of them so hardelie Rushed among them as did hée But with far more maturitie They assembled all in a rout And enuironde them all about And to the enemies in that tyde Rane with Speares wounds wide To their Horse that came them néere And they that riding on them were That were borne downe lossed their liues And al 's Speares darts and Kniues And weapons vpon seir maner Kest among them that feghting were They defended them so worthelie That their foes had greit ferlie For some would shoot out of their rout And of them that assailyied about Sticked Stéedes and bare downe men The Englishmen so rudelie then Kest among them Swords and Speares That in with them a mountyand was Of weapons that there warped were The Erle and his men thus faught there At greit mischiefe as I heard say For fewer by full far were they For their foes them all about Were enuironde where mony rout Were raught them full despiteouslie Their foes demained them straitly On either side they were so stad For the greit bargane that they had For feghting and for Sunnes heate That all their flesh with sweat was weat And sik a stew rose ouer them then Of breathing both of Horse and Men And of powder that sike mirknes Into the aire aboue them wes That it was wonder for to sée They were in greit perplexitie But with great trauell not for thy They them defended manfully And set both will strength and might To rush their foes into that fight That them demained angerly But gif GOD helpe them hastely They sall haue their fill of feghting But when the Noble renouned King With other Lords that were him by Saw the Erle so abandountly Tooke plaine field Iames of Dowglas Came to the King where that he was And said Sir ah Sancta Mary The Erle of Murray openly Takes the plaine field with his Menyie He is in perill but he be Soone helped for his foes are ma Than he and horsed well alswa And with your leaue I will me spéed To help him for he hes great néed All enuironde with his foes is he The King said so our Lord me sée One foot to him salt thou not ga Gif he well does let him well ta Whether it happen to win or lose I will not for him breake purpose â—ertes said he I may no wise See that his foes him supprise When that I may set helpe theretill With your lieue sikkerly I will Helpe him or die into the Paine Doe then and spéed thée soone againe The King said and he held his way Gifhe mae come in time perfay I trow that he sall help so well That all his foes sall it féele How the King slew Sir Henrie Bowm With his handaxe strake him down NOw Dowglas foorth his way tane hes And in that same time fell through cace That the King of England when he Was commen with his great Menyie Néere to the place where I said aire Where Scots men assembled were He gart arrest all his battell And also for to take counsell Whether they wald harbrie theÌ„ that night Or then but more go to the fight The Uangard then that wist nothing Of his arrest nor his dwelling Rade to the Parke all straight their way But stinting into good array And when the King wist that they were In haill battell comming so néere His battell gart he well array Himselfe rade on a gray Palfray Proper and ioly arrayand His battell with an axe in hand And on his Basnet heght he bare An hatte with Carbuncle ay where And thereupon into takinning An hie Crowne that he was King And when Glocester and Harefurd were In haill battell comming so néere Before them all there came rydand With helme on head and speare in hand Sir Henrie the Bowme that was worthy That was a Knight and hardy And to the Erle of Harefurde Cousine Armed in armours good and fine Came on a Stéede a bowshot néere Before all other that there were And knew the King for that he saw Him so arraying his men on raw And by the Crowne also was set Abone his head on the Basnet And toward him he went in hy And when the King so apeirtly Saw him come foorth before his Féeres In hy to him the Stéed he stéeres And when Sir Henrie saw the King Come on withoutten abasing To him he rade in full great hy And thought that he sould well lightly Win him and haue him at his will Sen he him saw horsed so ill They sprent togidder in a ling. Sir Henrie missed the Noble King And he that in his stirrops stood With axe that was both hard and good With so great mane raught him a dynt That neither hat nor helme might stynt The heauie dynt that he him gaue The head right to the harnes claue The hand axe shaft frushed in twa And he downe to the eird can ga All flatlings for him failed might This was the first strake of the fight That was performed doughtely And when the Kings men so stoutly Saw him euen at the first méeting Withoutten dout or abasing Haue slaine a Knight euen at a strake Sik hardement thereat they take That they come on right hardelie And when the Englishmen stoutlie Them saw come on had sik abasing Specially for that the King So stoutly that good Knight had slaine Then they withdrew them euerilkane They durst not then abide the fight So dred they for the Kings might And when the Kings men them saw So in haill battell them withdraw A great shout to them can they make And they in hy gaue all the backe And they that followed then hes slaine Some of them that they haue ouertane But they were few the sooth to say Their horse féete had them all away Except some part that died there Rebuted filthily they were They rade their way with well more shame By far then when they came fra hame WHen that the King repaired was And gart his men leaue all the chase The Lords of his company Blamed him as they durst greatly That he put him in auenture To méete so starke a Knight and sture In sik point as he then was seene For they said it might haue bene Cause of their tynsall euerilkane The King answere hes made right nane But méened his hand-axe-shafte that so Was broken with that strake in two THe Erle Thomas was yet feghtand With his foes on either hand And slew of them a quantitie But wearie was his men and hée The whilke with weapons sturdelie Themselues defended manfullie While the Lord Dowglas came néere That sped him on greâ—t manéere And Englishmen that were feghting When they the Dowglas saw comming Euanishing made an opening Sir Iames Dowglas by their réeling Knew that they were discomfist néere Then bade hee them that with him were Stand still and preasse no farthermare For they that yonder feghting are Hee said that they are of so greit bountie That their foes all soone shall
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
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
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
right sa Ye are ilkane wight and worthie And called of great Cheualrie And wate right well what honour is Worke ye therefore on sic a wise That your honour be saued ay And one thing will I to you say That he that dies for his Countrie In hight of heauen sall harbred be When this was said they saw cummand Their foes ryding at their hand Arrayed right auisedly Wilfull to do Cheualry The Battell of Methwen and the first Discomfite of King Robert ON either side thus were they there And to assemble readie were And so rudely can raging ryde That Speares all too frushed are And feâ—â—l men dead and wounded saire The blood out of the beirnes brast Of best and of the worthiest That wilfull were to win honour Plunged into that stalwart stour And routes rude about them dang Men might haue seene into that thrang Knights that wight and worthie were Under Horses féete defouled there Some wounded and some all dead The grasse waxt all of blood all red And they that held on Horse in hy Swapped out Swords deliueredly And so fell strokes gaue and tooke That all the rinke about them shooke The Bruces folke full hardely Shawed their great Cheualry And he himselfe attour the laue