Buke Nynte

In Aperill the one and twenty day,
The hie calend, thus Cancer, as we say,
The lusty tym off Mayus fresche cummyng,
Celestiall gret blythnes in to bryng;
Pryncypaill moneth forsuth it may be seyn,
The hewynly hewis apon the tendyr greyn,
Quhen old Saturn his cloudy courss had gon,
The quhilk had beyn bath best and byrdis bon:
Zepherus ek, with his suet vapour,
He comfort has, be wyrking off natour,
All fructuouss thing in till the erd adoun,
At rewllyt is wndyr the hie regioun:
Sobyr Luna, in flowyng off the se,
Quhen brycht Phebus is in his chemagé,
The Bulys courss so takin had his place,
And Jupiter was in the Crabbis face:
Quhen conryet the hot syng coloryk,
In to the Ram, quhilk had his rowmys ryk,
He chosyn had his place and his mansioun,
In Capricorn, the sygn off the Lioun:
Gentill [Jupiter,] with his myld ordinance,
Bath erb and tre reuertis in plesance;
And fresch Flora hir floury mantill spreid,
In euery waill, bath hop, hycht, hill, and meide:
This sammyn tym, for thus myn auctor sayis,
Wallace to pass off Scotland tuk his wayis.
Be schort awyss he schup him to the se,
And fyfty men tuk in his cumpané.
He leit no word than walk off his passage,
Or Inglissmen had stoppit him his wiage:
Nor tuk na leiff at the lordis off the parlement;
He wyst full weill thai wald nocht all consent
To suffyr him out off the land to go.
For thi onon, with outyn wordis mo,
He gart forsé, and ordand weill his schip.
And thir war part past in his falowschip;
Twa Wallace, was his kynnys men full ner,
Craufurd, Kneland, was haldyn till him der.
Off Kyrkcubré he purpost his passage;
Semen he feyt, and gaiff thaim gudlye wage:
Thai wantyt nocht off wyn, wittaill nor ger;
A fair new barge rycht worthi wrocht for wer.
With that thai war a gudly cumpany
Off waillit men, had wrocht full hardely.
Bonalais drank rycht glaidly in a morow,
Syn leiff thai tuk, and with Sanct Jhon to borow.
Bottis was schot, and fra the roch thaim sent;
With glaid hartis, at anys in thai went;
Wpon the schip thai rowit hastely.
The seymen than, walkand full besyly,
Ankyrs wand in wysly on athir syd;
Thair lynys kest, and waytyt weyll the tyd;
Leyt salys fall, and has thair courss ynom:
A gud gay wynd out off the rycht art com.
Frekis in forstame, rewllit weill thar ger,
Ledys on luff burd, with a lordlik fer:
Lansys laid out, to [luik] thar passage sound.
With full sayll thus fra Scotland furth thai found;
Salyt [haill] our the day and als the nycht.
Apon the morn, quhen [that] the son raiss brycht,
The ship master on to the top he went;
Sowthest he saw, that trublyt his entent,
Sexten salis arayit all on raw,
In colour reid, and towart him couth draw.
The gliterand son apon thaim schawit brycht,
The se about enlumynyt with the lycht.
This mannis spreit was in ane extasy,
Doun went he sone, and said full sorowfully;
“Allace,” quoth he, “the day that I was born!
“With out rameid our lywys ar forlorn.
“In cursyt tym I tuk this cur on hand;
“The best chyftayn, and reskew off Scotland,
“Our raklesly I haiff tayn vpon me,
“With waik power to bryng him throw the se.
“It forsyt nocht, wald God I war torment,
“So Wallace mycht with worschip chaip wnschent.”
Quhen Wallace saw, and hard this mannys mon,
To comfort him in gud will is he gon.
‘Maister,’ he said, ‘quhat has amowit the?’
“Nocht for my selff, this man said petuislé.
“Bot off a thing I dar weill wndirtane,
“Thocht all war heyr the schippis off braid Bertane,
“Part suld we loss, set fortoun had it suorn.
“The best wer man in se is ws beforn,
“Leffand this day, and king is off the se.”
Wallace sone sperd, ‘Wait yow quhat he may be?’
“The Red Reffayr thai call him in his still.
“That I him saw euyr, waryt worth that quhill!
“For myn awn lyff I wald no murnyng mak;
“Is na man born that yon tyran will tak.
“He savis nayn, for gold, nor othir gud,
“Bot slayis and drownys all derffly in the flud;
“He gettis no grace, thocht he war king or knycht.
“This sextene yer he has doyn gret wnrycht.
“The power is so strang he has to ster,
“May non eschaip that cummys in his danger.
“Wald we him burd, na but is to begyn;
“The lakest schip, that is his flot within,
“May sayll ws doun on to a dulfull ded.”
Than Wallace said; ‘Sen yow can no ramed,
‘Tell me his feyr, and how I sall him knaw;
‘Quhat is hys oyss; and syn go luge the law.’
The schipman sayis; “Rycht weill ye may him ken,
“Throu graith takynnys, full clerly by his men.
“His cot armour is seyn in mony steid,
“Ay battaill boun, and riwell ay off reid.
“This formest schip, that persewis yow so fast,
“Hym selff is in, he will nocht be agast.
“He wyll yow hayll, quhen that he cummys yow ner;
“With out tary than mon yhe stryk on ster.
“Hym selff will entir fyrst full hardely.
“Thir ar the syngnys that ye sall knaw him by;
“A bar off blew in till his schenand scheild,
“A bend off greyn desyren ay the feild.
“The rede betakynnys blud and hardyment,
“The greyn, curage, encressand his entent;
“The blew he beris, becauss he is a Crystyn man.”
Sadly agayn Wallace ansuerd than;
‘Thocht he be crystynyt, this war no godlyk deid.
‘Go wndyr loft; Sanct Androw mot ws speid!’
Bathe schip maistir, and the ster man also,
In the holl but baid, he gert thaim go.
His fyfty men with outyn langar rest,
Wallace gart ray in to thar armour prest;
Fourty and aucht on luffburd laid thaim law.
Wylyham Crawfurd than till him gert he caw,
And said; “Thow can sumpart off schipman fair;
“Thi oyss has beyn oft in the toun off Ayr.
“I pray the tak this doctryn [weill] off me;
“Luk at thow stand strekly be this tre,
“Quhen I bid stryk, to seruice be thow bayne;
“Quhen I the warn, lat draw the saill agayne.
“Kneland, cusyng, cum tak the ster on hand;
“Her on the waill ner by the I sall stand.
“God gyd our schip! as now I say na mar.”
The barge, be that, with a full werlik far;
Him selff on loft [was] with a drawyn suord,
And bad his ster man lay thaim langis the bourd;
On loude he cryit; ‘Stryk, doggis, ye sall de.’
Crawfurd leit draw the saill a litill we,
The capdane sone lap in, and wald nocht stynt.
Wallace in haist be the gorget him hynt,
On the our loft kest him quhar he stud,
Quhill neyss and mowth all ruschit out off blud.
A forgyt knyff, but baid, he bradis out.
The wer schippis was lappyt thaim about.
The mekill barge had nocht thaim clyppyt fast;
Crawfurd drew saill, skewyt by, and off thaim past.
The Reiffar criyt, with petous woice and cler,
Grace off hys lyff, “for him that boucht yow der!
“Mercy,” he said, “for him that deit on rud,
“Layser to mend! I haiff spilt mekill blud.
“For my trespas I wald mak sum ramed.”
Wallace wyst weyll, thocht he war brocht to ded;
And off his lyff sum reskew mycht he mak.
A bettir purpos sone he can to tak;
And als he rewyt him, for his lyff was ill.
In Latyn tong rycht thus he said him till;
‘I tuk neuir man, that enemy was to me:
‘For Goddis saik thi lyff I grant to the.’
Bathe knyff and suerd he tuk fra him onon;
Wp be the hand, and as presoner, has him ton:
And on his suerd scharply he gert him suer,
Fra that day furth he suld him neuir der.
‘Commaund thi men,’ quoth Wallace, ‘till our pess;
‘Thar schot off gown, that was nocht eith, to cess.’
The cast it was rycht awfull on athir sid.
The Rede Reiffar commaundyt thaim to bid;
Held out a gluff, in takyn off the trew.
His men beheld, and weyll that senye knew,
Left off thar schot, that sygn quhen that thai saw,
His grettast barge towart him couth [he] draw.
“Lat be your wer, thir ar our freyndis at ane;
“I traist to God our werst dayis ar gane.”
He ast Wallace to do quhat was his will.
With schort awyss rycht thus he said him till;
‘To the Rochell I wald ye gert thaim saill;
‘For Inglissmen I wait nocht quhat may aill.
‘For thar, God will, is our purposs to be.
‘Skour weyll about for scoukaris in the se.’
His commaund thai did in all the haist thai can.
Wallace desyryt to talk mor with this man,
Sadly he sperd; “Off quhat land was thou born?”
‘Off France,’ quoth he, ‘and my eldris beforn;
‘And thar we had sumpart off heretage:
‘Yet fers fortoun thus brocht me in a rage.’
Wallace sperd; “How com thow to this lyff?”
‘Forsuth,’ he said, ‘bot throw a sudan stryff.
‘So hapnyt me, in to the kingis presens,
‘Our raklesly to do our gret offens.
‘A nobill man, off gud fame and renoun,
‘That throw my deid was put to confusioun,
‘Dede off a straik; quhat nedis wordis mor?
‘All helpyt nocht, thocht I repentyt full sor.
‘Throw freyndys off the court I chapyt off that place,
‘And neuir sen syn couth get the kingis grace:
‘For my saik mony off my kyn gert thai de.
‘And quhen I saw it mycht no bettir be,
‘Bot leyff the land that me behuffyt o neid,
‘Apon a day to Burdeous I yeid.
‘Ane Ingliss schip so gat I on a nycht,
‘For sey lawbour that ernystfully was dycht.
‘To me thar semblyt misdoaris, and weill mo;
‘And in schort tym we multiplyit so,
‘That thar wes few our power mycht withstand.
‘In tyranry thus haiff we rongyn lang.
‘This sexten yer I haiff beyn on the se,
‘And doyn gret harm; tharfor full wa is me.
‘I savit nayn, for gold nor gret ransoun,
‘Bot slew and drownyt in to the se adoun.
‘Fawour I did till folk off syndry land;
‘Bot Franchmen no frendschip with me fand,
‘Thai gat no grace als fer as I mycht ryng.
‘Als on the se I clypyt was a king.
‘Now se I weyll that my fortoun is went,
‘Vincust with ane; that gerris me sair rapent.
‘Quha wald haiff said, this sammyn day at morn,
‘I suld with ane thus lychtly doun be born,
‘In gret hething my men it wald haiff tayne.
‘My selff trowit till [haiff] machit mony ane:
‘Bot I haiff found the werray playn contrar.
‘Her I gyff our roubry for euirmar;
‘In sic mysrewll I sall neuir armes ber,
‘Bot gyff it be in honest oyss to wer.
‘Now haiff I told part off my blyss and payn;
‘For Goddis saik sum kyndnes kyth agayn.
‘My hart will brek, bot I wyt quhat thou be,
‘Thus outrageously that has rabutyt me.
‘For weill I wend that leyffand had beyn non,
‘Be fors off strenth mycht me as presoner ton,
‘Except Wallace, that has rademyt Scotland,
‘The best is callyt this day beltyt with brand.
‘In till his wer war worschip for to wak,
‘As now in warld I trow he has no mak.’
Tharat he smylit, and said; “Frend, weill may be,
“Scotland had mystir off mony sic as he.
“Quhat is thi naym? tell me; so haiff thow seill!”
‘Forsuth,’ he said, ‘Thomas off Longaweill.’
“Weyll bruk thow it! all thus stentis our stryff:
“Schaip to pleyss God in mendyng off thi lyff.
“Thi faithfull freynd my selff thinkis to be;
“And als my nayme I sall sone tell to the.
“For chans off wer thou suld no murnyng mak;
“As werd will wyrk, thi fortoun mon thou tak.
