When this was done that here say I The King sent a great companie Up to the Craigges them to assaile That were fled from the great battaile And they them yald without debate And them in hand they tooke full haite Syne to the King all brought were they And they dispended hailly that day In riches and in spraith taking Fra end was made of the feghting And when they naked spoyled were That were slaine in the battell there It was forsooth a great ferly To sée so mony there dead to ly Two hundreth paire of spurres red Were tane of Knights that were dead The Erle of Glocester dead was there That men called Sir Gilbert of Clare And Geiles de Argentie alswa And Payn Typont and other ma That there names not tell can I. And vpon Scottishmens partie There was slaine worthie Knights twa William Wepont was one of tha And Sir Walter of Rosse another That Sir Edward the Kings brother Loued and held in sik daintie That as himselfe him loued he And when he wist that he was dead He was so wa and will of read That he said making full euill cheare That him had rather the iourney were Undone ere he so dead had bene Outtaken him men hes not séene UUhen he for ony man made méening And the cause was of his louing That he his sister in Paramours Loued and held at great retoures His owne wife Dame Issabell And therefore so great distance fell Betwixt him and the Erle Dauy Of Atholl brother to this Lady That the Erle on Sanct Iohns night When both the Kings were boun to fight In Cambuskynneth the Kings vittaile Tooke and hardlie can assaile Sir William of Airth and him slew And with him men mo than enew Therefore syne into England He was banisht and all his land Was seazed as forfeite to the King That did thereof all his liking ANd when the field as I told aire Was dispoyled and made all bare The King and all his companie Glade and ioyfull was and merie Of the grace that them fallen was Toward their Innes the wayes taes To rest them for they wearie were But for the Erle Gilbert of Clare That slaine was in the battell place The King somedeill annoyed was For to him néere sibbe was he Then to a Kirk he gart him be Brought and walked all that night And on the morne when day was light The King raise as his vse was And to an English Knight through cace Hapned that he yéede wauerand So that no man laid on him hand And in a buske he hid his arming And waited while he saw the King In the morning come foorth earlie Then is he went to him in hie Sir Marmaduk the Twemane he hight He raiked to the King full right And hailsed him vpon his knée Welcome Sir Marmaduk said hée To what man art thou prisoner To none he said but to you here I yéelde me at your will to be And I receiue thée Sir said he Then gart he treat him courteouslie He dwelt long in his companie And syne in England him sent he Arrayed well but ransome frée And gaue him great gifts thereto A worthie man that so could do Might make him greatly for to prise When Marmaduk vpon this wise UUas yolden as I to you say Then came Sir Philip the Mowbray And to the King yald the Castell His cunnand hes he holden well Then with him treated so the King That he beleft of his dwelling And held him léelely his fay To the last end of his life day How Iames of Dowglas conuoyed the King Of England home but Sojourning NOw speake we of the Lord Dowglas And tell how hée followed the chase And had whéene in his companie But hee sped him in full greit hy And as hée through the Torwood foore Hée saw come riding ouer the Moore Sir Lawrence of Abernethie That with sextie in companie Came for to helpe the Englishmen For hée was Englishman yet then And when hée heard how that it was Hée left the Englishmens peace And to the Lord Dowglas there For to bée léele and trew hée sware And then they both followed the chase And ere the King of England was Passed Linlithgow they came so néere With all the folke that with them were That well among them shoot they might But they thought them too few to fight For five hundreth armed they were In the greit rout that they had there Togidder full surelie rade they And held them vpon bridle aye They were gouerned full wittelie For it séemed they were aye ready For to defend them at their might If they assailÈied were in fight And the Lord Dowglas and his men Thought it was not good purpose then To feght with them all openlie Hee conuoyed them so narrowlie That of the hindmest aye tooke hee Might none behind his Fellowes bée A pennie-stone-cast but hee in hy Was tane or slaine deliueredlie They no rescourse would to him ma Although hée followed neuer sa IN this maneâ— conuoyed them hée While that the King and his Menyie To Wincheburgh all commen are Then lighted they all that there were To baite their Horse that were wearie And Dowglas and his companie Bated also beside them néere They were so feill withoutten wéere And in armes so cleanelie dight And so arayed for to fight And hâ—e so wéene and but gaddering That hee would not in plaine feghting Assaillyie them but rade them by Waiting his time so eithandly A litle while they baited there And syne lap on and foorth can fare And hee was alwayes by them néere And leete them not haue sik leiser As anes waâ—er for to ma. And if that ony stad were sa And behind left was 〈◊〉 space Seezed in hand al 's soone hee was They conuoyed them vpon this wiseâ— While that the King and rout is Comde to the Castell of Dumbar Where hée and of his men so were Receiued right well for yet than The Erle Patricke was Englishman That gart with meat and drinke alswa Refresh them well and syne can ta A baite and send the King by sey To Bamburgh in his owne Countrie Their Horse there left they all on stray But léesed al 's soone in hand were they The laue that liued were without Addressed them into a rout And held to Berwicke straight their way In a rout and the sooth shall say They leaued of there men partly Ere they came there but not for thy They came to Barwicke soone and there Into the towne receiued were Else at greit mischiefe had they béene And when the Lord Dowglas hes seene That hee had léesed there his paine Toward the King hée went againe THe King escaped on this wise Loe what falding to Fortune lyes That whiles vpon a man will smile And pricke him syne another while In no time stable can shee stand This mightie King of England Shee had set on her whéele at hight When with so ferlifull a might Of men of armes and archers And
his skil and order of battell albeit he had a greater number of people yet durst he not hazard returning his standerds softly retired but Wallace for feare of ambushment durst not follow This victory obtained without blood against a most potent King The enemies of Wall more sharply assaulted him raising brutes through the countrey that he openly shot at the Kingdom So they conclude by all means to subuert Wall authority These deuises not vnknown to King Edw. he raised a great army of English Scots vvho had remained constaÌ„t in their promise made to him the next SoÌ„mer came vnto Faw-kirk vvhich village is builded vpon the very ruins of Seuerus Wall distant from Striuiling 6 myles The Scottish host abade not far from thence strong enough indeed for they were 30 thousand if the Rulers had agreed amongst themselues The Rulers were Iohn Cumming Iohn Stewart Will. Wallace the former two in blood puissance the last in Marshall glory most flourishing of al Scotland While as the 3 battels stood in redines to fight a new contention was added to the former enuy Who should lead the Vanguard neither of them giuing place to the other the Englishmen ended the strife vvho in order of battell vvith displayed Banners came vpon them with expedition Cummine with his company fled vvithout stroke Steward enuironed both behind and before vvas slaine with his hoste Wallace being sore set vpon in front and Bruce comming about a Knowle to charge him on the backe contained his men together in such order as in such state he best could and returned backe ouer CARROVN Water vvhere he defended himself hauing gathered together those that were fled and Bruce desiring to speak with him he refused not wheÌ„ these two alone stood right ouer against other at a deep narrow part of the Riuer Bruce first said he wondred at him that being caried with the facile fauour of the people would hazard himself in so many perils againe a King most puissant of that age assisted also with great support of Scots that without any hope of recompence of his pains For albeit he vanquisht Edward the Scots would neuer allow of him to be King and if he were ouerthrowne he had no refuge but in the mercy of his enemy To whom Wallace answered I said he neuer tooke these paines to purchase to my self a Kingdom for that is vnagreeable with my condition and my mind couets it not but seeing my Countrey-men through your cowardice to whom the Realme rightly appertains destitute of Rulers hereby casten into their most cruel enemies hands not only in bondage and slauery but euen to the shambles I pittied their case haue enterprised the defence of their cause forsaken by you whose liberty I shall not forsake befâ—â—e my life forsake me And so the confereÌ„ce ended either of both returning to their owne After this vnhappy Battell Wallace returned to Perth and there skailed his army giuing place to the enuy born against him and after that day enterprised nothing for the Realm and renounced the name of Magistrat albeit he left not off the inuading of the English Nation wheresoeuer he could be their master Edward after this wasted by all warlike calamities the Lands beyond Forth euen to Perth subduing those that in respect of the present misery durst not stir so retired with his army into England The Scots that were carefull for the liberty of their Realme a little refreshed after the enemies departure made Iohn Cumming younger Regent who by the aduise of the Counsell sent Ambassadours to Philip Valloys King of France to trauell with him that by Mediation of his Sister who was then affianced to Edward they might at least obtaine Truce By her trauels they obtained Truce for seuen Moneths but not obserued bona fide for Englishmen tooke the Ambassadours that were directed to Bonifacius the eight and imprisoned them The Scots in the meane time who could not abide the tyranny of Englishmen nor culd by no punishment satiat Edwards cruell mind neither yet obtaine peace vpon just conditions prepared themselues with obstinat minds to fight it out without all hope of pardon First they droue all Edwards Captains foorth of all Towns and Fortresses and vexed the Scots of the English factioÌ„ vvith all the force they might vvhile as the stat of matters thus coÌ„tinued almost two years Edward sent Rodolph Confrey with a puissant Army to suppresse this rebellion of the Scots and to put an end to those Warres This Army without impediment wasted all to Rosling a place in Louthian foure miles distant from Edinburgh to destroy farther within the Countrey diuided their Army in three Iohn Cummine and Iohn Fraser the most wealthy men in Tweed-dale gathering to the number of 8000 men marched towards the enemy of purpose either to keep in the enemy that he should not run at randon to spoyl the Country or if they found better occasion to follow Fortun. Better occasion was offered then they looked for For Englishmen fearing nothing lesse than the comming of their enemies so often ouerthrowne behauing themselues more losely than was expedient in their enemies ground by sudden comming of the Scots vpoÌ„ the first of their Camps were ouerthrown with a great slaughter they that escaped raised great tumult in the secoÌ„d camp where th' alarm was fearfully raised euery man exhorting his Mate to support their own they prepared theÌ„selues for reuenge The conflict was terrible as betwixt these that were fiers throgh victory these that were enraged by thirst of reuenge in end th' Englishmen discomfist chased victory albeit not vnbloody yeelded to the Scots the third host which had bin furder off affraid the Scots for many being wounded most part wearied with trauels in 2 late battels foresaw manifest danger to ensue by fighting assured destruction by flight at length the Heads commanded to slay al captiues left while they were occupied with th' enemy they shuld come vpon their backs they armed their seruants vvith slain mens armor so made shew of a greater army to their enemies the battel begun vvas keenly foghten on both sides the fight being doutfull for a while the scots by exhortatioÌ„ of their leaders calling to mind their late doble victory renewing their streÌ„gth ran so fiercely vpoÌ„ their enemies that their aray broken they gaue backs It was foghten at Rosline the 6 of the kal. of March 1320. The more notable that this victory was 3 hosts in one day ouerthrown by one the more sharply Edw. set his mind to deface this ignominy and once to put an end to their longsome Warre He amasseth a greater army than euer he did before persued Scotland both by land sea to the vtter most borders of Ros. No man in warfare durst hazard him self against so puissant an army except Wallace with his few folks somtimes behind somtims before somtims vpon their wings chopped at such as
him full wonder well To good Hector of Troy might he In manie things likened be Hector had blacke haire as he had And starke limmes and right well made And lisped also as did he And was fulfill'd of all bountie And was courteous wise and wight But of manhéed and méekle might To Hector dare I none compare Of all that euer in world were For in his time so wrought he That he should greatly loued be HE dwelt there thus till on a tide The King Edward with méekle pride Came to Starling with great menyie For to hold there an assemblie Hitherward went many a Baroun And Bishop William of Lambertoun Who hither al 's and with him was His Esquyre Iames of Dowglas The Bishop led him to the King And said Sir here to you I bring This Child that claimes your man to be And prayeth you for Charitie That ye receiue here his homage And grant to him his heritage Quhat lands claimes he said the King Schir gif that it be your lyking He claimes the Lordship of Dowglas For Lord thereof his father was The King then wrythed him angerly And said Schir Bischop sikkerlie Gif thou wold keepe thy fewtie Thou mak no sic speaking to me His father was ay my felloun And died therefore in my presoun And was agains my Maiestie Therefore I ought his aire to be Go purches lands quhere euer he may For thereof gets he none perfay The Clyffurd shall haue them for he Ay leillely he hes serued me The Bischop heard him so answer And durst then speake to him no mair Bot from his presence went on hy For he dred sore his fellony So that no more he spoke thereto But did that he came for to do The King in England went againe With mony men of mekill maine LOrdings who likes for to heare The Romanes now begins héere Of men that were in greit distres And assayed full greit hardynes Or they micht come to their intent But syne our Lord sic grace them sent That they sensyne through greit valour Came to greit hicht and hie honour Magre their foes euer ilkone That were so fell that ay for ane Of them they were well a thousand Bot where God helps who may wtstand Èœet if we say the suithfastnes They were eir more then they were lesse But God that is of mekill micht Preserued them in his foresicht To venge the harmes and the contrares That they fell folke and oppressares Did to simple folke and worthy That could not saue themselues for thy They were like to the Maccabees That as men in the Bible sées Throw their great worship and valour Faucht in mony a stalwart stour For to delyuer their Countrie Fra folke that throw Iniquitie Held them and theirs into thirlage They wrocht so throw their vassallage That with few folke they had victory Of michty Kings as sayes the Story And delyuered their lands all frée Quherefore their names sould loued be This Lord the Bruce I spoke of air Saw all the Kinrik so forfair And so troubled the folke saw he That he thereof had great pitie Bot quhat pitie that euer he had No countenance thereof he made Quhill on a time Schir Iohn Cuming As they came ryding from Striuiling Said to him Schir will Èe not see How that gouerned is this Countrie They slew our folke but Enchesoun And hes this land against reasoun And ye thereof Lord should be And if that ye will trow to me Ye shall thereof gar make you King And I shall be in your helping With thy ye giue me all the land That ye haue now into your hand And if that ye will not doe swa Nor sik a state vpon you ta All haill my lands shall yours be And let me take the state on me And bring this land out of thirlage For there is neither man nor Page In all this land but they will be With vs to make themselues frée The Lord the Bruce heard his carping And weinde he spake but soothfast thing And for it liked to his will He gaue soone his assent theretill And said sen ye will it be swa I will blythlie vpon me ta The name for I wote I haue right And riâ—ht makes oft the féeble wight THir Barouns thus accorded are And that ilk night written were Their Indentours aithes made To hold that they forespokeÌ„ had But ouer all thing woe worth treasoun For there is neither Earle nor Baroun Nor Duke nor Prince nor King of might Though he be neuer so wise nor wight For wit worship praise nor renoun That euer may kéepe him fra treasoun Was not all Troy with treason tane When ten yéeres of the siege was gane Where there was slaine eight hundred thousand Of them thereout through strength of hand As Dares in his booke did wraite And dyted their battell and their state They might not haue bene tane with might But treasoun tooke them through her slight And Alexander the Conquerour That conquered Babylons Towre And all this world of length and bréede In twelue yéere through his doughtie déede Was syne destroyed by poysoun In his owne house through treasoun But ere he died his land dealt he To sée his death was great pitie Iulius Cesar al 's that wan Britane and France as worthie man Africk Arabie Egypt and Syrie And al 's Europe all haillelie And for his worship and valour Of Rome was first made Emperour Syne in his Capitoll was he Through them of his counsell priuie Slaine with botkins vnto the dead And when he saw there was no read His ene with hand enclosed he For to die with more honestie Al 's Arthur that through Cheualrie Had Britane Maistres and Ladie Of twelue Kinrikes that he wan And also as a Noble man He wan through battell France all frée And Lucius Tyber vanquisht he Then he of Rome was Emperour And yet for all his great valour Modreed his Sister sonne his slew And good men al 's ma than anew Through treason and through wickednesse The Bruce thereof beares witnesse So fell it of this cunning making Of the Cuming to the King Of England and told all the cace But I trow not all as it was The Indentour to him gaue hée And syne shawed the iniquitie And therefore syne hee tholed dead That to it could set no remead WHen the King saw the Indenâ—our Hée was angrie without measure And swore that hee should vengeance ta Of the Bruce that presumed sa Against him for to braull and rise Or to conspire in sic a wise And to Sir Iohn Cumyng said hee That hée should for his lawtie Be rewarded and that highly And hée him thanked humbly And thought well to haue the leading Of all Scotland but gane saying Fra that the Bruce to death was brought But oft failyeis that fooles thought And wise mens etteling Comes not aye to that ending That they thinke that it should come to For GOD wat 's what is ado Of his etling right
