Buke Aucht

Fywe monethis thus Scotland stud in gud rest;
A consell cryit, thaim thocht it wes the best
In Sanct Jhonstoun at it suld haldyn be;
Assemblit thar clerk, barown, and bowrugie.
Bot Corspatrik wald nocht cum at thair call,
Baid in Dunbar, and maid scorn at thaim all.
Thai spak off him feill wordis in that parlyment.
Than Wallace said; “Will ye her to consent,
“Forgyff him fre all thing that is bypast;
“Sa he will cum and grant he has trespast,
“Fra this tyme furth kepe lawta till our croune?”
Thai grant tharto, clerk, burgess, and barroune:
With haill consent thar writyng till him send;
Rycht lawly thus till him thai thaim commend;
Besocht him fair, as a peyr off the land,
To cum and tak sum gouernaill on hand.
Lychtly he lowch, in scorn as it had beyn,
And said; “He had sic message seyldyn seyne,
“That Wallace now as gouernowr sall ryng:
“Her is gret faute off a gud prince or kyng.
“That king off Kyll I can nocht wndirstand;
“Off him I held neuir a fur off land.
“That bachiller trowis, for fortoun schawis hyr quhell,
“Thar with to lest; it sall nocht lang be weill.
“Bot to yow, lordis, and ye will wndirstand,
“I mak yow wyss, I aw to mak na band.
“Als fre I am in this regioun to ryng,
“Lord off myn awne, as euyr was prince or king.
“In Ingland als gret part off land I haiff;
“Manrent tharoff thar will no man me craiff.
“Quhat will ye mar? I warne yow, I am fre;
“For your somoundis ye get no mar off me.”
Till Sanct Jhonstone this wryt he send agayne,
Befor the lordis was manifest in playne.
Quhen Wallace herd the erll sic ansuer mais,
A gret hate ire throu curage than he tais;
For weyll he wyst thar suld be bot a king
Off this regioun, at anys for to ryng;
“A king off Kyll!” for that he callyt Wallace.
“Lordis,” he said, “this is ane wncouth cace.
“Be he sufferyt, we haiff war than it was.”
Thus raiss he wp, and maid him for to pass.
“God has ws tholyt to do so for the laiff:
“In lyff or dede, in faith, him sall we haiff,
“Or ger him grant quhom he haldis for his lord;
“Or ellis war schaym in story to racord.
“I wow to God, with eyss he sall nocht be
“In to this realme, bot ane off ws sall de;
“Less than he cum, and knaw his rychtwiss king.
“In this regioun weill bathe we sall nocht ryng.
“His lychtly scorn he sall rapent full sor,
“Bot power faill, or I sall end tharfor.
“Sen in this erd is ordand me no rest,
“Now God be juge, the rycht he kennys best.”
At that consaill langar he tary nocht,
With twa hundreth fra Sanct Jhonston he socht;
To the consaill maid instans or he yeid,
Thai suld conteyn, and off him haiff na dreid.
“I am bot ane, and for gud causs I ga.”
Towart Kyngorn the gaynest way thai ta;
Apon the morn atour Forth south thai past;
On this wyage thai haistit wondyr fast.
Robert Lauder at Mussilburgh met Wallace,
Fra Inglissmen he kepyt weill his place;
Couth nayne him trete, knycht, squier, nor lord,
With king Eduuard to be at ane accord.
On erll Patrik to pass he was full glaid;
Sum said befor the Bass he wald haiff haid.
Gud men come als with Crystell off Cetoun;
Than Wallace was four hundreth off renoun.
A squier Lyll, that weill that cuntré knew,
With twenty men to Wallace couth persew,
Besyd Lyntoun; and to thaim tald he than.
The erll Patrik, with mony likly man,
At Coburns peth he had his gaderyng maid,
And to Dunbar wald cum with outyn baid.
Than Lawder said, “It war the best, think me,
“Faster to pass, in Dunbar or he be.”
Wallace ansuerd; ‘We may at laysar ryd;
‘With yon power he thinkis bargane to bid.
‘And off a thing ye sall weill wndrestand,
‘A hardyar lord is nocht in to Scotland:
‘Mycht he be maid trew stedfast till a king,
‘Be wit and force he can do mekill thing:
‘Bot willfully he likis to tyne him sell.’
Thus raid thai furth, and wald na langar duell,
Be est Dunbar, quhar men him tald on cass,
How erll Patrik was warnyt off Wallace:
Ner Ennerweik chesyt a feild at waill,
With nyne hundreth off likly men to waill.
Four hundreth was with Wallace in the rycht,
And sone onon approchit to thair sicht.
Gret fawte thar was of gud trety betweyn,
To mak concord, and that full sone was seyne.
With out raherss off actioun in that tid,
On athir part to gydder fast thai rid.
The stour was Strang, and wondyr peralous,
Contenyt lang with dedis chewalrous;
Mony thar deit off cruell Scottis blud.
Off this trety the mater is nocht gud;
Tharfor I cess to tell the destructioune;
Peté it was, and all off a natioune.
Bot erll Patrik the feild left at the last,
Rycht few with him; to Coburns peth thai past;
Agrewit sar that his men thus were tynt.

Wallace raturnd, and wald no langar stynt,
Towart Dunbar, quhar suthfast men him tald,
Na purweance was left in to that hald.
Nor men off fens; all had beyne with thair lord.
Quhen Wallace hard the sekyr trew record,
Dunbar he tuk all haill at his bandown;
Gaiff it to kepe to Crystell off Cetoun,
Quhilk stuffit it weill with men and gud wictall.
Apon the morn, Wallace that wald nocht faill,
With thre hundreth, to Coburns peth he socht:
Erll Patrik wschyt, for bid him wald he nocht.
Sone to the park Wallace a range has set;
Till Bonkill wood Corspatrik fled but let,
And out off it till Noram passit he.
Quhen Wallace saw it mycht na bettir be.
Till Caudstreym went and lugit him on Tweid.
Erll Patrik than, in all haist can him speid,
And passit by, or Wallace power raiss;
With out restyng, in Atrik forrest gais.
Wallace folowed, bot he wald nocht assaill;
A rang to mak as than it mycht nocht waill:
Our few he had, the strenth was thik and strang,
Sewyn myill on breid, and tharto twyss so lang.
In till Gorkhelm erll Patrik leiffit at rest.
For mar power Wallace past in the west.
Erll Patrik than him graithit hastelye,
In Ingland past to get him thar supplye:
Out throuch the land rycht ernystfully couth pass;
Tald Anton Beik that Wallace cummand was.
Wallace him put out off Glaskow befor,
And slew Persye; thair malice was the mor.
The byschope Beik gert sone gret power ryss,
Northummyrland apon ane awfull wyss.
Than ordand Bruce in Scotland for to pass,
To wyn his awne; bot ill dissauit he was:
Thai gart him trow that Wallace was rabell,
And thocht to tak the kynryk to hym sel.
Full fals thai war, and euir yeit has beyn;
Lawta and trouth was ay in Wallace seyn;
To fend the rycht all that he tuk on hand,
And thocht to bryng the Bruce fre till his land.
Off this mater as now I tary nocht.
With Strang power Sotheroun to gidder socht;
Fra Owys watter assemblit haill to Tweid.
Thar land ost was thretty thousand in deid.
Off Tynnys mouth send schippis be the se,
To kep Dunbar, at nayne suld thaim supplé.
Erll Patrik, with twenty thousand but lett,
Befor Dunbar a stalwart sege he sett.
The bischope Beik and Robert Bruce baid still,
With ten thousand, at Noram at thair will.
Wallace be this, that fast was lauborand,
In Lothyane com witht gud men fyve thowsand,
Rycht Weill beseyn, all in to armyss brycht;
Thocht to reskew the Cetoun bauld and wycht.
Undyr Yhester that fyrst nycht lugit he.
Hay com till him with a gud chewalré;
In Duns forest all that tyme he had beyne;
The cummyng thar off Sotheroun he had seyne.
Fyfty he had off besy men in wer;
Thai tald Wallace off Patrikis gret affer.
Hay said; “Forsuth, and ye mycht him our set,
“Power agayne rycht sone he mycht nocht get,
“My consaill is, that we giff him battaill.”
He thankit him off comfort and consaill,
And said; ‘Freynd Hay, in this causs that I wend,
‘Sa that we wyn, I rek nocht for till end.
‘Rycht suth it is that anys we mon de:
‘In to the rycht quha suld in terrour be?’
Erll Patrik than a messynger gert pass,
Tald Anton Beik that Wallace cummand was.
Off this tithingis the byschope was full glaid,
Amendis off him full fayne he wald haiff haid.
But mar prolong throuch Lammermur thai raid,
Ner the Spot mur in buschement still he baid;
As erll Patrik thaim ordand for to be.
Wallace off Beik wnwarnyt than was he.
Yeit he befor was nocht haisty in deid;
Bot than he put bathe him and his in dreid.
Apon swyft hors scurrouris past betweyn.
The cummyng than off erll Patrik was seyn:
The houss he left, and to the mur is gayn,
A playne feild thar with hiss ost he has tayn.
Gud Cetoun syne wschet with few menyhe;
Part off his men in till Dunbar left he;
To Wallace raid, was on the rychtwyss sid;
In gud aray to the Spot mur thai ryd.
Sum Scottis dred, the erll sa mony wass,
Twenty thousand agayn sa few, to pass.
Quhen Jop persauit, he bad Wallace suld bid:
“Tyne nocht thir men, bot to sum strenth ye ryd,
“And I sall pass to get yow power mar;
“Thir ar our gud thus lychtly for to war.”
Than Wallace said; ‘In trewth I will nocht fle
‘For four off his, ay ane quhill I may be.
‘We ar our ner, sic purpos for to tak;
‘A danger chace thai mycht vpon ws mak.
‘Her is twenty, with this power, to day,
‘Wald him assay, supposs I war away.
‘Mony thai ar, for Goddis luff be we strang;
‘Yon Sotheron folk in stour will nocht bid lang.’

The brym battaill, braithly on athir sid,
Gret rerd thar raiss all sammyn quhar thai ryd.
The sayr semblé, quhen thai to gidder met,
Feill strakis thar sadly on athir set.
Punyeand speris throuch plattis persit fast;
Mony off hors to the ground doun thai cast;
Saidlys thai teym off horss bot maistris, thar;
Off the south sid fyve thousand doun thai bar.
Gud Wallace ost the formast kumraid sa,
Quhill the laiff was in will away to ga.
Erll Patrik baid, sa cruell off entent,
At all his ost tuk off him hardiment.
Agayne Wallace in mony stour was he.