“I am that man that you awanss so hie;
“And bot schort tym sen I come to the se:
“Off Scotland born, my rycht name is Wallace.”
On kneis he fell, and thankit God of grace;
‘I dar awow, that yoldyn is my hand
‘To the best man that beltis him with brand.
‘Forsuth,’ he said, ‘this blythis me mekill mor,
‘Than off floryng ye gaiff me sexty scor.’
Wallace ansuerd; “Sen thou art her throw chance,
“My purpos is, be this wiage, in France;
“And to the king sen I am boun to pass,
“To my reward thi peess I think to ass.”
‘Pess I wald haiff [fane] of my rychtwiss king;
‘And no langar in to that realm to ryng,
‘Than to tak leyff, and cum off it agayn.
‘In thi seruice I think for to ramayn.’
“Seruice,” he said, “Thomas, that may nocht be,
“Bot gud frendschip, as I desir off the:”
Gart draw the wyn, and ilk man mery maid;
Be this the schippis was in the Rochell raid.

The rede blasonys thai had born in to wer;
The toun was sone in till a sudane fer.
The Rede Reiffar thai saw was at thair hand,
The quhilk throu strenth mycht nayn agayne him stand.
Sum schippis fled, and sum the land has tayn,
Clariownys blew, and trumpattis mony ane.
Quhen Wallace saw the pepill was on ster,
He gaiff commaund na schip suld ner apper;
Bot his awin barge in to the hawyn gart draw.
The folk was fayn quhen thai that senye saw;
Rycht weyll thai knew in gold the rede lioun,
Leit wp the port, rasauit him in the toun,
And sufferyt thaim, for all that he had brocht.
The rede nawyn in to the hawyn thai socht;
On land thai went, quhar thai likit to pass.
Rycht few thar wyst quhat Scottisman Wallace was;
Bot weyll thai thocht he was a gudly man,
And honouryt him in all the craft thai can.
Bot four dayis still Wallace ramaynyt thar;
Thir men he callyt, quhen he was boun to fair.
He thaim commaundyt apon that cost to bid,
Quhill he thaim fred for chans at mycht betid.
“Ber yow ewyn; quhat gud that euir yhe spend,
“Leiff on your awin; quhill tithandis I yow send.
“Ger sell thir schippis, and mak yow men off pes;
“It war gud tym off wykkitness to cess.
“Your captane sall pass to the king with me,
“Throu help off God I sall his warrand be.”
He gert graith him in soit with his awin men;
Was no man thar that mycht weill Thomas ken.
Lykly he was, manlik off contenance,
Lik to the Scottis be mekill gouernance,
Saiff off his tong, for Ingliss had he nane;
In Latyn weill he mycht suffice for ane.
Thus past his court in all the haste thai may.
To Paris toun thai went apon a day.
Tythingis was brocht off Wallace to the king;
So gret desyr he had off na kyn thing,
As in that tym quhill he had seyn Wallace.
To meyt him selff he waytit apon cace
In a gardyng, quhar he gart thaim be brocht.
Till his presence with manly feyr thai socht,
Twa and fyfty at anys kneland doun,
And salust him, as ryoll off most renoun,
With rewllyt spech in so gudly awyss,
All France couth nocht [mair] nurtour tham dewyss.
The queyn had leiff, and com in hyr effer;
For mekill scho herd off Wallace deid in wer.
Quhat nedis mor off curtassy to tell?
Thai kepyt weill that to the Scottis befell.
Off kingis fer I dar mak no rahers;
My febill mynd, my trublyt spreit rewers.
Off rich seruice quhat nedis wordis mor?
Mycht non be found bot it was present thor.
Sone eftir meit the king to parlour went,
With gudly lordis; thar Wallace was present.
Than commound thai off mony syndry thing;
To spek with him gret desyr had the king.
At hym he speryt off wer the gouernance.
He ansuerd him, with manly contenance,
Till euery poynt, als fer as he had feill,
In Latyn tong rycht naturaly and weill.
The king consauit, sone throu his hie knawlage,
Quhat wermen oysyt be reyff in thar passage.
In till his mynd the Rede Reiffar than was;
Merwell he had how he leit Wallace pass.
Till him he said; “Ye war sum thing to blaym;
“Ye mycht haiff send, be our harrold fra haym,
“Eftir power, to bryng yow throu the se.”
‘God thank yow, schyr, ynewch tharoff had we.
‘Feill men may pass, quhar thai fynd na perell;
‘Rycht few may kep, quhar nayn is to assaill.’
“Wallace,” he said, “tharoff merwell haiff I;
“A tyran ryngis, in ire full cruelly,
“Apon the se, that gret sorow has wrocht;
“Mycht we him get, it suld not be for nocht.
“Born off this land, a natyff man to me;
“Tharfor on ws the grettar harme dois he.”
Than Thomas quok, and changyt contenans;
He hard the king his ewill deidis awans.
Wallace beheld, and fenyeit in a part;
‘Forsuth,’ he said, ‘we fand nane in that art,
‘That proffryt ws sic wnkyndlynes.
‘Bot with your leiff I spek in haymlynes,
‘Trow ye be sycht ye couth that squier knaw?’
“Full lang it war sen tym that I him saw.
“Bot thir wordis off him ar bot in wayn;
“Or he com her, rycht gud men will be slayn.”
Than Wallace said; ‘Her I haiff brocht with me,
‘Off likly men that was in our countré:
‘Quhilk off all thir wald ye call him most lik?’
Amang thaim blent that ryoll roy most ryk,
Wesyit thaim weill, bathe statur and curage,
Maner, makdome, thar fassoun and thar wesage.
Sadly he said, awysit sobyrly;
“That largest man, quhilk standis next yow by,
“Wald I call him, be makdome to dewice.
“Thir ar no thing bot wordis off office.”
Befor the king on kneis fell gud Wallace:
‘O ryoll roy, off hie honour and grace,
‘With waist wordis I will nocht yow trawaill;
‘Now I will spek sum thing for myn awaill.
‘Our barnat land has beyn our set with wer,
‘With Saxonis blud that dois ws mekill der,
‘Slayn our eldris, distroyit our rychtwys blud,
‘Waistyt our realm off gold and othir gud.
‘And ye ar her, in mycht and ryolté,
‘Yow suld haiff ey till our aduersité,
‘And ws support, throu kyndnes off the band,
‘Quhilk is conserwyt betuix yow and Scotland.
‘As I am her, at your charge, for plesance,
‘My lyflat is bot honest chewysance.
‘Flour off realmys forsuth is this regioun;
‘To my reward I wald haiff gret gardoun.’
“Wallace,” he said, “now ask quhat ye wald haiff.
“Gud gold or land sall nocht be lang to craiff.”
Wallace ansuerd; ‘So ye it grant to me,
‘Quhat I wald haiff it sall sone chosyn be.’
“Quhat euir yhe ask, that is in this regioun,
“Ye sall it haiff, except my wyff and croun.”
He thankit hym off his gret kyndlynes.
‘My reward all sall be askyng off grace,
‘Pees to this man I broucht with me throu chans;
‘Her I quytcleym all othir gyfftis in Frans;
‘This samyn is he, gyff ye knaw him weill,
‘That we off spak, Thomas off Longaweill;
‘Be rygour ye desyryt he suld be slayn;
‘I him restor in to your grace agayn.
‘Rasaiff him fayr, as liege man off your land.’
The king marweld, and couth in study stand;
Perfytly knew that it was Longaweill;
He him forgaiff his trespas euirilkdeill,
Bot for his saik that had him hydder brocht;
For gold or land ellis he gat it nocht.
“Wallace,” he said, “I had leuir off gud land,
“Thre hundreth pund haiff sesyt in thi hand.
“That I haiff said sall be grantyt in plain;
“Her I restor Thomas to pes agayn,
“Derer to me than euyr he was befor,
“All for your saik, thocht it war mekill mor.
“Bot I wald wyt how that merwell befell.”
Wallace ansuerd; ‘The trewth I sall yow tell.’
Than he rahersyt quhat hapnyt on that day,
As ye befor in my autor hard say.
Quhen the gud king had herd this sudan cass
Apon the se, be forsicht off Wallace,
The king him held rycht worthi till awans;
He saw in hym manheid and gouernans.
So did the queyn, and all thir othir lordis;
Ilk wicht off hym gret honour than recordis.
He purchest pes, for all the power haill,
Fyfteyn hundreth was left in the Rochaill;
Gert cry thaim fre, trew serwandis to the king,
And neuir agayn fautyt in sic thing.
Quhen Thomas was restoryt to his rycht,
Off hys awin hand the king has maid him knycht.
Eftir he gaiff stayt to his nerrest ayr;
And maid him selff with Wallace for to fayr.
Thus he was brocht fra naym off reyff, throu cace,
Be sudand chans off him and wicht Wallace.
Thus leyff I thaim in worschip and plesance,
At liking still with the gud king off France.
Thai thretty dayis he lugyt in to rest;
So to ramayn he thocht it nocht the best.
Still in to pes he couth nocht lang endur;
Wncorduall it was till his natur.
Rycht weyll he wyst that Inglissmen occupyit
Gyane that tym; tharfor he has aspyit
Sum jeperté apon thaim for to mak.
A gudly leyff he at the kyng couth tak.
Off Franchmen he wald nayne with him call,
At that fyrst tym for auentur mycht fall;
Bot Schyr Thomas that seruice couth persew,
He wyst nocht weyll gyff all the layff was trew.
Off Scottis men thai semblyt hastely
Nyne hundyr sum off worthi chewalry;
In Gyan land full haistely couth ryd,
Raissyt feill fyr, and waistyt wonnyngis wid:
Fortrass thai brak, and stalwart byggyngis wan;
Derffly to dede brocht mony Sotheron man.
A werlik toun so fand thai in that land,
Quhilk Schenown hecht, that Inglissmen had in hand.
Towart that steid full sadly Wallace wrocht,
Be ony wyss assailye gyff he mocht,
Bargane till haiff and he mycht get thaim out.
Gret strenth off wod that tym was thar about;
This toun [stud] als apon a wattir sid.
In till a park, that was bath lang and wyd,
Thai buschit thaim, quhill passit was the nycht.
Quhen the sone raiss, four hundreth men he dycht;
The laiff he gert Craufurd in buschement tak,
Gyff thai myster, a reskew for to mak.
Than Longaweill, that ay was full sawage,
With Wallace past, as ane to that scrymmage.
Thir four hundreth rycht wondyr weyll arayit,
Befor the toun the playn baner displayit.
This was nocht to thaim weill knawyn in that contré,
The lyoun in gold rycht awfull for to se;
A forray kest, and sessit mekill gud.
Wermen with in, that playnly wndrestud,
Sone wschit forth the pray for to reskew.
The worthy Scottis feill Inglissmen thai slew;
The laiff for dreid fled to the toun agayn.
The forray tuk the pray, and past the playn,
Towart the park; bot power off the toun
Wschyt agayn in awfull battaill boun,
A thousand hayle wyth men off armys strang;
Few baid tharin that mycht to bargane gang.
Than Wallace gert the forreouris leyff the pray;
Assemblyt sone in till a gud aray.
A cruell conterans at that metyng was seyn,
Off wicht wermen in to thair armour cleyn.
Feyll lessyt thar lyff apon the Sotheroun sid,
Bot nocht for thi rycht bauldly thai abyd.
Off the Scottis part worthi men thai slew.
Wylyham Craufurd, that weyll the perell knew,
Out off the park he gert the buschement pas,
In to the feild quhar feyll men fechtand was.
At thair entré thai gert full mony de.
The Inglissmen was wondyr laith to fle;
Full worthely thai wrocht in to that place.
Baid neuir sa few so lang agayn Wallace,
Wyth sic power as he that day was thar.
On athir syd assailyeit ferly sayr.
In to the stour so fellonly thai wrocht,
Rycht worthy men derffly to dede thai brocht;
Wyth poyntis persyt throuch platis burnyst brycht.
Wallace hym selff, and gud Thomas [the] knycht,
Quhom that thai hyt maid neuir mor debait.