So hard and heauie dints gaue That where hee came they made him way His men them put to hard assay To stint their foes méekle might Than they so fair had of the fight That they wan place aye mair and mair The Kings small folke néere vanquisht were ANd where the King his folke hes seene Begin to failye for proper teene To his Ensenye can highlie crie And in the stour so hardelie He raged till all the semble shooke He all so hew'd that he ouertooke And dang on them while he might drée And to his folke he cryed hie On them on them they féeble fast This bargane may no longer last And with that word so wilfullie He dang on them so hardelie That who had séene him in that fight Sould hold him for a doughtie Knight 〈◊〉 it though he stout was and hardie And other al 's of his companie There might no worship there auailie For there small folke all haill they failie And fled and skailled here and there But the good that escaped were Baide fighting in that stalwart stour To conquesse them endlesse honour And when Sir Aymer he hath séene The small folke fléeing haill be déene And saw so few abide the fight He drew to him monie a Knight And in the stour so hardelie He rushed with his companie That he rushed his foes ilkane Sir Thomas Randell there was tane That then was a young batcheler And Sir Alexander the Fraser And Sir Dauid the Barclay Inchemertine and Hew de la Hay And Somerwell and other ma And the King himselfe alswa Was set into so hard essay Through good Sir Philip the Mowbray That rade to him full hardelie And hint his renyie and then can cry Helpe helpe I haue thée now made King With that came griding in a ling Christill of Setoun when hée so The King saw seased with his foe To Sir Philip sic routes hée rought That thought hée was of méekle mought Hée gart him stakker desilie And had to eird gane haillelie War not hée held him by the Stéed Out of his hand the bridle yéed And the King his Enseigne can cry Relieu'd his men that stood him by That were so few that they not might Indure the force more of the fight They pricked then out of the preasse And the King that all angrie was For hée his men saw flée him fro Said then Lordings sen it is so That weere runneth againe vs héere Good is wée passe off their danger While God vs send eftsoones some grace And it may fall if they will chace Quite them combate some deill wée shall To that word they assented all And from them walloped vppermere Their foes also they wearie were That of them all they chased nane But with prisoners that they had tane Right to towne they held the way Right glade and joyfull of their Prey That night they lay all in the towne There was none of so greit renowne Nor none so hardie of them all That durst harbrie without the wall So dread they sore the gane comming Of Sir Robert the doughtie King And to the King of England soone They wrote haillie as they had doone And hée was blyth of that tything And for despite bade drawe and hing All the prisoners though they were mo But Sir Aymer did nothing so To some both life and land gaue hée To leaue the Bruce and his fewtie And serue the King of England And of him for to hold their land And warie the Bruce as their foe Thomas Randell was one of tho That for his life became their man And others that were taken then Some they ransomde and some they slew And some hanged and some they drew IN this maner rebuted was The Bruce that greit mourning mais For his men that were slaine and tane And hée was also will of wane For hee trowde in none sikkerlie Except them of his companie That were so few they scarce might bée Fiue hunder men of haill menyie His brother also was him by Sir Edward that was so worthie And with him was a bold Baroun Sir William the Halyburtoun The Erle of Atholl he was there Bot ay sen they discomfite were The Erle of Lennox was away And was put to full hard assay Ere he met with the King againe Bot alwayes as a man of maine He him maintained manfully The King had in his company Iames also Lord of Dowglas That wise wight and worthy was Sir Gilbert de la Hay alswa Sir Neill Campbell and other ma That I their names cannot tell And Outlawes went to daill and fell Dreeing in the mountaines pine And eat flesh and dranke water syne He durst not into plaines ga For all the Commons went him fra That for their liues were full faine To passe to English peace againe So fares it alwayes commonly In Commons may no man affy Bot he that may their warrand be So fare they then with him for he Them fra their foes might not warrand They turned all to the other hand Bot thraldome that men gart them féele Gart them ay yarne that he fure well THus in the hiâ—les liued he Till the most part of his Menye Was reuen and rent and no shoone had Bot as they then of Hydes made Therefore they went to Aberdene Where Neill the Bruce came the Quéen And other Ladies faire and pleasand Ilkone for loue of their husband And for leele loue and loyaltie Partner of their paines would be They choosed rather with them to ta Anger and paines than be them fra Syne loue it is of sik a might That it does all the paines make light And mony times makes tender wight Al 's of sik strength and of sik might That they may meekle paine indure And
to forsake none auenture That euer may fall with thy that thay Therethrough succour their liues may ¶ Men reades when Thebes was tane And King Adrestus men were slaine That assieged the Citie All the women of his Countrie Came for to fetch him home againe When they heard all his folke was slaine UUhere that the King Campeus Through the Oast of Menestheus That came through cace ryding them by UUith thrée hunder in company That through the Kings prayer assailyéed And yet to take the towne had failyéed War not the wiues that thrilde the wall With pikkes where the assailyeours all Entred and destroyed the toun And slew the people but ransoun Syne when the Duke his waies was gane And all the Kings men were slaine The Wiues had him to his Countrie UUhere was no liuing man but he In women méekle comfort lies And great solace in mony wise So fell it here for their comming Comforted gretumly the King For why euerilk night he woke And his rest on the day he tooke A good while there he soiournde then And eased wonder well his men While that the Englishmen heard say That he there with his menyie lay At all kin ease and sikkerly Their Oast assembled they in hy And trowed there him to supprise But he that in his déedes was wise Wist they assembled were and where And wist that they so monie were That he might not against them fight His men in hy he gart them dight And bushe them of the toun to ride The Ladies rade hard by his side Then to the hilles they held their way Where great default of meat had thay Bot worthie Iames of Dowglas Ay trauellde he and busie was For to purchase the Ladies meat And éeles in monie wise wald get For whyles vennison he them broght And with his hands whyles he wroght Girnes to take Geddes and Salmons Troutes Celes and Menons And whyles they went to the Forray And so their meat purchased thay Ilke man trauellde for to get And purchast them that they might eat But of all that euer there were There was not one among them there That with the Ladies more praisde was Than was Sir Iames of Dowglas And the King oft comforted was Through his wit and his businesse On this maner then gouernde they Till they came to the head of Tay How Iohn of Lorne discomfist King Robert THe Lord of Lorne winned thereby That was Capitall enemie To the King for his Emes sake Iohn the Cumyng and thought to take Uengâ—ance vpon cruell manéere When the King wist hée was so néere Hée assemblâ—d his Men in hy And had into his companie The Barons of Argyle alswa They were a thousand well and ma. That come for to suppresse the King