Wallace knew weill, that his men wald nocht fle
For na power that leiffand was in lyff,
Quhill thai in heill mycht ay be ane for fyfe.
In that gret stryff mony was handlyt hate;
The feill dyntis, the cruell hard debait,
The fers steking, maid mony grewous wound,
Apon the erd the blud did till abound.
All Wallace ost in till a cumpaiss baid;
Quhar sa thai turnd full gret slauchtyr thai maid.
Wallace and Grayme, and Ramsay full worthi,
The bauld Cetoun, and Richard off Lundy,
[And] Adam, als Wallace, off Ricardtoun,
Bathe Hay and Lyll, with gud men off renoun,
Boyde, Bercla, Byrd, and Lauder, that was wycht,
Feill Inglissmen derffly to ded thai dycht.
Bot erll Patrik full fersly faucht agayn;
Throuch his awin hand he put mony to payn.
Our men on him thrang forthwart in to thra.
Maide throuch his ost feill sloppis to and fra.
The Inglissmen began playnly to fle;
Than byschope Beik full sodeynly thai se;
And Robert Bruce, contrar his natiff men:
Wallace was wa, fra tyme he couth him ken.
Off Brucis deid he was agrewit far mar
Than all the laiff that day at semblit thar.
The gret buschement at anys brak on breid,
Ten thousand haill that douchty war in deid,
The flearis than with erll Patrik relefd
To fecht agayn, quhar mony war myscheifd.
Quhen Wallace knew the buschement brokyn was,
Out off the feild on hors thai thocht to pass.
Bot he saw weill his ost sownd in thair weid;
He thoucht to fray the formast or thai yeid.
The new cummyn ost befor thaim semblit thar,
On athir sid with strakis sad and sar.
The worthi Scottis sa fersly faucht agayne,
Off Antonys men rycht mony haiff thai slayne:
Bot that terand so wsit was in wer,
On Wallace ost thai did full mekill der.
And the bauld Bruce sa cruelly wrocht he,
Throuch strenth off hand feill Scottis he gert de.
To resist Bruce Wallace him pressit fast,
Bot Inglissmen so thik betuixt thaim past:
And erll Patrik, in all the haist he moucht,
Throuch out the stour to Wallace sone he socht;
On the thé pess a felloun strak him gaiff,
Kerwit the plait, with his scharp groundyn glaiff,
Throuch all the stuff, and woundyt him sumdeill.
Bot Wallace thocht he suld be wengit weill,
Folowed on him, and a straik etlyt fast.
Than ane Mawthland rakless betwix thaim past:
Apon the heid gud Wallace has him tane,
Throuch hat and brawn in sondyr bryst the bane;
Dede at that straik doun to the ground him drawe.
Thus Wallace was disseuiryt fra the lawe
Off hys gud men, amang thaim him allane.
About him socht feill enemyss mony ane,
Stekit his horss; to ground behufid him lycht,
To fend him selff as wysly as he mycht.
The worthy Scottis, that mycht na langar bid,
With sair hartis out off the feild thai ryd.
With thaim in feyr thai wend Wallace had beyne,
On fute he was amang his enemyss keyn.
Gud rowme he maid about him in to breid;
With his gud suerd that helpyt him in neid.
Was nayne sa strang, that gat off him a strak,
Eftir agayne maid neuir a Scot to waik.
Erll Patrik than, that had gret crafft in wer,
With speris ordand gud Wallace doun to ber.
Anew thai tuk was haill in to the feild;
Till him thai yeid, thocht he suld haiff no beild;
On athir sid fast poyntand at his ger.
He hewid off hedys, and wysly coud him wer.
The worthy Scottis off this full litill wyst;
Socht to gud Graym quhen thai thair chyftane myst.
Lauder, and Lyle, and Hay, that was full wicht,
And bauld Ramsay, quhilk was a worthy knycht;
Lundy, and Boid, and Crystell off Cetoun,
With fyve hundreth, that war in bargane boun,
Him to reskew full rudly in thai raid,
About Wallace a large rowme thai maid.
The byschop Beik was braithly born till erd;
At the reskew thar was a glamrous rerd.
Or he gat wp, feill Sotheroun thai slew.
Out off the press Wallace thai couth raskew;
Sone horssit him apon a coursour wicht;
Towart a strenth ridis in all thair mycht,
Rycht wysly fled, reskewand mony man.
The erll Patrik to stuff the chace began.
On the flearis litill harm than he wrocht:
Gud Wallace folk away to giddyr socht.
Thir fyve hundreth, the quhilk I spak off ayr,
Sa awfully abawndownd thaim sa sar,
Na folowar durst out fra his falow ga;
The gud flearis sic raturnyng thai ma.
Four thousand haill had tane the strenth befor,
Off Wallace ost, his comfort was the mor;
Off Glaskadane that forrest thocht till hauld.
Erll Patrik twrnd, thocht he was neir sa bauld,
Agayne to Beik, quhen chapyt was Wallace,
Curssand fortoun off his myschansit cace.
The feild he wan, and sewyn thowsand thai lost,
Dede on that day, for all the byschoppis bost.
Off Wallace men fyve hundreth war slayne, I gess;
Bot na chyftayne, his murnyng was the less.

Ner ewyn it was, bot Beik wald nocht abid;
In Lammermur thai trauuentyt that tid;
Thair lugyng tuk quhar him thocht maist awaill;
For weyll he trowit the Scottis wald assaill.
Apon the feild, quhar thai gaiff battaill last,
The contré men to Wallace gaderyt fast.
Off Edynburch, with Crawfurd that was wicht,
Thre hundreth come in till thar armour brycht.
Till Wallace raid, be his lugeyng was tayne.
Fra Tawydaill come gud men mony ane,
Out off Jedwart, with Ruwane, at that tyd
To giddyr socht fra mony diuerss sid.
Schir Wilyham Lang, that lord was off Douglas,
With him four scor that nycht come to Wallace.
Twenty hundreth off new men met that nycht,
Apon thair fais to weng thaim at thair mycht.
At the fyrst feild thir gud men had nocht beyn.
Wallace wachis thair aduersouris had seyn,
In to quhat wiss thai had thair lugeyng maid.
Wallace bownyt eftir soupper, but baid,
In Lammermur thai passit hastely;
Sone till aray yheid this gud chewalry.
Wallace thaim maid in twa partis to be.
Schir Jhon the Graym and Cetoun ordand he,
Lawder and Hay, with thre thousand to ryd;
Hym selff the layff tuk wysly for to gid;
With him Lundy, bathe Ramsay and Douglace,
Berkla and Boid, and Adam gud Wallace.
Be this the day approchit wondyr neir,
And brycht Titan in presens can apper.
The Scottis ostis sone semblit in to sycht
Off thair enemyss, that was nocht redy dycht;
Owt oft aray feill off the Sotheroun was.
Rycht awfully Wallace can on thaim pas.
At this entray the Scottis so weill thaim bar,
Feill off thair fais to dede was bertnyt thar.
Redles thai raiss, and mony fled away;
Sum on the ground war smoryt quhar thai lay.
Gret noyis and cry was raissit thaim amang.
Gud Grayme come in, that stalwart was and strang:
For Wallace men was weill to gyddyr met.
On the south part sa aufully thai set,
In contrar thaim the frayt folk mycht nocht stand;
At anys thar fled off Sotheroun fyve thousand.
The worthi Scottis wrocht apon sic wyss,
Jop said hym selff, thai war mekill to pryss.
Yeit byschope Beik, that felloun tyrand strang,
Baid in the stour rycht awfully and lang.
A knycht Skelton, that cruell was and keyn,
Befor him stud in till his armour scheyn,
To fend his lord full worthely he wrocht.
Lundy him saw, and sadly on him socht;
With his gud suerd an awkwart straik him gaiff,
Throuch pesan stuff his crag in sondyr draiff;
Quhar off the layff astunyt in that sted,
The bauld Skelton off Lundyis hand is dede.
Than fled thai all, and mycht no langar bid;
Patrik and Beik away with Bruce thai ryd.
Fyve thousand held in till a slop away
Till Noram houss, in all the haist thai may.
Our men folowed, that worthi war and wicht;
Mony flear derffly to dede thai dycht.
The thre lordis on to the castell socht;
Full feill thai left, that was off Ingland brocht.
At this jornay twenty thousand thai tynt,
Drownyt and slayn be sper and suerdis dynt.
The Scottis at Tweid haistyt thaim sa fast,
Feill Sotheroun men in to wrang furdis past.
Wallace raturnd, in Noram quhen thai war;
For worthi Bruce his hart was wondyr sar;
He had leuer haiff had him at his large,
Fre till our croun, than off fyne gold to carge,
Mar than in Troy was fund, at Grekis wan.
Wallace than passit, with mony awfull man,
On Patrikis land, and waistit wondyr fast;
Tuk out gudis, and placis doun thai cast.
His stedis sewyn, that mete hamys was cauld,
Wallace gert brek thai burly byggyngis bauld,
Baithe in the Merss, and als in Lothiane;
Except Dunbar, standand he lewit nane.
Till Edynburgh apon the auchtand day;
Apon the morn, Wallace with out delay
Till Pert he passit, quhar the consaill was set;
To the barrownis he schawit with outyn let,
How his gret wow rycht weill eschewyt was.
Till a maister he gert erll Patrik pass,
Be causs he said off Scotland he held nocht:
Till king Eduuard, to get supplé, he socht.
The lordis was blyth, and welcummyt weill Wallas,
Thankand gret God off this fair happy chass.
Wallace tuk state to gowern all Scotland;
The barnage haill maid him ane oppyn band.
Than delt he land till gud men him about,
For Scotlandis rycht had set their lyff in dout.
Stantoun he gaiff to Lauder in his wage;
The knycht Wallang aucht it in heretage.
Than Birgeane cruk he gaiff Lyle that was wicht;
Till Scrymgeour als full gud reward he dycht.
Syne Wallace toun, and othir landis thartill,
To worthi men he delt with nobill will.
Till hys awne kyn heretage nayne gaiff he,
Bot office haill, at [euer] ilk man mycht se,
For cowatice thar couth na wicht him blayme;
He baid reward quhill the king suld cum hayme.
Off all he dyd, he thoucht to bid the law
Be for his king, master quhen he him saw.
Scotland was blyth, in dolour had beyne lang:
In ilka part to gud laubour thai gang.

Be this the tyme off October was past;
Ner Nouember approchit wondyr fast.
Tithandis than come, king Eduuard grewit was,
With his power in Scotland thocht to pass;
For erll Patrik had gyffyn hym sic consaill.