The Sotheron part was handlyt thar full hayt.
In to that place thai mycht no langar byd;
Out off the feyld with sar hartis thai ryd:
On to the toun thai fled full haistely.
Wallace folowit, and his gud chewalry,
Fechtand so fast in to that thykkest thrang,
Quhill in the toun he enterit thaim amang;
With him Crawfurd, and Longaweill off mycht,
And Rychard als, Wallace his cusyng wicht;
Fyfteyn thai war off Scottis cumpany.
Thus hapnyt thai amang the gret party.
A cruell portar gat apon the wall,
Powit out a pyn, the portculys leit fall.
Inglissmen saw that entrit was na ma;
Apon the Scottis full hardely thai ga:
Bot tyll a wall thai haiff thar bakkis set,
Sad strakys and sayr bauldly about thaim bet.
Rychard Wallace the turngreys weill has seyn;
He folowit fast apon the portar keyn,
A tour the wall dede in the dyk him draiff,
Tuk wp the port, and leit in all the layff.
Quhen Wallace men had thus the entré won,
Full gret slauchtir agane thai haff begon;
Thai savit nayn apon the Sotheroun syd,
That wapynnys bar, or harnes in that tid.
Wemen and barnys, the gud thai tuk thaim fra,
Syn gaiff thaim leyff in to realm to ga;
And preystis als, that war nocht in the feild.
Off agyt men, quhilk mycht na wapynnis weild,
Thai slew nayn sic, so Wallace chargis was;
Bot maid thaim fre, at thair largis to pass.
Ryches off gold thai gat in gret plenté,
Harnes and horss, that mycht thaim weill supplé;
Wyth Franch folk plenyst the toun agayn;
On the tend day the feyld thai tuk in playn;
The riwer doun in to the land thai socht,
On Sotheron men full mekill maister thai wrocht.
Quhen to [the] king trew men had tald this taill,
Off Franchmen thai semblyt a battaill;
Twenty thousand [off] lele legis off France;
Hys brothir thaim led, was duk of Orlyans.
Throu Gyan land in rayid battaill thai raid,
To folow Wallace, and maid but litill baid
For Frans supplé, to help thaim in thair rycht.
Ner Burdeous, or thai our tuk him mycht,
Gud Wallace was, and Thomas had in playn;
For sum men tald, that Burdeous, with gret mayn,
With in schort tym thocht battaill for to geyff.
Bot fra thai wyst that Franch folk couth raleiff,
Wyth gret power, with helpyng off Wallace,
Wthyr purpos thai tuk in to schort space.

In Pykarté sone message thai couth send;
Off Wallace com thai tald it till ane end.
Off Glosister, captane off Calyss was,
The hardy erll; and maid him for to pass
In Ingland sone; and syne to London went.
Off Wallace deid he tald in the parlement.
Sum playnly [said] that Wallace brak the pess.
Wysmen said Nay, and prayit thaim for to cess.
Lord Bowmont said; “He tuk bot for Scotland,
“And nocht for Frans, that sall ye wndyrstand.
“Gyff our endentour spekis for ony mair,
“He has doyne wrang, the suth ye may declar.”
Wodstok ansuerd; ‘Schyr, ye haiff spokyn weill.
‘Bot contrar resone that taill is euirilkdeill:
‘Gyff yon be he that band for him and his,
‘May na man say bot he has wrocht amyss.
‘For pryncipaly he band with ws the trew,
‘And now agayn begynnys a malice new.
‘Schyr king,’ he said, ‘gyff ye think euir to mak
‘On Scotland wer, on hand now ye sall tak,
‘Quhill he is out, or ellis it helpis nocht.’
As Wodstok said, the haill consaill has wrocht;
Power thai raissyt on Scotland for to ryd,
Be land and se; thai wald no langar byd.
Thar land ost thai rayit weyll in deid;
Thar wantgard tuk the hardy erll to leid
Off Glosister, that off wer had gret feill;
Off Longcastell the duk demanyt weill
The mydillward; on to the se thai send
Schyr Jhon Sewart, that weyll the northland kend.
The knycht Wallang befor the ost in raid;
In sic a way wyth ewyll Scottis men he maid,
Mony castellis he gert sone yoldin be
Till Inglissmen, with outyn mar mellé.
Or the best wyst, that it was wer in playn,
Entryt he was in to Bothwell agane.
Schyr Jhon Sewart, that com in be the se,
Sanct Jhonstoun sone gat throw a jeperté.
Dundé thai tuk, and putt Scottismen to dede;
In Fyff fra thaim was nocht kepyt a sted;
And all the south, fra Cheuyot to the se.
In to the west thar mycht na succour be;
The worthy lord, that suld haiff gouernyt this,
God had hym tayn, we trow, in lestand blyss:
Hys son Walter, that bot a child than was,
Trew men him tuk, and couth in Arrane pass.
Adam Wallace than wyst off no supplé,
Till Rawchlé went, and Lindsay off Craggé;
Gud Robert Boid maid no residens;
For haisty desait, thai tuk thaim to defens.
Schyr Jhon the Graym in Dundaff mycht nocht bid,
Succour he socht in to the forest off Clid.
The knycht Sewart, a schyrreff maid in Fyff
Schyr Amer Brim; and gaiff, for term off lyff,
The landis haill that Wallang aucht befor.
Rychard Lundy had gret dreid off thar schoyr;
He likyt nocht for to cum to thar pess,
For thi in Fyff thai wald nocht lat him cess.
To pass our Tay as than it mycht nocht be,
For Inglissmen so rewllyt that cuntré.
Owt off the land he staw away be nycht,
Auchtene with him that worthy war and wycht;
And als his sone, that was off tendyr eild;
Bot eftir sone he couth weill wapynnys weild.
At Sterlyng bryg, quhar at the wach wes set,
Thar passyt he away with outyn let.
In Dundaff mur Schyr Jhon the Graym he socht;
A woman tald, as than befor was wrocht;
And till a strenth he drew him on the morn.
Laynrik was tayn with young Thomas off Thorn;
So Lundy thair mycht mak no langar remayn:
Besouth Tynto lugis thai maid in playn.
Schyr Jhon the Graym gat wit that he was thair;
Till him he past with outyn wordis mar.
Wallang gart bryng fra Carlele cariage,
To stuff Bothwell with wyn and gud warnage.
Lundy and Graym gat wyt off that awaill,
Rycht sudanly thai maid thaim till assaill:
Fyfty thai war off nobill chewalry,
Agayn four scor off Ingliss cumpany.
Ane Skelton than kepyt the careage,
All Brankstewat that was his heretage.
Lundy and Graym met with the squier wicht;
Feill Inglissmen to ded derffly thai dycht.
Sexté was slayn apon the tothir sid,
And fyve off Scottis, so bauldly thai abid.
Gret gud thai wan, bath gold and othir ger,
Wittayll and horss that hapnyt in that wer.
Syn thai haiff seyn weyll lang thai mycht nocht lest
In to that land, tharfor thai thocht it best
To seik sum place, in strenth that thai mycht bid,
For Sotheron men had plenyst on ilk sid.
Lundeis luge thai left upon a nycht;
In the Lennox the way thai passyt rycht
Till erll Malcom, that kepyt that cuntré
Fra Inglissmen, with help off thar supplé.
Cetoun and Lyll in to the Bass thai baid;
For Sotheroun folk so gret mastryss had maid,
That all the south was tayn in to thar hand.
Gud Hew the Hay was send in to Ingland,
And vthir ayris, to presoune at thar will.
The northland lordis, saw na help cum thaim till,
A squier Guthré amang thaim ordand thai,
To warn Wallace in all the haist he may.
Out off Arbroth he passit to the se.
And at the Slus, land takyn son had he;
In Flandrys land no residens he maid;
In Frans he past; bot Wallace weill abaid
On his purpos in Gyan at the wer:
On Sotheroun men he had doyn mekill der.
Quhill gud Guthré had gottyn his presens,
He haistyt him sone, and maid no residens;
He has him tald, with Scotland how it stud.
Than Wallace said; “Thai tithingis ar nocht gud.
“I had exampill, off tym that is by worn,
“Trewys to bynd with thaim that was maynsuorn:
“Bot I as than couth nocht think on sic thing,
“Be causs that we tuk this pess with thar king.
“Be thar chansler the tothir pess was bwn,
“And that full sair our forfadris has fwn;
“Wndyr that trew auchtene scor thai gart de,
“At noblis war, the best in our cuntré!
“To the gret God my wow now her I mak,
“Pess with that king I think neuir for to tak.
“He sall repent, that thai this wer began.”
Thus mowit he, with mony ryoll man,
On to the king, and tauld him his entent.
Till lat him pass the king wald nocht consent.
Quhill [Wallace] thar maid promyss be his hand,
Gyff euir agayn he thocht to leyff Scotland,
To cum till him; his gret seyll he him gaiff
Off quhat lordschip that he likit till haiff.
Thus at the king haisty leiff tuk he.
Na ma with him he brocht off that cuntré,
Bot his awn men, and Schyr Thomas the knycht.
In Flawndrys land thai past with all thar mycht.
Guthreis barg was at the Slus left styll;
To se thai went wyth ane full egyr wyll.
Bath Forth and Tay thai left and passyt by
On the north cost, [gud] Guthré was thar gy.
In Munross hawyn thai brocht hym to the land;
Till trew Scottis it was a blyth tithand.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay, that worthi was and wycht,
Fra Ochtyrhouss the way he chesyt rycht,
To meite Wallace with men off armes strang;
Off his duellyng thai had thocht wondyr lang.
The trew Ruwan come als with outyn baid;
In Barnan wod he had his lugyng maid.
Barklay be that to Wallace semblyt fast;
With thre hundreth to Ochtyrhouss he past.

The later day off August fell this cace;
For the reskew, thus ordanyt wicht Wallace,
Off Sanct Jhonstoun, that Sothroun occupyit.
Fast towart Tay thai passyt and aspyit;
Or it was day wndyr Kynnowll thaim laid.
Out off the toun, as Scottis men till hym said,
That serwandys oysyt with cartis hay to leid;
So was it suth, and hapnyt in to deid.
Saxsum thar com, and brocht bot cartis thre.
Quhen thai off hay was ladand most byssé,
Guthré with ten in handys has thaim tayn,
Put thaim to dede, off thaim he sawyt nayn.
Wallace gert tak in haist thar humest weid,
And sic lik men thai waillyt, weill gud speid;
Four was rycht rud, Wallace hym selff tuk ane,
A rwssyt clok, and with him gud Ruwane.
Guthré with that, and als gud yemen twa,
In that ilk soit thai graithit thaim to ga.
Full sutelly thai coueryt thaim with hay,
Syne to the toun thai went the gaynest way.
Fyfteyn thai tuk off men in armes wicht,
In ilk cart fyve thai ordanyt owt off sycht.
Thir cartaris had schort suerdis, off gud steill,
Wndyr thar weidis, callyt furth the cartis weill.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay baid with a buschement still,
Quhen mystir war to help thaim with gud will.
Thir trew cartaris past with outyn lett,
A tour the bryg, and entryt throu the yet;
Quhen thai war in, thar clokis kest thaim fra,
Gud Wallace than the mayster portar can ta
Wpon the hed, quhill dede he has him left;
Syn othir twa the lyff fra thaim has reft.
Guthré, be that, did rycht weyll in the toun;
And Ruwan als dang off thar famen doune.
The armyt men, was in the cartis brocht,
Raiss wp, and weill thar dawery has wrocht;
Apon the gait thai gert feill Sothroun de.
The Ramsais spy, has seyn [thaim] get entré,
The buschement brak, bathe bryg and port has won:
Into the toun gret stryff thar was begon.
Thai twenty men, or Ramsay come in playn,
Within the toun had saxté Sotheroun slayn.
The Inglissmen on till aray was gayn;
The Scottis as than layser lett them get nayn;
Fra gud Ramsay with his men entryt in,
Thai sawit nayn was born off Ingliss kyn.
Als Longaweill, the wycht knycht Schyr Thomas,
Prewyt weill than, and in mony othir place.