oft times to hunt and play For to purchase them vennisoun For then the Deire were in season In all that time Sir Aimery With Noble men in companie Lay in Carlile his time to sée And when he heard the certainetie That in Glentrolle was the King And went to hunt and to playing He thought then with his Cheualrie To come vpon him suddenlie And from Carlile on nights ride And in Couert on daies bide And thus gate with his tranoynting He thought for to supprise the King He assembled a great Menyie Of folke of full great Renounie Both of Scots and Englishmen Their way togidder held they then And rade on nights priuilie While they came to a Wood néere by Glentrolle where lodged was the King That wist right noght of their comming Into great perill now is he For but GOD through his great bountie Saue him he sall be slaine or tane For they were sex where he was ane How the King with a few Menyie Discomfite Sir Aymer in Glentrolle WHen Sir Aymer as I haue told With his men that were stout and bold Were comming so néere the King that they Were but a myle fra him off way He tooke auisement with his men On what maner they sould doe then For he said them that the King was Ludged into so strait a place That horsemen might him not assailyie And if foot-men gaue him battailyie He sould be hard to win gif he Might of their comming witted be Therefore I red all priuilie UUe send a woman him to spie That poorelie sall arrayed be She may aske meat for Charitie And sée their conuéene haillelie Upon what maner that they lie And in that while we and our Menyie Comming out through the Wood may be On foot all armed as we are May we doe so that we come there On them or they wit our comming UUe sall finde in them no stynting This counsell thought they was the best Then send they foorth but longer frist The woman that sould be their spy And she her way held foorth in hy Right to the Ludging wher was the King That had no dread of supprising For in Glentrolle was the King That was néere brought to supprising Yéed vnarmed merrie and blyth The woman hes he séene all swyth He saw her vncouth and for thy He beheld her more tentiuely And by her countenance him thought That for good commen was she nought Then gart he men in hy her ta And she that dred men sould her sla Told them now that Sir Aimery With the Clyffurde in company And the flowre of Northumberland UUere comming on them at their hand WHen that the King heard that tything He armed him but more dwelling So did they all that with him were Syne in a sop assembled there I trow they were thrée hundreth néere And when they all assembled were The King his banner gart display And set his men in good array But they standen had but a thraw Right at their hand when that they saw Their foes through the Wood câ—mmand Armed on foot with speare in hand They sped them full enforcedlie The noise begeuth then and the crie For the good King that formest was Stoutlie toward his foes gaes And hynt out of a mans hand That néere beside him was gangand A bow and a brade arrow al 's And hit the formest in the hals While throppell and wessand yéed in two And he downe to the eird can go The laue with that made a stinting And then but more the Noble King Hint from His Banerman his Baner And said vpon them for they are Discomfist all and with that word Hée swapped smertlie out his Sword And on them ran so hardelie That all they of his companie Tooke hardement of his good déed And some that first their wayes yéed Againe came to the feght in hy And met their foes vigorouslie That all the formest rushed were And when they that were backer mair Saw that the formest left their stéede They turned all their backe and fled Out of the Wood they them with drew The King but few men of them slew For they right soone their gait can goe For it discomforted them so That the King and his men was All armed to defend the place When they weind through their tranoynting To haue winning without feghting That they effrayed were suddenly And hee them sought so angerly That they in full greit by againe Out of the Wood can to the Plane For they failÈied of their intent They were that time so foully shent That fifteene hundreth men and ma. With a few were rebuted sa That they withdrew them shamfullie Therefore among them suddenlie Raise greit debate and greit distance Ilkane with other of their mischance The Cliffurde and Vanis made a mellie Where Cliffurde raught him routes thrée And either side drew to parties But Syr Aymer that was ay wise Departed them with méekle paine And went to England home againe Hée wist fra strife raise them among They should not hold togider long Without debate or more melle For thy to England turned hee With more shame than hée went off touâ— When so mony of sik Renoun Saw so few men byde them battaile Where they right hardy were to assaile How Iames of Dowglas discomfite than At Ederfoord Philip Mowbray with mony man THe King fra Sir Aymer was gane Gathered his MenÈie euerilkane And left both Woods and Mountaines And held the straight way of the Plaines For hée would fane that end were made Of that that he begunnen had And hée wist well hee could not bring It to good end but trauelling To Kyle first went hée and that land Hée made to him all obeysand And of Cuninghame the most party Hée gart yéeld to his Senourie In Bothwell then Sir Aymer was That in his heart greit anger taâ—s For them of Cuninghame and Kyll That were obeysand to his will And had left Englishmens fewtie Thereof fane venged would hée bée And sent there Philip the Mowbray With a thousand as I heard say That armed were in his leading In Kyll for to weirray the King But Iames of Dowglas that all tide Had Spyes out vpon ilk side Wist of their comming and that they Would hold downe Makyrnoks way Hée tooke with him all priuilie Them that were of his companie That were sixtie withoutten ma Syne in a strait place can they ga That is into Makyrnoks way The Nether Foord that heght perfay And lyeth betwixt Marraises two Where that none Horse on life may goe On the South halfe where Iames was Is an vpgang and a narrow place And on the North halfe is the way So ill as it appeares this day Dowglas with them hée with him had Embushed him and there abade Hée might well farre sée their comming But they of him might sée nothing They bade in bushment all that night And when the Sun was shinning bright They saw the battell come arrayed The Uangard with Banner displayed And soone efter
priuie speaking And also framing of arming And on them set full sturdelie And they met them full hardelie And slew of them despiteouslie Then through the Castell rose the cry Treasoun treasoun they cried fast Then some of them were so agast That they fled and lap ouer the wall But to say sooth they fled not all For the Constable that was hardie All armed ished foorth to the cry And with him feill hardie and stout Yet was the Erle hard with his rout Feghting with them vpon the Wall But soone discomfist hée them all By that his men were commen ilkane Up to the wall and hée hes tane His way downe to the Castell soone In greit perill hée hes him done For they were ma than he therein And they had bene of good conuine But some thing they affrayed were And not for thy with weapons bare The Constable and his company Met him and his greit hardely Their men might see right bargane rise For with weapons on mony wise They dang on other at their might While swords that were faire and bright Were to the hilts all bloody Then hiddeously began the crie For they that felled or stikked were Right hiddeously can cry and raire The good Erle and his companie Faught in that feght so sturdelie That all their foes rushed were The Constable was slaine right there And fra hee fell the remanand Fled where they might best to warrand They durst not qide nor make debate The Erle was handled there so haite That had it not hapned through cace That the Constable there slaine was He had bene in great perill there But then they fled there was no maire Ilke man for to saue his life Fled foorth his dayes for to drife And some slade downe out ouer the wall The Erle hes tane the Castell all For there was none durst him withstand I neuer heard into no land UUas Castell tane so hardely Outtaken Tyre alanerly UUhen Alexander the Conquerour That conquered Babylons Towre Lap fra a Bar foorth to the Wall UUhere he among his foes all Defended him full doughtely UUhile that his noble Cheualry With ladders ouer the walls yeed That nouther left for dead nor dréede For when they wist well that the King Was in the towne there was nothing Into that time that stynt them moght For all perill they set at noght They clambe the wall and Areste Came first to the good King where he Defended him with all his might And they so hard were stad in fight That he was felled on his knée Then to his backe he set a tree For dréede they sould behind assailyie Areste then to the battailyie Sped him in hy so sturdely And dang on them so doggedly That the King well rescued was For his men into sundrie place Clambe ouer the walles soght the King And him rescued with hard feghting And wan the town deliuerly Outtaken this taking alanerly I heard neuer in no time gane Where Castell was so stoutly tane And of this taking that I méene Sanct Margaret the good haly Quéene Wist in her time through reueling Of him that knowes and wat 's all thing Therefore in stead of Prophecy She left a taikning full ioly That is there in her Chappell Sho gart well portray a Castell A ladder vp to the wall standing And a man thereupon climming And wrote on him as old men sayes In French Garde vous de Francoys And for this word she gart write sa Men weind ye Frenchmen sould it ta But Frances called was he That so clambe vp in priuitie She wrote it as in Prophecy And it fell afterward soothly Right as sho said for tane it was And Frances led them vp that place On this wise Edinburgh was tane And they that were therein ilkane Outher tane or slane or lap the walk Their goods haue they leaued all And the house euerilkane Sir Peirs Libald that was tane As I said aire in Boyes they fand And into hard festning sittand They brought him to the Erle in hy And he gart loose him hastely And he became the Kings man They send word to the King right than And told how the Castell is tane And he in hy is hidder gane With mony men in company And gart cast downe all haillely Both Towre and walles to the ground And syne ouer all the land can found Séesing the Countrie to his peace Of this déede that so worthie was The Erle was praised gretumly The King that saw him so worthy Was blyth and glad attour the laue And to maintaine his state him gaue Rents and lands fair ineugh And he to so great worship dreugh That all spoke of his great bountie His foes oft syes astoneied he For he fled neuer for force in fight UUhat sall I more say of his might His great manhéede and his bountie Garres him yet renowned be How Sir Edward wan Ruglein-Peill And Dundie sine Stâ—iuiling sieged well In this time that thir ieopardies Of thir Castells as I deuise UUere enchéeued so suddenlie Sir Edward Bruce that was worthie Had all Galloway and Niddisdaill UUinnen to his liking all haill And doungen downe the Castells all Right to the dykes both Towre and Wall He heard them say and knew it well That in Ruglyn was then a Peill Hidder he went with his Menyie And winne it in short time hes he Syne to Dundie hes tane the way That then was holden as I heard say Against the King therefore in hy He set a Siege thereto stoutly And lay there till it yolden was To Striuiling syne the way hee taes Where good Sir Philip the Mowbray That was so doughtie at assay UUas UUardane and had in kéeping The Castell of the English King Thereto a Siege hee set stoutly They bikkered oft syes sturdely But greit Cheualrie was done nane Sir Edward fra the Siege was tane A well long whyle about it lay From the Lentrone that is to say While forrow the Sainct Iohnes Masse The English folke that therein was Begouth to failyie vittaile by than And Sir Philip as doughtie man Treated till they consented were That if at Midsommer then a yéere To come it were not with battaile Rescued that then withoutten faile Hée should the Castell yéelde quietlie That cunnand brake they sikkerlie How Sir Edward withoutten sturne Vndertook the battell of Bannock-burn ANd when this cunnand thus was made Sir Philip into England rade And told the King all the haill tale How that he twelue moneth all haill Had as written was in their Tailyie To rescue Striuiling with battailyie And when hee heard Sir Philip say That Scottish men had set a day To feght and hee such leasure had To puruay him hée was right glad And said It was greit sucquidrie That set them vpon sik follie For hée thought to bee ere that day So puruayed and in sik array That there sould no strength him withstaÌ„d And when the Lords of England Heard that this day was set plainely