Wallace gat wit, and semblit power haill,
Fourty thousand on Roslyn mur thar met.
“Lordis,” he said, “thus is King Eduuard set,
“In contrar rycht to sek ws in our land.
“I hecht to God, and to yow, be my hand,
“I sall him meit, for all his gret barnage,
“With in Ingland, to fend our heretage.
“His falss desyr sall on him selff be seyn;
“He sall ws fynd in contrar off his eyn.
“Sen he with wrang has ryddyn this regioun,
“We sall pass now in contrar off his crown.
“I will nocht bid gret lordis with ws fayr;
“For myn entent I will playnly declar.
“Our purposs is othir to wyn or de;
“Quha yeildis him, sall neuir ransownd be.”
The barrons than him ansuerd worthely,
And said, thai wald pass with thair chewalry.
Him selff and Jop prowidyt that menyhé;
Twenty thousand off waillit men tuk he,
Harnes and hors he gert amang thaim waill;
Wappynnys enew, at mycht thaim weill awaill;
Grathyt thar men, that cruell wes and keyn;
Bettir in wer in warld coud nocht be seyn.
He bad the laiff on laubour for to bid.
In gud aray fra Roslyn mur thai ryd.
At thair muster gud Wallace couth thaim ass,
Quhat mysteryt ma in a power to pass?
“All off a will, as I trow, set ar we,
“In playne battaill can nocht weill scumfit be.
“Our rewme is pur, waistit be Sotheroun blud;
“Go wyn on thaim tresour, and othir gud.”
The ost inclynd all in till humyll will,
And said, thai suld his commandment fulfill.
The erll Malcome with thir gud men is gayne;
Bot nayme off rewill on him he wald tak nayne.
Wallace him knew a lord and full worthi;
At his consaill he wrocht full stedfastly.
Starkar he was, gyff thai had battaill seyn;
For he befor had in gud jornays beyn.
A man off strenth, that has gud wit with all,
A haill regioune may comfort at his call:
As manly Ectour wrocht in till his wer;
Agayn a hundreth cowntyt was his sper.
Bot that was nocht throuch his strenth anerly;
Sic rewill he led off worthi chewalry.
Thir ensampyllis war noble for to ken.
Ectour I leiff, and spek furth off our men.
The knycht Cambell maid hime to that wiage,
Off Louchow cheiff, that was his heretage.
The gud Ramsay furth to that jornay went;
Schir Jhone the Grayme, forthwart in his entent;
Wallace cusyng, Adam, full worthi was,
And Robert Boid; full blythly furth thai pass.
Baith Awchynlek, and Richard off Lundy,
Lawder and Hay, and Cetoun full worthy.
This ryall ost, but restyng, furth thai rid,
Till Browis feild, and thar a quhill thai bid.
Than Wallace tuk with him fourty, but less,
Till Roxburgh yett raid sone, or he wald cess.
Sotheroun marueld giff it suld be Wallace,
With out souerance come to persew that place.
Off Schyr Rawff Gray sone presence couth he ass;
And warnd him thus, forthwart [or] he wald pass.
“Our purposs is in Ingland for to ryd;
“No teyme we haiff off segyng now to bid.
“Tak tent and her off our cummyng agayne;
“Gyff our the houss, send me the keyis in playn.
“Thus I commaund befor this witnes large,
“Gyff thow will nocht, ramayne with all the charge.
“Bot this be done, throuch force and I tak the,
“Out our the wall thow sall be hyngit hye.”
With that he turnd, and till his ost can wend.
This ilk commaund to Berweik sone he send,
With gud Ramsay, that was a worthi knycht.
The ost but mar full awfully he dycht;
Began at Tweid, and spard nocht at thai fand;
Bot brynt befor throuch all Northummyrland.
All Duram toun thai brynt wp in a gleid.
Abbays thai spard, and kyrkis quhar thai yeid.
To York thai went but baid, or thai wald blyn;
To byrn and sla off thaim he had na syne.
Na syn thai thocht, the samyn thai leit ws feill;
Bot Wilyam Wallace quyt our quarell weill.
Fortrace thai wan, and small castellis kest doun;
With aspre wapynnys payit thair ransoune.
Off presonaris thai likit nocht to kep;
Quhom thai our tuk, thai maid thair freyndis to wepe.
Thai sawft na Sotheroun for thair gret riches;
Off sic koffre he callit bot wretchitnes.
On to the yettis and faboris off the toun
Braithly thai brynt, and brak thair byggyngis doun;
At the wallys assayed fyfetene dayis;
Till king Eduuard send to thaim, in this wayis,
A knycht, a clerk, and a squier of pes;
And prayit him fayr off byrnyng [for] to cess;
And hecht battaill, or fourty dayis war past,
Souerance so lang, gyff him likit, till ass.
And als he sperd, quhy Wallace tuk on hand
The felloun stryff, in defens off Scotland.
And said, he merweld on his wyt for thy,
Agayn Inglande was off so gret party;
“Sen ye haiff maid mekill off Scotland fre.
“It war gret tym for to lat malice be.”
Wallace has herd the message say thair will;
With manly wytt rycht thus he said thaim till:
‘Yhe may knaw weill that rycht ynewch we haiff;
‘Off his souerance I kep nocht for to craiff.
‘Be causs I am a natyff Scottis man,
‘It is my dett to do all that I can
‘To fend our kynrik out off dangeryng.
‘Till his desyr we will grant to sum thing;
‘Our ost sall cess, for chans that may betid,
‘Thir fourty dayis, bargane for till bid.
‘We sall do nocht, less than it mowe in yow;
‘In his respyt my selff couth neuir trow.’
King Eduuardis wrytt wndir his seill thai gaiff,
Be fourty dayis that thai suld battaill haiff.
Wallace thaim gaiff his credence off this thing.
Thair leyff thai tuk, syne passit to the king,
And tauld him haill how Wallace leit thaim feill,
“Off your souerance he rekis nocht adeill;
“Sic rewllyt men, sa awfull off affer,
“Ar nocht crystynyt, than he ledis in wer.”
The king ansuerd, and said; ‘It suld be kend,
‘It cummys off witt enemyss to commend.
‘Thai ar to dreid rycht gretly in certane;
‘Sadly thai think off harmys thai haiff tane.’
Leyff I thaim thus at consell with thair king,
And off the Scottis agayne to spek sum thing.

Wallace tranountyt on the secund day;
Fra York thai passyt rycht in a gud aray.
Northwest thai past in battaill buskyt boun,
Thar lugeyng tuk besyd Northallyrtoun,
And cryit his pess, thar market for till stand,
Thai fourty dayis, for pepill off Ingland,
Quha that likyt ony wyttaill till sell.
Off all thair fer was mekill for to tell.
Schyr Rawff Rymunt, captane off Maltoun was,
With gret power ordand he nycht to pass
On Wallace ost, to mak sum jeperté.
Feyll Scottis men, that duelt in that cuntré,
Wyst off this thing, and gaderyt to Wallace;
Thai maid him wyss off all that suttell cace.
Gud Lundy than till hym he callit thar,
And Hew the Hay, off Louchowort was ayr.
With thre thousand that worthely had wrocht,
Syne prewaly out fra the ost he socht.
The men he tuk, that come till hym off new,
Gydys to be, for thai the contré knew.
The ost he maid in gud quyet to be;
A space fra thaim he buschyt prewalé.
Schyr Rawff Rymunt with sewyn thousand com in,
On Wallace ost a jeperté to begyn.
The buschement brak, or thai the ost come ner;
On Sotheroun men the worthi Scottis thai ster.
Thre thousand haill was braithly brocht to ground;
Jornay thai socht, and sekyrly has found.
Schyr Rawff Rymunt was stekit on a sper;
Thre thousand slayn, that worthi war in wer.
The Sotheroun wyst quhen thair chyftayn wes dede;
To Maltoun fast thai fled, and left that sted.
Wallace folowed with his gud chewalry;
Amang Sotheroun thai entrit sodeynly,
Ingliss and Scottis in to the toun at anys.
Sotheroun men schot, and braithly kest doun stanys,
Off thar awn rycht feyll thair haiff thai slayn.
The Scottis about, that war off mekill mayn,
On grecis ran, and cessyt all the toun.
Derffly to dede the Sotheroun was dongyn doun.
Gud Wallace thair has found full gud ryches,
Jowellis and gold, bathe wapynnys and harnes;
Spoulyeid the toun off wyn, and off wittaill;
All off send with caryagis off gret waill.
Thre dayis still with in the toun thai baid;
Syn brak doun werk that worthely was maid.
Wyffis and childre thai put owt off the toun;
Na man he sawft that was off that nacioun.
Quhen Scottis had tane to turss at thair desyr,
Wallis thai brak, syn set the layff in fyr,
The temir werk thai brynt wp all in playn,
On the ferd day till his ost raid agayn,
Gert cast a dyk that mycht sum strynthyng be,
To kepe the ost fra sodeyn jeperté.
Than Inglissmen was rycht gretly agast,
Fra north and south in to thair king thai past,
At Pomfray lay, and held a parlement.
To gyff battaill the lordis couth nocht consent,
Less Wallace war off Scotland crownyt king.
Thar consaill fand it war a peralous thing:
For thocht thai wan, thai wan bot as thai war;
And gyff thai tynt, thai lossyt Ingland for euirmar,
A payn war put in to the Scottis hand.
And this decret thar wit amang thaim fand;
Gyff Wallace wald apon him tak the croun,
To gyff battaill thai suld be redy boun.
The sammyn message till him thai send agayn;
And thar entent thai tald him in to playn.
Wallace thaim chargyt his presens till absent;
His consaill callyt, and schawit thaim his entent.
He and his men desyrit battaill till haiff,
Be ony wayis, off Ingland our the laiff.
He said; “Fyrst, it war a our hie thing,
“Agayne the faith to reyff my rychtwis king.
“I am his man, born natiff of Scotland;
“To wer the croun I will nocht tak on hand.
“To fend the rewm it is my dett be skill;
“Lat God abowe reward me as he will.”
Sum bad Wallace apon him tak the croun.
Wyss men said; ‘Nay, it war bot derysioun,
‘To croun him king bot woice off the parlyment:’
For thai wyst nocht gyff Scotland wald consent.
Othir sum said, it was the wrangwis place.
Thus demyt thai on mony diuerss cace.
This knycht Cambell, off witt a worthi man,
As I said ayr, was present with thaim than,
Herd and ansuerd, quhen mony said thair will;
“This war the best, wald Wallace grant thar till,
“To croun him king solemply for a day,
“To get ane end off all our lang delay.”
The gud erll Malcome said, that Wallace mycht.