Agayn his dynt few Inglissmen mycht stand;
Wallace with him gret faith and kyndnes fand.
The Sotheroun part saw weill the toun was tynt,
Fersly thai fled, as fyr dois out off flynt.
Sum fled, some fell in to draw dykis deip,
Sum to the kyrk, thar lywys giff thai mycht keip;
Sum fled to Tay, and in small weschell yeid;
Sum derffly deit and drownyt in that steid,
Schir Jhon Sewart at the west port owt past;
Till Meffen wod he sped him wondyr fast.
A hundreth men the kyrk tuk for succour,
Bot Wallace wald no grace grant in that hour.
He slay bad all off cruell Sotheroun keyn;
And said thai had to Sanct Jhonstoun enemys beyn.
Four hundreth men in to the toun war ded.
Sewyn scor with lyff chapyt out off that sted.
Wyffis and barnys thai maid thaim fre to ga;
With Wallace wyll he wald sla nayn off tha.
Riches thai fand, that Inglissmen had brocht new,
Syn plenyst the toun with worthi Scottis trew.
Schyr Jhon Sewart left Meffen forest strang,
Went to the Gask with feyll Sotheroun amang;
And syn in Fyff, quhar Wallang schirreff was;
Send currowris sone out throw the land to pass,
And gaderyt men, a stalwart cumpany.
Till Ardargan he drew him prewaly;
Ordand thaim in bargan reddy boune.
Agayn he thocht to sailye Sanct Jhonstoun,
Quhar Wallace lay, and wald no langar rest,
Rewllyt the toun as that him likyt best.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay gret captane ordand he,
Ruwan schirreff, at ane accord for to be.
This charge he gaiff, gyff men thaim warnyng maid,
To cum till him with outyn mor abaid:
And so thai did, quhen tithingis was thaim brocht.
With a hundreth Wallace furth fra thaim socht.

To Fyfe he past, to wesy that cuntré,
Bot wrangwarnyt off Inglissmen was he.
Schyr Jhon Sewart, quhen thai were passyt by,
Fra the Ochell he sped him haistely;
Vpon Wallace folowit in all his mycht,
In Abyrnethy tuk lugyng that fyrst nycht.
Apon the morn, with fyftene hundreth men,
Till Black Irnsyde his gydys couth them ken.
Thar Wallace was, and mycht no message send
Till Sanct Jhonstoun, to mak this jornay kend;
For Inglissmen, that full sutell has beyn,
Gart wachis walk, that nayn mycht pass betweyn.
Than Wallace said, “This mater payis nocht me.”
He cald till him the squier gud Guthré,
And Beset als, that knew full weyll the land;
And ast at thaim, quhat deid was best on hand,
“Message to mak, our pouer for to get;
“With Sotheroun sone we sall be wndirset.
“And wykked Scottis, that knawis this forest best,
“Thai ar the causs that we may haiff no rest.
“I dred fer mar Wallang, that is thair gyd,
“Than all the layff that cummys on that syd.”
Than Guthré said; ‘Mycht we get ane or tway
‘To Saynct Johnstoun, it war the gaynest way;
‘And warn Ramsay, we wald get succour sone.
‘Our suth it is, it can nocht now be don.
‘Rycht weyll I wait, weschell is lewyt nayn,
‘Fra the Wood hawyn, to the ferry cald Aran.’
Than Wallace said; “The water cald it is;
“My selff can swym, I trow, and fall na myss.
“But currours oyss, that gaynys nocht for me;
“And I leyff yow her, yet had I leuir de.
“Throw Goddis grace we sall bettir eschew;
“The strenth is stark, als we haiff men inew.
“In Elchoch park, bot fourty thar war we,
“For sewyn hundreth, and gert feill Sothron de;
“And chapyt weill in mony wnlikly place;
“So sall we her, throw help off Goddis grace.
“Quhill men may fast, thir woddis we may hauld still;
“For thi, ilk man be off trew hardy will;
“And at we do so nobill in to deid,
“Off ws be found no lak eftir to reid.
“The rycht is ouris, we suld mor ardent be;
“I think to freith this land, or ellis de.”
His waillyt spech, with wit and hardyment,
Maid all the layff so cruell off entent;
Sum bad tak feild, and giff battaill in playn.
Wallace said; “Nay, thai wordis are in wayn:
“We will nocht leyff that may be our wantage;
“The wod till ws is worth a yeris wage.”
Off hewyn temyr in haist he gert thaim tak
Syllys off ayk, and a stark barrés mak,
At a foyr frount, fast in the forest syd,
A full gret strenth, quhar thai purpost to bid;
Stellyt thaim fast till treis that growand was,
That thai mycht weyll in fra the barrés pass;
And so weill graithit on athir sid about;
Syn com agayn, quhen thai saw thaim in dout.
Be that the strenth arayit was at rycht,
The Inglis ost approchyt to thair sycht.
Than Sewart com, that way for till haiff wend,
As thai war wount; so his gydis thaim kend.
At that entré thai thocht till haiff passage;
But sone thai fand that maid thaim gret stoppage.
A thousand he led off men in armes strang,
With fyve hundreth he gert Jhon Wallang gang
With out the wod, that nayn suld pass thaim fra.
Wallace with him had fourty archarys thra;
The layff was speris, full nobill in a neid:
On thair enemys thai bykkyr with gud speid.
A cruell cwntyr was at the barrés seyn.
The Scottis defens so sykkyr was and keyn,
Sotheroun stud aw to enter thaim amang;
Feill to the ground thai our threw in that thrang.
A rowm was left, quhar part in frount mycht fayr;
Quha entrit in, agayn yeid neuirmar.
Fourty thai slew, that formast wald haiff past.
All dysarayit the ost was, and agast;
And part off hors throw schot to dede was brocht,
Brak to a playn, the Sotheroun fra them socht.
The Sewart said; “Allace, how [may] this be;
“And do no harm? Our gret rabut haiff we.”
He tald Wallang, and askyt his consaill;
“Schyrreff thou art, quhat may be our awaill?
“But few thai ar that makis this gret debait.”
John Wallang said; ‘This is the best I wait,
‘To cess her off, and remayn her besyd;
‘For thai may nocht lang in this forest byd;
‘For fawt off fud, thai mon in the cuntré;
‘Than war mar tym on thaim to mak mellé.
‘Or thai be won be fors, in to this stryff
‘Feyll at ye leid sall erar loss the lyff.’
Than Sewart said; “This reid I will nocht tak:
“And Scottis be warnyt, reskew sone will they mak.
“Off this dispyt amendys I think to haiff,
“Or de thar for in nowmyr with the laiff.
“In till a rang myselff on fut will fayr.”
Aucht hundreth he tuk off liklyest that was thair;
Syn bad the layff bid at the barrés still
With Jhon Wallang, to rewyll thaim at his will.
“Wallang,” he said, “be forthwart in this cace;
“In sic a swar we couth nocht get Wallace.
“Tak hym or sla; I promess the be my lyff,
“That king Edwart sall mak the erll off Fyff.
“At yon est part we think to enter in;
“I bid no mar, might ye this barress wyn.
“Fra thai be closyt graithly amang ws sa,
“Bot merwell be, thai sall na ferrer ga.
“Assailye sayr, quhen ye wit we cum ner;
“On athir sid we sall hald thaim on ster.”
Thus semlyt thai apon ane awfull wyss.
Wallace has seyn quhat was thair haill dewyss.
“Gud men,” he said, “wndirstud ye this deid,
“Forsuth thai ar rycht mekill for to dreid.
“Yon Sewart is a nobill worthy knycht;
“Forthwart in wer, rycht worthy, wyss and wicht.
“His assailye he ordannys wondyr sayr
“Ws for to harm, no mannys wyt can do mar.
“Plesand it is to se a chyftane ga
“So chyftanlyk; it suld recomfort ma
“Till his awn men, and thai of worschip be,
“Than for to se ten thousand cowartis fle.
“Sen we ar stad with enemyss on ilk syd,
“And her on fors mon in this forest bid,
“Than fray the fyrst, for Goddis saik, cruellye,
“That all the layff off ws abayssyt be.”

Crawfurd he left, and Longaweill the knycht,
Fourty with thaim, to kepe the barrés wicht:
With him saxté off worthy men in weid,
To meit Sewart with hardy will thai yeid.
A maner dyk in to that wod wes maid,
Off thuortour ryss, quhar bauldly thai abaid;
A downwith waill the Sothroun to thaim had.
Son semblyt thai with strakis sar and sad:
Scharp sperys, fast duschand on athir sid,
Throw byrnys brycht maid woundis deip and wid.
This wantage was, the Scottis thaim dantyt swa,
Nayn Inglissman durst fra his feris ga,
To brek aray, or formast entyr in.
Off crystin blud to se it was gret syn,
For wrangwis causs; and has beyn mony day.
Feyll Inglissmen in the dyk deid thai lay.
Speris full sone all in to splendrys sprang;
With scharp suerdys thai hew on in that thrang:
Blud byrstyt out throw fyn harnes off maill.
Jhon Wallang als full scharply can assaill
Apon Crawfurd, and the knycht Longaweill,
At thar power kepyt the barrés weill;
Maid gud defens, be wyt, manheid, and mycht;
At the entrê feyll men to dede thai dycht.
Thus all at anys assailyeit in that place,
Nayn that was thar durst turn fra the barrace
To help Wallace, nor none of his durst pass
To reskew thaim, so feyll the fechtyng was.
At athir ward thai handelyt thaim full hat;
Bot do or de, na succour ellis thai wayt.
Wallace wes stad in to that stalwart stour;
Guthré, Besat, with men off gret walour,
Rychard Wallace, that worthi was off hand.
Sewart merweillyt, that contrar thaim mycht stand,
That euyr so few mycht byd in battaill place,
Agaynys thaim, metyng face for face.
He thocht him selff to end that mater weill;
Fast pressyt in with a gud suerd off steill;
Into the dyk a Scottis man gert he de.
Wallace tharoff in hart had gret pyté;
Amendis till haiff he followit on him fast,
But Ingliss men so thick betwex thaim past,
That apon him a strak get mycht he nocht:
Wthyr worthy derffly to dede he brocht.
Sloppys thai maid throu all that chewalry,
The worthy Scottis thai wrocht so worthely.
Than Sothron saw off thar gud men so drest,
Langar to bid thai thocht it nocht the best.
Four scor was slayn, or thai wald leyff that steid,
And fyfty als was at the barrace deid.
A trumpet blew, and fra the wod thai draw;
Wallang left off, that sycht fra that he saw.
To sailye mar thaim [thocht] it was no speid,
Withowt the wod to consaill son thai yeid,
The worthy Scottis to rest thaim was full fayn;
Feyll hurtis had, bot few off thaim was slayn.
Wallace thaim bad of all gud comfort be;
“Thankit be God, the fayrer part haiff we!
“Yon knycht Sewart has at gret jornay beyn;
“So fair assay I haiff bot seildyn seyn.
“I had leuir off Wallang wrokyn be,
“Than ony man that is off yon menyhe.”
The Scottis all on to the barress yeid,
Stanchit woundis that couth full braithly bleid.
Part Scottis men had bled full mekill blud;
For faut off drynk, and als wantyng off fud,
Sum feblyt fast, that had feill hurtis thar.
Wallace tharfor sichit with hart full sar.
A hat he hynt, to get water is gayn;
Othir refut as than he wyst off nayn.
A litill strand he fand, that ran hym by;
Off cler watter he brocht haboundandly,
And drank him selff, syn said, with sobyr mud;
“The wyn off Frans me thocht nocht halff so gud.”
Than off the day thre quartaris was went.
Schir Jhon Sewart has castyn in his entent,
To sailye mar as than he couth nocht preiff;
Quhill on the morn that mar men couth raleiff;
And kep thaim in, quhill tha, for hungyr sor,
Cum in his will, or ellis de tharfor.
“Wallange,” he said, “I charge the for to bid,
“And kep thaim in; I will to Coupar rid.
“Thow sall remayn, with fyve hundreth at thi will,
“And I the morn sall cum with power the till.”