reilling Saw them well néere discomfiting Then his Ensenyie he can fast cry And with them of his company His foes he preassed so fast that they Then were into so great affray That they left place ay maire and maire For all the Scottishmen that were there When they saw them eschew the fight Dang on them so with all their might That they skailled in trowples seire And till discomfiting drew neere And some of them fled all plainely But they that wight were and hardy That shame letted to take the flight With great mischief maintained the fight And stoutly in the stoure can stand And when the King of England Saw his men flee in sundrie place And saw his foes rout that was Worthen so wight and so worthie That all his folke were haillelie So astoneyed that they had no might To stint their foes in that fight Hée was abased so gretumlie That hee and in his companie Fifteene hundreth armed men at right Into that frush tooke all the flight And to the Castell tooke their way And I haue heard yet some men say That of Vallance Sir Aymery When hée the field saw vanquisht néere By the renyie led away the King Against his will from the feghting And when Sir Geiles de Argentie Saw the King with his MenÈie Shape then to flée so speedily Hee spéed then to the King in hy And said Sir sen that yée will so That yée thus gaite your way will goe Haue good day for againe will I Yet fled I neuer sikkerlie And I choose rather to bide and die Then for to liue and shamefullie flée His bridle then but more abade Hee turned and againe hée rade As dread of no kin thing had hée And pricked crying Argentie Right on Sir Edward Bruces rout That was so stalwart and so stout And they right sturdely him met And so feill Speares on him set That hée and Horse were charged so And both downe to the eird can goe And in that place there slaine was hée And of his death was greit pitie Hée was the third best Knight perfay That men wist liuing in this day And did full mony faire journey On Saracens three derenyies made hée And into ilke derenyie of tha Hée quickly vanquisht Saracens twa His greit worship tooke their ending And fra Sir Aymer with the King Was fled there durst not one abide But fléeing skailled on ilke side And their foes preased them right fast To say the sooth they were agast And fled so done affrayedlie That of them a greit companie Fled in the Water of Forth and there The most part of them drowned were And Banockburne within the braes Of Men and Horse so charged was That upon drowned Horse and Men Folke might passe dry out ouer it then And Laddes Swaynes they Rangall When they saw vanquisht the battell Ran among them and so can sla Tha folke that no defence might ma That it was pitie for to sée I neuer heard into no Countrie Folkes at so greit mischife were stad On ane side they their foes had That slew them downe without mercy And they had on the other party Banockburne that so cummersome was For slike and déepnesse for to passe That there might none out ouer it ride But there behooued them to abide So that some slaine some drowned were Might none eschape that euer came there But yet full mony gote away That elsewhere fled as I heare say The King with them hée with him had In a rout to the Castell rade And would haue béene therein for they Wist not what gate to get away Sir Philip Mowbray said him till The Castell Sir is at your will But come yée in it yée shall sée That yée shall soone assieged bée And there is none in all England To make rescourse dare take in hand And but rescourse may no Castell Bée holden long this wate yée well Therefore comfort you and relie Your men about you right straitlie And hold about the Parke your way Al 's sadlie knit as euer yee may For I trow that none shall haue might That chooses with so feill to fight And as hée counseld so haue they done And beneth the Castell went they soone Right by the round table their way And the new Parke enuironde they And toward Linlithgow held in hy But I trow they shall hastelie Sée conuoyed with sik folke that they â— trow might suffer well away For Sir Iames Lord of Dowglas Came to the King and asked the cace And gaue to him lieue but abade But all too few of Horse hée had Hée had not in his rout sextie But yet hée sped him hastelie The way efter the King to ta Now let him on his wayes ga And efter this wée shall well tell What to him in the chase befell How the Erle of Hartfurd in Bothwell was Tane ouer the walles fled from the chase WHen the greit battell on this wise Was discomfist as I deuise Where threttie thousand well were dead And drowned and slaine into that stead And some were into hands tane And other some their gaite are gane The Erle of Herfurde for that melle Departed with a greit menyie And straight to Bothwell held their way That then was in Englishmens fay Was holden as a place of wéere Sir Walter Gilbertson was there Capitane and it had in ward The Erle of Herfurd hidder rade And was tane in ouer the wall And fiftie of his men withall And set in Houses sinderlie So that they had there no mastrie The laue went toward England But of that roâ—t I take on hand The thrid part were slaine or tane The laue with great paine hame are gane Sir Morise also the Barclay Fra the great Oast held his way With a great â—out of Wales men Where euer they rade men might them ken For they well néere all naked were Or linnen claithes had but maire They held their way in full great hy But mony of their company Ere they in England came were tane And mony of them al 's were slaine They fled al 's other wayes seite But to the Castell that was néere Of Striuiling fled sik a Menyie That it was wonder for to sée For all the Craigges so heilled were About the Castell here and there Of them that for strength of that sted Hidderward to warrand fled And for they were so feill that there Fled vnder the Castell were The King Robert that was wittie Held ay his good men néere him by For dread that rise againe sould they This was the cause forsooth to say Wherethrough the King of England Escaped home into his land WHen that the field so cleane was made Of Englishmen that none abade The Scottishmen tooke soone in hand So great riches there they fand Siluer and gold clothes and arming And vessell and all other thing That euer they might lay on their hand So great a riches there they fand That mony men were rich made Of the riches that they there had
of foot men and Hobillers Hée came riding out of his Land As I before haue borne on hand And in a night syne and a day Shee set him into so hard assay That hée with few men in a baite Faine was for to hold home his gaite But of this ilke whéele turning King Robert should make no mourning For his side of the whéele on hight Rose when the other downe can light For two contrares yée may wit well Set against other in a whéele When one is hie another is law And if it fall that Fortoun thraw The whéele about it that on hight Was eir on force it mon downe light And it that laigh was vnder aire Mon leape on hight in the contraire So foore it of thir Kings two For when King Robert stad was so That in his greit mischiefe was hée The other was in his Majestie And when the King Edwards might Woxt lesse then Roberts raise on hight And now sik Fortoun came him till That hée was hied and had his will AT Striuiling was hée yet lyand And the greit Lords that hée fand Dead in the field hée gart burie In holie places honourablie And the laue syne that dead were there Into greit Pittes buried were The Castell and the towres syne Euen to the ground downe gart hée myne And syne to Bothwell sent hée Sir Edward with a greit Menyie For they therein send to him word That the rich Erle of Herfurd And other mightie al 's were there So treated he with Sir Walter That Erle and Castell and all the laue Into Sir Edwards hand he gaue Then to the King the Erle sent he That gart him right well kéeped be While at the last they treated sa That he to England home sould ga Without paying of ransome frée And that for him sould changed be Bishop Robert that blinde was made And the Quéene that they taken had In prison as before said I And her Doughter Dame Mariory The Erle was changed for thir thrée And when they commen were home al frée The Kings doughter that was faire And was al 's his appearand aire With Walter Stewart can her wed And they well soone got of their bed A man-childe through Gods grace That efter his good old father was Called Robert and syne was King And had the land in gouerning Efter his worthie sonne Dauy That reigned nine yéeres and threttie And in the time of the compyling Of this booke this last Robert was King And of his Kinrik passed was Five yéeres and was the yéere of grace A thousand thrée hundreth and seuentie And fiue and of his eild sextie And that was efter the good King Robert was brought to his ending Sex and fourtie UUinter but maire GOD grant that they that commen are Of his ofspring maintaine the land And hold the folke well to warrand And maintaine right and eke lawtie Al 's well as in his time did he How King Robert rade in England And brunt vp all Northumberland KIng Robert now was well at hight And ilk day theÌ„ grew more his might His men wort rich and his Countrie Abounded well of corne and fée And of all kinde of other riches And mirth solace and all vlythnes UUas in the haill land commonlie For ilk man blyth was and ioly The King after this great iourney Through réede and counsell of his priuie In sundrie townes gart cry on hight That who so clamed to haue right To hold in Scotland land and fée That within twelue moneths sould he Come and claime it and then to do To the king as pertained thereto And gif they come not in that yéere Then sould they wit withoutten wéere That hard thereafter none sould be The King that was of great bountie Had busiâ—es when this was done One â—ast gact summond after soone And went then into England And ouer rade all Northumberland And brunt townes and tooke their pray And syne went home vpon their way I let it shortly passe far by For there was no great Cheualry Prooued that is to speake of here The King went oft in this manere In England for to rich his men That in riches abounded then How Sir Edward tooke on hand For to make weere into Ireland THe Erle of Carrik Sir Edward That stouter was than a Leopard And had no will to liue at peace Thought that Scotland too litle wes To his brother and him alswa Therefore to purpose can he ta That he of Ireland would be King Therefore he sent and had treating UUith the Irshry of Ireland That in their lawtie tooke on hand Of all Ireland to make him King UUith thy that he with hard feghting Might ouercome the Englishmen That in that land were winning then And they sould helpe with all their might And he that heard them make sik heght Into his heart he had great liking And with the consent of the King Gathered him men of great bountie And syne at Air shipped he Into the neist moneth of May To Ireland held he straight his way And had there in his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie And good Sir Philip the Mowbray That sikker was in hard assay Sir Iohn Sowles that was wight And Sir Iohn Stewart a good Knight The Ramsay al 's of Oughterhous That was right wise and Cheualrous And Sir Fergus of Ardrossane And other Knights mony ane In Wolyngs Firth arriued they Saiflie but bargane or assay And sent their shippes home againe A great thing haue they vndertane That with so whéene as they were That was seuen thousand men but maire Shupe for to weirray all Ireland Where they fall sée mony thousand Come armed on them for to fight But though they whéene were they were wight And without dread or affray In two battells they tooke their way Toward Craigfergus it to sée But the Lords of that Countrie Maundewile Bisset and Logane Their men they sembled euerilkane The Sauages al 's was with them there And when they all assembled were They were well néere twentie thousand When that they wist that in their land Sik a Menyie arriued were With all the folke that they had there They went toward them in hy And when Sir Edward wist surely That to him néere comming were they His men right well hee gart array The Uangard had the Erle Thomas In the Réeregard Sir Edward was The first battell that Sir Edward Wan in Ireland with feghting hard THeir foes approached to the fighting And they met them but abasing There men might see a full greit melle The Erle Thomas and his Menyie Dang on their foes so doughtely That in short time men might sée ly An hundreth that all bloodie were For hobynes that were sticked there Reilled and flang and greit rowme made And kest them that vpon them rade Sir Edward and his companie Assembled then so hardelie That they their foes their rushed all Who happened in that feght to fall It was greit perill of his rising The
other that fled were to them there That were a right greit companie When they the Baners so simpillie Saw stand and stuffed with so whéene Their yaits haue they opened soone And ished on them hardelie The Erle Thomas that was worthie And the good Lord al 's of Dowglas With all the folke that with them was Met them stoutlie with weapons seir Then men might see who had beene néere Men abandoun them hardely And Englishmen faught cruelly And with all mights can them paine To rush the Scottishmen againe I trow they had done so perfay For they were fewer far then they Had it not béene a new made Knight That to his name Sir William hight Of Keith and of the Gallistoun Hée heght through difference of Surnoun That bare him right well that day And put him to so hard assay That hée sik dints about him dang That where hee saw the thickest thrang Hee preassed with so meekle might And so enforcedlie can fight That hée made to their Menyie way And they that néere were to him ay Dang on their foes so hardely That they haue tane the backe in hy And to the Castell held their way With greit mischiefe there entred they For they were pressed there so fast That they left mony of the last But they that entred not for thy Closed the yates right hastelie And in hy to the walles ran For they were not all sikker then Here sent they word to the King That come to the Castell yeelding THe towne was tane vpon this wise Through greit worship and greit emprise And all the good that they there fand Was seesed haillie in their hand Uittaile they fand in greit fusioun And all that serued to stuffe a towne That kéeped they from destroying And syne hes sent word to the King And hée was of that tything blyth And sped him hidderward full swyth And as hee through the Countrie rade Men gaddered to him while hée had A meekle rout of worthie men And the folke that were winning then In the Mers and Teuidaile And in the Forrest al 's all haill And the East end of Lowthiane Before that the King came are gane To Barwike with a stalwart hand That nane that was that time winnand On yond side Tweede durst well appeare And they that in the Castell were When that their foes in sike plentie Saw before them assembled bée And had none hope of reskewing They were abased in greit thing But they the Castell not for thy Held fius daies right sturdely And yaild it on the sext day Syne to their Countrie home went they Here Walter Stewart took of the King Baith Towne and Castell in keeping THus was the Castell and the Toun To Scottishmens possessioun Brought and soone efter the King Came ryding with all his gaddering To Barwike and in the Castell He was harbred both fair and well And his great Lords all him by The remnand all commonly To harbrie in the toun are gane The King hes then to counsell tane That he would not breake down the wall But Castell and the toun withall Stuffed well with men and with vittaile And all kin other apparaile That might auaile or yet mister To hold Castel or toun of weere And Walter Stewart of Scotland That then was young and vailyeand And sonne in law to the good King Had ay sik will and sik yarning Néere hand the Marches for to be That Barwike in kéeping then tooke he And receiued of the King the toun And the Castell and Dungeoun The King gart men of great Nobilley Ride in England for to take Pray And brought out great plentie of fée And with some Countries trewes tooke he For vittaile that in great fusioun He gart bring smertly to the toun So that both Toun and Castell were Stuffed well for one yéere or maire ¶ The good Stewart of Scotland then Sent for his freinds and his men Till he had with him but Archers And but Burgesses and Aulisters Fiue hundreth men wight and hardy That bare armes of Ancestry Iohn Crab a Fleming al 's had he That was of so great subteltie To ordaine and to make apparaile For to defend and to assaile Castell of wéere or then Citie That no sleear might founden be He gart Ingines and Traines ma And puruayed great fires alswa Fire-galdes and shot on seir maners That to defend Castell efféeres He puruayed into full great wane Bot gunnes for crackes had they nane For yet in Scotland then but wéene The vse of them had not bene seene And when the towne vpon this wise UUas stuffed as I here deuise The Noble King his way hes tane And ridden toward Louthiane And Walter Stewart that was stout He left in Barwike with a rout And ordained fast for apparaile To defend gif men would assaile The King of England his power Gaddered to siege Barwike but weere WHen to the King of England Was told how that with stalwart hand Barwike was tane and stuffed syne With men and armour and vittaile fyne He was annoyed gretumly And gart be summond hastely His counsell and hes tane to réed That he his Oast would hidder lead And with all might that he might get Unto the toun a Siege set And gart dyke them so stalwartly That while they liked there to ly They sould far out the surer be And gif the men of the Countrie With strength of folke would them assaile At their dykes in plaine battaile They sould auantage haue greatly Although forsooth it great foly UUere for to assailyie into feghting At their dykes so starke a King UUhen his counsell on this maner Was tane he gart men far and ner His men hailly assembled be A great Oast with him then had he Of Longcastell the Erle Thomas That syne was Sanct as some men sayes Into his companie was there And all the Erles al 's that were In England worthy for to fight And Barouns al 's of méekle might With him to that assiege had he And gart the shippes by the sea Bring shot and other apparell And great Garnisoun al 's of vittell To Barwik◠then with his Menyie And with his battels arriued came he And to the Lords ilkane sundry Ordainde a field for their harbry Then men might see their Pauilliouns Be stented on sindrie fassiouns So feill that they a Toun made there More then both Toun and Castell were On ather halse syne on the sea Their shippes came in sik plentie With vittaile arming and with men That all the hauen was stopped then And when they that were in the toun Saw their foes in sik fusioun By sea and land come sturdely Then they as wight men and hardy Shupe them soone to defend their Stéed That they in auentour of their dead Sould put them or then rush againe Their foes for their Capitaine Treated them so louingly And therewith al 's the maist party Of them that armed with him were Were of his blood or Sib-men néere Or els they
