyne steill: He straik the fyrst but baid in the blasoune. Quhill horss and man bathe flet the wattir doune. Ane othir sone doune fra his horss he bar, Stampyt to grounde, and drownyt with outyn mar. 270 The thrid he hyt in his harness of steyll, Throw out the cost; the sper to brak sumdeyll. The gret power than efftir him can ryd: He saw na waill no langar thar to byd. His burnyst brand braithly in hand he bar. 275 Quham he hytt rycht, thai folowit him no mar. To stuff the chass feyll frekis folowit fast; Bot Wallace maid the gayast ay agast. The mur he tuk, and throw thair power yeid; The horss was gud, bot yeit he had gret dreid 280 For failyeing or he wan to a strenth. The chass was gret, scalyt our breid and lenth; Throw strang danger thai had him ay in sycht. At the Blakfurd thar Wallace doune can lycht; His horss stuffyt, for the way was depe and lang; 285 A large gret myile wichtly on fute couth gang. Or he was horst, rydaris about him kest; He saw full weyll lang swa he mycht nocht lest. Sad men in deid wpon him can renew; With retornyng that nycht twenty he slew. 290 The forseast ay rudely rabutyt he, Kepyt hys horss, and rycht wysely can fle; Quhill that he cum the myrkest mur amang. His horss gaiff our, and wald no forthyr gang. Wallace on fute tuk him with gud entent: 295 The horss he straik, or that he fra him went; His houch sennownnis he cuttyt all atanyss, And left him thus besyde the standand stanys; For Sotheron men no gud suld off him wyn. In heich haddyr Wallace and thai can twyn. 300 Throuch that doun with to Forth sadly he soucht. Bot sodandly thar come in till his thocht, Gret power wok at Stirlyng bryg off tre. Seychand he said; “No passage is for me. “For want off fude, and I haiff fochtyn lang, 305 “On wer men now me thynk no tyme to gang. “At Kamyskynnett I sall the wattir till; “Lat God abowne do with me quhat he will! “In to this land lang[er] I may nocht byd.” Tary he maid sum part on Forthis syd; 310 Tuk off his weid, and graithit him but mar; Hys swerd he band, that wondyr scharply schar, Amang his ger, be his schuldrys on loft. Thus in he went, to gret God prayand oft, Fol. 25 a Off his hye grace the causs to tak on hand. 315 Our the wattyr he swame to the south land; Arayede him sone; the sessone was rycht cauld, For Piscis was in tyll his dayis of auld.

Our thwort the Kerss to the Torwode he yeide; A wedow thar duelt that helpyt him in neid. 320 Thiddyr he come or day begouth to daw, Till a wyndow, and prewaly couth caw. Thai sperd his nayme; bot tell thaim wald he nocht, Quhill scho hir selff ner till his langage socht. Fra tyme scho wist at it was wicht Wallace, 325 Reiossyt scho wes, and thankit God off his grace. Scho sperd sone, quhy he was him allayne. Murnand, he said; “As now may haiff I nane.” Scho askyt him, quhar at his men suld be. “Feyr deyme,” he said, “go get sum meit for me; 330 “I haiff fastyt syne yhisterday at morn: “I dreid full sar that my men be forlorn. “Gret part off thaim to the dede I saw dycht.” Scho gat him meyt in all the haist scho mycht. A woman he cald, and als with hyr a child; 335 Syne bade thaim pass agayne thai wayis wild, To the Gask-hall, tithingis for to sper, Giff part war left of his men in to fer; And scho suld fynd a horss sone in hir gait. He bad thaim se giff that place stud in stait: 340 Tharoff to her he had full gret desyr, Be causs he thocht that it was all in fyr. Thai passyt furth with outyn tary mar. Him for to rest, Wallace ramaynit thar. Refreschit he wes with meyte, drynk, and with heit; 345 Quhilk causyt him throuch naturall courss to weit Quhar he suld sleipe, in sekyrnes to be. The wedow had off hyr awne sonnys thre. Fyrst twa off thaim scho send to kepe Wallace; And gert the thrid go sone to Dwnypace; 350 And tald his eyme, that he was hapnyt thar. The persone yeid to se of his weyllfar. Wallace to sleipe [was] laid in the wood syde; The twa yong men with out hym ner couth byd. The persone come ner, and thar maner saw; 355 Thai beknyt him to quhat stede he suld draw. The rone wes thik that Wallace slepyt in; About he yeid, and maid bot litill dyn. So at the last of him he had a sycht, Full prewalye how that his bed was dycht. 