Jhon Wallange said; ‘This charg I [her] forsaik;
‘Eftir this day all nycht I may nocht waik.
‘For, trastis weill, thai will ische to the playn,
‘Thocht ye bid als, or ellis de in the payn.’
Sewart bad him byd, or wndyrly the blaym;
“I the commaund, on gud king Eduuardis naym.
“Or thar to God a wow I mak beforn,
“And thai brek out, to hyng the heych to morn.”
Off that commaund Jhon Wallang had gret dreid;
Sewart went fra thaim with nyne scor in to deid
Next hand the wod, and his gud men off Fyff,
That with him baid in all term off thair lyff.
Wallace drew ner, his tym quhen that he saw,
To the wod syd, and couth on Wallang caw;
“Yon knycht to morn has hecht to hyng the hie.
“Cum in till ws, I sall thi warrand be
“In contrar him, and all king Eduuardis mycht.
“Tak we hym quyk, I sall him hyng on hycht;
“And gud lordschip I sall gyff the hereft
“In this ilk land, that thi brothir has left.”
Wallange was wyss, full sone couth wndrestand,
Be lyklynes Wallace suld wyn the land;
And bettir him war in to the rycht to bid,
Than be in wer apon the Sotheroun sid.
With schort wysment to Wallace in thai socht.
Than Sewart cryt, and said; ‘That beis for nocht;
‘And fals off kynd thow art in heretage;
‘Eduuard on the has waryt ewill gret wage.
‘Her I sall byd, my purpos to fullfill,
‘Othir to de, or haiff the at my will.”
For all his spech, to pass he wald nocht spar;
Wyth full glaid hart Wallace resawyt thaim thar.

Be that, Ruwan and Ramsay off renown,
Be a trew Scot, that past to Sanct Jhonstoun,
Thaim warnyng maid, that Sewart folowit fast
Apon Wallace; than war thai sayr agast.
Owt off the toun thai wschit with all thair mycht,
With thre hundreth, that worthi war and wicht;
Till Black Irnsid assemblyt in that place,
As Wallang was gayne in to gud Wallace.
The knycht Sewart has weill thair cummyng seyn;
A fayr playn feild he chesyt thaim betweyn.
Elewyn hundreth and four scor than had he;
The Scottismen war fyve hundreth and saxté.
Thai war bot few, a playn feild for to tak.
Out of the wod gud Wallace can thaim mak;
He wyst no thing off thaim that cummyng was;
Mar hardement was fra the strenth to pass.
Bot quhen thai hard Ruwan and Ramsay cry,
Off Ochtyrhous, blyth was that chewalry.
Mycht thai off gold haiff brocht a kingis rent,
To gud Wallace mycht nocht so weyll content.
Than till aray thai yeid on athir sid,
In cruell ire, in battaill bown to byd.
Worthiar men than Sewart semblyt thar,
In all his tym, Eduuard had neuirmar.
Bot Sewart saw his nowmyr was fer ma;
Hys power sone he gart dewyd in twa;
To fecht at anys, rycht knychtlik he thaim kend,
In that jornay othir to wyn or end.
The worthi Scottis ruschyt on thaim, in gret ire,
With cruell strakis, that flawmyt fers as fyr.
Wallace and his, als Sotheroun that was thar,
Few speris had, for feyll fechtyng and sar
In to the wod at sailye all the day:
Bot new cummyn men weill waillyt speris had thai.
In to the stour thai gart feill Sotheroun de;
Thar cruell deid gret merwell was to se.
Thai worthi Scottis, that fyrst amang thaim baid,
Full gret slauchtir on Inglissmen thai maid;
In to the wod befor had prewyt weill,
Than on the playn thai sonyeit nocht adeill;
In curage grew, as thai war new begon;
Schort rest thai had fra ryssyng off the son.
Be that Ramsay, and with him gud Ruwan,
Throw owt the thykkest off the pres is gan;
Sloppis thai maid throw out the Inglissmen;
Deseueryt thaim be twenty and by ten,
Quhen speris war gayn, with suerdys off metall cler.
Till Inglissmen thar cummyng was sauld full der.
Wallace and his, be worthines off hand,
Feyll Sotheroun blud gart [licht] wpon the land.
The twa feildys togiddyr relyt than
Schyr Jhon Sewart, with mony nobill man,
To help thair lord; thre hundreth in [a] place
About hym stud, and did thair besines;
Defendand him, with mony awfull dynt,
Quhill all the owtwart off the feild was tynt.
Off comowns part into the forest fled
Succour to sek, thair men had thaim so led.
The Scottis, has seyn so mony in a rout
With Sewart stand, na warrand thaim about,
Apon all syd assailyeit wondyr sayr;
Throu polyt platis with poyntis persyt thair.
The Sotheroun made defens full cruelly;
All occupyit was this gud chewalry.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay wald thai had yoldyn beyn.
Wallace said; “Nay, it is all wrang ye meyn.
“Ranson to mak we can nocht now begyn.
“On sic awyss this land we may nocht wyn.
“Yon knycht off auld our enemy has beyn.
“So fell till ws off thaim I haiff nocht seyn.
“Now he sall de, with help off Goddis grace;
“He com to pay his ranson in this place.”
The Sotheroun wyst all playnly for to de;
Reskew was nayn, suppos at thai wald fle.
Freschlye thai faucht as thai [had] entryt new;
Apon our sid part worthy men thai slew.
Than Sewart said; ‘Alace, throw wrangwis thing
‘Our lywys we loss, throu desyr off our king.’
The felloun knycht dowtyt his dede rycht nocht;
Amang the Scottis full manfully he wrocht;
Besat he straik to dede with outyn mar.
Wallace prest in, with his suerd burnyst bar,
At Sewart hals he etlyt in gret ire,
Throu pissanis stuff in sondyr strak the swyr;
Dede to the ground he duschit for all his mycht:
Off Wallace hand thus endyt this gud knycht.
The ramaynand with out mercy thai sla;
For gud Besat the Scottis was wondyr wa.
In handis sum thai straik with out remed;
Na Sotheroun past with lyff out off that sted.
Than to the wod, for thaim that left the feild,
A rang [thai] set; thus thai may get na beild.
Yeid nayn away was contrar our punyoun.
Gud Ruwan past agayn to Sanct Jhonstoun.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay to Couper castell raid;
That hous he tuk, for defens nayn was maid.
Wallace, Crawfurd, and with thaim gud Guthré,
Rychard Wallace had lang beyn in mellé,
And Longaweill, in to Lundoris baid still;
Fastyt thai had to lang agayn thar will.
Wallange thai maid thair stwart for to be;
Off meit and drynk thai fand aboundandlé.
The priour fled, and durst na reknyng bid;
He was befor apon the tothir syd.
Apon the morn to Sanct Androwis thai past,
Owt off the toun that byschop turnyt fast.
The king off Ingland had him hydder send;
The rent at will he gaiff hym in commend.
His kingis charge as than he durst nocht hald:
A wrangwys pape that tyrand mycht be cald.
Few fled with him, and gat away be see;
For all Scotland he wald nocht Wallace se.
As than off him he maid bot lycht record.
Gert restor him that thar was rychtwyss lord.
The worthy knycht, that in to Coupar lay,
Gart spulye it apon the secund day,
Syn ordand men, at commaund off Wallace,
But mar process, for to cast doun that place.
Mynouris sone thai gert press throw the wall,
Syn pounciounis fyryt, and to the ground kest all.
Schyr Jhon Ramsay syne to the kyrk can fayr;
Sotheroun was fled, and left bot wallis bayr:
Efter Sewart thai durst nocht tary lang.
The Scottis at large [out] throu all Fyff thai rang.
Off Inglissmen nayn left in that cuntré.
Bot in Lochlewyn thair lay a cumpané,
Apon that inch, in a small hous thai dycht;
Castell was nayn, bot wallyt with water wicht.
Besyd Carraill thai semblyt Wallace beforn;
His purposs was for till assay Kyngorn.
A knycht, hecht Gray, than captane in it was;
Be schort awyss purpos he tuk to pas.
Erar he wald bid chalans off his king,
Than with Wallace to rakyn for sic a thing.
That houss thai tuk, and litill tary maid.
Vpon the morn, with outyn mar abaid,
Atour the mur, quhar thai a tryst had set,
Ner Scotlandis Well thair lugyng tuk but let.
Eftir souper Wallace bad thaim ga rest:
“My selff will walk, me think it may be best.”
As he commaundyt, but gruching thai haiff don.
In to thar slep Wallace him graithit son,
Past to Lochlewyn as it was ner mydnycht,
Auchtene with him, at he hed warnyt rycht;
Thir men wend weill he come to wesy it.
“Falows,” he said, “I do yow weill to wyt;
“Considyr weill this place, and wndirstand,
“That it may do full gret scaith to Scotland.
“Out off the south and power cum thaim till,
“Thai may tak in, and kep it at thair awn will.
“Apon yon inche rycht mony men may be,
“And syn wsche out, thair tym quhen at thai se.
“To bid lang her we may nocht wpon chans,
“Yon folk has fud, trast weill, at sufficians.
“Wattir fra thaim forsuth can nocht be set;
“Sum wthyr wyill ws worthis for to get.
“Yhe sall remayn her at this port all still,
“And I my selff the boit sall bryng yow till.”
Thair with in haist his weid off castis he:
“Apon yon sid na wachman can I se;”
Held on his sark, and tuk his suerd so gud
Band on his nek, and syn lap in the flud,
And our he swam; for lattyng fand he nocht.
The boit he tuk, and till hys men it brocht;
Arayit him weill, and wald no langar bid,
Bot passyt in, rowit to the tothir sid.
The inch thai tuk with suerdis drawyn in hand,
And sparyt nayn that thai befor thaim fand;
Strak duris wp, stekyt men quhar thai lay;
Apon the Sothroun thus sadly semblyt thai.
Thretty thai slew, that was in that samyn place;
To mak defens the Inglissmen had no space.
Thar women fyve Wallace send off that sted;
Woman nor barne he gart neuir put to dede.
The gud thai tuk, as it had beyn thair awyn.
Than Wallace said; “Falowis, I mak yow knawin,
“The purwyance, that is with in this wanys,
“We will nocht tyne; ger sembyll all at anys,
“Gar warn Ramsay, and our gud men ilkane;
“I will remayn quhill this warnstor be gane:”
Send furth a man, thair horsis put to kep,
Drew wp the boit, syne beddys tuk to sleip.
Wallace power, quhilk Scotland Well ner lay,
Befor the son thai myssyt him away.
Sum menyng maid, and merweillyt off that cace.
Ramsay bad, ‘Cess, and murn nocht for Wallace.
‘It is for gud at he is fra us went;
‘It sall ye se, trast weill, in werrament.
‘My hed to wed, Lochlewyn he past to se:
‘Bot that is thar, no Inglissman knaw we
‘In all this land, betwix thir watters left;
‘Tithandis off hym ye sall se son hereft.’
As thai about was talkand on this wyss,
A message com, and chargyt thaim to ryss.
“My lord,” he said, “to dyner has yow cald
“In till Lochlewyn, quhilk is a ryoll hald.
“Ye sall fair weyll, tharfor put off all sorow.”
Thai graithit thaim rycht ayrly on the morow;
And thidder past, off Wallace will to wytt.
Thus semblyt thai in a full blyth falowschip.
Thai lugyt thar till aucht dayis was at end;
Off meit and drynk thai had inewch to spend;
Turssyt furth ger, that Sothroun had brocht thar;
Gert byrn the boit, till Sanct Jhonstoun thai fair.
Byschop Synclar, that worthy was and wyss,
Till Wallace com, and tald him his awyss;
Thus he desyryt Wallace suld with him ryd,
And in Dunkell soiorn that wynter tyd.
Bot he said; “Nay, that hald I nocht the best,
“And Scotland thus; in pess we can nocht rest.”
The byschop said, ‘Playnly ye may nocht wend;
‘In to the north for men I rede yow send.’
“I grant,” quoth he, “and cheissit a messynger.”