were of his ally Of sik comfort men might them sée And al 's so fair in their conteening That none of them had abasing Upon the day well armed were they And in the nights well watched ay Well sex dayes they so abade That they no full greit bargane had How Englishmen dyked them about And syne went to the Siege but dout INto this time as I tell here That they withoutten bargane were The Englishmen so closed had Their Host with dykes that they made That they were strengthned gretumlie Syne with all hands busilie They shup them with their apparell Them of the towne for to assaile And on our Ladies Euen Mary That bure the birth that all can by That men calls her Natiuitie Soone in the morning men might sée The English Host armed them in hy And display Baners sturdelie And assemble to their Baners With Instruments on seir maners As Scaffolds Ladders and Couerings Pikkes Howes and eke staffe slings To ilke Lord and his battell Was ordained where they should assaile And they within when that they saw These men so raying them on a raw Ttheir wairdes they went in hy That were stuffed so stalwardly With stones and shot and other thing That néeded to their defending And into sik maner abade Their foes that to them sailyie made When they without were all readie They trumped to the assault in hy And ilke man with his apparaile Where hée should bee went to assaile To ilke Kyrnell that there were Archers to shoot assigned are And when on this wise they were bowne Then went in hy toward the towne And filled the Oykes right hastelie Syne to the walles right hardelie They went with Ladders that they had But they so greit defence hes made That were aboue vpon the Wall That both Ladders and men withall They gart fall flatlings to the ground Then men might see in litle stound Men assailing right hardelie Preasing vp Ladders doughtelie And them aboue defending well Tumbling them downe to their vnseill With greit annoy defended they Their towne for if wée the sooth shall say The walles of the towne they were So law that a man with a Speare Might stryke another vpon the face And the shot al 's so thicke it was That it were wonder for to sée And Walter Stewart with a MenÈie Kade aye about for to see where That for to helpe most mister were And where men preassed most hee made Succours to them that mister had The mony â—olke that were without Had inuironed the towne about So that no part of it was frée Their men might the assailyeares sée Abandoun them right hardelie And the defenders doughtelie With all their mights can them painâ— To put their foes force againe On this wise them contéened they While Noone was passed of the day Then they that in the shippes were Ordained a ship with full greit fare To come with all their apparaile Right to the wall for to assaile To the mid Mast their baite they drew With armed men therein anew A brig they had for to let fall Right from the baite vpon the wall With Barges by they can her tow They preassed her right fast to row Beside the Brighouse to the Wall On that intent they set them all They brought her white she came well neâ— Then men might see on seir maner Some men defended and some assaile Full busilie with hard battell They of the towne so well them bare That the shipmen so handled were That they the shippe on no maner Might gar come to the wall so nere That their Fall-brig might réeke theretill â—o long abade they feghting still While that shée ebbed to the ground Their men might in a litle stound â—ée them by farre of war conuine Then they were euer that was therein And when the Sea was â—bbed so That men all dry might to her goe Out of the towne ished in hâ— To her a well greit companie And fire in her hes kindled soone Into short time so haue they done That into fire they gart her birne And mony slaine that was therein And some were fled and away gane An Ingynour there haue they rane That was sléest of that misteere That men wist outher far or néere Into the towne syne entred they It fell them happilie that day That they got in so hastely For there came a greâ—t company In full greit hy vp by the sea When they the shippe saw burning hie But ere they came the other was past The yait they barred and closed fast The folke assailyied fast that day And they within defended a On sik a wise that they that were With sik a force assailyeing there Might doe their will on no manéere And when the Euâ—nsong time was néere The folke without that were wearie And some wounded full cruellie Sawe them within defend them sa And saw it was not eith to ta The towne while sik defence were made By them that within the stéering had The Host saw that their ship was brynt And of their men some in hy were tynt And their folke wounded and weary They gart blew the retreat in hy Fra the shipmen rebuted were They leet the other assaile no maire For through the shipmen they weind ilkane That they the toun sould well haue tane And men sayes that moâ—ships then sa Preassed that time the toun to ta But for that there was burnt but ane And the Ingynour therein was tane Here therefore mention made I But of one ship alanerlie WHen they blowen had the retreat Tha folk that tholed paines great Withdrew them haillie â—ta the wall The assault haue they left withall And they within that wearie were And monie of them wounded saire Were blyth and glad when they them saw So in haill battell them withdraw And fra they wist surelie that they Held to their Pauillions the way They set good Watches to their wall â—yne to their Innes went they all â—nd eased them that wearie were And al 's them that were wounded saire â—ad good léeches forsooth I hight That helped them with all their might â—n ather side wearie were they That night they did no more perfay â—iue daies efter they were still That none to other did great ill Here sent King Robert in England Dowglas Murray with stalward hand NOw leaue we thir folke here lyand All still as I haue borne on hand And turne the course of our carping To Sir Kobert the doughtie King That assembled both far and néere An Dast and when he wist but wéere That the King so of England Had assieged with stalward hand Barwike where Walter Stewart was To purpose with his men he taes That he would not sa soone assaile The King of England with battaile And at his dykes especially For it might well turne to foly Therefore he ordainde Lords twa The Erle of Murray was one of tha The other was the Lord Dowglas And fiftéene hundreth men to passe In England for to burne
plaine harbrie Here followed King Robert in hight The English King with all his might THe King of England and his men That saw their harbreours come then Rebuted on that great maner Annoyed in their hearts they were And thought it was a great folie Into the wood to take harbrie Therefore by Dryburgh in a Plaine They harbried them and syne againe Are went to England but delay And when the King Robert heard say That they were turned home againe And how their harbreours were slaine In hy an Oast assembled he And went foorth ouer the Scots sea Eightie thousand he was and ma And eight battels he made of tha In ilk battell were ten thousand Syne went he foorth to England And in haill rout he followed fast The English King while at the last He came approaching by Byland When at that time there was lyand The King of Englanâ— with his men King Robert that had witting then That he lay there with méekle might Tranoynted so on him one night That on the morne by it was day Commen to the plaine field were they Fra Byland a litle space But betwixt them and it there was A craig bra streiked well lang And a great Path vp for to gang Otherwise might they not haue way To passe to Bylands Abbay Bot gif they passed far about And when the méekle English rout Heard that the King Robert was néere The most part of them that were there Went to the Path to take the bra There thought they their defence to ma Their Baners there they gart display And their battels in brade array And thought well to defend the place When King Robert perceiued hes That they them thought for to defend Efter his counsell hes he send And asked what was best to do The Lord Dowglas answered him to And said Sir I will vnderta That in short time I sall doe sa That I sall win yone place plainely Or then gar all yone company Come downe to you into this Plaine Or ye sall neuer trow me againe The King then said great GOD thée spéed And he on foorth his wayes yeede And of the Oast the most partie Put then into his companie And held their way toward the place The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Left his battell and in great hy But with few men in company Came to the Court of the Lord Dowglas And ere he entred into the place Before them all the place tooke he For he would that men sould him sée And when the good Lord Dowglas Saw that he so commen was He praised him thereof greatly And welcommed him honorably And to the place can togidder ga When Englishmen saw them doe sa They lighted and against them yéed Two Knights that doughtie were indéed Thomas of Struthers heght one to name And the other Sir Ralph of Cowbanâ— Thir two Knights of good degrée Came downe before all their Menyie They were both of full great bountie And met their foes right manfullie There might men sée well other assaile And men defend with stout battaile And arrowes flee in great fusioun And they that aboue were tumbled doun Stones vpon them from the hight But they that set both will and might To wiâ— the Path and preassed sa That Sir Ralph Cowbane can ta The way right to his Oast in hy And left Sir Thomas manfully Defending with great might the place UUhile that he so supprised was That he was tane through hard fighting And therefore syne while his ending He was renouned the best of hand Of one Knight was in all England For this ilk Sir Ralph of Cowbane In all England he had the name For the best Knight of that land And for Sir Thomas dwelt still fightand Where Sir Ralph as before said we Withdrew him abone him prised was he The discomfiting of Englishmen At Bylands Path into the Glen THus were they fighting in the place And when King Robert that was UUise in his deedes and eke worthie Saw his men ay so doughtelie The Peth vpon their foes ta And saw his foes defend them sa Then gart he all the Irishry That were into his company Of Argyle and Iles alswa Spéede them in hy vnto the bra He bade them leaue the Peth haillely And climbe vp on the Craiges thereby And speed them fast the hight to ta And in greit hy they haue done sa And clambe as Gaites vp to the hight And left not for their foes might Magre their foes they bare them sa That they are gotten abone the bra Then faught they wonder fellounlie And rushed their foes right sturdelie There was a right perilous bargaine For a Knight heght Sir Iohn of Britaine That lighted hes abone the bra With his men greit defence can ma But the Scottishmen can so assaille And gaue to them so feill battaile That they were set in sike effray That they that flée might fled away Sir Iohn of Brittaine there was tane And most part of his MenÈie sâ—aine Of France there were tane Knights two The Lord of Sowllie was one of tho The other was the Marshall Britaine That was a right greit Lord at hame The laue some dead were and some slain The remnand fled were euerilkane And when the King of England As yet at Byland was lyand Saw his men discomfist plainlie Hée tooke his way in full greit hy And Southward fled in all his might The Scots men chased him hard I hight And in the chase hes mony slaine But hee quicklie away is gane And the most part of his MenÈie Walter Stewart of greit bountie Set ay vpon hie Cheualrie With fiue hundreth in companie To Yorke Yates a chase can ma And there some of their men can sâ—a And abade while neere the night To see if ony would ish to fight And when hee saw none would ish out Hée turned againe wiâ—h all his rout And to the Host they went in hy That then had tane their harbery Into the Abbay of Byland And Rewes that were neere by lyand They dealâ— among them that was there And gaue the King of Englands geare That hee had left into Byland All gripped they into their hand And made them glad and eke merrie And when the King had tane Harberie They brought to him their prisoners All vnarmed as it affeeres And when hée saw Iohn of Brittaine Hee had at him full greit disdaine For hee of him would speake highly At home and too dispitefullie Hée bade haue him away in hy And looke hee kéeped were straitlie And said were it not that hée were A Captiâ—e as hée then was there His words hee should full deare aby And hée full fast can cry mercy They let him foorth withoutten maire And kéept him well white that they were Commen home to their owne Countrie Long efter syne ransomed was hee For twentie thousand pound to pay As I haue heard among men say WHen that the King this spéech had made The French Knights they taken had Were brought there
before the King And hee made them faire welcomming And said I wate right well that yée For your greit worship and bountie Came for to sée this feghting héere For sen yee in the Countrie were Your strength your worship your might Would not thole you eschew the fight And sen that cause led you theretill And nouther wrath nor yet ill will As friends yée shall receiued bee And welcome bée all time to mée They kneeled and thanked him greitly And hee gart treat them courteously A long while with him them held hée And did them honour and bountie And when they yarned to their land Unto the King of France in Presand Hée sent them quite but ransome free And gifts greit to them gaue hee His friends thusgaite courteously Hee could receiue and right humbly And his foes stoutlie astoney At Byland all that night hee lay For their victorie all blyth they were And on the morne withoutten maire They haue Southwards tane their way So far at that time trauelde they Burning slaying and destroying Their foes with all their might noying While to the wall commen were they Syne North againe they tooke the way And syne homeward in their repare They destroyed haill the wall of Bewar And syne with prisoners and Cattell Riches and mony faire Iewell To Scotland tooke they home their way Blith and joyfull of their Prey And ilke man went to his repaire Thanking greâ—t God of their wellfare That they the King of England Through worship and through strength of hand And through their Kings greit bountie Discomfist had in his owne Countrie THus was the Land a while at peace But Couetise that cannot cease To set men vpon fellony To gar men come to Senyeorie Greit Lords of full greit Renowne Made a feill Conjuration Against Robert the doughtie King They thought to bring him to ending And for to brooke efter his dead The Kâ—nrike and Reigne in his stead Of the great Treasoun the ordaining To Robert the Bruce the noble King THe Lord Sowles Sir Williame Of this dead had most defame For principall thereof was hee Both of assent and crueltie And had gotten with him sundrie Gilbert Malyerd and Iohn of Logie They were Knights I tell of here And Richard Browne al 's a Squyer And good Sir Dauid the Brechyne UUas of this déed arested syne And I sall tell you furthermare But they ilkane discouered were Through a Ladie as I heard say Ere to their purpose come might they For she told hailly to the King Their purpose and their ordaining And when that he sould haue bene dead And Sowles King into his stead And told him very takinning That this purpose was soothfast thing And when the King wist that it was sa So subtle purpose can he ta That he gart take them euerilkane And where the Lord Sowles was tane Thrée hundreth and sextie had he Of Squyers cled in his Leuerie At that time in his companie Outtane Knights that were iolie Into Barwike taken was he Then might men all his Menyie sée Sorie and wo the sooth to say The King léet them all passe away And held them that he taken had The Lord Sowles then efter made â—laine granting of that haill purpose A Parliament therefore set was And hidder brought that Menyie were The Lord Sowles hes granted there The déede into plaine Parliament Therefore soone efter he was sent To his paines in Dumbartane And died in that toun of stane Sir Gilbert Malyerd and Logie And Richard Browne thir three plainelie Was with assise there ouertane Therefore they were drawne ilkane And hanged and headed al 's thereto As men them damned had to do And good Sir Dauid the Brechine They gart challenge thereafter syne And he granted that of that thing Was made to him discouering But thereto gaue he no consent But for he heilled their intent