Part 9

Thus tuk he leyff with owtyn langar abaid: 435 In Dundaff mur that sammyn nycht he raid. Schir Jhone the Grayme, quhilk lord wes of that land, Ane agyt knycht had made nane othir band; Bot purchest pess in rest he mycht bide still, Tribute payit full sore agayne his will. 440 A sone he had, bathe wyss, worthi and wicht; Alexander the ferss at Berweik maid him knycht, Quhar schawyn wes off battaill till haif beyne, Betuex Scottis and the bauld Persie keyne. This yong Schyr Jhone rycht nobill wes in wer 445 On a braid scheyld his fadyr gert him swer, He suld be trew till Wallace in all thing, And he till him, quhill lyff mycht in thaim ryng. Thre nychtis thar Wallace baid out off dreid; Restyt him weill, swa had he mekill neid. 450 On the ferd day he wald no langar bide: Schir Jhone the Grayme bownyt with him to ryd; And he said; nay, as than it suld nocht be: “A playne part yeit I will nocht tak on me. “I haiff tynt men throw my [ouer] rakless deid: 455 “A brynt child mayr sayr the fyr will dreid. “Freyndis haiff I sum part in Clyddysdaill; “I will go se quhat may thai me awaill.” Schir Jhon ansuerd; ‘I will your consaill do; ‘Quhen yhe se tyme, send priwalé me to: 460 Fol. 26 b ‘Than I sall cum with my powér in haist.’ He him betuk on to the haly Gaist, Saynct Jhone to borch, thai suld meite haill and sound. Out off Dundaff he and thir four couth found; In Bothwell mur that nycht remaynyt he, 465 With ane Craufurd that lugyt him preualé. Wpon the morn to the Gilbank he went; Rasauit was with mony glaid entent: For his deyr eyme, yong Auchinlek, duelt thar, Brothyr he was to the schirreff off Ayr. 470 Quhen auld Schyr Ranald till his dede wes dycht, Than Auchinlek weddyt that lady brycht, And childyr gat, as storyess will record, Off Lesmahago, for he held off that lord. Bot he wes slayne, gret peté wes the mar, 475 With Perseys men, in [to] the toun of Ayr. His sone duelt still, than nynetene yeris off age, And brokit haille his fadris heretage. Tribute he payit for all his landis braid, To lord Persie, as hys brodyr had maid. 480

I leyff Wallace, with his der wncle still; Off Inglissmen yeit sum thing spek I will. A messynger sone throw the contré yeid, To lord Persie thai tald this fellone deid; Kynclewyn was brynt, brokyn, and castyn doun, 485 The captayn dede off it and Saynt Jhonstoun; The Loran als, at Schortwod schawis scheyn; In to that land, gret sorow has beyne seyn Throuch wicht Wallace, that all this deid has done; “The toune he spyit, and that forthocht we sone. 490 “Butler is slayne, with douchty men and deyr.” In aspre spech the Persye than can speyr; “Quhat worth of him? I pray you graithlye tell.” ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘rycht thus the case befell. ‘We knaw for treuth he was left him allayne; 500 ‘And, as he fled, he slew full mony ayne. ‘The horss we fand, that him that gait couth ber; ‘Bot of hym self no othyr word we her. ‘At Styrlyng bryg we wait he passit nocht; ‘To dede in Forth he may for vs be brocht.’ 505 Lorde Persye said; “Now suthlye that war syne; “So gud of hand is nayne this warld within. “Had he tayne pess, and beyne our kingis man, “The haill empyr he mycht haiff conquest than. “Gret harme it is, our knychtis that ar ded; 510 “We mon ger se for othir in thair sted. “I trow nocht yeit at Wallace losyt be: “Our clerkys sayis, he sall ger mony de.” Fol. 27 a The messynger said; ‘All that suth has beyne; ‘Mony hundreth, that cruell war and keyne, 515 ‘Sene he begane, ar lost with out ramede.’ The Persye said; “Forsuth he is nocht ded; “The crukis off Forth he knawis wondyr weylle; “He is on lyff, that sall our natioune feill. “Quhen he is strest, than can he swym at will; 520 “Gret strenth he has, bathe wyt and grace thartill.” A messynger the lord chargyt to wend; And this commaunde in wryt with him he send. Schir Jhone Sewart gret schirreff than he maid Off Sanct Jhonstoun, and all thai landis braid. 