That was well ware of their comming But all too few with him hée had And yet hée boldlie them abade And feill of them at their first méeting Was laid at eird but recouering The Kings folke full well them bare And slew and feill wounded sare But the folke of the other partie Faught with axes so fellounly For they on foote were euerilkane But they feill of their Horse hes slaine And to some gaue they wounds wide Iames of Dowglas was hurt that tid And al 's Sir Gilbert de la Hay The King his men saw in affray And his Ensenye right fast gan cry And in the stour full hardelie Hée rade and rushed among them all And feill of them there gart hee fall But when hée saw they were so fell And saw them so greit dints deale Hee dread to tine his men for thy His solke to him hee can rely And faid Lordings it folly were To vs for to assemble mare For they feill of our Horse haue slaine And if wee feght with them againe Wee shall tyne of our small MenÈie And our selues shall in perill bée Therefore mée thinke most according To withdraw vs wée defending Till wee come out of their danger Our strength is at our hand well neere Then they withdrew them haillelie But that was nothing cowartly For samin into a sop held they And the King him abandound ay To defend behind his Menyie And through his worship so wrought hée That hée rescued all the fléears And so astonisht all the chasers That none durst on t of battell chase For at their hand alwayes hée was So well defended hée his men That who so euer had seene him then Prooue so worthie vassalage And turne so oft-time his visage Hée should say hée ought well to bée A King of full greit Royaltie WHen that the Lord of Lorne saw His men stand of him sik aw That they durst not follow the chase Right angrie in his heart hée was And sair wondred that hee should so Stoney them him allone but moe Hée said Mée thinke Martheokes sonne Right as Golmakmorne was wonne To haue from Fyngall his menyie Right so from vs all his hes hée Hée set ensample thus him lyke The whilk hée might more manerlyke Likened him to Gaudifer Delaryse When that the mightie Duke Betyse Assayed in Gaders the Forrayours And when the King them made recourse Duke Betyse tooke on him the flight And would no more abide the fight But good Gaudifer the worthie Abandound him so hardelie For to rescue all the fléears And for to astoney the chasers That Alexander to eird hée bare And so did hee Ptolome there And good Corneus also Danchine and also other moe But at the last there slaine hée was In that failÈied the liklinesse For that the King Cheualruosly Defended all his companie That was set in full greit danger And yet escaped haill and féere Howe the King slewe the three men that swore his death TWo brether were into the land That were the hardiest of hand There were in all that same Countrie And they had sworne if they might see The Bruce and him ouer ta That they should die or then him sâ—a Their Surname was Makindorser That is al 's meekile to say héere As Durwarts sonnes perfay Of their conuéene the third had they That was right stout ill and felloun When they the King of greit renoun Saw so behind his MenÈie ride And saw him turne so mony a tide They abade ay while that hée was Entred into a narrow place Betwixt a Loch and a narrow Bra That was so strait I vnderta That hee might not well turne his Stéed Then with ane will to him they yéed And ane him by the Bridle hint But hée raught to him sik a dint That arme and shoulder flaw him fra With that another can him ta By the Leg and his hand can shoote Betwixt the stirop and his foote And when the King felt there his hand In steroppes stythlie can hée vp stand And strake with Spurres his Stéed in hy And hee lanced deliueredly So that the other failÈied feete And nought for thy his hands was yet Under the sterop magre his The third in full greit hy with this Right to
And in hy to the walls ran Iames of Dowglas Menyie than Seazed well hastelie in hand All that they about the Castle fand To their resset syne went their way Thus Thriswaile ished to that essay When Thriswaile vpon this manéere Had ished as I tell you héere Iames of Dowglas and his men Busked them altogidder then And went their way toward the King In great hy for they heard tything That of Wallance Sir Aymery With a full greit Cheualry Both of English and of Scotishmen With greit fellony were ready then Assembled for to séeke the King That was that time with his gaddering In Cummok where it straitest was Hidder went Iames of Dowglas And was right welcome to the King And when hée told had that tithing How that Sir Aymer was command For to hunt him out of the Land With Hounds and Horne right as he were A Wolfe or else a theifes féere Then said the King It may well fall Though hee come and his power all Wée shall abide in this Countrie And if hée comes wée shall him sée The King then spake on this maner And of Wallance then Sir Aymer Assembled a greit company Of Noble men and right worthie Of England and of Louthiane And hée hes also with him tane Iohn of Lorne and all his might That had of worthie men and wight With him aught hunder and ma A Slooth-hound had hée there alswa So good that change would for nothing And some men sayes yet that the King As a traitour him nourisht had And aye so méekle of him made That his owne hands would him féede Hee followed him where euer hée yéede So that the Hound him loued sa Through him he thought the King to ta For he wist that he loued him sa That he would passe no wayes him fra But how that Iohn of Lorne him had I heard neuer no mention made But men said it was certaine thing That he had him in his leading And through him thought the King to ta For he wist that he loued him sa That fra that he might ones féele The Kings Sent he wist right well That he would change it for nothing This Iohn of Lorne hated the King For Sir Cumyng his Emes sake Might he him outher sla or take He would not prise his life a stra But if he vengeance might of him ta How Sir Aymer and Iohn of Loâ—ne Chased the King with Hound and horne THis Wardane then Sir Aymery UUith Iohn of Lorne in company And other of great renoun alswa Sir Thomas Randell was one of tha Came in Cumnok to séeke the King That was well war of their comming And was vp in the strengths then And with him well thrée hundreth men His brother that time with him was And al 's Sir Iames of Dowglas Sir Aymers xout there they saw That held the Plaines and the Law And in haill battell was arrayed The King that no supposing had That they were moe then hee saw there To them and nouther else where Had eye and wrought vnwittily For Iohn of Lorne full craftely Behind thought to supprise the King Therefore with all his gaddering About an Hill hee held his way And held him into Couert aye While he so néere came to the King Ere hee perceiued his comming That hee was at his hand well néere The other Hoste and Syr Aymer Preassed vpon the other party The King was in greit ieopardy That was on either side beset With foes that to sla him thret And the least partie of the two Was starker than the other two And when hee saw them preasse him to Hée thought in hy what was to doe Hee said Lordings wee haue no might At this time for to stand in fight Therefore depart wee vs in thrée So shall wee not all sailyied bée And in three parts hold on your way Syne to his Menyie can hee say Betwixt them into priuitie In what stéede their repaire should bee With that their gate all are they gane And in three partes their way haue tane Iohn of Lorne came to the place Wherefra the King departed was And in his trace the Hound is set That then withoutten longer let Held euen the way efter the King Right as hee had of him knowing And left the other parties twa As hee no Keepe would to them