The worthi Jop, was with the byschop ther;
And maister Blair to Wallace cam bot baid,
With that gud lord that nobill cher thaim maid.
Wallace send Blayr, in [to] his priestis weid,
To warn the west, quhar freyndys had gret dreid
How they suld pass, or to gud Wallace wyn,
For Inglissmen that held thaim lang in twyn.
Adam Wallace, and Lyndsay that was wycht,
Rawchlé thai left, and went away be nycht.
Throu out the land to the Lennox thai cair,
Till erll Malcom, that welcummyt thaim full fair.
Maister Jhon Blair was blith off that semblé;
Gud Graym was thair, and Richard off Lunde;
Als Robert Boid, that out off But thaim socht.
Had thai Wallace, off no thing ellis thai roucht;
Bot Inglissmen betuix thaim was so strang,
That thai in playn mycht nocht weyll to him gang.
Jop passit north, for leiching wald nocht let:
Gret power thar as than he couth nocht get;
The lord Cwmyn, that erll off Bouchane was,
For auld inwy he wald [let] na man pass
That he mycht let, in gud Wallace supplé;
For erll Patrik a playn feild kepyt he.
Yeit pur men com, and prewyt all thair mycht
To help Wallace, in fens off Scotlandis rycht.
The gud Randell in tendyr age was kend,
Part off men out off Murray he [did] send.
Jop past agayn, and com in presens sone
Befor Wallace, and tauld how he had don.
Bot maister Blayr so gud tithingis him brocht,
That off Cwmyn Wallace full litill roucht.
Als Inglissmen had than full litill dreid;
Fra Fyff was tynt, the war thai trowyt to sped.
The duk and erll, that in Scotland thaim led,
Captanys thai maid, in Ingland syn thaim sped.
Wallace hym bownyt, qwhen he thocht tym suld be,
Off Sanct Jhonstoun, and with him tuk fyfté.
Stewin off Irland, and Kerlé that was wicht,
For Inglissmen thai had haldyn the hycht
In wachman lyff, and fayndyt thaim rycht weill:
Till gud Wallace thai war as trew as steill;
To folow him thai twa thocht neuyr lang.
Throucht the Ochell thai maid thaim for to gang.
Off mar power he taryt nocht that tyd;
To keip the land he gert the laiff abid.
To Styrlyng bryg as than he wald nocht pass,
For strang power of Inglissmen thar was.

Till Erth ferry thai passit prewaly;
And buschit thaim in a dern sted tharby.
A cruell captane intill Erth duelt thar,
In Ingland born, and hecht Thomlyn off Wayr.
A hundreth men was at his ledyng still;
To bruk that land thai did power and will.
A Scottis fyschar, quhilk thai had tayn beforn,
Contrar his will gert him be to thaim suorn.
In thar seruice thai held him day and nycht.
Befor the son Wallace gart Jop him dycht,
And send him furth the passage for to spy.
On that fyschar he hapnyt sodandly,
All him allayn, bot a boy that was thar;
Jop hynt hym son, and for no dreid wald spar,
Be the collar, and owt a knyff hynt he.
For Goddis saik this man askit mercé.
Jop sperd sone; “Off quhat nacioun art thow?”
‘A Scot,’ he said, ‘bot Sothroun gart me bow.
‘In thair seruice, agayn my will full sayr,
‘Bot for my lyff that I remaynit thair.
‘To sek fysch I com on this north sid.
‘Be ye a Scott, I wald fayn with yow bid.’
Than he him brocht in presens to Wallace.
The Scottis was blyth quhen thai haiff seyn this cace,
For with his bait thai mycht weill passage hawe;
For fery craft na fraucht he thocht to crawe.
Apon that syd langar thai taryed nocht,
Till the south land with glaid hartis thai socht;
Syn brak the bait, quhen thai war landyt thair;
Serwice off it Sotheroun mycht haiff no mayr.
Than throuch the moss thai passit full gud speid
Till the Torwod, this man with thaim thai leid.
The wedow thar brocht tithandis to Wallace,
Off his trew eyme that duelt at Dunypace.
Thomlyn off Wayr in presoun had him set,
For mar tresour na he befor mycht get.
Wallace said; “Deym, he sall weill lowsyt be
“Be none to morn, or ma tharfor sall de.”
Scho gat thaim meit, and in quiet thai baid
Quhill it was nycht, syn redy sone thaim maid;
Towart Arth hall rycht sodeynly thaim drew.
A strenth thar was, that weyll the fyschar knew,
Off draw dykis, and full off watter wan;
Wysly tharoff has warnyt thaim this man.
On the baksid he led thaim prewalé,
Fra the watter, as wont to cum was he,
Our a small bryg. Gud Wallace entryt in
In to the hall, hym selff thocht to begyn;
Fra the sowper as thai war bown to ryss,
He salust thaim apon ane awfull wyss.
His men hym folowit sodanly at anys,
Haisty sorow was rassyt in thai wanys;
With scherand suerdis scharply about thaim dang;
Feyll on the flur was fellyt thaim amang.
With Thomlyn Wayr Wallace hym selff has met;
A felloun strak sadly apon him set,
Throcht hede and swyr all throucht the cost him claiff.
The worthy Scottis fast stekit off the layff;
Kepyt duris, and dulfully thaim dycht;
To chaip away the Sotheroun had no mycht.
Sum wyndowys socht for till haiff brokyn out,
Bot all for nocht, full fey was maid that rout.
About the fyr bruschit the blud so red,
A hundreth men was slayn in to that sted.
Than Wallace socht quhar his wncle suld be;
In a dyrk cawe he was set dulfullé,
Quhar watter stud, and he in yrnyss strang.
Wallace full sone the brassis wp he dang;
Off that myrk holl brocht him with strenth and lyst.
Bot noyis he hard, off no thing ellis he wyst;
So blyth befor in warld he had nocht beyn,
As thair with sycht, quhen he had Wallace seyn.
In dykys owt the dede bodyis thai kest;
Graithyt the place as at thaim likyt best;
Maid still gud cher, and wyss wachis gert set;
Quhill ner the day thai slepe with outyn let;
Quhen thai had lycht, spulyeid the place in hy,
Fand gaynand ger, baithe gold and jowelry:
Our all that day in quiet held thaim still.
Quhat Sothroun come, thai rasawyt with gud will;
In that laubour the Scottis was full bayn:
Inglissmen com, bot nayn yeid owt agayn.
Women and barnys put in the presonys cawe;
So thai mycht mak no warnyng to the lawe.
Stewyn off Irland, and Kerlé, that wes wicht,
Kepyt the port apon the secund nycht.
Befor the day the worthy Scottis rayss,
Turssyt gud ger, and to the Torwod gayss;
Remaynyt thar quhill nycht was cummyn on hand,
Syn bownyt thaim in quiet throuch the land.
The wedowis son, fra thai had passit dout,
A serwand send, and leit the women out,
To pass fra Arth quhar at thaim likit best.
Now spek off thaim that went in to the west.

Wallace hym selff was sekyr gyd that nycht;
Till Dunbertane the way he chesyt rycht.
Or it was day, for than the nycht was lang,
On to the toun full prewaly thai gang.
Mekill off it Inglissmen occupyit.
Gud Wallace sone throu a dyrk garth hym hyit,
And till a houss, quhar he was wont to ken,
A wedow duelt was frendfull till our men.
Abone hyr bed, on the baksid, was maid
A dern wyndow, was nothir lang nor braid;
Thar Wallace cauld, and son fra scho him knew,
In haist scho rayss, and prewaly thaim in drew
Till a closs bern, quhar thai mycht kepyt be:
Baith meit and drynk scho brocht in gret plenté.
A gudly gyft to Wallace als scho gaiff,
A hundreth pownd and mar, atour the layff.
Nyne sonnys scho had, was lykly men and wicht;
Ane ayth till him scho gart thaim swer full rycht.
In peess thai duelt, in trubyll that had beyn,
And trewbut payit till Ingliss capdanis keyn.
Schir Jhon Menteth the castell had in hand:
Bot sum men said, thar was a prewa band
Till Sotheroun maid, be menys off that knycht,
In thar supplé to be in all his mycht.
Tharoff as now I will no process mak.
Wallace that day a schort purpos can tak;
Quhen it was nycht he bad the wedow pass,
Merk all the duris quhar Sotheroun duelland was.
Syn efftir this, he and his chewalry
Graithyt thaim weill, and wapynnys tuk in hy;
Went on the gayt, quhen Sotheroun was on slep,
A gret oystré our Scottis tuk to kep.
Ane Ingliss captane was sittand wp so lait,
Quhill he and his with drynk was maid full mait.
Nyn men was thar, now set in hye curage;
Sum wald haiff had gud Wallace in that rage;
Sum wald haiff bound Schyr Jhone the Grayme throucht strenth;
Sum wald haiff had Boyd at the suerdis lenth;
Sum wyst Lundy, that chapyt was off Fyff;
Sum wychtar was na Cetoun in to stryff.
Quhen Wallace hard the Sotheroun maid sic dyn,
He gart all byd, and hym allayn went in;
The layff remaynyt to her off thar tithans.
He salust thaim with sturdy contenance.
“Falowis,” he said, “sen I com last fra haym,
“In trawaill I was our land and wncouth fame.
“Fra south Ireland I com in this cuntré,
“The [new] conquest off Scotland for to se.
“Part off your drynk, or sum gud I wald haiff.”
The captane [than] a schrewed ansuer him gaiff;
‘Thow semys a Scot wnlikly, ws to spy;
‘Thow may be ane off Wallace cumpany:
‘Contrar our king he is ryssyn agane;
‘The land off Fyff he has rademyt in plane.
‘Thou sall her byd quhill we wyt how it be;
‘Be thow off his, thou sall be hyngyt hye.’
Wallace than thocht it was na tym to stand;
His nobill suerd he gryppyt son in hand;
Aukwart the face drew that captane in teyn,
Straik all away that stud abowne his eyn.
Ane othir braithly in the breyst he bar;
Baith brawn and bayn the burly blaid throcht schar.
The layff ruschyt wp to Wallace in gret ire;
The thryd he feld full fersly in the fyr,
Stewyn off Irland, and Kerlé, in that thrang,
Kepyt na charge, bot entryt thaim amang;
And othir ma that to the dur can press;
Quhill thai him saw thar coud no thing thaim cess,
The Sotheroun men full sone was brocht to ded.
The blyth hosteler bad thaim gud ayle and breid.
Wallace said; “Nay, till we haiff laysar mar.
“To be our gyd thow sall befor ws fayr;
“And begyn fyr quhar at the Sotheroun lyis.”
The hostellar son, apon a hasty wyss,
Hynt fyr in hand, and till a gret hous yeid,
Quhar Inglissmen was in full mekill dreid.
For thai wyst nocht quhill that the rud low raiss;
As wood bestis amang the fyr than gays,
With paynis fell ruschyt full sorowfully.
The layff with out, off our gud chewalry,
At ilka houss, quhar the hostillar began,
Kepyt the duris, fra thaim chapyt na man.
For all thair mycht, thocht king Eduuard had suorn,
Gat nayn away that was off Ingland born,
Bot othir brynt, or but reskew was slayn,
And sum throucht force drywyn in the fyr agayn.
Part Scottis folk, in seruice thaim amang,
Fra ony payn frely thai let thaim gang.
Thre hundreth men was to Dunbertan send,
To kep the land, as thair lordis thaim kend;
Skaithless off thaim for ay was this regioun.
Wallace or day maid him out off the toun;
On to the coyff off Dunbartane thai yeid;
And all that day [thar] soiornd out off dreid.
Baith meit and drynk the hostillar gert be brocht.
Quhen nycht was cummyn, in all the haist thai mocht,
Towart Rossneth full ernystfully thai gang;
For Inglissmen was in that castell strang.
On the Garlouch thai purpost thaim to bid,
Betwix the kyrk, that ner was thar besyd;
And to the castell full prewaly thai draw.
Wndyr a bray thai buschyt thaim rycht law,
Lang the wattyr, quhar comoun oyss had thai,
The castellis stuff, on to the kyrk ilk day.