525 In till Kynclewyn thar duelt nane agayne; Thar wes left nocht bot brokyn wallis in playne. Leiff I thaim thus reulland the landis thar; And spek I will off Wallace glaid weillfar. He send Kerlé to Schyr Ranald the knycht, 530 Till Boyd and Blayr that worthi war and wicht, And Adam als, his cusyng, gud Wallace; To thaim declarde of all this paynfull cass. Off his eschaipe out off that cumpany, Rycht wondyr glaid was this gud chewalry: 535 Fra tyme thai wyst that Wallace leiffand was, Gude expensis till him thai maid to pass. Maister Jhone Blayr was offt in that message, A worthy clerk, bath wyss and rycht sawage. Lewyt he was befor in Paryss toune. 540 Amang maistris in science and renoune. Wallace and he at hayme in scule had beyne; Sone eftirwart, as verité is seyne, He was the man that pryncipall wndirtuk, That fyrst compild in dyt the Latyne buk 545 Off Wallace lyff, rycht famouss of renoune; And Thomas Gray persone off Libertoune. With him thai war, and put in story all, Offt ane or bath, mekill of his trauaill; And tharfor her I mak off thaim mencioune. 550 Master Jhone Blayr to Wallace maid him boune; To se his heyle his comfort was the mor, As thai full oft togyddyr war befor. Syluer and gold thai gaiff him for to spend; Sa dyde he thaim frely, quhen God it send. 555 Of gud weylfayr as than he wantyt nane. Inglissmen wyst he was left him allane. Quhar he suld be was nayne off thaim couth say, Drownyt or slayne, or eschapyt away: Tharfor off him thai tuk bot litill heid; 560 Thai knew him nocht, the less he was in dreid. All trew Scottis gret fauour till him gaiff, Fol. 27 b Quhat gude thai had he mysterit nocht to craiff.

The pess lestyt, that Schyr Ranald had tayne; Thai four monethis it suld nocht be out gane. 565 This Chrystismess Wallace ramaynyt thar, In Laynrik oft till sport he maid repair. Quhan that he went fra Gilbank to the toune, And he fand men that was off that falss nacioune, To Scotland thai dyde neuir grewance mar; 570 Sum stekyt thai, sum throttis in sondyr schar. Feill war sone dede, bot nane wyst quha it was; Quham he handlyt he leyt no forthir pass. Thar Hesylryg duelt, that curssyt knycht to waill: Schyrreff he was off all the landis haill, 575 Felloune, owtrage, dispitfull in his deid; Mony off him tharfor had mekill dreid. Merwaill he thocht quha durst his peple sla, With out the toune he gert gret nowmir ga. Quhen Wallace saw that thai war ma than he, 580 Than did he nocht but salust curtaslé. All his four men bar thaim quietlik, Na Sotheron couth deme thaim myss, pur no rik. In Lanryk duelt a gentill woman thar, A madyn myld, as my buk will declar, 585 Off auchteyn yeris ald or litill mor off age; Alss born scho was till part off heretage. Hyr fadyr was off worschipe and renoune, And Hew Braidfute he hecht of Lammyngtoune, As feylle othyr was in the contré calld; 590 Befor tyme thai gentill men war off ald. Bot this gud man, and als his wiff wes ded. The madyn than wyst off no othyr rede, Bot still scho duelt on trewbute in the toune, And purchest had king Eduuardis protectioune; 595 Serwandys with hyr, off freyndis at hyr will. Thus leyffyt scho without desyr off ill; A quiet houss, as scho mycht hald in wer, For Hesylryg had done hyr mekill der; Slayne hyr brodyr, quhilk eldast wes and ayr. 600 All sufferyt scho, and rycht lawly hyr bar; Amyabill, so benyng, war, and wyss, Curtass and swete, fulfillyt of gentryss, Weyll rewllyt off tong, rycht haill of contenance, Off wertuouss scho was worthi till awance; 605 Hummylly hyr led, and purchest a gud name, Off ilkyn wicht scho kepyt her fra blame. Trew rychtwyss folk a gret fauour hir lent. Fol. 28 a Apon a day, to the kyrk as scho went, Wallace hyr saw, as he his eyne can cast. 610 The prent off luff him punyeit at the last, So asprely, throuch bewté off that brycht, With gret wness in presence bid he mycht. He knew full weyll hyr kynrent and hyr blud, And how scho was in honest oyss and gud. 615 Quhill wald he think to luff hyr our the laiff, And othir quhill he thocht on his dissaiff, How that hys men was brocht to confusioun, Throw his last luff he had in Saynct Jhonstoun. Than wald he think to leiff and lat our slyd: 620 Bot that thocht lang in hys mynd mycht nocht byd. He tauld Kerlé off his new lusty baille, Syne askit hym off his trew best consaill. “Maister,” he said, “as fer as I haiff feyll, “Off lyklynes it may be wondyr weill. 