And discouered it not to the King Whome of he held all his holding And had made to him fewtie Iudged to hing and drawne be He was and as they drew him to hing The people farly fast can thring Him and his mischiefe for to sée That to behold was great pitie Sir Ingrame Vmfrauile that then Was with the King a Scottishman When he that great mischiefe did sée He said Lordings whereto preasse yée To sée the mischiefe of this Knight That was so worthie and so wight For I haue séene ma preasse to sée Him for his Soueraigne bountie Than now does for to sée him here And when thir words spoken were With sorie cheare he held him still While men had done on him their will And syne with lieue of the King He brought him menskfully to eirding And syne to the King said he One thing I pray you Sir grant to me That is that ye of all my land That is into Scotland lyand Would giue me leaue to doe my will The King soone hes said him till I will well grant that it so be But tell me what annoyes thée He said againe grant me mercy And I sall tell you it plainely Mine heart giues me no more to be With you dwelling in this Countrie Therefore that it not you grieue I pray you hartly of your lieue For where so Noble and worthy a Knight And so Cheualrous and so wighâ— And so renouned of worship syne As Sir Dauid the good Brechyne And so fulfilled of all manhéede UUas put to so villanous a dead Mine heart forsooth may not giue me To dwell for nothing that may be The King said sen that ye will sa When euer ye will ye may ga And you sall haue good leaue thereto Thy liking of thy land to do And he him thanked gretumly And of his land in full great hy As him thought best disponed he Syne at the King of great bountie Before them all that with him were His lieue he tooke for euermaire And went in England to the King And he him told all but leesing How that the Knights destroyed were And all as I told you aire And of the Kings Courtesie That leaued him debonerlie To doe with his land his liking In that time were sent fra the King Of Scotland Messingers to treat For peace gif that they might it get As there oftsyse before was send Suppose they could not bring it to end For the good King in his intent Sen GOD sik grace to him had sent That he had winnen all his land Through strength of armes to his hand That he peace in his land would ma And all the land establisht sa That his aire efter him sould be In peace gif men held their lawtie IN this time that the Vmfrauile As I bare on hand aire whyle Came to the King of England The Scots Messengers there he fand Of peace and rest to haue tretise The King wist Sir Ingrame was wise And asked his counsell thereto What he would réede him for to do For he said he was laith to ma Peace with King Robert Bruce his fa While
The Hosts both all that day were In peace till that the night was néere The Scots Host that lying were Into the Parke made Feast and Fare And blew Hornes and fires made And gart them burne both bright brade So that their fires that night was maire Than ony time before there were And when the night was fallen well With all their Harnesse euerilke deille All priuilie they rade their way Syne in a Mosse soone entred they That was well two mile of bread Out ouer the Mosse on foote they yéede And in their hand their Horse led they It was a full greit noysome way But Flaikes in the Wood they made Of wands and them with them had And sykes therewith brigged they And so had well their horse away On sik wise that all that there were Come through the Mosse both haill féere And tint but litle of their geare But if it were any olde Sowméere That in the Mosse was left lyand When all as I haue borne on hand Out ouer the Mosse that was so brade Were commen greit gladnesse they had And rade foorth homeward on their way And on the morne when it was day Ahe Englishmen saw the Harbrie Where Scottishmen before can ly All voide and wondred greitlie then And sent foorth sundrie of their men While at the last their trace fand they And syne when they were goneaway That to a méekle Mosse them had That was so hiddeous for to waid That auenture of them durst none But to their Host againe is gone And told how that they passed were Where neuer man had passed aire When Englishmen heard it was sa In hy to counsell can they ta That they would follow them no maire Their Host right then they skailed there And ilke man to his owne they rade King Robert then that witting had That his men so in the Parke lay And what mischiefe then at were they An Host assembled hee in hâ—â— Ten thousand men wight and hardy And sent them foorth with Erles two Of Stratherne and Angus were they The Host in Wardaile to relieue And if they might so well enchéeue That samine night that meete might they They thought their foes to assay So fell it on that samine day That the Mosse as yee heard mee say Was past the Discurreours that there Ryding before the Hosts were On ather Host hes gotten a sight And they that worthie were and wight At their méeting justeâ— of wéere EnsenÈies hie they cried their And by their cry perceiued they That they were friends and no fay Then might men sée them glad and blyth And told it to their Lords swyth The Hosts met both togidder syne There was right homelie welcomming Made among greit Lords there Of their méeting joyfull they were The Erle Patricke and his MenÈie Had vittaile with greit plentie And gaue it to them with glad cheare Thus went they hameward all in feare Destroying the Countrie in their way In Scotland well commen are they The Lords went then all to the King That made them right faire welcoming For of their comming right glad was hée And that they â—ith sik propertie Withoutten tinsall escaped had They were blith merie and glad How King Robert assembled there Three Hosts in England for to fare SOone efter that the Erle Thomas From Wardall thus repaired was The King assembled all his might And left none that was worthie to fight A greit Host there assembled hee And dealt his Host in parts thrée Ane part of Norame went but let And there a stalward Siege they set And held them right in at their dyke Another part vnto Anuike Is went and there a Siege set they And while that there the Siege lay At the Castell as I said aire Part of assaults made they there And mony fairè Cheualrie Enchéeued was full doughtely The King at the Castell lyand Left his folke as I boore on hand And with the third Oast held his way Fra Parke to Parke him for to play Hoouing as all his owne it were And to them that were with him there The lands of Northumberland That next to Scotland was lyand In fée and heritage gaue hée And they payed for the Seales fée On this wise rade he destroyand While that the King of England Through counsell of the Mortymer And his Mother that at that time were Leaders to him that then young was To King Robert to treat of peace Sent Messengers and so sped they That he assented on this way Then a perpetuall peace to take And they a marriage sould make With King Roberts sonne Dauy That fiue yéeres old was then surely And of Dame Iane al 's of the towre That syne was of great valour Sister she was to the young King That England had in gouerning That had in eild then seuen yéere And King Robert for skaithes feare That he did to them of England Had done in weere through stalward hand Twentie thousand pound sall pay Of siluer and gold and good money When men thir things spoken had And with Seales and othes made Séesing of friendship and of peace For ony cause it sould neuer cease The Marriage then gart ordaine they To be in Barwike and the day They haue set when that it sould be Syne went ilk man to his Countrie Thus made was peace where wéere was aire And syne the Sieges raised were The King ordained for to pay The Siluer and against the day He gart well for the Maugery Ordaine when his sonne Dauy Sould wedded be and the Erle Thomas And al 's the good Lord of Dowglas Into his stead syne ordainde he Deuisers of the Feast to be For his sicknesse tooke him so saire That on no wise might he be there His sicknesse came of a fundying He had tane through his cold lying When in his great mischiefe was he He felt that hard perplexitie At Cardrosse all that time he lay And when néere commen was the day That ordainde for the wedding was The Erle and the Lord Dowglas To Barwikâ— came with méekle fare And brought young Dauid with them there The Quéene and with her the Mortimer On the other partie commen were With great efféere and Royaltie The young Ladie of great beautie Hidder came with rich afféere The wedding haue they made right there With great feast and solemnitie There might men myrth and gladnesse sée For full great Feast made they there And Scottishmen and English were Togidder in ioy and solace No felloun speech betwixt them was The Feast a well long time held they And when they busked to fare away The Queene hes her Doughter left there With great riches and Royall fare I trow that long time no Lady To house was giuen so richly The Erle and the Lord Dowglas Her in great daintie receiued hes As it was worthy sickerly For she was syne the best Ladie And the fairest that men might sée Efter this great solemnitie When on both sides the lieue was tane The
Sir Robert Logane heght the ane And the other Walter Logane Wherefore our Lord with méekle might Their soules haue to the Heauens hight THe good Lord Dowglas thus was dead And the Saracenes on that stead Abade no more but held their way Their Knights dead there soone liue they Some of the good Lord Dowglas men That their Lord dead had founden then Yéed néere all wood for dule and woe Long for him they sorrowed so And syne with greit dule home him bare And the Kings Heart haue they found there And that home with them haue they tane And are toward their Innes gane With gréeting and with euill cheare That sorrow and griefe it was to heare And of Keith good Sir Williame That all that day had beene at hame For at so greit disease was hée That hee came not to that Iournie For his arme was broken in twa When hée tha folkes sik dule saw ma Hee asked what it was in hy And they told him all openly How that their doughtie Lord was slaine With Saracenes that had turned againe And when hée wist that it was so Attour all other hée was most woe And made a wonder euill cheare That all wondred that by him were But to tell of their sorrowing Annoyes and helpes but litle thing Men might well wit thogh none them told What dule and sorrow men make wold For to tine sike a Lord as hée Was vnto them of his MenÈie For hée was swéete and debonaire And well could treat his friendes faire And his foes right fellounlie Astonish through his greit Cheualrie For of full litle feare was hée But ouer all thing hee loued Lawtie At treasoun groowed so greitly That no traitour might bee him by But hée should wit that hée should bee Well punisht for his traitourie I trow the Lord Fabricius That from Rome to wéerray Pirrhus Was sent with a greit Menyie Hated treasoun no lesse than hée The whilke when that Pirrhus had On him and on his MenÈie made An outragious discomfiture When hée escaped through auenture And mony of his men were slaine And hée had gaddered his Host againe A greit master of Medicine That Pirrhus had in gouerning Profered vnto Fabritius In treasoun for to slay Pirrhus For in his first potatioun Hée should giue him deadly poysoun Fabricius that wonder had That hée sik proffer to him made Said Certes Rome is méekle of might Through strength of armes for to fight To vanquish well their foes though they Consent to Treasoun by no way And for thou would doe that Treasoun Thou salt go fetch the warisoun Euen at Pirrhus and let him do UUhat euer him lies in heart thereto Then to Pirrhus he sent in hy This Maister and gart him openly From end to end tell all his tale UUhen Pirrhus had it heard all haill He said was neuer man that sa For Lawtie bure him to his fa As here Fabricius beares to me It is al 's ill to gar him be Turned fra way of righteousnesse Or to consent to wickednesse As at midday to turne againe The sunne that rinnes his course all plaine Thus said he of Fabricius That syne vanquisht this same Pirrhus In plaine battell through hard fighting His honest lawtie gart me bring In this Example now for he Had Soueraigne praise of true Lawtie And right so had the Lord Dowglas That honest léele and worthy was That was dead as before said we Men méened him in ilk Countrie When his men had made mourning They bowelled him but delaying And gart séeth him that might be tane The flesh all quite euen fra the bane The Corps there in a holy place Eirded with great worship was The bones haue they with them tane And syne are to their shipps gane When they were leaued of the King That dule had of their seuering To Sea they went good wind they had Their course to England haue they made And there safely arriued they Syne toward Scotland held their way And there they are commen in great hy And the bones right honourably Into the Kirk of Dowglas there Eirded with dule and méekle care Sir Archibald his sonne gart syne Of Allabast both faire and fine Ordaine a Tombe full richly As it efféered to so worthy The Erle of Murray died here Through Poysoun giuen by a false Frere WHen that on this wise Sir Williame Of Keith had brought the bones hame And the good Kings Heart alswa And had gart men richly ma With saire afféere a Sepulture The Erle of Murray that the cure That time of Scotland had haâ—lly With great worship hes gart bury The Kings Heart in the Abbay Of Melros where men do pray ay That he and his haue Paradise UUhen this was done as I deuise The good Erle gouerned all the land And held the poore well to warrand The Lawes so well maintained he And held in peace so the Countrie That it was neuer led ere his day So well as I heard old men say Bot syne alas poysoned was ho By a false Monk full traiterously Thir Lords died vpon this wise He that Lord of all thing is Up to his ioyfull blisse them bring And grant vs grace that their ofspring Lead well the land and intentife Be for to follow in all their life Their Noble Elders great bountie The onefald GOD in Trinitie May bring vs vp to Heauens blisse Where alway ioy and resting is AMEN Here endes the Booke of the Noble King That euer in Scotland yet did ring Called King Robert the Bruce That was maist worthie of all ruce And of the Noble and good Lord Dowglas And mony ma that with him was A TABLE OF the Contention that araise after the death of King Alexander who should succede to the Crowne Fol. 2 How by the consent of all the Estates King Edward of England was elected as a friendly Compositour of this contention 3 How King Edward after the attempting the mindes of the Bruce the Ballioll declared the Ballioll King 6 Of the pleasures and commodities of Libertie and the heauinesse and hurtes of seruitude of strangers 8 How sir William Dowglas was put in prison and his lands giuen to the Clifford and of his sonne Iames Dowglas 9 How the said Iames past in France and returning againe in Scotland after his fathers death dwelt with the Bishop of Sainctandros 12 Of the commoning and band made betwixt the Bruce and Cumming and how the cumming shew the Indentour to King Edward 16 How Bruce was examined before the Parliament and howe hee escaped and slewe the cumming in the Kirke of Dumfreis 18 Of the meeting of sir Iames Dowglas with Robert Bruce and of his coronation 23 How King Robert came to Pearth and sought battell of sir Aymer Wallance 26 The Iudging of King Robert in the Parke of Methwen 29 Of the battell of Methwen and discomfiture of King Robert where mony Noble men were tane 31 Of the distresse that King Robert and his folks tholled