A maryage als that day was to begyn.
All wschyt owt, and left na man with in,
At fens mycht mak, bot serwandis in that place;
Thus to that tryst thai passyt wpon cace.
Wallace and his drew thaim full prewaly
Nerhand the place, quhen thai war passyt by,
With in the hauld; and thocht to kep that steid
Fra Sotheroun men, or ellys tharfor be deid.
Compleit was maid the mariage in to playn;
On to Rossneth thai raturnyt agayn.
Four scor and ma was in that cumpany,
Bot nocht arayit as was our chewalry;
To the castell thai weynd to pass but let.
The worthy Scottis so hardly on thaim set,
Fourtye at anys derffly to ground thai bar;
The ramaynand affrayit was so sayr,
Langar in feild thai had no mycht to bid,
Bot fersly fled fra thaim on athir sid.
The Scottis thar has weyll the entré woun,
And slew the layff that in that houss was foun;
Syn on the flearis folowid wondyr fast,
Na Inglissman with lyff thar fra thaim past.
The wemen sone thai seysyt in to hand,
Kepyt thaim closs, for warnyng off the land.
The dede bodyes all out off sycht thai kest:
Than at gud ess thai maid thaim for to rest.
Off purwians sewyn dayis thai lugyt thar
At rud costis, to spend thai wald nocht spar.
Quhat Sotheroun come, thai tuk all glaidly in,
Bot owt agayn thai leit nane off that kyn.
Quha tithandis send to the captane off that steid,
Thai seruitouris the Scottis put to ded,
Spulyeid the place, and left na gudis thar,
Brak wallis doun, and maid that byggyng bar.
Quhen thai had spilt off stayne werk at thai mocht,
Syn kendillyt fyr, and fra Rossneth thai socht.
Quhen thai had brynt all tre werk in that place,
Wallace gert freith the wemen, off hys grace;
To do thaim harm neuir his purpos was
Than to Faslan the worthy Scottis can pass,
Quhar erll Malcom was bidand at defence;
Rycht glaid he was off Wallace gud presence.
Than he fand thar a nobill cumpany,
Schir Jhon the Graym, and Richard off Lundy,
Adam Wallace, that worthy was and wyss,
Berklay and Boid, with men mekill to pryss.
At Cristinmess thar Wallace soiornyt still;
Off his modyr tithandis was brocht him till,
That tym befor scho had left Elrislé;
For Inglissmen in it scho durst nocht be.
Fra thine dysgysyt scho past in pilgrame weid,
Sum gyrth to sek to Dunfermlyn scho yeid.
Seknes hyr had so socht in to that sted,
Decest scho was, God tuk hir spreit to leid.
Quhen Wallace hard at that tithandis was trew,
How sadness so in ilk sid can persew;
In thank he tuk, be causs it was naturaill,
He lowyt God with sekyr hart and haill.
Bettyr him thocht, that it was hapnyt sa,
Na Sotheroun suld hyr put till othir wa.
He ordand Jop, and als the maister Blayr,
Thiddyr to pass, and for no costis spayr,
Bot honour do the corp till sepultur.
At his commaund thai seruit ilka hour,
Doand thar to as dede askis till haw:
With worschip was the corp graithit in grawe.
Agayn thai turnyt, and schawit him off hir end.
He thankit God quhat grace that euir he send;
He seis the warld sa full off fantasie,
Confort he tuk, and leit all murnyng be;
His most desyr was for to freith Scotland.
Now will I tell quhat new cass com on hand.

Schyr Wilyam lang off Douglace daill was lord;
Off his fyrst wyff, as rycht was to record,
Decest or than out off this warldly cair,
Twa sonnys he had with hyr, that leyffyt thar,
Quhilk likly war, and abill in curage,
To sculle was send in to thair tendre age;
James and Hew, so hecht thir brethyr twa.
And eftir sone thar wncle couth thaim ta,
Gud Robert Keth, had thaim fra Glaskow toun;
Atour the se in Frans he maid thaim boun.
At study syn he left thaim in to Parys,
With a maister that worthy was and wyss.
The king Eduuard tuk thair fadyr that knycht,
And held him thar, thocht he was neuir so wicht,
Till tym he had assentit till his will.
A mariage als thai gert ordane him till,
The lady Ferss, off power and hye blud:
Bot tharoff com till his lyff litill gud.
Twa sonnys he gat on this lady but mar.
With Eduuardis will he tuk his leiff to far;
In Scotland com, and broucht hys wyff on pes,
In Douglass duelt; forsuth this is no les.
Kyng Eduuard trowyt that he had stedfast beyn,
Fast to thair faith; bot the contrar was seyn:
Ay Scottis blud remaynyt in to Douglace,
Agayn Ingland he prewyt in mony place.
The Sanchar was a castell fayr and strang;
Ane Ingliss capdane, that dyd feyll Scottis wrang,
In till it duelt, and Bewffurd he was cauld,
That held all waist fra thine to Douglace hauld.
Rycht ner off kyn was Douglace wiff and he;
Tharfor he trowyt in pess off hym to be.
Schyr Wylyham saw at Wallace raiss agayn,
And rycht likly to freyth Scotland off payn.
Till help him part in till hys mynd he kest;
For in that lyff rycht lang he coud nocht lest.
He thoucht na charge to brek apon Ingland;
It was throucht force that euir he maid thaim band.
A young man than, that hardy was and bauld,
Born till him selff, and Thom Dycson was cauld.
“Der freynd,” he said, “I wald preyff at my mycht,
“And mak a fray to fals Bewfurd the knycht,
“In Sanchar duellys, and dois full gret owtrage.”
Than Dycson said; ‘My selff in that wiage
‘Sall for yow pass, with Anderson to spek,
‘Cusyng to me; frendschip he will nocht brek.
‘For that ilk man thar wod ledys thaim till;
‘Throucht help off him purpos ye may fullfill.’
Schyr Wilyham than, in all the haist he mycht,
Thretty trew men in this wiage he dycht;
And tauld his wyff till Drumfress he wald fayr,
A tryst, he said, off Ingland he had thair.
Thus passyt he quhar that na Sotheroun wyst,
With thir thretty throw waist land at his lyst.
Quhill nycht was cummyn, he buschit thaim full law
In tyll a clewch ner the wattyr off Craw.
To the Sanchar Dykson allayn he send;
And he son maid with Anderson this end;
Dicson suld tak bathe his hors and his weid,
Be it was day, a drawcht off wod to leid.
Agayn he past, and tauld the gud Dowglace,
Quhilk drew him sone in till a preway place.
Anderson tauld quhat stuff thar was tharin
Till Thom Dicson, that was ner off his kyn:
“Fourty thai ar off men off mekill waill;
“Be thai on fute, thai will yow sayr assayll.
“Gyff thow hapnys the entré for to get,
“On thi rycht hand a stalwart ax is set,
“Thar with thow may defend the in a thrang;
“Be Douglace wyss he bydis nocht fra the lang.”
Anderson yeid to the buschement in hy;
Ner the castell he drew thaim prewaly
In till a schaw; Sotheroun mystraystit nocht.
To the next wode, wyth Dycson, syn he socht,
Graithyt him a drawcht, on a braid slyp and law,
Chargyt a horss, and to the houss can caw.
Arayit he was in Andersonnis weid,
And bad haiff in. The portar com gud speid;
“This hour,” he said, “thow mycht haiff beyn away;
“Wntymys thow art, for it is scantly day.”
The yet yeid wp, Dicson gat in but mar;
A thourtour bande, that all the drawcht wpbar,
He cuttyt it; to ground the slyp can ga,
Cumryt the yet, stekyng thai mycht nocht ma.
The portar son he hynt in to that stryff,
Twyss throuch the hede he stekit him with a knyff.
The ax he gat, that Anderson off spak;
A bekyn maid, tharwith the buschement brak.
Douglace him selff was formest in that press,
In our the wod entryt, or thai wald cess.
Thre wachmen sa, off wallis was cummyn new,
With in the closs the Scottis son thaim slew.
Or ony scry was raissyt in that stour,
Douglace had tane the yet off the gret tour;
Rane wp a grece, quhar at the capdane lay.
On fut he gat, and wald haiff beyn away.
Our lait it was; Dowglace strak up the dur,
Bewfurd he fand in to the chawmyr flour;
With a styff suerd to dede he has him dycht.
His men folowit, that worthy was and wycht.
The men thai slew, that was in to thai wanys;
Syn in the closs thai semblit all at anys.
The hous thai tuk, and Sotheroun put to ded;
Gat nane, bot ane, with lyff out off that sted,
For that the yet so lang wnstekit was.
This spy he fled, till Durisder can pass;
Tauld that captane, that thai had hapnyt sa.
Ane other he gert in to the Enoch ga;
And Tybris mur was warnyt off this cass;
And Louchmaban all semblyt to that place.
The cuntré raiss, quhen thai herd off sic thing,
To sege Douglace, and hecht thai suld him hyng.
Quhen Douglace wyst na wayis fra thaim [to] chaip,
To sailye him he trowyt thai wald thaim schaip,
Dicson he send, apon a cursour wycht,
To warn Wallace, in all the haist he mycht.
Off Lewynhouss Wallace had tayn in playn,
Witht thre hundreth gud men off mekill mayn;
Kylsith a castell, he thocht to wesy it,
Ane Rawynsdaill held; bot trew men leit him wyt,
That he was out that tym off Cummyrnauld;
Lord Cumyn duelt on tribut in that hauld.
Quhen Wallace wyst, he gert erll Malcom ly
With twa hundreth in a buschement ner by,
To kep the houss, that nayn till it suld fayr;
He tuk the layff, and in the wod ner thar
A scurrour set, to warn quhen he saw ocht.
Son Rawynsdaill com, off thaim he had na thocht.
Quhen he was cummyn the twa buschementis betweyn,
The scurrour warnd the cruell men and keyn;
Than Wallace brak, and folowit on thaim fast.
The Sotheroun fled, for thai war sar agast.
Rawynsdaill had than bot fyftye men;
Amang the Scottis thar deidis was litill to ken.
Quhen erll Malcom had bard thaim fra the place,
Na Sotheroun yeid with lyff that thai did grace.
Part Lennox men thai left the horss to ta;
On spulyeyng than thai wald na tary ma.
To sege the houss than Wallace coud nocht bid;
Throu out the land in awfull feyr thai ryd.
Than Lithquow toun thai brynt in to thair gayt;
Quhar Sotheroun duelt, thai maid thair byggyngis hayt.
The peyll thai tuk, and slew that was tharin;
Off Sotheroun blud the Scottis thocht na syn.
Syn on the morn brynt Dawketh in a gleid;
Than till a strenth in Newbottyll wod thai yeid.
Be that Lawder, and Crystall off Cetoun.
Com fra the Bass, and brynt Northallyrtoun;
For Inglissmen suld thar na succour get:
Quham thai ourtuk, thai slew with outyn let.
To meit Wallace thai past with all thair mycht,
A hundreth with thaim off men in armes brycht.
A blyth metyng that tym was thaim betweyn,
Quhen erll Malcom and Wallace has thaim seyn.
Thom Dycson than was met with gud Wallace,
Quhilk grantyt sone [for] to reskew Douglace,
“Dicson,” he said, “wait thow thair multiplé?”
‘Thre thousand men thair power mycht nocht be.’
Erll Malcom said; “Thoucht thai war thousandys fyffe,
“For this actioun me think that we suld stryff.”
Than Hew the Hay, that duelt wndyr trewage,
Off Inglissmen son he gaiff our the wage;
Mar for to pay as than he likyt nocht.
With fyfté men with Wallace furth he socht;
To Peblis past, bot no Sotheroun thar baid,
Thar at the croice a playn crya thai maid.
Wallace commaund, quha wald cum to his pess,
And byd tharat, reward suld haiff but les.
Gud Ruthirfurd, that euir trew has beyn,
In Atryk wode, agayn the Sotheroun keyn,
Bydyn he had, and done thaim mekill der;
Saxté he led off nobill men in wer.