As for a day, in fens off Scotlandis rycht,
Thocht he refusyt it lestandly to ber,
Resawe the croun, as in a fer off wer.
The pepill all till him gaiff thar consent:
Malcome off auld was lord off the parlyment.
Yeit Wallace tholyt, and leit thaim say thair will.
Quhen thai had demyt be mony diuerss skill,
In his awne mynd he abhorryt with this thing.
The commounis cryit, ‘Mak Wallace crownyt king.’
Than smylyt he, and said; “It suld nocht be:
“At termys schort, ye get no mar for me.
“Wndyr colour we mon our ansuer mak;
“Bot sic a thing I will nocht on me tak.
“I suffer yow to say that it is sa.
“It war a scorn the croun on me to ta.”
Thai wald nocht lat the message off Ingland
Cum thaim amang, or thai suld wndirstand.
Twa knychtis passit to the message agayn,
Maid thaim to trow Wallace was crownyt in playn;
Gart thaim traist weill that this was suthfast thing.
Delyuyrit thus, thai passit to thair king;
To Pomfrait went, and tald that thai had seyn
Wallace crownyt, quharoff the lordis was teyn,
In barrate wox, in parlement quhar thai stud.
Than said thai all; “Thir tithingis ar nocht gud.
“He did so weyll in to thir tymys befor,
“And now thair king, he will do mekill mor.
“A fortonyt man, no thing gois him agayn.
“To gyff battaill we sall it rew apayn.”
And othir said; ‘And battaill will he haiff,
‘Or stroy our land; na tresour may ws saiff.
‘In his conquest, sen fyrst he coud begyn,
‘He sellis nocht, bot takis at he may wyn.
‘For Inglissmen he settis no doym bot ded;
‘Pryce off pennys may mak ws no ramed.’
And Wodstok said; “Yhe wyrk nocht as the wyss,
“Gyff that ye tak the awnter, off supprice:
“For thocht we wyn that ar in till Ingland,
“The laiff ar stark agaynys ws for to stand.
“Be Wallace saiff, othir thai cownt bot small.
“For thi me think this war the best off all,
“To kepe our strynth off castell and off wall toun,
“Swa sall we fend the fek off this regioun.
“Thocht north be brynt, bettir off sufferans be,
“Than set all Ingland on a jeperté.”
Thai grantyt all, as Wodstok can thaim say;
And thus thai put the battaill on delay;
And kest thaim haill for othir gouernance,
Agayn Wallace to wyrk sum ordinance.
Thus Wallace has in playn discumfyt haill,
Agayn king Eduuard, all his strang battaill;
For throucht falsheid, and thar subtilité,
Thai thocht he suld, for gret necessité,
And faute off fude, to steyll out off the land.
And this decret thair wytt amang thaim fand;
Thai gert the king cry all thar merket doun,
Fra Trent to Tweid off throchtfayr and fre toun,
That in thai boundis na man suld wittaill leid,
Sic stuff, nor wyn, on na less payn bot deid.
This ilk decret thai gaiff in thar parlement.
Off Scottis forsuth to spek is myne entent.
Wallace lay still, quhill fourty dayis was gayn,
And fyve atour; bot perance saw he nayn
Battaill till haiff, as thair promyss was maid.
He gert display agayne his baner braid;
Rapreiffyt Eduuard rycht gretlye off this thing;
Bawchillyt his seyll, blew out on that fals king,
As a tyrand; turnd bak, and tuk his gait.
Than Wallace maid full mony byggyng hayt.
Thai rassyt fyr, brynt wp Northallyrtoun,
Agayn throucht Yorkschyr bauldly maid thaim boun;
Dystroyed the land, als fer as euir thai rid;
Sewyn myle about thai brynt on athir sid.
Palyce thai spylt, gret towris can confound;
Wrocht the Sotheroun mony werkand wound.
Wedowis wepyt with sorow in thar sang;
Madennys murnyt with gret menyng amang.
Thai sparyt nocht bot wemen and the kyrk.
Thir worthy Scottis off laubour wald nocht yrk.
Abbayis gaiff thaim rycht largly to thair fud;
Till all kyrk man thai did no thing bot gud.
The temporall land thai spoulyeit at thair will,
Gud gardens gay, and orchartis gret thai spill.

To York thai went, thir wermen off renoun;
A sege thai set rycht sadly to the toun.
For gret defens thai garnest thaim within:
A felloun salt with out thai can begyn;
Gert woid the ost in four partis about,
With wachys feyll, that no man suld wsche out.
Abowne the toune, apon the southpart sid,
Thar Wallace wald, and gud Lundy, abid.
Erll Malcom syne at the west yett abaid;
With him the Boid, that gud jornays had maid.
The knycht Cambell, off Louchow [that] was lord,
At the north yett, and Ramsay, maid thaim ford.
Schyr Jhon the Graym, that worthy was in wer,
Awchinlek, Crawfurd, with full manlik affer,
At the est part bauldly thai bowne to bid.
A thousand archaris apon the Scottis sid
Disseueryt thaim amang the four party.
Fyve thousand bowemen in the toun forthi,
With in the wallis, arayit thaim full rycht,
Twelf thousand and ma that sembly was to sycht.
Than said Wallace; “Thar yond apon a playn,
“In feild to fecht me think we suld be bayn.”
Than sailyeit thai rycht fast on ilka sid.
The worthy Scottis that bauldly durst abid,
With sper and scheild, for gownnys had thai nayn,
Within the dykys thai gert feill Sotheroun grayn.
Arowys thai schot, als fers as ony fyr,
Atour the wall, that flawmyt in gret ire,
Throuch byrneis brycht, with hedys fyn off steyll.
The Sotheroun blud thai leyt no frendschip feyll;
Our schefferand harnes schot the blud so scheyn.
The Inglissmen, that cruell was and keyn,
Kepyt thar toun, and fendyt thar full fast.
Fagaldys off fyr amang the ost thai cast;
Wp pyk and ter on feyll sowys thai lent;
Mony was hurt or thai fra wallys went.
Stanys and spryngaldis thai cast out so fast,
And gaddys off irne, maid mony goym agast:
Bot neuirtheles, the Scottis that was with out,
The toun full oft thai set in to gret dout;
Thar bulwerk brynt rycht brymly off the toun;
Thar barmkyn wan, and gret gerrettis kest doun.
Thus sailyeit thai, on ilk sid, with gret mycht.
The day was gayn, and cummyn was the nycht.
The wery ost than drew thaim fra the toun,
Set owt wachis, for restyng maid thaim boun;
Wysche woundis with wyn, off thaim that was wnsound;
For nayn wes dede; in gret myrth thai abound.
Feyll men was hurt, bot na murnyng thai maid;
Confermyt the sege, and stedfastly abaid.
Quhen that the son on morow raiss wp rycht,
Befor the chyftanys semblyt thai full rycht;
And mendis thocht off the toun thai suld tak,
For all the fens that the Sotheroun mycht mak.
Arayit agayn, as thai began afor,
About the toun thai sailye wondyr sor,
With felloun schot atour the wall so scheyn.
Feill Inglissmen, that cruell was and keyn,
With schot was slayn, for all thar targis strang;
Byrstyt helmys, mony to erd thai dang.
Brycht byrnand fyr thai kest till euirilk yet;
The entress thus in perall oft thai set.
The defendouris was off so fell defens,
Kepyt thar toun with strenth and excellens.
And thus the day thai dryff on to the nycht;
To palyounnys bownyt mony wery wycht.
All yrk off wer; the toun was strang to wyn,
Off artailye, and nobill men with gyn.
Quhen that thai trowyt the Scottis was all at rest,
For jeperté the Inglissmen thaim kest.
Schyr Jhon Nortoun was knawyn worthy and wycht,
Schyr Wilyham off Leis, graithit thaim that nycht,
With fyve thowsand welle garnest and sawage;
Apon the Scottis thai thocht to mak scrymmage;
And at [the] yet wschyt owt haistely
On erll Malcom, and his gud chewalry.
To chak the wache Wallace and ten had beyn
Rydand about, and has thair cummyng seyn.
He gert ane blaw, was in his cumpany;
The redy men arayit thaim hastely.
Feill off the Scottis ilk nycht in harnes baid,
Be ordinance, for thai sic rewll had maid.
With schort awyss to gyddyr ar thai went,
Apon thair fais, quhar feill Sotheroun was schent.
Wallace knew weill the erll to haisty was;
For thi he sped him to the press to pass.
A suerd off wer in till his hand he bar;
The fyrst he hyt, the crag in sondyr schar.
Ane othir awkwart apon the face tuk he;
Wysar and frount bathe in the feild gert fle.
The hardy erll befor his men furth past,
In to the press, quhar feill war fechtand fast;
A scherand suerd bar drawyn in his hand;
The fyrst was fey that he befor him fand.
Quhen Wallace and he was to gidder set,
Thayr lestyt nayn agayn thaim that thai met,
Bot othir dede, or ellis fled thaim fray.
Be this the ost, all in [a] gud aray,
With the gret scry assemblit thaim about;
Than stud the Sotheroun in a felloun dout.
Wallace knew weill the Inglissmen wald fle;
For thi he preyst in the thikkest to be,
Hewand full fast on quhat sege that he socht;
Agaynys hys dynt fyn steyll awailyeit nocht.
Wallace off hand, sen Arthour, had na mak;
Quhom he hyt rycht was ay dede off a strak.
That was weyll knawin in mony place; and thar
Quhom Wallace hyt he deryt the Scottis no mar.
Als all his men did cruelly and weyll,
At com to strak; that mycht the Sotheroun feill.
The Inglissmen fled, and left the feild playnly.
The worthy Scottis wroucht so hardely,
Schyr Jhon off Nourtoun in that place was dede,
And twelf hundreth, with outyn ony ramede.
Thar mony was left in to the feild and slayn:
The layff raturnyt in to the toun agayn,
And rwyt full sar that euyr thai furth coud found;
Amang thaim was full mony werkand wound.
The ost agayn ilkane to thar ward raid,
Comaundyt wachis, and no mayr noyis maid,
Bot restyt still quhill that the brycht day dew.
Agayne began the toun to sailye new.
All thus thai wrocht with full gud worthines,
Assailyeit sayr with witt and hardines.
The ostis wictaill worth scant, and failyeit fast.
Thus lay thai thair, quhill diuerss dayis war past;
The land waistyt, and meit was fer for to wyn:
Bot that wyst nocht the stuff that was within;
Thai dred full sar for thair awn warysoun.
For souerance prayed the power off the toun,
To spek with Wallace thai desyryt fast;
And he aperyt, and speryt quhat thai ast.