625 “Sen ye sa luff, tak hir in mariage; “Gudlye scho is, and als has heretage. “Supposs at yhe in luffyng feill amyss, “Gret God forbede it suld be so with this.” ‘To mary thus I can nocht yeit attend: 630 ‘I wald of wer fyrst se a finaill end. ‘I will no mor allayne to my luff gang; ‘Tak tent to me, or dreid we suffer wrang. ‘To proffer [luff] thus sone I wald nocht preffe; ‘Mycht I leyff off, in wer I lik to leyff. 635 ‘Quhat is this luff? no thing bot folychnes; ‘It may reiff men bathe witt and stedfastnes.’ Than said he thus; ‘This will nocht graithly be, ‘Amors and wer at anys to ryng in me. ‘Rycht suth it is, stude I in blis off luffe, 640 ‘Quhar dedis war I suld the bettir pruff. ‘Bot weyle I wait, quhar gret ernyst is in thocht, ‘It lattis wer in the wysest wys be wrocht; ‘Less gyf it be, bot only till a deid: ‘Than he that thinkis on his luff to speid, ‘He may do weill, haiff he fortoun and grace. 645 ‘Bot this standis all in ane othir cass; ‘A gret kynryk with feill fayis our set, ‘Rycht hard it is amendis for to get ‘At anys of thaim, and wyrk the obserwance 650 ‘Quhilk langis luff, and all his frewill chance. ‘Sampill I haif; this me forthinkis sar: ‘I trow to God it sall be so no mar. ‘The trewth I knaw off this, and hyr lynage; ‘I knew nocht hyr, tharfor I lost a gage.’ 655 Fol. 28 b

To Kerlé he thus argownd in this kynd: Bot gret desyr remaynyt in till his mynd, For to behald that frely off fassoun. A quhill he left, and come nocht in the toun; On othir thing he maid his witt to walk, 660 Prefand giff he mycht off that languor slalk. Quhen Kerlé saw he sufferit payne for thi, “Der schyr,” he said, “ye leiff in slogardy; “Go se youre luff, than sall yhe get comfort.” At his consaill he walkit for to sport, 665 On to the kyrke quhar scho maid residence. Scho knew him weille; bot, as of eloquence, Scho durst nocht weill in presens till him kyth, Full sor scho dred or Sotheron wald him myth: For Hesilryg had a mater new begone, 670 And hyr desirde in mariage till his sone. With hir madyn thus Wallace scho besocht To dyne with hyr, and prewaly hym brocht Throuch a garden scho had gart wyrk off new: So Ingliss men nocht off thair metyng knew. 675 Than kissit he this gudlé with plesance; Syne hyr besocht rycht hardy of quentance. Scho ansuerd hym, with humyll wordis wise; “War my quentance rycht worthi for till pryse, “Yhe sall it haiff, als God me saiff in saille. 680 “Bot Inglissmen gerris our power faill, “Throuch violence of thaim and thair barnage, “At has weill ner destroyit our lynage.” Quhen Wallace hard hyr plenye petously, Agrewit he was in hart rycht gretumly. 685 Bathe ire and luff him set in till a rage; Bot nocht forthi he soberyt his curage. Off his mater he tald, as I said ayr, To that gudlye, how luff him strenyeit sar. Scho ansuerd him rycht resonably agayne, 690 And said; “I sall to your seruice be bayne, “With all plesance, in honest causis haill; “And I trast yhe wald nocht set till assaill, “For yhoure worschipe, to do me dyshonour, “And I a maid; and standis in mony stour, 695 “Fra Inglissmen to saiff my womanheid; “And cost has maid to kepe me fra thar dreid. “With my gud will I wyll no lemman be “To no man born, tharfor me think suld yhe “Desyr me nocht bot intill gudlynes. 700 “Perchance ye think I war to law perchass “For tyll attend to be your rychtwyss wyff. “In your seruice I wald oyss all my lyff. Fol. 29 a “Her I beseik, for your worschipe in armys, “Yhe charge me nocht with no wngudly harmys; 705 “Bot me defend, for worschipe off your blude.” Quhen Wallace weyll hyr trew tayll wnderstud, As in a part hym thocht it was resoun, Off hyr desir tharfor till conclusioun, He thankit hyr, and said; ‘Gif it mycht be, 710 ‘Throuch Goddis will, that our kynryk war fre, ‘I wald yow wed with all hartlie plesance; ‘But as this tym I may nocht tak sic chance. ‘And for this causs none othir now I crayff: ‘A man in wer may nocht all plesance haiff.’ 715 Off thar talk than I can tell yow no mar To my purposs, quhat band that thai maid thar. Conclud thai thus, and syne to dyner went. The sayr grewans ramaynyt in his entent; Loss off his men, and lusty payne off luff. 720 His leiff he tuk at that tyme to ramuff.