THE ACTES and life of the most Victorious Conquerour Robert Bruce King of SCOTLAND WHEREIN also are contained the Martiall deeds of the valiant Princes Edward Bruce Syr Iames Dowglas Erle Thomas Randel Walter Stewart and sundrie others Newly corrected and conferred with the best and most ancient Manuscripts EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart. ANNO 1620. The Printers Preface to the Reader THere is nothing vnto which the minde of maÌ„ doth more aspire thaÌ„ to renown immortality therfore it is that no time hath bene so barbarous no countries so vnciuile but they haue had a care to preserue worthie actions from the iniurie of obliuion and laboured that the names of these that were vertuous while they liued should not perish with their breath And amongst all the strange and diuerse fashions of remembring the dead no record hath bene found to bee compared to that of bookes and amongst all bookes none so lasting as these in verse which how so euer rudely done yet seeme to haue striuen with dayes and euen to compasse time beeing the first remembrances that either Greece or Rome haue and apparantly shall be the last Howe curious our Antecessours in this Isle haue bene to extend their memorie to after ages many olde monuments yet to be seene can beare witnesse but more than any that fame of which many yeers since was amongst forrainers of their ancient Poets the Bardes who wrote in verse the deedes of their most valiant men and song them in the wilde Forrests and mountaines with which though long time after the manie records wee haue of the ancient defenders of our Countrie may bee brought forth and amongst all the rest this storie of the valiant BRVCE is not the least it speaketh the language of that time if it spake ours it would not bee it selfe yet as an antique it is venerable To speake somewhat of the occasion of those warres that the Historie may the better appeare Alexander the third of that name King of SCOTLAND departed this life suddenlie without succession to the crowne except Margaret his Neece daughter to the King of Norway who beeing left the vndoubted heire to the Kingdome King Edward of England desired her in mariage to his sonne Prince Edward whereunto our Scottish Nobilitie easilie condescended but shee beeing dead before the ambassadors arriued they returned with sorrowfull hearts wherevpon arose great tâ—oubles and contention amongst the Nobilitie who should succeed to the Crowne and albeit there were manie contendents yet at leÌ„gth came onely betwixt the Bruce Baliol. The Nobility to auoide further strife conueened themselues to decide who should haue the vndoubted right but because they could not agree both the parties being so great that their power could not make the parties stand to their arbitrement they with one voyce referred the deciding thereof to Edward of EnglaÌ„d supponing that he should deale most sincerely therein considering how willingly they had condescended to the marriage of his sonne with Margaret the Neece of King Alexander who accepting very gladly of the matter hoping to atchieue by craft that which hee and his predecessours could neuer obtaine by force left off his Iourney to the Holie LAND hoping to speede better at home for the enlarging of his Dominions beeing a man greatly inclined that way called the parties before him at Barwike protesting heere withall that hee called them not vpon any presumption that he pretended ouer them but as they had chosen him to be arbiter in the cause so hee called them to the deciding of the matter and to collour his purpose hee had conueened a number of learned Lawyers out of France and other Countries pretending that he would doe nothing without law and reason yet the moste parte of the Doctours there conueened as namely Mr. Siluius Mr. Rainerius Decius Mr. Severius de Florentia mentioned in the Pluscadin Chronicle and in Scotichronicon condescended that Robert Bruce had the best right quòd propinquior in gradu debet succedere and therefore Robert Bruce in respect hee was uno gradu stipiti propinquior and was also the first Male albeit begotten on the younger sister But King Edward had his owne decinct not regarding their arbitrement called first secretly the Bruce vnto him to whome he was well inclined promising to decide in his fauours if he would hold his Kingdome in homage of him But Bruce being a man of Heroik spirit refused absolutely to subject a free Realme to the seruitude of any forraine Prince whomsoeuer The King highly offended turned himselfe frowardly in great anger froÌ„ the Bruce called Iohn Ballioll also secretly promised him the same coÌ„ditions the man being blinded with ardent desire to reigne not regarding what hee did promise so hee might haue Soueraignitie condiscended easily to whatsumeuer Edward required and so by him was nominate King sent home to Scotland where hee was conueyed to Scone and there crowned and all except Bruce swore to him obedience Shortly after there fell out a slaughter of Makdulffe Erle of Fife by the Abirnethies men at that time in great authoritie and wealth and because Makdulffe his brother suspected the King to bee partiall in judging summond him to bee judged before King Edward The Ballioll being there present and sitting beside King Edward in the conuention of Estates and being called thoght to answere by a Procutour was compelled to arise and defend his cause at the Barre wherewith being sorely grieued albeit hee durst not peepe for the time yet returning home in a maruelous chaufe reuoluing in his minde how hee might cast off this yoke and bondage whereunto foolishly hee had subjected himselfe and as hee did meditate vpon this a profitable dissention for his purpose interueened betweene France and England which immediatly brast foorth in warre so that at a Conuention in Scotland both the Kings Ambassadours were present The French to renue their olde league with the new King the English by the recent surrender of the Realme desired assistance in that warre Both the Ambassadours were referred to the Parliament the Nobilitie prone to cast off the late yoke of England decerned the French petition just and the English vnjust for that league with France was made fiue hundreth yeeres agoe by the consent of the whole Realme inviolably obserued to that day but that surrender was but new throwen out of the King against his will which albeit hee had beene willing to doe yet neither was the King nor the Realme bound to bide at it seeing it was done without the consent of the Estates in Parliament without whose consent the King could doe nothing These Newes comming to King Edwards eares hauing taken some Moneths truce with France hee sent his Nauie that was bowne to France into Scotland thinking to ouerthrowe the Scots before they were prouided and to keep Barwike vnvittalled The Scots encountring this Nauie at the Riuer mouth of Tweed wanne eighteene shippes and chased the rest King Edwards wrath was by this
losse more vehemently prouoked to reuenge summond the Ballioll thrise to compeare before him at Newcastle and because he compeared not at all hee sent for Bruce and promised him the Kingdome if hee would write to his friendes either to leaue their King or to flee in battell The King with all diligence past toward Barwike where finding the towne strongly garnished with men and comming small speed in his pursute hee fained a retreat and caused some of the Bruces faction sparse brutes that the Ballioll with a great Oast was euen there at hand whereupon the most notable men of the towne supponing themselues to bee free of the common enemie ran foorth for to receiue their King honourably and so both horse and foote went out of the towne confusedlie But Edward had appointed a number of horsemen to wait vpoÌ„ that turne who cutted them off easilie from their companies beeing vshed so confusedly and out of order and comming to the next Port entred in the towne the King with his foot-hoste following made miserable slaughter vpon all sorts of people increasing in multitude sent a part of his armie to besiege Dumbar himselfe within few dayes receiued the Castell of Barwike which the keepers randred despairing of reliefe then joyning all his forces together at Dumbar encountred with the Scots hoste which came hither with a great battell to raise the siege the victorie enclined to the English side The chiefe men of the Nobilitie fledde to the Castell but the Captaine not hauing Viuers sufficient to sustaine such a multitude randered and all kinde of crueltie execute vppon the captiues But when the Bruce desired the Kingdome in recompense of his trauell and according to promise Edward answered him in French haue we nothing ado but to purchase Kingdomes for you Dumbar and some other Castles vppon the Border beeing randred Edinburgh and Striuiling were deliuered also from Striuiling Edward passed Forth and marched towards Forfare where the Ballioll was when without impediment hee came to Monrosse The Ballioll by perswasion of Iohn Cummine of Strabogie randred himselfe the Kingdome into King Edwards hands whom he shipped sent into England Edward returned to Barwike by sharpe edict summond all the Scottish Nobilitie to come thither such as came were compelled to sweare obedience vnto him William Dowglas a man of Noble blood and valiant refusing to sweare was cast in prison where within few yeeres he died Thus all things succeeding to his wish hee appointed Iohn Warreâ— Erle of Surrey Viceroy Hew Cressingham Thesaurer and leauing them behind him hee returned to London where hee warded Iohn Ballioll when hee had reigned 4. yeeres But hee within a short space at the request of the Bishop of Rome was sent to France leauing his sonne Edward in pledge for him Afterward Edward with a great army tooke shipping to passe in France The Scots in esperance of liberty hee being absent chused twelue Regents and by all their aduises Iohn Cummine Erle of Buchan with a sufficient armie was sent in England The English Garrisons left in Scotland dispersed heere and there durst not stirre so hee without impediment spoyled Cumberland and Northumberland Albeit this voyage somewhat incouraged the Scots yet did it but small help to the whole warre for all strong holds were fortified by the enemies garrisons But while as Noblemen lacked both strength and sufficient courage to enterprise greater matters VVilliam VVallace a man of Noble and ancient Family who did Actes in those Warres not only aboue all mens exspectatioÌ„ but also incredible being a man of great bodily strenght high courage He hardened his body against injuries of Fortune and confirmed his courage by perillous attempts to enterprise higher and greater euen with danger he gathered vnto him some companie of Men and herewith not only slew any Englishmen he met with but often times aâ—so with few foght with great numbers in sundrie places where he met with them slew them In short space his fam filled both the Realms so they that had lik causes as he had not vnlike loue to their Countrey gathering together swarmed to him from all parts and within few moneths he amassed an indifferent Army Noblemen for feare or lashnes lying still Wallace was proclaimed Gouernour and as Lieutenant for Ballioll commanded as lawfull Magistrate Hee tooke not this name of pride or of desire to Empire but only like another Sampson vpon compassion and loue of his Countrey-people After this he essayed with open force tooke many Castells either not sufficiently furnished or not weill guarded or negligently kept and razed them His Men of Warres minds were so confirmed that vnder his conduct they feared no perrill for that his hardiment lacked neuer wisdom nor his wisdome the wished euent So in short space he wan all the Forts that Englishmen possessed beyond Forth King Edward hearing these rumours and hauing all his Army with him in France he wrote to Henrie Pearsie Lord of Northumberland to William Latimer to raise quickly Forces out of the next adjacent Countrey and joyne themselues with Cressinghame to suppres the Scots Wallace in this time besieged the Castle of Cowper in Fyfe to the end his men of warre should not be idle attending the coming of the English army his enimies now cuming neare marched directly to Striuiling The Riuer of Forth hath no foords at Striuiling Yet there was a vvoodden bridge ouer the vvhich Cressinghame past vvith the great part of his aâ—mâ— the rest following so thick the bridge being ouerburthened vvith so hudge a weght brak in pieces The Scots charged these that vvere past before they could be Arayed slew their leader droue backe the rest in the water with so huge a slaughter that almost the whole were either slain by the Scots or drownd in the riuer Wallace after this so followed his fortune that he left not an Englishman in Scotland except prisoners This victory was obtained vpoÌ„ the Ides of Septemb. 1297. Hereafter followed great Famine for not manuring of the ground and Pest followed Hunger wherof greater destruction was feared than of the Warre Wallace to remedy this aswell as he might charged al sensible men to come vnto him at a certain day caried them with him into England vvhere liuing in vvinter in their enemies lands they spared Viuers at home vvhere he remained from the kalends of Nouember vnto the kal. of Febr. and no man durst match him And then hauing inriched theÌ„selfs vvith their enemies spoyls returned with great glory As this journey augmented Wallaces fame and authority among the people so it increased the Noble mens enuy against him vvhereof Edw. being priuy setting things in France in order as time would permit leauing his old souldiers beyond sea amassing a very great army vpon the sudden of nouices he marched toward Scotland but wheÌ„ in the plain of Stanemure both armies stood in order of battel about half a mile from other Edw. viewing Wall hoste
were wraith They wold him wait with a great skaith For they sould sone find enchesoun To put him to destructioun And gif ony man neir them by Had ony thing that was worthy Hound or hors or vther thing That pleasand was to their liking With richt or wrong haue it wold they And gif ony wold them ganesay They wold so do that he sould tyne Outher lyfe or land or liue in pyne For they dampnit them euen at their will Takand no keip to richt nor skill Alace they dampnit them fellounly For gude Knichts that were worthy For litle enchesoun and oft for none Were hanged by the neckes ilkone Alace they sore that euer was frée And ay in fréedome was wont to be Through their mischance and their follie Were thirled then so wickedly That their foes their iudges were What wickednesse may men haue maire O how freedome is Noble thing For it makes man to haue liking Fréedome all solace to men giues He liues at ease that fréelie liues A Noble heart may haue none ease Nor nought els that may it please If fréedome failyee for free liking Is yarned aboue all other thing O he that hath ay liued frée May not know well the propertie The anger nor the wretched dome That is coupled vnto thirldome But if he had asâ—ayed it Then all perqueir he might it wit And should thinke fréedome more to prise Then all the gold men may deuise For contrarie things euer mare Discouerings of the other are And he that into thraldome is All that he hath in bandoun is To his Lord what euer he be Yet he hath not so méekle frée As free liking to leaue or do It that his heart drawes him to And yet Clarkes make Question When they fall in disputation If a man bad his thirle ought do And in the same time came him to His Wife and asked him his det Whether he his Lords néed should bet And pay first what he ow and syne Doe foorth his Lords commanding Or leaue his Wife vnpaide and do It that his Lord commanded him to I leaue all the solution To men of more discretion But sen they make sik comparing Betwixt the debts of wedding And Lords bidding to their will thirl Ye may well sée though none should tell How hard a thing that thraldome is For men may well wit that are wise That wedding is the hardest band That ony man may take on hand And thraldome is well war then dead For while a thirle his life may lead It marres him both bodie and banes And dead annoyes him not but ones Shortlie to say is none to tell The sore condition of a Threll THus gate they liued in thirlage Both poore and rich of hie parage For of the Lords some they slew And some they hanged some they drew And some they put into prison Withoutten cause or Encheson And among other of Dowglas Sir William put in prysoun was That of Dowglas was Lord and Syre Of him they haue made a Martyre For in presoun they him slew And his lands that were faire anew They to the Lord of Cliffurd gaue He left a sonne a litill knaue That then was but a litill Page And syne came to great vassalage His fathers death he venged sa That in England I vnderta Was none in life but they him dred For he so feill in armes sched That none that liues can it tell So wonder hard thinges befell Till him or he to state was broucht But there was none auentour that mocht Astoney his heart nor gar it let To do the thing it was on set How that he ay thocht ernistly To do his déed auisedly He thocht he was not worth no weill That might not of annoyes feill And that for to encheif great things With hard trauell and barganings Sould gar his prise ay doubled be Therefore in all his lifetime he Forsuike neuer paine nor trauell Nor neuer wold for mischiefe faile To dryue the thing euen to the end And tak the chance that God wold send ¶ His name was Iames of Dowglas And quhen he heard his father was Put in presoun so fellounly And that his lands so haillely Were giuen to the Cliffurd perfay He wist not what to do or say For he had nothing to dispend Nor there was none that euer him kend Wold do so mekle for him that he Micht with sufficience found in be THus was he wonder will of wane And suddenly in hart hes tane That he wold trauell ouer the sée And a quhile into Paris be And drée mischiefe quhere none him kend Quhill God sum succour to him send And as he thocht he did richt sa And soone to Paris can he ga And liued there full simpilly Quhere that he glaid was and ioly And to sic exercise oft he Èeid As course craues of Èouthheid And quhiles in play and vanitie The quhilk sumtime may auailÈe For knowledge of mony estates May quhiles auailÈe mony gates As to the gude Erle of Artois Robert befell intill his dayes For oft fenÈeing of Ribaldie AuailÈeit him and that greatlie And Cato sayes intill his writ To fenÈe foly quhyles is wit In Paris neir thrée Èeires dwelt he And then came tything ouer the sée That his father was done to dead Then was he wonder will of read And thocht that he wold home againe To looke gif he throw ony paine Micht wyn againe his heritage And his men out of all thirlage The first rising of Lord DOWGLAS TO Sanctandrous he came in hy Where the Bishop full courteously Receiued him and gart him beare His kniues to carue to him and sheare And cled him then full honorably And ordainde chamber where he should ly A well great while there dwelt he All men him loued for his bountie For he was of full faire affeir Wise courteous and deboneir Large and louing al 's was he And ouer all thing he loued lawtie Lawtie to loue is no follie Through lawtie liues men right wiselie With one vertue of lawtie A man may yet sufficient be And but lawtie may none haue prise Whether that he be wight or wise For where it failyies no vertue May be of price nor of value To make a man so good that he May simply good man called be He was in all his déedes léele For he deinyied not to deale With traitourie nor with falset His heart on hie honour was set And him contented on sik maner That all him loued that were him neere But he was not so faire that we Should speake greatly of his beautie In visage was he some déele gray And had black haire as I heard say But then of limmes he was well made With banes great and shoulders brade His bodie well made and lenyie As they that saw him said to me When he was blyth he was louely And méeke and swéet in company But who in battell might him sée Another countenance had he And in his spéech lisped some dell And that set