The mayr ansuerd, said; “We wald gyff ransoun,
“To pass your way, and der no mayr the toun.
“Gret schaym it war that we suld yoldyn be,
“And townys haldyn off less power than we.
“Yhe may nocht wyn ws suthlie, thocht ye bid;
“We sall gyff gold, and yhe will fra ws rid.
“We may gyff battaill, durst we for our king;
“Sen he has left, it war ane our hie thing
“Till ws to do, with out his ordinance;
“This toun off him we hald in gouernance.”
Wallace ansuerd; ‘Off your gold rek we nocht;
‘It is for battaill that we hydder socht.
‘We had leuir haiff battaill off Ingland,
‘Than all the gold that gud king Arthour fand
‘On the mont Mychell, quhar he the gyand slew.
‘Gold may be gayn, bot worschip is ay new.
‘Your king promyst that we suld battaill haiff;
‘His wrytt tharto undyr his seyll he gaiff.
‘Lettir nor band, ye se, may nocht awaill
‘Ws; for this tyme he hecht to gyff battaill.
‘Me think we suld on his men wengit be;
‘Apon our kyn mony gret wrang wrocht he:
‘His dewyllyk deid he did in to Scotland.’
The mayr said; “Schyr, rycht thus we wndyrstand:
“We haiff no charge quhat our king gerris ws do;
“Bot in this kynd we sall be bundyn yow to,
“Sum part off gold to gyff you with gud will,
“And nocht efftyr to wait yow with na ill,
“Be no kyn meyn, the power off this town;
“Bot gyff our king mak him to battaill boun.”
Into the ost was mony worthi man
With Wallace, ma than I now rekyn can.
Bettir it was, for at his will thai wrocht,
Thocht he wes best, no nothir lak we nocht;
All seruit thank to Scotland euirmar,
For manlyk wit, the quhilk thai schawit thar.
The haill consaill thus demyt thaim amang,
The toun to sege thaim thocht it was to lang;
And nocht a payn to wyn it be no slycht.
The consaill fand it was the best thai mycht
Sum gold to tak, gyff that thai get no mar;
Syne furth thar way in thar wiage thai far.
Than Wallace said; “My selff will nocht consent;
“Bot gyff this toun mak us this playne content;
“Tak our baner, and set it on the wall,
“(For thar power our rewme has ridyn all,)
“Yoldyn to be, quhen we lik thaim to tak,
“In till Ingland residence gyff we mak.”
This ansuer sone thai send in to the mair.
Than thai consent, the ramayn that was thar,
The baner tuk, and set it in the toun,
To Scotland was hie honour and renoun.
That baner thar was fra aucht houris to none;
Thar finance maid, delyuerit gold full sone.
Fyve thousand pund, all gud gold off Ingland,
The ost rasawit, with wictaill haboundand.
Baith breid and wyne rycht gladly furth thai gaiff,
And othir stuff at thai likit to haiff.
Twenty dais owt the ost remaynit thar;
Bot want off wictaill gert thaim fra it far.
Yeit still off pees the ost lugyt all nycht,
Quhill on the morn the sone was ryssyn on hycht.

In Aperill amang the schawis scheyn,
Quhen the paithment was cled in tendyr greyn,
Plesand war it till ony creatur,
In lusty lyff that tym for till endur.
Thir gud wermen had fredome largly;
Bot fude was scant, thai mycht get nayn to by.
Tursyt tentis, and in the contré raid;
On Inglissmen full gret herschipe thai maid;
Brynt and brak doun byggyngis, sparyt thai nocht;
Rycht worthi wallis full law to ground thai brocht.
All Mydlame land thai brynt wp in a fyr,
Brak parkis doun, distroyit all the schyr;
Wyld der thai slew, for othir bestis was nayn;
Thir wermen tuk off venysoune gud wayn.
Towart the south thai turnyt at the last,
Maid byggyngis bar als fer as euir thai past.
The commons all to London ar thai went,
Befor the king, and tald him thar entent;
And said, thai suld, bot he gert Wallace cess,
Forsaik thair faith, and tak thaim till his pess.
Na herrald thar durst than to Wallace pass,
Quharoff the king gretly agrewit was.
Thus Eduuard left his pepill in to baill,
Contrar Wallace he wald nocht giff battaill;
Nor byd in feild for nocht that thai mycht say;
Gayff our the causs, to London past his way.
At men off wit this questioun her I ass,
Amang noblis gyff euyr ony thar was,
So lang throw force in Ingland lay on cass,
Sen Brudus deit, but battaill, bot Wallace.
Gret Julius, the empyr had in hand,
Twyss off force he was put off Ingland.
Wycht Arthour als, off wer quhen that he prewit,
Twyss thai fawcht, supposs thai war myschewit.
Awfull Eduuard durst nocht Wallace abid
In playn battaill, for all Ingland so wid.
In London he lay, and tuk him till his rest;
And brak his vow. Quhilk hald ye for the best?
Deyme as ye lest, gud men off discrecioun;
Rycht clayr it is to ransek this questioun:
To my sentence breyffly will I pass.
Quhen Wallace thus throw Yorkschyr jowrnat was,
Wictaill as than was nayne left in the land,
Bot in houssis quhar it mycht be warrand.
The ost heroff abaissit was to bid;
Fra fude scantyt na plesance was that tid.
Sum bald ryd haym, sum bald ryd forthermar:
Wallace callit Jop, and said till him rycht thar;
“Thow knawis the land, quhar most aboundance is,
“Be thow our gyd, and than we sall nocht myss
“Wictaill to fynd, that wait I wondir weill:
“Thow has, I traist, off Ingland mekill feill.
“The kyng and his to stark strenthis ar gayn;
“Bot jeperté, now perell haiff we nayn.”
Than Jop said; ‘[Schir,] be ye gydyt be me,
‘The bowndandest part off Ingland ye sall se.
‘Off wyn and quheyt thar is in Rychmwnt schyr,
‘And othir stuff off fud that ye desyr;
‘Quharoff I trow yhe sall be weyll content.’
The ost was glaid and thiddyrwart thai went.
Mony trew Scot was semblyt in that land,
To Wallace com weill ma than nyne thowsand;
Off presone part, sum had in lawbour wrocht,
Fra athir part hill fast till him thai socht.
Wallace was blyth off our awn natiff kyn,
That come till him off baill that thai war in:
And all the ost off comforde was the blythar,
Fra thair awn folk was multipliand the mar.

In Richmwnt schyr thai fand a gret boundans,
Breid, ayll and wyn, with othir purweans;
Brak parkis doun, slew bestis mony ane,
Off wild and tayme, forsuth thai sparyt nane.
Throuch owt the land thai past in gud aray;
A sembly place so fand thai in thar way,
Quhilk Ramswaith hecht, as Jop him selff thaim tald;
Fehew was lord and captayne in that hald.
A hundreth men was semblit in that place,
To sawe thaim selff and thar gud fra Wallace;
A ryoll sted, fast by a forest sid,
With turrettis fayr, and garrettis off gret prid,
Beildyt about, rycht lykly to be wicht,
Awfull it was till ony mannis sicht;
Feill men abown on the wallis buskyt beyn,
In gud armour, that burnyst was full scheyn.
The ost past by, and bot wesyt that place;
Yeit thai within on lowd defyit Wallace,
And trumpattis blew with mony werlik soun.
Than Wallace said; “Had we yon gallandis doun,
“On the playn ground, thai wald mor sobyr be.”
Than Jop said; ‘Schyr, ye gart his brodyr de,
‘In harrold weid, ye wait, on Tynto hill.’
Wallace ansuerd; “So wald I with gud will,
“Had I him selff; bot we may nocht thaim der;
“Gud men mon thoill off harlottis scorn in wer.”
Schir Jhon the Graym wald at a bykkyr beyn:
Bot Wallace sone, that gret perell has seyn,
Commaundit him to lat his seruice be.
“We haiff no men to waist in sic degré.
“Wald ye thaim harm, I knaw ane othir gait,
“How we throuch fyr within sall mak thaim hait.
“Fyr has beyn ay full felloun in to wer,
“On sic a place it ma do mekill der.
“Thar awld bulwerk I se off wydderyt ayk;
“War it in fyr, thai mycht nocht stand a straik.
“Houssis and wod is her enewch plenté;
“Quha hewis best off this forest lat se.
“Pow houssis doun, we sall nocht want adeill;
“The auld temyr will ger the greyn byrn weill.”
At his commaund full besyly thai wrocht,
Gret wod in haist about the houss thai brocht.
The bulwerk wan thir men off armys brycht,
To the barmkyn had temyr apon hycht.
Than bowmen schot to kep thaim fra the cast;
The wall about had festnyt firis fast.
Women and barnys on Wallace fast thai cry;
On kneis thai fell, and askit him mercy.
At a quartar, quhar fyr had nocht ourtayn,
Thai tuk thaim out fra that castell off stayn;
Syn bet the fyr with brwndys brym and bauld;
The rude low raiss full heych abown that hauld.
Barrellis off pyk for the defens was hungyn thar;
All strak in fyr, the myscheiff was the mar.
Quhen the brym fayr atour the place was past,
Than thai with in mycht nothir schwt no cast.
Als bestiall, as horss and nowt, within,
Amang the fyr thai maid a hidwyss dyn.
The armyt men in harnes was so hait,
Sum doun to ground duschit but mar debait;
Sum lap, sum fell in to the felloun fyr,
Smoryt to dede, and brynt bathe bayn and lyr.
The fyr brak in at all opynnys about;
Nayn baid on loft, so felloun was the dout.
Fehew him self lap rudly fra the hycht;
Throuch all the fyr can on the barmkyn lycht.
With a gud suerd Wallace strak off his hed,
Jop hynt it wp, and turst [it] fra that sted.
Fyve hundreth men, that war in to that place,
Gat nayne away, bot dede with outyn grace.
Wallace baid still with his power that nycht;
Apon the morn the fyr had failyeit mycht.
Beffor the yett, quhar it was brynt on breid,
A red thai maid, and to the castell yeid,
Strak doun the yett, and tuk that thai mycht wyn,
Jowellys and gold, gret riches was tharin;
Spulyeit the place, and left nocht ellis thar,
Bot bestis, brynt bodyis, and wallis bar.
Than tuk thai hyr, that wyff was to Fehew;
Gaiff this commaund, as scho was women trew,
To turss that hed to London to king Eduuard.
Scho it rasawyt with gret sorow on hart.
Wallace him selff thir chargis till hyr gaiff;
“Say to your king, bot gyff I battaill haiff,
“At London yettis we sall assailyie sayr;
“In this moneth we think for to be thair.