ta And when the King saw his comming Efter his rout into a ling Hée thought hée knew that it was hée Therefore hée said to his Menyie Yee then in thrée depart you soone And they did so withoutten hone And held their wayes in thrée parties The Hound did there so greit Maistresse That hee held aye without changing Efter the rout where was the King ANd when the King hes séene them so All in ane rout efter him goe The way and followed not his men Hee had a greit perceiuing then That they knew him for thy in hy Hee bad his men right hastely Skaill and ilke man holde his way Right by him and so did they By themselfe and sundrie gates are gane And the King hes with him tane A Foster-brother withoutten ma And togedder held their gate they twa The Hound alway followed the King And changed not for no parting But ay followed the Kings trace But wauering as hée passed was And when that Iohn of Lorne saw The Hound so fast efter him draw And followed fast efter them twa Hee knew the King was one of tha And bade fiue of his company That were right wight men and hardy And al 's of foote the spéediest were That they might find among them there Run efter him and him ouerta And let him no wise scape you fra And fra they haue heard his bidding They held their way efter the King And followed him so spéedily That they well soone can him ouerhy How the King slew the fiue men That Iohn of Lorne sent to him then THE King that saw them comming weere Was annoyed in great maner For hée thought if they were hardie They might him trauell and tary And hold him still so tariand While the remnant were at hand But had hée dred but anerly They fiue I trow full sikkerly Hée should not haue full méekle dréed And to his Fellow as hée yéede Hée said thir fiue are fast cummand They are well neere now at our hand Say Is there ony helpe in thée For wée shall soone assailyied bée Yea Sir hee said all that I may Thou sayes well said the King perfay I see them comming to vs néere I will no farther but right héere Abide while I am into aynd And sée what force that they will faynd The King then stood full sturdelie And the fiue men in full greit hy Came with greit shore and manassing And thrée of them went to the King And to his man the other two With Swords in Hand can stoutly goe The King met them that to him sought And to the first sik rout hee rought The Eare and Chéeke downe to the halse Hee
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
might fulfill their will Sla vs and make sembland theretill And sen we know their fellonie Go we and meete them hardelie That the stoutest of their Menyie Of our méeting abased be For gif the formest egerlie Be met ye sall sée suddenlie The hindmest full abased be And though they be far mo than we That should abase vs litle thing For when wee come to the feghting There may méete vs no moe than wée Therefore Lordings ilkane should be Of worship and of greit valour For to maintaine héere our honour Thinke what worship vs abides If that wee may as well betides Haue victorie of our foes here For there is no man far nor néere In all this Land that wée them doubt Then said they all that stood about Sir if GOD will wee shall so doe That no reproofe shall ly vs to Now goe wée foorth then said the King And hee that made of nought all thing Leade vs and saue vs for his might And helpe vs for to hold our right With that they held their way in hy Well sex hundreth in company Stalward and stout worthy and wight But they were all too few I hight Against so feill to stand in stour Were not their outragious valour ¶ Now goes the Noble King his way Right stoutly into good array And to the formest dykes is gane And in the slop the field hes tane The Carage men and the pouerall That were no worth into battaile Behind him leaued hee all still Sitting together vpon an Hill Sir Aymer the King hes séene With his men that were cant and kéene Came to the Plaine downe from the Hill As him thought into full good will For to defend or then assailyie If ony man would come into battailÈie Therefore his men comforted hée And bade them wight and worthie bée For if that they might win the King And haue victorie of that feghting They should greitly rewarded bée And eke greitlie their Renounie With that they were right néere the King And heard well oft his manassing And gart trumpe vp to the assembly With the formest of his Menyie They embraced to them shields brade And right syne together rade With heads stouping and spears straught Right to the King their way they raught That met them with so greit vigour That of the best and most valour Were laid at eird at their méeting Where men might heare sicke a breaking Of speares that too frushed were And the wounded so cry and raire That it annoyous was to heare For they that first assembled were Fonyeed and faught full sturdely The noyse begouth then and the cry O mightie GOD who had there béene And had the Kings worship seene And his brother that was him by That them contained so manfully That their good deed and their bountie Gaue greit comfort to their Menyie And how the Dowglas so manfully Comforted them that was him by Hee should well say they had good will To win honour and come theretill The Kings men so worthie were That with their speares that sharply share They stiked men and Stéeds baith While red blood ran of wounds raith The Horse that stikked were can fling And rushed the folke in their flinging So that they that formost were Were stikked in sloppes here and there The King that saw them rushed so And saw them reilling to and fro Ran vpon them so egerly And dang on them so hardely Hee feill gart of his foes fall The field well neere was couered all Both with slaine Horse and with men For the good King that followed then With fiue hundreth with weapons bare That would nothing their foes spare They dang on them so hardely That in short time men might sée ly At eird an hundreth well and maire The remnant well the weaker were Then they begouth them to withdraw And when they of the Réeregard saw Their Uangard be so discomfite They fled withoutten more respite And when Sir Aymer hes seene His men flying all bedéene Wit yée well hee was full woe But hee could not admonish so That ony for him would turne againe And when hée saw hée tint his paine Hee turned his bridle and to goe For the good King them preassed so For some were dead and some were tane And all the laue thair gate were gane THe folke fled on this maner Withoutten rest and Sir Aymer Againe to Bothwell is hée gane Méenand the skaith that hee hes tane So Shamefullie that hee vanquisht was Then to England in hy hée gaes Right to the King and shamefullie Hée gaue vp all his Wardanerie Nor neuer syne for no kin thing But if hee come right with the King Come hée to wéere into Scotland So heauie tooke hee that in hand That the King into set battell With few folke like a Pouerall Uanquisht him with a greit Menyie That were renouned of greit bountis Sik anger had Sir Aymery And King Robert that was worthie Abade all still into the place While that his men had left the chace Syne with prisoners they had tane They are toward their Innes gane Fast louing GOD of their welfare Hee might haue séene that had béene there Folke that right merrie were and glad For their victorie and al 's they had A King so swéete and debonaire So wise and of so faire affeere So blyth and al 's so well bourdand And in battell so stout to stand So wise and also so worthie That they had great cause blyth to be So were they blyth withoutten doubt For feill that winned thereabout Fra they saw the King vse them sa To him their homage can they ma. Then waxt his power more and waire And he thought well that he would fare Out ouer the Mount with his Menyie To looke who there his friend would be Into Sir Alexander Fraser He traisted for they Cousings were And his brother Simon alswa He had great mister of mony ma For he had foes mony ane Sir Iohn Cumyng Erle of Buchane And Sir Iohn the Mowbray syne And Sir Dauid of Brechine With all the folke of their leading UUere foes to the Noble King And for he wist they were his faes His voyage hitherward he taes For he would sée what kin ending They would make of their menassing THe King busked and made him yare Northward with his men to fare His brother can he with him ta And Sir Gilbert de la Hay alswa The Erle of Lennox al 's was there That with the King was ouer all where Sir Robert Boyde and other mo The King can foorth his wayes go He left Iames of Dowglas UUith all the folke that with him was Behind him for to looke if he Might recouer his owne Countrie He put himselfe in full great perill But eiter in a litle while UUith his great Worship so he wrought That to the Kings peace he brought The Forrest of Eâ—tâ—ik all haill And euen so did he Dowglasdaill And Iedburgh Forrest alswa And who so well on hand would ta To