Wallace welcummyt quha com in his supplé
With lordly feyr, and chyftaynlik was he.
Thaim till aray thai yeid with out the toun;
Thar nowmyr was sex hundreth off renoun,
In byrneis brycht, all men off mekill waill;
With glaid hartis thai past in Clyddisdaill.
The sege be than was to the Sanchar set;
Sic tithingis com, quhilk maid tharin a let.
Quhen Sotheroun hard that Wallace was so ner,
Throw haisty fray the ost was all on ster;
Na man was thar wald for ane othir byd,
Purpos thai tuk in Ingland for to ryd.
The chyftane said, sen thair king had befor
Fra Wallace fled, the causis was the mor.
Fast south thai went; to bid it was gret waith.
Douglace as than was quyt [thus] off thair scaith.
In Crawfurd mur be than was gud Wallace,
Quhen men him tauld, that Sotheroun apon cace
Was fled away, and durst nocht him abid.
Thre hundreth than he chessyt with him to rid,
In lycht harnes, and hors at thai wald waill.
The erll Malcom he bad byd with the staill.
To folow thaim, a bakgard for to be,
To stuff a chace in all haist bownyt he.
Throw Durisder he tuk the gaynest gayt;
Rycht fayn he wald with Sotheroun mak debait.
The playnest way abone Mortoun thai hald,
Kepand the hycht, gyff that the Sotheroun wald
Houss to persew, or turn to Lochmaban.
Bot tent thar to the Inglissmen tuk nan;
Doune neth thai held, graith gydys can thaim leyr,
Abon Closburn Wallace approchyt ner.
In ire he grew, quhen thai war in his sycht;
To thaim thai sped with wyll and all thair mycht.
On a out part the Scottis set in that tyd;
Sewyn scor at erd thai had sone at a syd.
The Sotheroun saw that it was hapnyt sa,
Turnyt in agayn [sum] reskew for to ma.
Quhen thai trowyt best agayn Scotland to stand,
Erll Malcom com [than] rycht ner at thair hand.
The hayll power tuk playn purpos to fle.
Quha was at erd Wallace gert lat thaim be;
Apon the formest folowit in all his mycht.
The erll and his apon the layff can lycht,
Dyd all to ded wnhorssyt was that tyd.
Feyll men was slayn apon the Sotheroun sid.
Fyve hundreth larg, or thai past Dawswyntoun,
On Sotheroun sid to ded was brocht adoun.
The Scottis horss mony began to tyr,
Supposs thaim selff was cruell fers as fyr.
The flearis left bathe wode and watterys haill;
To tak the playn thai thocht it most awaill.
In gret battaill away full fast thai raid;
In to strenthtis thai thocht to mak na baid.
Ner Louchmaban and Lochyrmos thai went,
Besyd Crouchmaid, quhar feyll Sotheroun was schent.
Rycht mony horss, at ronnyn had so lang,
And trawalyt sayr, thai mycht no forthir gang.
Schyr Jhon the Graym apon his fut was set;
Than Wallace als lychtyt with outyn let.
Thir twa on fute amang the enemyss yeid;
Was nayn, but hors, mycht fra thaim [pas] throw speid.
On Inglissmen so cruelly thai socht,
Quhom thai ourtuk agayn harmyt ws nocht.
To Wallace com a part off power new,
On restyt horss, that partly couth persew;
Adam Corré, with gud men off gret waill,
And Jhonstoun als, that duelt in [to] Housdaill;
And Kyrkpatrik was in that cumpany,
And Halyday, quhilk semblyt sturdely.
Quhar thai entryt, the sailye was so sayr,
Dede to the ground feill frekis doun thai bayr.
Sewyn scor was haill off new cummyn men in deid;
The south party off thaim had mekill dreid.
Wallace was horssyt apon a cursour wicht,
At gud Corré had brocht in to thair sycht,
To stuff the chas with his new chewalry.
He commaundyt Graym, and all his men for thi,
To gydder byd, and folow as thai mycht.
Thre capdanys thar full son to dede he dycht.
That restyt horss so wondyr weill him bayr,
Quhom he our tuk agayn raiss neuir mar.
Raithly he raid, and maid full mony wound,
Thir thre capdanis he stekit in that stound,
Off Durisdeyr, Enoch, and Tybyr mur.
Lord Clyffurdis eym away to Clyffurd fur,
The quhilk befor that kepyt Lowchmaban;
Na landyt man chapyt with him bot ane.
For Maxwell als, out off Carlauerok com,
On to the Sotheroun the gaynest wayis nom.
In to the chass so wysly thai rid,
Few gat away that com apon that sid.
Besyd Cokpull full feyll fechtand thai fand;
Sum drownyt was, sum slayn wpon the sand;
Quha chapyt was, in Ingland fled away.
Wallace returnd; na presoner tuk thai.
In Carlauerok restyng that nycht thai maid,
Apon the morn till Drumfres blythly raid.
Thar Wallace cryid, quha wald cum to his pes,
Agayn Sotheroun, thar malice for to cess.
Till trew Scottis he ordand warysoun;
Quha fawtyt had, he grantyt remissioun.
In Drumfress than he wald no langer byd.
The Sotheroun fled off Scotland on ilk sid,
Be sey and land, without langar abaid.
Off castellys, townys, than Wallace chyftanys maid
Rewlyt the land, and put it to the rest,
With trew keparys, the quhilk he traistyt best.
The trew Douglace, that I yow tauld off ayr,
Kepar was maid fra Drumlanryk till Ayr.
Becauss he had on Sotheroun sic thing wrocht,
Hyss wyff was wraith; but it scho schawit nocht,
Wndyr cowart hyr malice hid perfyt,
As a serpent watis hyr tym to byt.
Till Douglace eft scho wrocht full mekill cayr;
Off that as now I leyff quhill forthirmar.

Bot Sotheroun men durst her no castell hald,
Bot left Scotland, befor as I yow tald,
Saiff ane Morton, a capdane fers and fell,
That held Dundé. Than Wallace wald nocht duell;
Thiddyr he past, and lappyt it about.
Quhen Morton saw, that he was in sic dout,
He askyt leyff with thar lywys to ga.
Wallace denyit, and said; “It beis nocht sa;
“The last capdane off Ingland that her was,
“I gayff him leyff with his men for to pass.
“Thow sall forthink sic maister for to mak;
“All Ingland sall of the exemple tak.
“Sic men [I wend] fra thine now to haiff worn;
“Thow sall be hangyt, supposs thi king had suorn.”
He gert commaund na Scottis suld to thaim spek;
“Conferme the sege, and so we sall ws wrek
“On Inglissmen, has sic will off Dundé.”
Scrymiour he maid thar constable for to be.
A ballingar off Ingland, that was thar,
Past out off Tay, and com to Whitbé far,
Till London send, and tauld off all this cace;
Till hyng Morton wowyt had Wallace.
Befor this tym Eduuard with power yeid
To wer on Frans, for than he had no dreid;
Before he trowyt Scotland suld be his awn.
Quhen thai him warnyt how his men was ourthrawn,
Agayn he turnyt till Ingland haistely,
And left his deid all fykit in to fy.
Gascon he clemyt as in to heretage,
He left it thus, for all his gret barnage;
And Flandris als he thocht till tak on hand;
And thir he left, and come to reyff Scotland.
Quhen that this king in Ingland was cummyn hayme,
Sowmoundis thai maid, and chargyt Bruce be nayme,
And all wthir, that leyffyt wndir his croun,
Byschop, barroun, to cum at thair sowmoun.
Quhen Wallace twyss, throw grace, had fred Scotland,
This tyran king tuk playnly wpon hand,
For sic desyr that he mycht haiff no rest,
He thocht till hym of it to mak conquest.
In cowatice he had rongyn so lang,
Chyftanis he maid; at thai suld nocht pas wrang,
Gydis thai chessyt, fra strenthis thaim to ghy,
Thai thocht no mor to byd at juperty.
In playn battaill, and thai mycht Wallace wyn,
He trowyt off wer thai wald no mor begyn.
Lat I this king makand hys ordinans;
My purpos is to spek sum thing off Frans.
The Inglissmen, that Ghyan held at wer,
Till Franch folk thai did full mekill der.
King and consaill sone in thar wyttis kest,
To get Wallace thai thocht it was the best.
For Gyan land the Inglissmen had thai;
Thai schup thaim thus in all the haist thai may:
For thai traistyt, and Scotland war weill stad,
Wallace wald cum, as he thaim promyst had.
The sammyn harrald, befor in Scotland was,
Thai him commaundyt, and ordand he suld pas
In to Scotland, with out langar delay,
Out off the Slus, as gudly as he may.
Redy he was, in schip he went on cace,
In Tayis mowth the hawyn but baid he tais,
Quhar Wallace was than at the saylye still;
And he rasawyt the harrold with gud will.
Thar wryt he raid, and said him on this wyss,
Ane ansuer sone he couth thaim nocht dewyss.
Till honest in the harrold than he send,
On Wallace cost rycht boundandly to spend,
Quhyll tym he saw how [othir] materis yeid;
Ane ansuer he suld hawe with outyn dreid;
The wyt off Frans thocht Wallace to commend;
In to Scotland, with this harrold, thai send
Part off his deid, and als the discriptioune
Off him tane thar, be men off discretioun,
Clerkis, knychtis, and harroldys, that him saw;
Bot I hereoff can nocht reherss thaim aw.
Wallace statur, off gretnes, and off hycht,
Was jugyt thus, be discretioun off rycht,
That saw him bath dissembill and in weid;
Nyne quartaris large he was in lenth indeid;
Thryd part lenth in schuldrys braid was he,
Rycht sembly, strang, and lusty for to se;
Hys lymmys gret, with stalwart paiss and sound,
Hys browys hard, his armes gret and round;
His handis maid rycht lik till a pawmer,
Off manlik mak, with naless gret and cler;
Proportionyt lang and fayr was his wesage;
Rycht sad off spech, and abill in curage;
Braid breyst and heych, with sturdy crag and gret;
His lyppys round, his noyss was squar and tret;
Bowand bron haryt, on browis and breis lycht,
Cler aspre eyn, lik dyamondis brycht.
Wndyr the chyn, on the left syd, was seyn,
Be hurt, a wain; his colour was sangweyn.
Woundis he had in mony diuerss place,
Bot fayr and weill kepyt was his face.
Off ryches he kepyt no propyr thing;
Gaiff as he wan, lik Alexander the king.
In tym off pes, mek as a maid was he;
Quhar wer approchyt the rycht Ector was he.
To Scottis men a gret credens he gaiff;
Bot knawin enemyss thai couth him nocht disayff.
Thir properteys was knawin in to Frans,
Off him to be in gud remembrans.
Maistir Jhon Blayr that patron couth rasaiff,
In Wallace buk brewyt it with the layff.
Bot he her off as than tuk litill heid,
His lauborous mynd was all on othir deid.
At Dundé sege thus ernystfully thai lay;
Tithandis to him Jop brocht on a day,
How Eduuard king, with likly men to waill,
A hundyr thousand, com for to assail;
Than Scotland ground thai had [tane] apon cace.
In to sum part it grewyt gud Wallace.
He maid Scrymiour still at the houss to ly,
With twa thousand; and chargyt him forthi,
That nayn suld chaip with lyff out off that sted,
At Sotheroun war, bot do thaim all to ded.
Scrymgeour grantyt rycht faithfully to bid;
With aucht thousand Wallace couth fra him ryd
To Sanct Jhonstoun; four dayis he graithit him thar;
With sad awyss towart the south can fayr.
For king Eduuard that tym ordanit had
Ten thousand haill to pass, that was full glad,
With yong Wodstok, a lord off mekill mycht.
At Sterlyng bryg he ordand thaim full rycht,
And thar to byd, the entré for to wer;
Off Wallace than he trowit to haiff no der.
Thar leyff thai laucht, and passit bot delay,
Rycht far alyand, in a gud aray;
To Sterlyng com, and wald nocht thar abyd;
To se the north furth than can he ryd.
Sic new curage so fell in his entent,
Quhilk maid Sotheron full sar to rapent.