“Trastis, in treuth, will God, we sall nocht faill;
“Bot I rasyst throw chargis off our consaill.
“The southmaist part off Ingland we sall se;
“Bot he sek pess, or ellis bargan with me.
“Apon a tym he chargyt me on this wyss,
“Rycht boustously to mak till him seruice:
“Sic sall he haiff, as he ws causs has maid.”
Than mowit thai with out langer abaid.
Deliuerit scho was fra this gud chewalry,
Towart London scho socht rycht ernystfully;
On to the tour, but mar process, scho went,
Quhar Eduuard lay sayr murnand in his entent.
His newois hede, quhen he saw it was brocht,
Sa gret sorow sadly apon him socht,
With gret wness apon his feit he stud,
Wepand for wo for his der tendyr blud.
The consaill raiss, and prayit him for to cess;
“We loss Ingland, bot gyff ye purches pess.”
Than Wodstok said; ‘This is my best consaill;
‘Tak pees in tyme as for our awn awaill,
‘Or we tyne mar, yeit slaik off our curage;
‘Ereft ye may get help to your barnage.’
The king grantyt, and bad thaim message send;
Na man was thar that durst to Wallace wend.
The queyn apperyt, and saw this gret distance;
Weill born scho was off the rycht blud off France;
Scho trowit weill tharfor to speid the erar,
Hyr selff purpost in that message to far.
Alss scho forthocht that the king tuk on hand,
Agayn the rycht, so oft to reyff Scotland;
And feill said, the wengeance hapnyt thar,
Off gret murthyr his men maid in till Ayr.
Thus demyt thai the consaill thaim amang.
To this effect the queyn bownyt to gang.
Quhen scho has seyn ilk man forsak this thing,
On kneis scho fell, and askyt at the king;
“Souerane,” scho said, “gyff it your willis be,
“At I desyr yon chyftayn for to se.
“For he is knawin bath hardy, wyss, and trew;
“Perchance he will erar on wemen rew,
“Than on your men; yhe haiff don him sic der,
“Quhen he thaim seis, it mowis him ay to wer.
“To help this land I wald mak my trawaill;
“It ma nocht scaith, supposs it do na waill.”
The lordis all off hir desir was fayn;
On to the king thai maid instans in playn,
That scho mycht pass. The king, with aukwart will,
Halff in to yr, has [giffyn] consent thar till.
Sum off thaim said, the queyn luffyt Wallace,
For the gret woice off his hie nobilnes.
A hardy man, that is lykly with all,
Gret fawour will off fortoun till him fall,
Anent wemen is seyne in mony place.
So hapnyt it in his tyme with Wallace.
In his rysyng he was a luffar trew,
And chesyt ane, bot Inglissmen hir slew,
Yeit I say nocht, the queyn wald on hir tak,
All for his luff, sic trawaill for to mak.
Now luff or leiff, or for help off the land,
I mak raherss as I in scriptour fand.
Scho graithit hir apon a gudlye wiss,
With gold, and ger, and folk at hir dewiss;
Ladyis with hir, nane othir wald thai send,
And ald preystis, that weill the cuntré kend.
Lat I the queyn to message redy dycht,
And spek furth mar off Wallace trawaill rycht.
The worthy Scottis amang thar enemyss raid;
Full gret destructioun amang the Sotheron thai maid;
Waistit about the land on athir sid:
Na wer men than durst in thar way abid.
Thai ransoun nane, bot to the dede thaim dycht;
In mony steid maid fyris braid and brycht.
The ost was blith, and in a gud estate,
Na power was at wald mak thaim debate;
Gret ryches wan off gold and gud thaim till,
Leyffyng enewch to tak at thar awn will.
In awfull fer thai trawaill throuch the land,
Maid byggynis bar that thai befor thaim fand;
Gret barmkynnys brak off stedis stark and strang;
Thir wicht wermen off trawaill thocht nocht lang.
South in the land rycht ernystfully thai socht,
To Sanct Awbawnys; bot harm thar did thai nocht.
The pryour send thaim wyn and wenesoun,
Refreschyt the ost with gud in gret fusioun.
The nycht apperyt quhen thai war at the place;
Than herbreyt thaim fra thine a litill space;
Chesyt a sted quhar thai suld bid all nycht,
Tentis on ground, and palyonis proudly pycht;
In till a waill, be a small rywer fayr,
On athir sid quhar wyld der maid repayr;
Set wachis owt, that wysly couth thaim kepe,
To souppar went, and tymysly thai slepe.

Off meit and sleip thai cess with suffisiance.
The nycht was myrk, our drayff the dyrkfull chance.
The mery day sprang fra the oryent,
With bemys brycht enlumynyt the occident.
Eftir Titan, Phebus wp rysyt fayr;
Heich in the sper, the signes maid declayr.
Zepherus began his morow courss,
The swete wapour thus fra the ground resourss;
The humyll breyth doun fra the hewyn awaill,
In euery meide, bathe fyrth, forrest, and daill;
The cler rede amang the rochis rang,
Throuch greyn branchis quhar byrdis blythly sang,
With joyus woice in hewynly armony.
Than Wallace thocht it was no tyme to ly;
He croyssit him, syne sodeynli wp raiss;
To tak the ayr out off his palyon gais.
Maister Jhon Blar was redy to rawess;
In gud entent syne bownyt to the mess.
Quhen it was done, Wallace can him aray,
In his armour, quhilk gudly was and gay.
His schenand schoys, that burnyst was full beyn,
His leg harnes he clappyt on so clene;
Pullane greis he braissit on full fast;
A closs byrny, with mony sekyr clasp;
Breyst plait, brasaris, that worthy was in wer;
Besid him furth Jop couth his basnet ber;
His glytterand glowis grawin on athir sid.
He semyt weill in battaill till abid;
His gud gyrdyll, and syne his burly brand;
A staff off steyll he gryppyt in his hand.
The ost him blyst, and prayit God, off his grace,
Him to conwoy fra all mystymyt cace.
Adam Wallace and Boid furth with him yeid,
By a reuir, throu out a floryst meid.
And as thai walk atour the feyldis greyn,
Out off the south thai saw quhar at the queyn,
Towart the ost, come ridand sobyrly;
And fyfty ladyis was in hyr cumpany,
Wallyt off wit, and demyt off renoun,
Sum wedowis war, and sum off religioun;
And sewyn preistis that entrit war in age.
Wallace to sic did neuir gret owtrage,
Bot gyff till him thai maid a gret offens.
Thus prochyt thai on towart thar presens.
At the palyoun, quhar thai the lyoun saw;
To ground thai lycht, and syne on kneis can faw;
Prayand for pece thai cry with petous cher.
Erll Malcom said; “Our chyftayn is nocht her.”
He bad hyr ryss, and said it was nocht rycht,
A queyn on kneis till ony lavar wycht.
Wp by the hand the gud erll has hyr tayn;
Atour the bent to Wallace ar thai gayn.
Quhen scho him saw, scho wald haiff knelyt doune;
In armys sone he caucht this queyn with croun,
And kyssyt hyr with outyn wordis mor;
Sa dyd he neuir to na Sotheron befor.
“Madem,” he said, “rycht welcum mot ye be;
“How plessis yow our ostyng for to se?”
‘Rycht weyll,’ scho said, ‘off frendschip haiff we neid;
‘God grant ye wald off our nessis to speid.
‘Suffyr we mon, supposs it lik ws ill;
‘Bot trastis weyll, it is contrar our will.’
“Ye sall remayn, with this lord I mon gang;
“Fra your presens we sall nocht tary lang.”
The erll and he on to the palzyon yeid,
With gud awyss to deym mar off this deid.
Till consell son Wallace gart call thaim to:
“Lordys,” he said, “ye wait quhat is ado.
“Off thar cummyng my selff has na plesance;
“Herfor mon we wyrk with ordinance.
“Wemen may be contempnyng in to wer,
“Amang fullis that can thaim nocht forber.
“I say nocht this be thir, nor yeit the queyn;
“I trow it be bot gud that scho will meyn.
“Bot sampyll tak off lang tym passit by;
“At Rownsywaill the tresoun was playnly
“Be wemen maid, that Ganyelon with him brocht,
“And Turké wyn; forber thaim couth thai nocht.
“Lang wss in wer gert thaim desyr thair will,
“Quhilk brocht Charlis to fellon loss and ill.
“The flour off France, withoutyn redempcioun,
“Throuch that foull deid, was brocht to confusioun.
“Commaund your men tharfor in priway wyss,
“Apayn off lyff thai wyrk nocht on sic wyss;
“Nane spek with thaim, bot wysmen off gret waill,
“At lordis ar, and sworn to this consaill.”
Thir chargis thai did als wysly as thai mocht;
This ordynance throw all the ost was wrocht.

He and the erll bathe to the queyn thai went,
Rasawyt hyr fayr, and brocht hyr till a tent;
To dyner bownyt als gudly as thai can;
And serwit was with mony likly man.
Gud purwyance the queyn had with hyr wrocht;
A say scho tuk off all thyng at thai brocht.
Wallace persawyt, and said; “We haiff no dreid:
“I can nocht trow ladyis wald do sic deid,
“To poysoun men, for all Ingland to wyn.”
The queyn ansuerd; ‘Gyff poysoun be tharin,
‘Off ony thyng quhilk is brocht her with me,
‘Apon my selff fyrst sorow sall ye se.’
Sone aftir meit, a marchell gart [all] absent,
Bot lordis, and thai at suld to consaill went.
Ladyis apperyt in presens with the queyn.
Wallace askyt, quhat hyr cummyng mycht meyn.
‘For pess,’ scho said, ‘at we haiff to yow socht;
‘This byrnand wer in baill has mony brocht.
‘Ye grant ws pees, for him that deit on tre.’
Wallace ansuerd; “Madeym, that may nocht be.
“Ingland has doyne sa gret harmys till ws,
“We may nocht pass, and lychtly leiff it thus.”
‘Yeiss,’ said the queyne, ‘for crystyn folk we ar.
‘For Goddis saik, sen we desyr no mar,
‘We awcht pess.’ “Madeym, that I deny.
“The perfyt causs I sall yow schaw for quhy;
“Ye seke na pess bot for your awn awaill.
“Quhen your fals king had Scotland grippyt haill,
“For nakyn thing that he befor him fand,
“He wald nocht thoill the rycht blud in our land;
“Bot reft thar rent, syn put thaim selff to ded:
“Ransoun off gold mycht mak [us] na ramed.
“His fell fals wer sall on him selff be seyn.”