befell Mony sore point as I heard tell The whilk are not all written here But I wote well that in that yéere Threttéene Castels with strength he wan And ouercame mony a moody man And who of him the sooth would read Had he had measure in his déede I trow that worthier than he In his time might not founden be Except his brother alanerly To whome into good Cheualry I dare compare none was in his day For he led him with measure ay And with wit all his Cheualry He gouerned ay so worthely That he full oft vnlikly thing Brought right well to a good ending How Iames Dowglas tooke Thomas Randell And Alexander Stewart as I heard tell IN all that time Iames of Dowglas Into the Forrest ay trauelling was And it through hardement and slight Occupied all magre the might Of his feill foes the whilk thay Set him oft syes in hard assay But oft through wit and through bountie His purpose to good end brought he Into that time himselfe through cace One night as he trauelling was And thought to haue had his resting In a house by the Water of Lynâ— And as he came with his Menyie Neere hand the house so listned he And heard their Sawes euerilke deill And he by that perceiued well That they were strange men that there That night in that house harbred were And as he thought so fell through cace For of Bonkill the Lord there was Alexander Stewaâ—t heght he With other two of great bountie Thomas Randell of great Renoun And also Adam of Gordoun That came there with great companie And thought in the Forrest to lie And occupie it with all their might And with trauell and stalward fight To chase Dowglas from that Countrie But otherwise all yéed the glée When Iames of Dowglas had witting And al 's to him there came tyding That strange men had tane harberie Into the place where he shupe to lie He to that place past hastelie Both he and all his companie And vmbeset the house about When they within heard sik a rouf About the house they raise in hy And tooke their geare right hastely And came foorth fra the haruest were Their foes them met with weapons bare And them assailyied right hardelie And they defended doughtelie With all their might while at the last Their foes preassed them so fast That their folke failed them ilkane Thomas Randell there was tane And Alexander Stewart alswa Wounded into one place or twa Adame of Gordoun fra the fight What through strength and what through slight Escaped and al 's seire of their men But they that were arreisted then Were of their taking wonder wa But néedlings them behooude be sa That night good Iames of Dowglas Made to Sir Alexander that was His Emes sonne right gladsome chéere So did he al 's withoutten wéere To Thomas Randell for that he Was to the King in néere degrée Of blood for his sister him bare And on the morne withoutten maire Toward the noble King he rade And with him both the two he had The King of that present was blyth And thanked him thereof feill syth And to his Neuoy can he say Thou hes a whyle renounâ—d thy fay But now recounsailde thou mon be Then to the King answered he And said ye chastie me but ye Ought better for to chastyed be For sen ye weirrayed the King Of England into plaine feghting Ye sould preasse to direnye you right With might and not yet with slight The King said yet fall it may Ere it be long to sik assay But sen thou speakes so rudely It is great reason that men chasty Thy proud words while that thou knaw The right and duerie that thou aw The King without more delaying Sent him to be in firme keeping UUhere that he a whyle sall be Nought all vpon his owne poustie How the King at Gleclabâ—n Discomfist Iohn of Lornes men WHen Thomas Randel on this wise Was taken as I here deuise And sent to dwell in firme kéeping For his speech he spake to the King The King that thought vpon the skaith The despite and the velanie baith That Iohn of Lorne had to him doone His â—ist assembled hée alsoone And toward Lorne hée tooke the way With all his men in good array But Iohn of Lorne of his comming Long ere hée came had good witting And men on ilke side gathered hée I trow two thousand they might bée And sent them for to stop the way Where the good King behooued to ga Clochmabanie heght that mountaine I trow that into all Britaine A higher Hill may not founden bée There Iohn of Lorne gart his menyie Enbushed bee aboue the way If the King held that gait perfay Hée thought hée should soone vanquisht be And himselfe held him on the sea Well neere the place with his Gaillayes But the King that at all assayes Was founden wise and right wittie Perceiued well their subtiltie And him houed that gaite to goe His men departed hée in two And that to the good Lord of Dowglas In whom all vertue winning was Hée taught his Archers euerilkane And the good Lord hes with him tane Sir Alexander the Phraser wight And William Wiseman a good Knight And with them then Sir Andro Gray That with their Menyie held their way And clambe the Hill deliuerly And ere they of the other party Perceiued them they had ilkane The hight abone their foes tane The King and his men held their way And when into the place were they Entred the folke of Lorne in hy Upon the King raised the cry And shot and tumbled on them stanes Both greit and heauie for the nanes But they skaithed not greitly the King For hee had there in his leading Men that light and deliuered were And light armour vpon them bare So that they stoutly clambe the Hill And stopped their foes to fulfill The most part of their fellony And al 's vpon the other party Came Iames of Dowglas and his rouâ— And shot vpon them with a shout And wounded themwith arrows fast And with their Swords at the last They rushed among them hardely But they of Lorne full manfully Greit and a peart defence can ma. But when they saw that they were sa Assailyied vpon two parties And saw well that their enemies Had all the fairer of the fight In full greit hy they tooke the flight And they a felloun chase can ma And slew all that they might ouerta And they that might escape perfay Right to a Water held their way That ran downe by the Hilles side That was so straite so déepe and wide That men on no wise might it passe But at a Brig that narrow was To that Brig held they fast their way And to breake it can fast assay â—ut they them chased when they them saw Make their a rest but dread or aw They rushed vpon them hastelie And discomfist them vtterlie And held the Brig haile while the King With all
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
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