360 He him beheld, and said syne to him sell; “Her is merwaill, quha likis it to tell; “That a persone, be worthines of hand, Fol. 25 b “Trowys to stop the powér of Ingland. “Now falss fortoune, the myswyrkar of all, 365 “Be awentur has gyffyn him a fall, “At he is left with out supple of ma; “A cruell wyff with wapynnys mycht him sla.” Wallace him herd, quhen his slepe ouerpast; Fersly he rayss, and said till him als fast; 370 ‘Thou leid, falss preyst, war thow a fa to me, ‘I wald nocht dreid sic othir ten as the. ‘I haiff had mar syne yhistirday at morn, ‘Than syk sexty war semblyt me beforn.’ His eyme him tuk, and went furth with Wallace: 375 He tald till him off all his paynfull cace. ‘This nycht,’ he said, ‘I was left me allayne, ‘In feyle debait with enemyss mony ane. ‘God at his will my liff did ay to kepe: ‘Our Forth I swame, that awfull is and depe. 380 ‘Quhat I haiff had in wer befor this day, ‘Presoune and payne, to this nycht was bot play; ‘So bett I am with strakis sad and sar; ‘The cheyle wattir vrned me mekill mar; ‘Eftir gret blud throu heit in cauld was brocht, 385 ‘That off my lyff almost no thing I roucht. ‘I meyn fer mar the tynsell off my men, ‘Na for my selff, mycht I suffir sic ten.’ The persone said; “Der sone, thow may se weyll, “Langar to stryff it helpis nocht adeyll, 390 “Thi men ar lost, and nayne will with the ryss; “For Goddis [saik,] wyrk as I sall dewyss. “Tak a lordschipe, quhar on at thow may liff; “King Eduuard wald gret landis to the giff.” ‘Wncle,’ he said, ‘off sic wordis no mar; 395 ‘This is no thing bot eking off my car. ‘I lik bettir to se the Sothren de, ‘Than gold or land that thai can giff to me. ‘Trastis, rycht weyll of wer I will nocht cess, ‘Quhill tyme that I bryng Scotland in to pess, 400 ‘Or de tharfor, in playne to wndrestand.’ So come Kerlé, and gud Stewyn of Irland; The wedowis sone to Wallace he thaim broucht. Fra thai him saw, of na sadnes thai roucht; For perfyt joy thai wepe with all thair eyne; 405 To ground thai fell, and thankit hewynnys queyn. Als he was glaid for reskew off thaim twa; Off thair feris leyffand was left no ma. Thai tald him that Schyr Garrat wes dede; How thai had weyll eschapyt of that stede. 410 Throuch the Oychall thai had gayne all that nycht, Till Quenysferry, or that the day was brycht; Fol. 26 a How a trew Scot, for kyndnes off Wallace, Brocht thaim sone oure, syne kend thaim to that place: Als Kerlé wyst, gyff Wallace leyffand war, 415 Nere Dwnypace that he suld fynd him thar. The persone gart gud purwiance for thaim dycht. In the Torwode thai lugyt all that nycht; Quhill the woman, that Wallace north had send, Retornd agayne, and tald him till ane end, 420 Quhat Inglissmen in the way scho fand dede: Feyll was fallyn fey in mony syndry stede. The horss scho saw that Wallace had berefft, And the Gask hall standand as it was left, With out harme, nocht sterd off it a stane; 425 Bot off his men gud tithingis scho gat nane. Tharoff he grewyt gretlye in that tyd: In the forrest he wald no langar bid. The wedow him gaiff part off siluer brycht; Twa of hyr sonnys, that worthi war and wycht. 430 The thrid scho held becauss he lakit age, In wer as than mycht nocht wyn wesselage. The persone than gat thaim gud horss and ger: Bot wa he was, his mynd was all in wer.