Than sobyrly till him ansuerd the queyn;
‘Off thir wrangis amendis war most fair.’
“Madeym,” he said, “off him we ask no mar,
“Bot at he wald byd ws in to battaill;
“And God be juge, he kennys the mater haill.”
‘Sic mendis,’ scho said, ‘war nocht rycht gud, think me:
‘Pess now war best, and it mycht purchest be.
‘Wald yhe grant pess, and trwys with ws tak,
‘Throuch all Ingland we suld gar prayeris mak
‘For yow, and thaim at in the wer war lost.’
Than Wallace said; “Quhar sic thing cummys throuch bost,
“Prayer off fors, quhar so at it be wrocht,
“Till ws helpis [othyr] litill, or ellis nocht.”
Warly scho said; ‘Thus wyssmen has ws kend,
‘Ay efftir wer pees is the finall end.
‘Quharfor ye suld off your gret malice cess;
‘The end off wer is cheryté and pess.
‘Pees is in hewyn, with blyss and lestandnas.
‘We sall beseke the Pape, off his hie grace,
‘Till commaund pess, sen we may do na mar.’
“Madeym,” he said, “or your purches cum thar,
“Mendys we think off Ingland for to haiff.”
‘Quhat set yow thus,’ scho said, ‘so God yow saiff,
‘Fra violent wer at ye lik nocht to duell?’
“Madem,” he said, “the suth I sall yow tell.
“Eftir the dayt off Alexandris ryng,
“Our land stud thre yer desolate but king,
“Kepyt full weyll at concord in gud stait.
“Throuch twa clemyt, thar hapnyt gret debait,
“So ernystfully, accord thaim nocht thai can.
“Your king thai ast for to be thair ourman.
“Slely he slayd throuch strenthis off Scotland;
“The kynryk syne he tuk in his awn hand.
“He maid a kyng agayn our rychtwyss law;
“For he off him suld hald the regioun aw.
“Contrar this band was all the haill barnage,
“For Scotland was yeit neuir in to thrillage.
“Gret Julius, that tribut gat off aw,
“His wynnyng was in Scotland bot full smaw.
“Than your fals king, wndyr colour but mar,
“Throuch band he maid till Bruce that is our ayr,
“Throuch all Scotland with gret power thai raid,
“Wndyr that king quhilk he befor had maid.
“To Bruce sen syne he kepit na connand:
“He said, he wald nocht ga and conquess land
“Till othir men; and thus the cass befell.
“Than Scotland throuch he demayned him sell;
“Slew our elderis, gret peté was to se.
“In presoune syne lang tyme thai pynit me,
“Quhill I fra thaim was castyn out for ded.
“Thankit be God he send me sum remed!
“Wengyt to be I prewyt all my mycht;
“Feyll off thair kyn to dede syn I haiff dycht.
“The rage off youth gert me desyr a wyff;
“That rewit I sayr, and will do all my liff.
“A tratour knycht but mercy gert hyr de,
“Ane Hessilryg bot for dispit off me.
“Than rang I furth in cruell wer and payn,
“Quhill we redemyt part off our land agayn.
“Than your curst king desyryt off ws a trew;
“Quhilk maid Scotland full rathly for to rew.
“In to that pess thai set a suttell ayr,
“Than auchtene scor to dede thai hangit thar,
“At noblis war, and worthi off renoun;
“Off cot armys eldest in that regioun.
“Thar dede we think to weng in all our mycht.
“The woman als, that dulfully was dycht,
“Out off my mynd that dede will neuir bid,
“Quhill God me tak fra this fals warld so wid.
“Off Sotheroun syn I can no peté haiff;
“Your men in wer I think neuir mor to saiff.”
The breith teris, was gret payn to behald,
Bryst fra his eyn, be he his taill had tald.
The queyn wepyt for peté off Wallace.
‘Allace,’ scho said, ‘wa worth the curssyt cace.’
‘In waryit tym that Hesilryg was born!
‘Mony worthi throuch his deid ar forlorn.
‘He suld haiff payn, that saikles sic ane sleuch;
‘Ingland sen syn has boucht it der enewch,
‘Thocht scho had beyn a queyn or a prynsace.’
“Madem,” he said, “as God giff me gud grace,
“Prynsace or queyn, in quhat stait so thai be,
“In till hir tym scho was als der to me.”
‘Wallace,’ scho said, ‘off this talk we will cess;
‘The mendis heroff is gud prayer and pess.’
“I grant,” he said, “off me as now na mayr;
“This is rycht nocht bot ekyng off our cayr.”

The queyn fand weyll, langage no thing hyr bet;
Scho trowit with gold that he mycht be our set.
Thre thousand pound, off fynest gold so red,
Scho gert be brocht to Wallace in that sted.
“Madeym,” he said, “na sic tribut we craiff:
“A nothir mendis we wald off Ingland haiff,
“Or we raturn fra this regioun agayn,
“Off your fals blud that has our elderis slayn.
“For all the gold and ryches ye in ryng,
“Ye get no pess, but desir off your king.”
Quhen scho saw weill, gold mycht hyr nocht releiff,
Sum part in sport scho thoucht him for to preiff.
‘Wallace,’ scho said, ‘yhe war clepyt my luff:
‘Mor baundounly I maid me for to pruff;
‘Traistand tharfor your rancour for to slak;
‘Me think ye suld do sum thing for my saik.’
Rycht wysly he maid ansuer to the queyn;
“Madem,” he said, “and verité war seyn,
“That ye me luffyt, I awcht yow luff agayn.
“Thir wordis all ar no thing bot in wayn.
“Sic luff as that is nothing till awance,
“To tak a lak, and syne get no plesance.
“In spech off luff suttell ye Sotheroun ar;
“Ye can ws mok, supposs ye se no mar.”
‘In London,’ scho said, ‘for yow I sufferyt blaym;
‘Our consall als will lauch quhen we cum haym;
‘So may thai say, wemen ar ferss off thocht
‘To sek frendschip, and syne can get rycht nocht!’
“Madem,” he said, “we wait how ye ar send;
“Yhe trow we haiff bot litill for to spend.
“Fyrst with your gold, for ye ar rych and wyss,
“Yhe wald ws blynd, sen Scottis ar so nyss:
“Syn plesand wordis off yow and ladyis fayr,
“As quha suld dryff the byrdis till a swar
“With the small pype, for it most fresche will call.
“Madeym, as yit ye ma nocht tempt ws all.
“Gret part off gud is left amang our kyn;
“In Ingland als we fynd enewch to wyn.”
Abayssyt scho was to mak ansuer him till.
‘Der schyr,’ scho said, ‘sen this is at your will;
‘Wer or pess, quhat so yow likis best,
‘Lat your hye witt and gud consaill degest.’
“Madem,” he said, “now sall ye wndirstand
“The resoune quhy that I will mak na band.
“With yow, ladyis, I can na trewis bynd;
“For your fals king her eftir sone wald fynd,
“Quhen he saw tyme, to brek it at his will;
“And playnly say, he grantyt nocht thartill.
“Than had we nayn bot ladyis to repruff.
“That sall he nocht, be God that is abuff.
“Vpon wemen I will na wer begyn;
“On you in faith no worschip is to wyn.
“All the haill pass apon him selff he sall tak,
“Off pees or wer quhat hapnyt we to mak.”
The queyn grantyt his ansuer sufficient;
So dyd the layff in place that was present.
His deliuerance thai held off gret awaill,
And stark enewch to schaw to thair consaill.
Wa was the qweyn hyr trawaill helpyt nocht.
The gold scho tuk, that thai had with hyr brocht;
On to the ost rycht frely scho it gayff.
Till euirylk man that likyt for till haiff.
Till menstraillis, harroldis, scho delt haboundandlé,
Besekand thaim hyr frend at thai wald be.
Quhen Wallace saw the fredom off the queyn,
Sadly he said; “The suth weyll has beyn seyn,
“Wemen may tempt the wysest at is wrocht.
“Your gret gentrice it sall neuir be for nocht.
“We [yow] assure, our ost sall mwff na thing,
“Quhyll tym ye may send message fra your king.
“Gyff it be sa, at he accord and we,
“Than for your saik it sall the bettir be.
“Your harroldys alss sall saiffly cum and ga;
“For your fredom we sall trowbill na ma.”
Scho thankit him off his grant mony syss,
And all the ladyis apon a gudly wyss.
Glaidly thai drank, the queyn and gud Wallace;
Thir ladyis als, and lordis in that place.
Hyr leyff scho tuk with out langar abaid;
Fyve myile that nycht south till a nonry raid.
Apon the morn till London passit thai,
In Westmenster, quhar at the consaill lay:
Wallace ansuer scho gart schaw to the king.
It nedis nocht her raherss mar off this thing.
The gret commend that scho to Wallace gaiff,
Befor the king, in presens off the laiff,
Till trew Scottis it suld gretly appless,
Thocht Inglissmen tharoff had litill ess;
Off worschip, wyt, manheid, and gouernans,
Off fredom, trewth; key off remembrans
Scho callyt him thar in to thair hye presens;
Thocht contrar thaim he stud at his defens.
“So chyftaynlik,” scho said, “as he is seyn,
“In till Inglande, I trow, has neuir beyn.
“Wald ye off gold gyff him this rewmys rent,
“Fra honour he will nocht turn his entent.
“Sufferyt we ar, quhill ye may message mak;
“Off wyss lordis sumpart I reid yow tak,
“To purchess peess, with outyn wordis mar;
“For all Ingland may rew his raid full sayr.
“Your harroldys als to pass to him has leyff,
“In all his ost thar sall no man thaim greiff.”
Than thankit thai the queyn for hir trawaill;
The king, and lordis that was off his consaill.
Off hyr ansuer the king applessit was;
Than thre gret lordys thai ordand for to pass.
Thar consaill haill has fownd it was the best
Trewis to tak, or ellis thai get no rest.

A harrold went, in all the haist he may,
Till Tawbane waill, quhar at the Scottis lay,
Condeyt till haiff, quhill thai haiff said thar will.
The consaill sone [ane] condeyt gaiff him till.
Agayn he past with souerance till his king.
Than chesyt thai thre lordis for this thing.
The keyn Clyffurd, was than thar warden haill,
Bewmont, Wodstok, all men off mekill waill;
Quhat thir thre wrocht the layff suld stand thar till;
The kingis seyll was gyffyn thaim at thair will.
Sone thai war brocht to spekyng to Wallace.
Wodstok him schawit mony suttell cace.
Wallace he herd the sophammis euirédeill;
“As yeit,” he said, “me think ye meyn bot weill.
“In wrang ye hald, and dois ws gret owtrage,
“Off houssis part that is our heretage.