Scottishmen in that feghting So apertlie and well them bare That all their foes rushed were And they haillie the flight hes tane In the battell were taken and slaine All haill the floure of Wollistar The Erle of Murray greit prise had there For his right worthie Cheualrie Comforted all his companie This was a well faire beginning For newlings at their arriuing In plaine feght they discomfist there These folke that aye foure for ane were Syne to Craigfergus are they gane And in the towne hes Innes tane The Castell new was stuffed then Right well with vittaill and with men Thereto they set a Siege in hy And mony ishe full apertlie Made was while the Siege there lay While truce at the last tooke they When that the folke of Wollister To his peace hailly commen were Then Sir Edward would take on hand To ride farthermore in the land The withletting of the passe of Endnellane ANd of the Kings of that Countrie There came to him and made fewtie Well ten or twelue as I heard say But they hold him short while perfay For two of them one Makgoulchane And another heght Macarthane Umbeset him into his way Where him behooued of néed to ga With two thousand men with Speares And al 's mony of their archers And all the Cattell of the land Were driuen hidder to warrand Men called that place Endnellane In all Ireland straitter is nane For thy Sir Edward there kept they And thought he should not passe that way But hée his voyage straight hes tane And euen toward the place is gane The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas That first put him to all assayes Hee lighted on foote with his MenÈie And apertlie the place tooke hee The Irish King I spake of aire That in the place embushed were Met him sull stoutlie But hée Assailed so with his MenÈie That magre theirs hée wan the place Slaine of their foes full mony was Throughout the Wood then chased they And seezed in sik aboundance the Prey That all the folke of their Host were Refreshed well an wéeke or mair At Kylsagart Sir Edward lay And there well soone hée hes heard say That at Dondalke was an assemblie Made of the Lords of that Countrie In Host they were assembled there There was first Richard of Clare That in all Ireland Lieuetenand Was to the King of England The Erle of Desmound al 's was there And the Erle also of Kildar The Bryane eke and the Wardane That were Lords of greit Renoun The Butler also there was And when Sir Morise le fitz Thomas That with their men were commen there A right greit Host forsooth they were And when Sir Edward wist surelie That there was sik a Cheualrie In hy his Host hée gart array And hidderward hée tooke his way And néere the towne tooke his Harbrie But for hee wist right perfitelie That in the towne were mony men His battells hee arrayed then And stood arrayed in battaile To keepe them if they would assaile The battell of Dondalk in Ireland That Sir Edward tooke with his hand ANd when that Sir Richard of Clare And other Lords that were there With that the Scottishmen so were neere With their battells comming were They tooke to counsell that at night For it was late they would not fight But on the morne in the morning Well soone efter the Sun-rising They should ishe foorth all that there were Therefore that night they did no maire But Harbred them on another partie That night the Scots companie Were watched right well at al their might And on the morne when day was light In two battells they them arrayed And stood with Baners in hand displayed For the Battell all readie bowne And they that were within the towne When the Sun was risen shinning cleare Send foorth of them that with them were Fiftie to see the conteening Of Scottishmen and their comming And they rade foorth and saw them soone Syne come againe withoutten hone And when that they all lighted were Then told they to their Lords there That Scottishmen seemed to be Worthie and of right great bountie But they are not withoutten weere Halfe deill a Denner to vs are here The Lords had of that tiding Great ioy and great recomforting And gart men through the Citie cry That all sould arme them hastelie When they were armed and puruayed And for the fight all haill arrayed Then went they foorth in good array Syne with their foes assembled they That keeped them right hardelie The stour began then cruellie For at her partie set all their might To rush their foes into that fight And with all paine on other dang That stalward stour lasted well lang That men might not perceiue nor sée Who most there at abone sould be For fra soone efter the Sun rising Till efter mid-noone the feghting Lasted into sik a dout But then Sir Edward that was stout With all them of his companie Shot vpon them so sturdelie That they might thole no more the fight All in a frush they tooke the flight And they followed full egerlie Into the toun all commonlie They entred both Intermelle There men might felloun slaughter sée For the right Noble Erle Thomas That with his rout followed the chase Made sik slaughter into the toun And so felloun Decisioun That all the Rewes bloodie were Of slaine men that were lying there The Lords were gotten all away And when the toun as I heard say Was through great force of feghting tane And all their foes fled or slaine They harbred them within the toun Where of vittaile was sik fusioun And so great aboundance of wine That the good Erle had dout therein That of their men sould drunken be And make in drunkennesse some melle Therefore he made of wine Lewerie To ilk man that he payed sould be And they had all inough perfay That night right well at ease were thay And right blyth of the great honour That them befell for their valour The third battell in Ireland That good Sir Edward tooke on hand EFter this fight they soiournde there Into Dondalk thrée daies or maire Then tooke they Southerward their way Erle Thomas rade before them ay And as they rade through the Countrie They might vpon the hilles see So mony men it was ferly And when the Erle would sturdelie Dresse him to them with his Baner They would flee all that euer they were So that in fight not one would byde And they foorth on their wayes did ryde While to a great Forrest came they Kylros it heght as I heard say And they tooke all their harbrie there In all this time Richard of Clare That was the Kings Lieuetenand Of all the barnage of Ireland An great Oast there assembled had That was fiue battells great and brade And Sir Edward and his men Well néere him were they commen then He gote soone witting that they were In haill battell comming néere His men addressed he them againe And gart them stoutlie
made him yare Into the Iles for to fare Walter Stewart with him tooke he His Maich and with him great Menyie And other men of great Noblay To the Tarbarts they tooke their way In Gaillayes ordainde for their fare But them worthed their ships draw there And a mile was betwixt the seas And that is loned all with trees The King his shippes there gart draw And for the wind can stoutlie blaw Upon their backe as they can ga He gart men Masts and rapes ma And set them in the shippes hie And Sailes to the toppes tie And gart men gang there by drawing The wind them helped that was blawing So that into a litle space Their flote all there ouer drawne was And when they that in the Iles were Heard tell how that the good King there Gart his shippes with Sailes gee Out ouer betwixt the Tabarts two They were abased alluterlie For they wist through old Prophecy That hée that should gar shippes so Betwixt the seas with Sailes goe Should win the Iles so to hand That none with strength should him withstand Therefore they came all to the King Durst none gainstand his bidding Ouertooke â—ohn of Lorne allane But well soone efter hée was tane And presented right to the King And they that were of his leading That to the King haue broken fay Were all destroyed and dead away This Iohn of Lorne the King hes