the Kirk in hy But ere he came so hastely One of his men cried Dowglas Dowglas Thomas Dikson that néerest was To them that were of the Castell That were then Inwith the Chancell UUhen they the Dowglas so heard crie Drew out his sword and fellounlie Rushed among them to and fro And one other withoutten mo But they in hie were left lyand UUith that Dowglas came néere at hand And they enforced on them the cry But they the Chancell sturdelie Held and them defended well While of their men were slaine some dell But the Dowglas so well him bare That all the men that with him were Had comfort of his well doing And he himselfe spared nothing But prooued so his force in fight That through his worship and his might His men so kéenelie helped than That they the Chancell on them wan Then dang they on so sturdelie That in short time men might sée lie The two part dead or then dieand The laue were seased soone in hand So that of threttie liued nane But they were slaine ilkane or tane Iames of Dowglas when this was doone The prisoners hes tane full soone And with them of his companie Toward the Castell went in hie Or onie noise of cry sould rise And for he would them soone supprise That in the Castle leaued were They were but two withoutten mare Fiue or sex before send he That fand all open the entrie And entred and the Porter tooke Right at the Èet and syne the Cooke With that the Dowglas came to the Èet And entred in without debaâ—te And â—ound the meat all ready graithed With boordes set and claithes laide The Èets then hee gart them spare And sate at meat all at laissair Syne all the goods tursed they That they thought light to beare away Siluer treasure and al 's cléething And namelte weapons and all arming Uittaile that might not tursed bée On this maner destroyed hée All the Uittaile outtaken salt And Wheate and Floure and Meale and Malt In the wine Cellar gart hée bring And syne all on the Floore downe fling And the Prisoners that hee had tane Right there in gart hee hid ilkane Syne off the Tunnes the hedes out strake A foul melle there gart hee make For Meale and Malt Bread and Wine Ran together in a melline That was vnseemlie for to sâ—e Therefore the men of that Countrie Called it the Dowglas Ladnaire And will bee called this mony yéere Then tooke hee Salt as I heard tell And dead Horse and forded the Wall And syne burnt all outtaken stone And is foorth with his Menyie gone To his reset for hée trowed well If hee had holden the Castle Hée should had beene assieged raith And that thought him to méekle skaith For hee none hope had of rescuing And al 's it was right perillous thing In Castle assieged for to bee When a thing wants of thir thrée Uittaile or meat with arming Or els good hope of rescuing And for hée dred thir things should faile Hee choosed forward to trauaile Where hée might at his larges bee And so driues foorth his Destinie IN this wise was the Castle tane And slaine that were therein ilkane The Dowglas syne all his menyie Gart in seir places parted bée That men should wit lesse where they were That yéed aye parted here and there Them that were wounded gart hée ly Into hiddles all priuily And gart good Léeches to them bring While that they were into leeching And himselfe with a few menyie While one while two and whiles thrée And sometime hee himselfe alone In hiddles through the Land is gone So dred he Englishmens might That he durst not well come in sight For they that time were all wéeldand As Masters and Lords ouer all the Land But thir tithings were skailled soone Of this déed the Dowglas had done Came to the Cliffurdes eare in hy That for his tynsell was right sory And meened his men that were slaine And syne he hes to purpose tane To big the Castle vp againe Therefore as men of méekle mane Hée assembled a great companie And syne to Dowglas went in hy And bigged vp the Castle swyth And made it right stalwart and styth And put therein Uittaile and Men. And ane of the Thrilwailes then Hee left behind him the Captaine And syne to England went againe How one man and his sonnes twa Vndertooke King Robert to sla INto Carrik yet was the King With a full simple gaddering Hee past not two hundreth men But yet Sir Edward his brother then In Galloway was neere hand by With him another companie They held the Strengths of the Land For they durst not yet take on hand To ryde ouer all the Land plainelie For of Wallange Sir Aymery Was into EDINBVRGH lyand And al 's was Wardane of the Land And when hee heard of his comming Of King Robert and his Menyie Into Carrik and how that hee Had slaine so of the Persies men His counsell hee assembled then And with consent of his Counsaile Hee sent to Aire him to assaile Sir Ingrame Bell that was hardie And with him a greit companie And when Sir Ingrame come was there Him thought not spéedfull for to fare For to assailyie him in the hight Therefore he thought to worke with slight And lay still in the Castell than While he gat spéering of a man Of Carrik that was slie and wight And al 's a man of méekle might As ony man of that Countrie Was to King Robert most priuie As hee that was his sibbe man néere And when hee would without danger Might to the Kings presence goe The whilke man and his Sonnes two Were winning still in that Countrie For they would not perceiued bée That they were speciall to the King They made him mony time warning When that they might his tynsell see Therefore in them affyed hée His name I cannot tell perfay But I haue heard of sooth men say Forsooth that his ane eye was out But hee so sturdie was and stout That hée was the most doughtie man That into Carrik was liuing than And when Sir Ingrame gat witting Forsooth this was no léesing After him in hy hée sent And hee came at his commandement Sir Ingrame that was slie and wise Treated with him on sik a wise That he made sikker vndertaking UUith treasoun for to slay the King And he sould haue for his seruice Gif he fulfilled this deuise Well fourtie pounds worth of land To him and all his aires liuand THE treasoun thus is vndertane And he home to his house is gane And waited opportunitie To fulfill his iniquitie In great perill then was the King That of this treasoun wist nothing For he that he trowed most of ane His dead hes fully vndertane None may betraise tittar than he That man introwes into lawtie The King in him traisted for thy He had fulfilled his fellony Were not the King through Gods grace Got warning how his purpose was And how and
They judged it all to greit foly And thought to haue them at their lyking If men abade them in feghting But oft failÈies that fooles thought And yet wise men comes nought To that end that they weine alwayes A litle stone oft as men sayes May gar walter a méekle Wane Na mans might may stand againe The grace of God that all things stéeres Hée wates whereto all thinges afféeres And dispones at his liking Efter his ordinance all thing WHen Sir Edward as I you say Had giuen so outragious a day To yéelde or to rescue Striuiling Right to the King then went hee syne And told what treaty hée had made And what day hée them giuen had The King said when hee heard the day That was vnwisely done perfay I neuer yet heard so long warning Was giuen to so mighty a King As is the King of England For hée hes now into his hand England Ireland and Wales alswa And Aquitayne yet with all tha Dwells vnder his Senyeory And of Scotland a greit party And of treasure so stuffed is hée That hee may wageours haue plentie And wee are few against so feill GOD may right well our weirdes deill But wée are set in jeopardie To tyne or win then hastelie Sir Edward said So God mée réede Though hée and all that hee may â—éede Come wée shall feght all though they were moe When the King heard his brother so Speake to the Battell so hardelie Hée praised him in his heart greatly And said Brother sen so is gane That this thing thus is vndertane Shape wée vs therefore manly And all that loues vs tenderly And the fréedome of this Countrie Puruay them at that time to bée Boun on their best wise that they may So if our foes will assay To rescue Striuiling with battaile That wée of purpose gar them faile The sembling of the English Host That with great power cam and boast ON this wise all assented were And bade their men all make them yare For to bee boun against that day Weapons and armours puruayed they And all that afféered to feghting And of England the mightie King Puruayed him in so greit array That Certes I heard neuer say That Englishmen more apparell Made than they did for that battell For when the time was commen néere The King assembled his powéere And beside his owne Cheualrie That was so greit it was ferlie Hée had of mony a farre Countrie With him good men of greit bountie Of France and other Cheualry Hée had into his companie The Erle of Henault al 's was there And with him met that worthie were Of Gasconyie and of Almanyie And of the worthiest of Brittainyie Hée had wight men and well farrand Armed cleanelie both head and hand Of England al 's the Cheualrie Hée had there gaddered so cleanelie That none were left might weapons wéeld Or worthie were to feght in field Of Wales al 's with him had hée And of Ireland a greit Menyie Of Poytow Aquitayne and Bayoun Hee had mony of greit renowne Of Scotland hée had yet then A greit Menyie of worthie men When altogedder assembled were Hee had of feghters with him there An hundreth thousand men and ma And fourtie thousand were of tha Armed on Horse both head and hand And of tha yet were three thousand With barded Horse in plait and mailyie To make the front of the battailyie And fiftie thousand of Archers Hée had withoutten Hobillers And men on foot and small rangall That kéeped Harnesse and Uittaill Hee had so feil it were ferly Of Cartes al 's that yéed him by So feill that by them that charged were With Pauilliouns and that vessell bare And apparell for Chamber and Hall Fourescore were charged with Fewall They were so feill where that they rade And their battells were so brad And so greit rout held they there That men that méekle Host might sée there Ouertooke the Lands largelie Men might sée there who had béene by Mony a worthie man and wight And mony an armour gaylie dight And mony a sturdie stéering Stéede Arrayed aye into rich wéede Mony Helmes and Haberiones Shields Speares and eke Pennouns And so mony a comelie Knight That it séemed into that sight They should vanquish the world all haill Why should I make too long my tale To Baruike are they come ilkane And some therein hes Innes tane And some lodged without the towne In tents and in Pauillioun How Englishmen manassed at will The Scots and delt their lands till ANd when the King his Oast hes séene So great so good men and so cleane He was right ioyfull in his thought And well supposed that there were nought A King in World might him withstand Him thought all winnen to his hand And largely among his men The lands of Scotland dealt he then Of other mens lands large was he And they that were of his Menyie Manassed the Scottishmen haillely With great words and not for thy Or that they come to their intent Hollâ—s in haill claith sall be rent In ton battels the Englishmen Were delt taught to Chiftanes then THe King through counsell of his men His folke delt into battels ten In ilk battell were ten thousand That thought they stalwardly sould stand In battell and sould hold their right And let not for their foes might He set Leaders to ilk battall That knowen were of good gouernall And to renouned Erles twa Of Glocester and Herfurd were tha He gaue the Uangard in leading With mony men at their bidding Ordained with full great array They were so Cheualrous that thay Trowed gif they came to the fight There sould no strength withstand their might And the King when his Menyie were Diuided into battells sear His owne battell ordained he And who sould at his brydle be Sir Geiles the Argentine he set Upon the one side his renyie to get And of Wallance Sir Aymery On other halfe that was worthy For into their soueraine bountie Ouer all the laue affyed he How all the Noble Cheualry At Edinburgh tooke harbery WHen the King vpon this wise Had ordained as I here deuise His battels and his renowning He raise earely in the morning And fra Barwicke they tooke their way Both hilles and valleyes couered thay And the battels there was so brade Departed ouer the hilles rade The Sunne was bright and shined cleare And armours that bright byrneist were So blenked with the Sunnes beame That all the land séemed in a leame Banners right freshly flambisighand And Pensalls to the wind waiuand So feill they were of seir Countreyes That it was wonder to deuise And I sould tell all their afféere Their countenance and their manéere Though I couth I sould cumbred be The King with all his great Menyie To Edinburgh are they commen right They were all out too feill to fight With few folke of a simple land But where God helpes who may withstand How in this time assembled then To King Robert hes certaine