Syne to Gilbank he past or it was nycht. Apon the morn, with hys four men, him dycht; To the Corhed with out restyng he raid, Quhar his nevo Thom Haliday him baid; 725 And Litill alss Eduuard, his cusyng der, Quhilk was full blyth quhen he wyst him so ner, Thankand gret God that send him saiff agayne; For mony demyt he was in Strathern slayne. Gud cher thai maid all out thai dayis thre. 730 Than Wallace said, that he desirde to se Lowmaban toun and Ynglissmen that was thar; On the ferd day thai bownyt thaim to far. Sexteyne he was of gudlé chewalré; In the Knok wood he lewyt all bot thre. 735 Thom Halyday went with him to the toun; Eduuard Litill and Kerlé maid thaim boun, Till ane ostrye Thom Halyday led thaim rycht, And gaiff commaund thair dyner suld be dycht. Till her a mess in gud entent thai yeid; 740 Off Inglissmen thai trowit thar was no dreid. Ane Clyffurd come, was emys sone to the lord, And four with him, the trewth for to record. “Quha awcht thai horss?” in gret heithing he ast; He was full sle, and ek had mony cast. 745 The gud wyff said, till [haiff] applessyt him best; ‘Four gentill men is cummyn owt off the west.’ “Quha dewill thaim maid so galy for to ryd? “In faith, with me a wed thar most abide. “Thir lewit Scottis has leryt litill gud: 750 “Lo! all thair horss ar schent for faut off blud.” Fol. 29 b In to gret scorn with outyn wordis mayr, The taillis all off thai four horss thai schayr. The gud wyff cryede, and petuously couth gret. So Wallace come, and couth the captayne mete. 755 A woman tald how thai his horss had schent, For propyr ire he grew in matelent. He folowid fast, and said; “Gud freynd, abid, “Seruice to tak for thi craft in this tyde. “Marschell thou art with out commaund off me; 760 “Reward agayne, me think, I suld pay the; “Sen I off laitt now come owt off the west “In this cuntré, a barbour off the best “To cutt and schaiff, and that a wondyr gude; “Now thow sall feyll how I oyss to lat blude.” 765 With his gud suerd the captayn has he tayn, Quhill horss agayne he marscheld neuir nayn. A nothir sone apon the hed strak he, Quhill chaftis and cheyff vpon the gait can fle. Be that his men the tothir twa had slayne; 770 Thar horss thai tuk, and graithit thaim full bayne, Out off the toun; for dyner baid thai nayne. The wyff he payit, that maid so petuouss mayne. Than Inglissmen, fra that chyftayne wes dede, To Wallace socht fra mony syndry stede. 775 Off the castell come cruell men and keyne. Quhen Wallace has thair sodand semlé seyne, Towart sum strenth he bownyt him to ryd; For than him thocht it was no tyme to byd. Thar horss bled fast, that gert him dredyng haiff: 780 Off his gud men he wald haif had the laiff. To the Knok-woode with owtyn mor thai raid, Bot in till it no soiornyng he maid: That wood as than was nothir thik no lang. His men he gat; syn lychtyt for to gang 785 Towart a hicht, and led thar horss a quhill. The Inglissmen was than within a myill, On fresche horsis rydand full hastely; Sewyn scor and ma was in thair chewalry. The Scottis lap on, quhen thai thar power saw, 790 Frawart the south thaim thocht it best to draw. Than Wallace said; “It is no witt in wer, “With our power to byd thaim bargane her. “Yon are gud men, tharfor I rede that we “Estuirmar seik, quhill God send sum supplé.” 795 Halyday said; ‘We sall do your consaille; ‘Bot sayr I dreid or thir hurt horss will fayll.’ The Inglissmen, in burnyst armour cler, Be than to thaim approchyt wondyr ner. Fol. 30 a Horssyt archaris schot fast, and wald nocht spar; 800 Off Wallace men thai woundyt twa full sar. In ire he grew, quhen that he saw thaim bleid; Him self retornde, and on thaim sone he yeid. Sexteyn with him that worthi was in wer, Off the formast rycht freschly doun thai ber. 805 At that retorn fyfteyn in feild war slayne; The laiff fled fast to thair power agayne. Wallace folowid, with his gud chewalrye; Thom Halyday, in wer was full besye, A buschement saw that cruell was to ken, 810 Twa hundreth haill off weill gerit Inglissmen. “Wncle,” he said, “our power is to smaw; “Off this playne feild I consaill you to draw: “To few we ar agayne yon fellone staill.” Wallace relewit full sone at his consaill. 815