tane And sent him foorth to Dumbartane A while in prison for to bée Syne to Lochleuen sent was hee Where hée was long time in fasting I trow hée made therein ending The King when all the Iles were Brought to his liking lesse and maire All that season there dwelt hée At Hunting and at game and glée Lord Dowglas with battell plaine Reskewed the Prey and brought againe WHen the King vpon this maner Hee daunted the Iles as I tell here The good Sir Iames Dowglas Into the Forrest dwelling was Defending doughtelie the Land That time in Bâ—rwicke was winnand Edmound of Calhow a Gascoun Hée was a Knight of greit Renoun And into Gasconyie his Countrie Lord of greit Senyeorie was hée And had then Berwick in kéeping Hée made a priuie gaddering And gote him a greit companie Of wight men armed jolelie All the nether end of Teuidall Hée preyed into him all haill And of the Mers a greit partie Syne toward Barwicke went in hy Sir Adam of Gordoun that then Was becommen Scottishman Saw them driue so away his fee And weind they whéene were for that hée Saw but the fléeing skaill perfey And them that seezed on the Prey That to Sir Iames of Dowglas In full greit hy the way he â—aes And told how Englishmen their Prey Had tane and syne were went away Toward Berwicke with all their fée And said they wheene were and if hee Would speed him hee should well lightly Win them and rescue all the Ky Sir Iames soone gaue his assent To follow them and foorth is went And followed them in full greit hy And came well neâ—re them hastelie For ere they might fullie see They came well neere with their Menyie But then both forray and the staill UUere knit into a sop all haill Bot knaues swaines that had no might For to stand into field to fight Before them gart they driue the Ky They were a right faire companie And all togidder in a staill The Dowglas saw their lump all haill And saw them of so good conuyne And that they were so mony syne That they for one of his were two Lordings hee said sen it is so That wée haue chaist on sik manéere That wée are now commen so neere That wée may not eschew the fight But if wée fullie take the flight Let ilke man of his life then méene And how wee mony times haue béene In greit thrang and commen well away Thinke wée to doe right so this day And take wée of this Foord héere by Our auantage for in greit hy They shall come on vs for to fight Get we then will and strength and might For to méete them right hardelie And with that word full hastelie Hée hes displayed his Banéere For his foes were comming neere And when they saw they were so wheene They thought all was their owne bedeene And assembled full hardelie Their men might see them feght fellie And a right cruell melle make And mony strakes gaue and take The Dowglas there right hard was stad But the greit hardement that hee had Comforted them on sik a wise That no man thought on Cowardise But faught so fast with all their maine That they feill of their foes haue slaine And though they were full mony moe Then they yet them they demained so That Edmund de Callok was dead Through Dowglas right in that ilke stead And all the laue fra this was doone Were all haill discomfist soone And they that chased some hes slaine And turned the Preyes haill againe The hardest feghting this was That euer the good Lord Dowglas Was in and of so few Menyie For had not beene his greit bountie That slew their Chiftaine in the fight His men to dead had beene all dight But hée had into custome ay When euer hee came to hard assay Hée preassed the Chiftane for to sla And heerefore hope I that hée did sa That gart him haue victorie full syse When Sir Edmund vpon this wise Was dead the good Lord Dowglas To the Forrest his way he tayes His foes greatly can him dread The word sprang far of his manhead So that in England néere there by Men spake of it right commonly How Iames of Dowglas slew Newel That vowed to meete him in battell SIr Robert Newell at that tide Winned in Barwike there beside The Marches where the Lord Dowglas In the Forrest repairing was And had him in full great enuy And for â—he saw him so manfully Make his bounds ay more and maire He heard the folke that with him were Speake of the Lord Dowglas might And how he forcie was in fight And how him oft fell faire Fortoun He wraithed him thereat full soone And said what wéene ye is there nane That euer is woorth but he allane Ye set him as he were but Péere But I avow before you héere Gif euer he come into this land He sall find me néere at his hand And gif I euer his Banéere May sée displayed vpon wéere I sall assemble it but dout Although ye hold him neuer so stout Of this avow soone Bodword was Brought to Sir Iames of Dowglas That said gif he will hold his heght I sall doe so he sall haue feght Of me and of my company Yet or oght long well néere him by His retinue then gaddered he That were good men of great bountie And to the March in good array Upon a night he tooke the way So that in the morning earely He was with all his companie Before Barwike and there he made Men to display his Baner brade And
Southward in the land And right to Lynrike held their way That is the Southmest towne perfay That in all Ireland may founden bee There lay hée dayes two or thrée And busked syne againe to fare And when that they all readie were The King hes heard a woman cry Hee asked what was that in hy It is a Lauender Sir said ane That her child-euill héere hes tane And mon leaue now behind you here Therefore shée makes yone euill cheare The King said Certes it were pitie That shée in that time left should bée For I trow Certes there is no man But hée will rew of Women then His Host then all arested hée And gart a tent soone stented bée And gart her gang in hastelie And other Women bée her by While shée deliuered was hée bade And syne foorth on his wayes rade And how shee foorth should caried bée Ere euer hée fure ordained hee This was a right greit courtesie To sik a King and so mightie That gart his men dwell on sik maner Only for a poore Lauender Againe Norward they tooke their way Through all Ireland then passed they Through all Connoch to Deviline Through all Mich and Irrelle syne Through Monaster and Lawester And syne hailly through all Vlsister To Craigfergus without battell For there was none durst him assaile The Kings of the Irishrie Came to Sir Edward haillelie And all manrent can to him ma But if that it were one or twa To Craigfergus they came againe Into that way was no bargane But if it ony Skirmish were That is not for to speake of héere The Irish Kings euerilkane Then home to their repaire are gane And vndertooke in all kin thing For to obey to the bidding Of Sir Edward that their King called they Hée was well set now in good way To conquesse the land haillelie For hée had now on his partie The Irishry and all Vlsister And hée was so foorth on his Wéere That hée hes past through all Ireland From end to end through strength of hand Could hée haue gouerned him with skill And followed not too fast his will But with measure haue led his déed It was well like withoutten dréed That hée might haue conqueissed well The land of Ireland euerilk deill And his outrageous succudry And will that more was then hardy Of purpose letted him perfay As hereafter I shall you say How Dowglas slew Richmond syne at meat In battell their harbreours serued in seat NOw leaue wee here the Noble King All at ease and his lyking And speake wée of the Lord Dowglas That left to kéepe the Marches was Hee gart get Wrights that were slee And in the hawgh of Lyntalle Hee gart them make a faire maner And when the House bigged were Hée gart puruay him right well there For hée thought to make an Infare And to make good cheare to his men In Richemond there was winning then An Erle that