of his Menyie some sent he For to burne townes two or thrée And bade them soone againe them spéed So that at hand gif there come néed They might before the feght be read The Newell that wist verily That Dowglas commen was so néere And saw all brode stand his Banéere Then with tha folke that he had there That with him a great Menyie were For all the good of that Countrie Into that time with him had he So that he with him there had then UUell mo then were the Scottishmen He held his way vp to an hill And said Lordings it were my will To make end of the great deray That Dowglas does to vs ilk day But me thinke it spéedfull that we Abide till that his Menyie be Skailled all to take our Pray Then fiercely set on them we maâ— And we sall haue them at our will Then they gaue all assent theretill And on the hill abade houand The men fast gaddered of the land And drew to him in full great hy And Dowglas then that was worthy Thought it was foly more to bide Toward the hill then can he ride And when the Newell saw that they Would not passe foorth to the Forray But preassed to him with all their might He wist well then that he would fight And to his Menyie can he say Lordings now hold we foorth our way Here is the floure of this Countrie And mo then they also are we Assemble we then hardely For Dowglas with yone Yemanry Sall haue no might to vs perfay Then in a frush assembled they That men might heare the speares brast And ilkone dang on other fast And blood brast out of wounds wide They foght fast vpon ather side For ather partie can them paine To put their foes on back againe The Lord the Newell and Dowglas When that the fighting fellest was They fought felly with all their maught Great routes ather to other raught But Dowglas starke was I hight And more vsed al 's in the fight And set heart and will alswa For to deliuer him of his fa While at the last through méekle mains Of forre the Newell hes he slaine Then his Ensenyie can he cry And on the laue so hardely He rushed with all his Menyie That in short time men might sée Their foes take on them the flight And they them chaist with all their might Sir Raph the Newell in that place And the Baroun of Hiltonn was Taken and other of méekle might There was reill flaine into that fight That worthie in their time had béene And when the field was cleanged cléene So that their foes euerilkane Were slaine or chaist away or tane Then gart he forray all the land And séesed all that euer he fand And burnt the townes in their way Syne haill feare home commen are they The Pray among his Menyie Efter their merites dealt hes he And held nothing to his behooue Sik déedes ought to gar men loue Their Lord and so they did perfay He treated them so wisely ay And with so méekle loue alswa And countenance that he would ma Of their déed that the most Coward He made stoutter then a Leopard UUith cherissing this gaite made he His men wight and of great bountie When Newell thus was broght to ground And of Calhow Sir Edmound The dread of the good Lord Dowglas And his Renowne so skailled was Throughout the Marches of England That all that were therein dwelland Dred him as the selfe Deuit of Hell And yet I haue heard oft syse tell That hée so greitly dred was then That when wiues wold their children ban They would euen with an angrie face Betake them to the blacke Dowglas Through his greit worship and bountie So with his foes dred was hee That they growed to heare his Name Hee may at ease now dwell at hame A while for I trow hée shall nought With foes mony dayes bée sought Now let him in the Forrest bée And of him speake no more will wée But of Sir Edward the worthie That with all his Cheualrie Was at Craigfergus yet lyand To speake more wée will take on hand Here past in Ireland the Noble King To his brother with great gaddering WHen Sir Edward as I said aire Had discomâ—Ì„st Richard of Clare And of Ireland all the Barnage Thrise through his worthie Uassalage And syne with all his men of maine To Craigfergus was comde againe The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke lieue in Scotland for to passe And hee him left without grudging And syne him charged to the King To pray him speciallie that hee Would come in Ireland him to sée For were they both into that lanâ— They should find none should them withstand The Erle then foorth his way hes tane And to his Shippes is hee gane Hée sailled well out ouer the sea In Scotland soone arriued hée Syne to the King hee went in hy And hée receiued him joyfully And spéered of his brothers fare And of his journeyes that they had there And hée him told all but leesing And when the King left had speaking His charge to the King told hée And hée said Hée would blythlie sée His brother and also the affaire Of the Countrie and what it were A greit MenÈie then gaddered hée And two Lords of greit bountie The one Walter Stewart was The other Iames of Dowglas Wardans in his absence made hee For to maintaine well the Countrie Syne to the sea hee tooke his way And at Lochreane in Galloway Hee shipped with all his MenÈie To Craigfergus soone commen is hee Sir Edward of hiâ— come was blyth And went downe for to meete him swyth And welcommed him with gladsom cheare So did hee all that with him were And speciallie the Erle Thomas Of Murray that his Neuoy was Syne to the Castell went hee there And made them meekle feast and fare They sojournde therein dayes three In mirth solace and royaltie KIng Robert now vpon this wise Into Ireland arriued is And when into Craigfergus had hee With his men sojournde dayes three Hee tooke counsell that hee wold With all their folke their wayes hold Through all Ireland from end to other Sir Edward then the Kings brother Before into the Uangard rade The King himselfe the Reeregard had That had into his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie Their wayes fordward haue they tane And soone passed euer ilkane Here faught King Robert in Ireland With 5. thousand against 40. thousand THIS was in mids the mirthfull May When Birds sings on ilke Spray Making their Notes with seemlie soun For softnesse of the sweet seasoun And Leaues of the Branches spreeds And bloomes bright about them breedes And Fieldes strowed are with Flowres Well sauouring of seir colours And all thing worthed blyth and gay When that the good King tooke his way To ryde Southward as I said aire The Wardane then Richard of Clare Wist the King was arriued sa And wist hee shupe him for to
and â—â—a And so great ryote there to ma That they that lay sieging the toun UUhen they heare the destructioun That they sould into England ma Sould be so dréeding and so wa For their Children and for their UUiues That they sould dréed to losse their liues And their goods also that they Sould dreede they sould be had away And they sould leaue the Siege in hy And wend to reskew hastely Their goods their freinds and their land Therefore as I haue borne on hand Thir Lords sent he foorth in hy And they their wayes held hastely In England gart they burne and sla And wrought therein so méekle wa Ay as they fure through the Countrie That it was pitie for to sée To them that would it ony good For they destroyed all as they yoode So long they rade destroying sa That they trauersed off to and fra So that they commen are to Repoun And destroyed haillely that Toun At Borrow brig their harbery They tooke and at Midtoun there by And when the men of that Countrie Their men saw so destroyed be They gaddered into full great hy Archers Burgesses and Yemanry Priests Clarkes Abbots Fréeres Husbands and men of all misters While they togidder assembled were Well twentie thousand men and maire Right good armour aneugh they had The Archbishop of Yorke they made Their Capitaine and to counsaile Hes tane that they in plaine battaile Would assaile the Scottishmen That far fewer than they were then Then he displayed his Baner And other Bishops that were there Gart display their Baner alswa And in a rout foorth can they ga Toward Midâ—oun the readie way And when the Scottishmen heard say That they were to them comming néere They busked them on their best maneere And delt them into battels twa Dowgâ—as the Uangard can ma And the Reeregard made Erle Thomas For Capitaine of the Oast he was And so ordained in good array Toward their foes they held the way When that they had of other sight They preassed on both the halfes to fight The Englishmen came right sadly With good countenance and hardy Right in a frount with their Baner While that their foes came so ner That they their visage well might sée Thrée speare length trow I it might be Betwixt them then sik abaissing Tooke them that but assonyeing They tooke the backe and all to ga When Scottishmen hes séene them sa Affrayedly flee all their way In great hy vpon them set they And â—lew and tooke a great party That the laue fled full effrayedly As they best mought to séeke warrand They were chased to neere at hand That well a thousand died there And of tha yet thrée hundreth were Priests that died in that place Therefore that bargaine called was The Chapter of Midtoun for there Slaine so monie Priests were The other assault of Barwicke That was right shape to the Scots kinrike WHen that thir folke discomfist was And Scottishmen had left the chase They went then forward in the land Slaying destroying and burnand Then they that at the Siege lay Ere it was past the fift day Had made them sundrie apparaile To gang eft soones to assaile Of greit Geistes a Sow they made That stalward heilling outwith had With armed men anew therein And Instruments for to myne Sundrie Scaffolds then made withall That were far hier then the Wall And ordainde al 's that by the sea The towne should right well sailÈied bée And they within that them sa So greit apparell to them ma Through Crabbes counsell that was â—lée A Crane they haue gart dresse vp hie Rinning on wheeles that they might bring It where that need were of helping And picke and far all haue they tane And Lynt and Hardes and Brintstane And drye treee that would well birne And melled ather other in And greit Faggots therefore they made Girthed with Irne bands brade The Faggots well might measured bée To a greit tunnes quantitie The Fagots burning in a baill With their Cran thought they should auaile And if the Sow come to the wall To let it burning on her fall And with a staâ—ke Chenyie hold it there While all were burnt vp that there were Ingins also for to cast They ordained and made readie fast And set ilke man to his ward And Sir Walter the good Stewart With armed men should ride about And sée where that ther was most dout And succour there with his MenÈie And when they into sike degree Had made them for their assailyeing On the Rood Euen in the dawing The English Hoste blew to assaile There might men see with seir apparaile The greit Host come full sturdelie The towne enuironed they in hy And assailyied with full greit will For all their might they set theretill Fast they them preassed to the towne But they that can them abandoun To dead or then to wounds sair So well hes them defended there That Ladders to the ground they slang And with stones so fast they dang Their foes that feill they left lying Some dead some hurt some swoouning But they that held on foote in hy Drew them away deliuerly And sojournde there for no â—in thing But went stoutlie to assailyeing And they aboâ—e defended ay And set them to so hard assay While that feile of them wounded were And they so greit defence made there That they stinted their foes might Upon sike maner can they fight While it was neere Noone of the day Then they without in greit array Preassed their Sow toward the wall And they within right soone gart call The Inginer that taken was And greit mannance to him maes And swore that hee should die but hée Préeued on the Sow sik subteltie That hée should frush her ilke daill And hee that hes perceiued well That the dead was néere him till But if hée might fulfill their will Thought that he all his might would doe Bended in greit hy then was sho And to the Sow was then euen set In hy hee gart draw the Cleiket And smertly swapped out a stone That euen ouer the Sow is gone And behind her a litle wie It fell and then they cried hie That were in her foorth to the wall For dréedlesse it is ours all The Ingynour then deliuerlie Gart bind the gyne full hastelie That kest the stone right smertly out It flew ouer whiddering in a rout And fell right euen before the Sow Their heartes then begouth to grow But if they with their mights all Preassed the sow toward the wall And hes her set thereto cunningly The Ingynour then gart bend in hy The gyn and swakked out a stone That euen towarâ— the Lift is gone And with greit weight dushed downe Râ—ght by the wall in a randoun And hit the Sow in sik a maner That it that was the most sower And starkest for to stint straike In sunder with that dâ—sh hee brake The men ran foorth in full greit hy And on the walles they can cry That
Quéene to England home is gane And had with her the Mortymer The Erle and they that leaued were When a whyle they her conuoyed had Toward Barwike againe they rade And syne with all their company Toward the King they went in hy And had with them the young Dauy And al 's Dame Iane the young Lady The King made them faire welcomming And efter but long delaying He hes gart set a Parliament And hidder with mony men is went For he thought he would in his life Crowne his young Sonne and his Wife At that Parliament and so did he With great fare and solemnitie The King Dauid was crowned there And all his Lords that there were And also all the Commountie Made him homage and fewtie And before that they crowned were King Robert gart ordaine there Gif it fell that his sonne Dauy Died but Aire Male of his body That Robert Stewart sould be King and brooke the Royaltie That his Doughter bare in Mariage And that this Tailyie sould leelely Be holden all the Lords sware And with their Seales affirmed if there And gif it hapned Robert the King To passe to GOD while they were ying The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas With the Lord also of Dowglas While they had wit to stéere their Reigne Sould haue them into gouerning And then the Lordship they sould ta Hereto their aithes can they ma And all the Lords that were there To tha twa Wardanes aithes sware To obey them into Lawtie Gif it hapned them UUardanes to be WHen all this thing thus treated was And affirmed with sickernes The King to Cardros went in hy And there him tooke so suddenly His sicknesse and him trauelde sa That he wist him behooued ma Of all this life the common end That is the death when GOD will send Therefore his Letters soone sent hée For all the Lords of his Countrie And they came as hee bidden had His Testament then hes hee made Before both Lords and Prelats And to Religions of seir Estates For haill of his soule gaue hee Siluer into greit quantitie Hee ordainde for his soule right well And when this was done ilk deill Lords hee said so it is gone With mée that there is nought but one That is the death withoutten dreed That ilke man shall thole on need And I thanke God that hes mée sent Space in our life here to repent For through mée and my wéering Of blood there hes beene greit spilling Where mony saklesse man was slaine Therefore this sicknesse and this paine I take in thanke for my trespasse And mine heart firmlie set was And when I was in prosperitie From my sinnes to saued bée To trauell vpon Gods faes And sen hée mee now to him taes That the body may on no wise Performe that the heart can deuise I would mine heart were hidder sent Wherein conceiued was that intent Therefore I pray you euerilkane That yee among you all chuse ane That bée honest wise and wight And of his hands a Noble Knight On Gods foes mine Heart to beare When soule and bodie disseuered are For I would it were worthelie Had there sen God will nought that I Had power hidderward to goe Then were their hearts all so woe That none might hold them from gréeting Hee bade them leaue their sorrowing For it hée said might not reliue And might themselues greitlie grieue Hee prayed them in hy to do The thing that they were charged to Then went they foorth with drerie moode And among them that thought it good That the worthie Lord Dowglas Whom in both wit and worship was Should take the trauell vpon hand Héereto they were all accordand And to the King they went in hy And told him that they thought truely That the doughtie Lord Dowglas Best ordainde for that trauell was And when the King heard that they sa Had ordainde him his Heart to ta That hee most yarned should it haue Hee said so God himselfe mée the saue I hold mee right well payed that yee Haue chosen him for his bountie For Certes it hes béene my yarning Ay sen I thought to doe this thing That he mine heart should with him beare And sen yee all assented are It is the more liking to mée Let see now what thereto sayes hée And when the Lord of Dowglas Wist that the King thus spoken hes Hée â—â—me and knéeled to the King And on this wise made his talking I thanke you greitly Lord said hee Of mony larges and greit bountie That yée haue done to mée feill syse Sen first I came to your seruice But ouer all thing I make thanking That yée so digne and worthie a thing As your heart that illuminate was With all bountie and worthinesse Will that I in my kéeping take For you right blithly will I make This trauell if God will mée giue Laiser and space so long to liue The King him thanked tenderlie There was none in that companie That wéeped not for greit pitie That was greit sorrow for to sée Here died King Robert and was syne Solemnedly buried in Dumfermling WHen the Lord Dowglas in this wise Hes vndertane so hie Emprise As the good Kings Heart to beare On Gods foes for to weare Praised for his Emprise was hée And the Kingâ— infirmitie Was more and more while at the last The dulefull death approached fast And when hée had gart doe him to All that good Christen men should do With true repentance then hée gaue The gaist whilke GOD to Heauen mot haue Among his Chosen for to bee In Ioye solace and Angels glée And fra his folke wist hée was dead The sorrow that raise from stead to stead There might men sée men riue their haire And comlie Knights gréete full saire And their hands togidder driue And as wood men their claithes ryue Regarding his worthie bountie His wit his strength and honestie And ouer all the greit companie That hee oft made them courteouslie All our defence they said alas And hee that haill our comfort was Our wit our heale our gouerning Is brought alace here to ending His worship and his méekle might Made all that were with him so wight That they might neuer abased bée While before them they might him sée Alace what shall wee doe or say For in life while hee lasted ay With all our foes dred were wée And into mony other Countrie Of our Worship ran the Renowne And that was all for his Persoun With sike words they made their mane And sickerlie wonder was nane For better Gouernour than hée Might in no Countrie founden bee I hope that none that is on life The lament and sorrow can descriue That tha folke for their Lord made And when that they long sorrowed had And he bowelled was cleanely And balmed syne full richly The worthy Lord the good Dowglas His Heart as it forespoken was Hes receiued in great dayntie UUith great faire and Solemnitie They haue him had to Dunfermelyne And him