“Owt off this pees, in playn I mak thaim knawin,
“Thaim for to wyn, sen that thai ar our awin;
“Roxburch, Berweik, at ouris lang tym has beyn
“In to the handis off you fals Sotherone keyn.
“We ask her als, be wertu off this band,
“Our ayris, our king, be wrang led off Scotland.
“We sall thaim haiff, with outyn wordis mar.”
Till his desyr the lordis grantis thair;
Rycht at his will thai haiff consentit haill;
For nakyn thing the pees thai wald nocht faill.
The yong Randell, at than in London was,
The lord off Lorn in this band he can ass;
Erll off Bowchane, bot than in tendyr age;
Eftir he grew a man off hycht, wyss and large.
Cummyn and Soullis he gart deliuer alss,
Quhilk eftir was till king Robert full fals.
Wallang fled our, and durst nocht bid that mute,
In Pykardté; till ass him was na bute.
Bot Wallace wald erar haff had that fals knycht,
Than ten thousand off fynest gold so brycht.
The Bruce he askyt, bot he was had away,
Befor that tym, till Calyss, mony day.
King Eduuard prewyt that thai mycht nocht hym get;
Off Glosestir his wncle had him set,
At Calyss than had haly in kepyng.
Wallace that tym gat nocht his rychtwyss king.
The erll Patrik fra London alsua send,
Wyth Wallace to mak, as weill befor was kend,
Off his mater a fynaill gouernance;
Till king Eduuard gaiff up his legeance,
And tuk till hald off Scotland euirmar.
With full glaid hart Wallace resauit him thar;
Thai honowryt him rycht reuerendly as lord:
The Scottis was all reiosyt off that conford.
A hundreth horss, with yong lordis off renoune,
Till Wallace com, fred out off that presoune.
Wndyr his seill, king Eduuard thaim gert send
For till gyff our, and mak a fynaill end,
Roxburch, Berweik, quhilk is off mekill waill,
To Scottissmen, and all the boundis haill.
To fyve yer trew thai promyst be thar hand.
Than Wallace said; “We will pass ner Scotland,
“Or ocht be seld; and tharfor mak ws boun
“Agayn we will besid Northallyrtoun,
“Quhar king Eduuard fyrst battaill hecht to me.
“As it began, thar sall it endyt be.
“Gret weyll your queyn,” he chargyt the message,
“It is for hyr at we leyff our wiage.”
A day he set, quhen he suld meit him thar,
And seill this pees, with outyn wordis mar,
Apon the morn the ost, but mar awyss,
Tranountyt north apon a gudlye wyss,
To the set tryst that Wallace had thaim maid.
The Ingliss message com but mar abaid;
Thai seyllyt the pess with out langar delay.
The message than, apon the secund day,
Till London went in all the haist thai can.
The worthi Scottis, with mony gudly man,
Till Bambwrch com with all the power haill,
Sexté thousand, all Scottis off gret waill.
Ten dayis befor All Halow ewyn thai fur:
On Lammess day thai lycht on Caram mur.
Thar lugyt thai with plesance as thai mocht;
Quhill on the morn at preistis to thaim socht,
In Caram kyrk, and sessyt in his hand
Roxburch keyis, as thai had maid connand;
And Berweik als, quhilk Sotheroun had so lang.
Thai frede the folk, in Ingland for to gang,
For thar lyffis wschet off athir place;
Thai durst nocht weill bid rekynnyng off Wallace.
Capdane he maid, in Berweik, off renoun
That worthy was, gud Crystell off Cetoun.
Kepar he left till Roxburch castell wicht
Schir Jhon Ramsay, a wyss and worthi knycht;
Syne Wallace selff, with erll Patrik in playn,
To Dunbar raid, and restoryt him agayn,
In his castell, and all that heretage,
With the consent off all that haill barnage.
Quhen Wallace was agrëit and this lord,
To rewll the rewm he maid him gudly ford.
Scotlande atour, fra Ross till Soloway sand,
He raid it thryss, and statut all the land.
In the Leynhouss a quhyll he maid repayr;
Schyr Jhon Menteth that tym was captane thar.
Twyss befor he had his gossep beyn;
Bot na frendschip betwix thaim syn was seyn.
Twa monethis still he duelt in Dunbertane;
A houss he foundyt apon the roch off stayne;
Men left he thar till bygg it to the hycht.
Syn to the March agayn he rydis rycht.
In to Roxburch thai chesyt him a place,
A gud tour thar he gert byg in schort space.
The kynrik stud in gud worschip and ess;
Was nayn so gret durst his nychtbour displess.
The abill ground gert laubour thryftely;
Wittaill and froyte thar grew aboundandly.
Was neuir befor, sen this was callyt Scotland,
Sic welth and pess at anyss in the land.
He send Jop twyss to Bruce in Huntyngtoune,
Besekand him to cum and tak his croune.
Conseill he tuk at fals Saxionis, allace!
He had neuir hap in lyff to get Wallace.
Thre yer as thus the rewm stud in gud pess.
Off this sayn, me worthis for to cess:
And forthyr furth off Wallace I will tell,
In till his lyff quhat awentur yeit fell.

A ryoll king than ryngyt in to France,
Gret worschip herd off Wallace gouernance,
Off prowis, pryss, and off his worthi deid,
And forthwart fair, commendede off manheid;
Bathe humyll, leyll, and off his priwyt pryss,
Off honour, trewth, and woid off cowatiss.
The nobill king, ryngand in ryolté,
Had gret delyte this Wallace for to se;
And knew rycht weill schortly to wndyrstand
The gret suppryss and ourset off Ingland.
Als marueld he off Wallace small power,
That but a king tuk sic a rewm to ster,
Agayn Ingland, and gert thair malice cess,
Quhill thai desyryt with gud will to mak pess.
And rycht onon a herrold gert he call,
In schort termys he has rehersit him all
Off his entent completly till ane end;
Syn in Scotland he bad him for to wend.
And thus he wrait than in till gret honour,
To Wilyham Wallace as a conquerour.
“O lowit leid, with worschip wyss and wicht;
“Thow werray help in haldyn off the rycht;
“Thou rycht restorer off thi natyff land;
“With Goddis grace agayn thi fais to stand
“In thi defens, helpar of rychtwyss blud.
“O worthi byrth, and blyssyt be thi fud!
“As it is red in prophecy beforn,
“In happy tym for Scotland thow was born.
“I the besek, with all humylité,
“My closs lettir thow wald consaiff and se,
“As your brodyr, I crystyn king off France,
“To the berer ye her and gyff credance.”
The herrold bownd him, and to the schip is gone:
In Scotland sone he cummyn is onon,
Bot harrold lyk he sekis his presens.
On land he went, and maid no residens
In ony steid, quhar he presumyt thar.
So on a day he fand him in to Ayr,
In gud affer, and manlik cumpany.
The harrold than, with honour reuerendly,
Has salust him apon a gudly maner.
And he agayn, with humyll hamly cher,
Rasauit him in to rycht gudly wyss.
The harrold than, with worschip to dewyss,
Be tuk till him the kingis wryt off France.
Wallace on kne, with lawly obeysance,
Rycht reuerendly, for worschip off Scotland.
Quhen he it red, and had it wndirstand,
At this herrold he askyt his credence,
With aspre spech, and manly contenence.
And he him tald, as I haiff said befor,
The kingis desyr; quhat nedis wordis mor?
“The hye honour, and the gret nobilnes
“Off your manheid, weill knawin in mony place,
“Him likis als weill your worschip till awance,
“As yhe war born a liege man off France.
“Sen his regioun is flour off rewmys seyn;
“Als the gret band off kindnes yow betweyn;
“It war worschip his presens for to se,
“Sen at this rewm standis in sic degre.”
Wallace consawit, with outyn tarying,
The gret desyr off this gud nobill king;
Syn till him said; ‘As God off hewin me sawe,
‘Her eftir sone ye sall ane ansuer hawe
‘Off your desyr, that ye hawe schawit me till:
‘Welcum ye ar with a fre hartly will.’
The harrold baid, on to the twenty day,
With Wallace still, in gud weillfayr and play;
Contende the tyme with worschip and plesance;
Be gud awyss maid his deliuerance.
With his awn hand he wrait on to the king
All his entent, as twyching to this thing.
Rycht rych reward he gaiff the harrold tho,
And him conwoyde, quhen he had leyff to go,
Out off the toun with gudly cumpanye,
His leyff he tuk, syn went on to the se.
Gud Wallace than has maid his prouidance;
His purpos was to se the king off France.
Erest in weyr to Sanct Jhonstoun couth fair;
A consaill than he had gert ordane thar.
In till his sted he chesyt a gouernour
To kep the land, a man off gret walour,
Jamys gud lord, the stewart off Scotland,
Quhilk fadyr was, as storys beris on hand,
To gud Waltre that was off hye parage,
[Marjory] the Bruce syne gat in mariage.
Tharoff to spek as now I haiff no space;
It is weill knawin, thankit be Goddis grace:
And to the harrold, with outyn residens,
How he approchyt to the kingis presens.
Fra the Rochell the land sone has he tayn.
Atour the landis he graithit him to gayn,
Sekand the king, als gudly as he may.
So to the court he passit on a day;
To Paryss went, was peirles off renoun.
The king that tym held palace in that toun.
Quhen he hym saw, graithly has wndirstand,
He speryt tithingis, and weyllfayr off Scotland.
The herrold said, in to thir termys schort,
That all was gud; he had the mar comfort.
“Saw thow Wallace, the chyftayn off Scotland?”
And he said; ‘Ya; that I dar tak on hand,
‘A worthyar this day lyffand is nayn,
‘In way off wer, als fer as I haiff gayn.
‘The hie worschip, and the gret nobilnes,
‘The gud weillfair, plesande and worthines,
‘The rych reward was mychty for to se,
‘That for your saik he kythyt apon me;
‘And his ansuer in wryt he has yow send.’
The king rasauit it with a lycht attend,
This hie affect and dyt off his writyng.
“O ryoll roy, and rychtwyss crownyt king,
“Yhe knaw this weill, be othir ma than me,
“How that our rewlm standis in perplexité.
“The fals nacioun, that we ar nychtbouris to,
“Quhen plessis thaim, thai mak ws ay ado;
“Thar may na band be maid so sufficians,
“Bot ay in it thai fynd a warians.
“To wait a tym, will God at it may be,
“With in a yer I sall your presens se.”
Off this ansuer weill plessyt was the king.
Leyff I him thus in ryolté to ryng,
And glaid comford rycht as I haiff yow tald:
Off Wallace furth I will my process hald.