called was Sir Thomas Hée had enuy at the Dowglas And said If that hée his Baner Might sée displayed vpon wéere That soone on it assemble should hee Hée heard how Dowglas thought to bée At Lyntalle a feast to ma. And hee gat witting well alswa That the King and a greit MenÈie Were passed then off the Countrie And the Erle of Murrray Thomas Therefore hée thought the Countrie was Feele of men for to withstand Men that them sought with stalwart hand And of the Marches then had hée The Gouernance and the paustie Hée gaddered folke about him then While hee was well ten thousand men And Wood axes gart them take For hée thought hee and his men would make To hew downe Iedburgh Forrest cléene That no trée should therein bée séene They held them foorth vpon their way And the good Lord Dowglas that ay Had spyes out on euerilke side Got good witting that they would ride And come vpon them suddenlie Then gaddered hée right hastelie Them that he might of his Menyie I trow that then with him had he Fiftie that worthy were and wight And at all point armed and dight And of Archers a great Menyie Assembled al 's with him had he A place then was there in the way Where he wist well that passe would they That had wood vpon ather side The entrie was well large and wide And as a Shield it narrowed ay UUhile that into a place the way UUas not a penniestane-cast of bread The good Lord Dowglas hidder yéed When he wist they were néere cummand In to a Cleugh on the one hand All his Archers enbushed he And bade they sould hold them priuie Ay while they heard them raise the cry And then sould they shoot hardely Among their foes and saile them saire While that he through them passed were And then with him hold foorth sould they Then byrkes on ather side the way That young and thick were growing néere They knit tegether on sik manéere That men might not well through them ride UUhen this was done he can abide Upon the other side of the way And Richemond in good array Came ryding in the first Eshell The Lord Dowglas hes séene him well And gart his men all hold them still While at their hand they came them till And entred in the narrow way Then with a shout on them set they And cried on high Dowglas Dowglas And Richemond that right worthie was When he had heard so rise the cry And Dowglas Baner saw plainely He dressed him hidderwards in hy And they came on so bardely That through them haue they made their way All that they met to eird dang they The Richemond borne downe there was And soone arested him Dowglas And him reuersed with a knife And in that place he left his life An Hat vpon his Helme he bare And that tooke Dowglas with him there In takinning that it forced was And syne in hy his wayes taes While in the UUood they entred were The Archers well hes tane them there For well and hardely shot they The Englishmen in great affray UUere set for Dowglas suddenly With all them of his company Ere euer they wist was in their rout And thirled them well néere throughout And had almost done his dead Ere they to help them could take héede And when they saw their Lord was slaine They tooke him vp and turned againe To draw them fra the shot away Then in a Plaine assembled they And for their Lord that then was dead They shupe them in that ilk stead For to take harbry all that night And then the Dowglas that was wight Gat wit that a Clerke Eleis UUith well three hundreth enemies All straight to Lyntalle were gane And harbrie for their Oast had tane Then hidder is he went in hy With all them of his companie And found Clerke Eleis at the meat And all his rout about him set And they came on them stoutlie there And with swords that sharplie share They serued them full egerlie They were slaine downe so haillelie That well
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
their will thought they And armed men downe with them send Them at the UUater to defend The Lord Dowglas hes séene their fare And men that right well horsed were And armed a great company Behind the battell priuily He gart hower to abide their comming And when he made to them tokenning They sould come pricking fast and sla With speares all that they might ouerta Donald of Mar their Chiftane was And Archibald with him of Dowglas The Lord Dowglas toward them rade And a gowne on his arming had And trauersed alwayes vp againe Them néere his battell for to traine And they that drunken had of wine Came ay vp endlang in a line While that the battels came so néere That arrowes fallen among them were Robert of Ogill a good Squyar Came pricking on a good Coursar And on the archers cried againe Ye wate not who makes you that traine It is the Lord Dowglas that will Of his playes ken some you till When they heard speake of the Dowglas The hardiest man effrayed was And againe turned haillely His taken then he made in hy And the folke that enbushed were So stoutly pricked on them there That well thrée hundreth haue they slaine And to the UUater home againe The remanand all can they chase Sir William of Erskin that was New made Knight the samine day UUell horsed into good array Chased with others that were there So far-foorth that his horse him bare Among the lumpe of Englishmen And with strong hand he was taken then But of him well soone change was made Of other men that they taken had Fra their English archers were slaine Their folke rade to their Oast againe And right so did the Lord Dowglas And when that he repaired was They might among their foes sée Their Pauillions soone stented be Then they perceiued soone in hy That they that night would take harbry And shape to doe no more that day Therefore them also harbred they And stented Pauillions soone in hy Tents and Lugges al 's there by They gart make and set all on raw That day two new things they saw That before in Scotland had bene nane Tymbres for Helmes was the ane That them thought then of great bountie And also wonder for to sée The other Craikes were for wéere That they before had neuer éere Of thir two things they had ferlie That night they watched stalwardlie The most part of them armed lay While on the morne that it was day THe Englishmen then vmbethought Upon what maner that they mought Gar the Scots leaue their auantage For they thought folie and outrage To gang vp to them to assaile Them at their strength in plaine battaile Therefore of good men a thousand Armed on horse both foot and hand They sent before their foes to be Enbushed into a valley And shupe their battell as they would Upon them to the feghting hald For they thought Scotsmen of sik will That they might not hold them still For they knew them of sik courage That they sould leaue strength auantage And meete them in the field plainely Then should their bushment hastely Behind breke on them at the backe So thoght theywel they sould them wrack And make them to repent their play Their enbushment fooorth sent they And them enbushed priuily And on the morne some deill airly Into the Host soone trumped they And gart their battells brade array And held toward the Water right And well arrayed for to fight The Scottishmen that saw them sa Bowne on their best wise can them ma. And in their battell well arrayed With Baners to the wind displayed They left their strength and all plainely To feght they shupe them hastely In al 's good maner as they mought Right as their foes before had thought But the Lord Dowglas that ay where Set out watches héere and there To wit of their enbushment Then in greit hy soone is hee went Before the battalls and sturdelie Hée bade ilk man turne them in hy Right as they stood them turned hee so Up to the Strength hée bade them go So that no let bee therein made And they did as they bidding had Then turned they with méekle paine While to their strength they came againe And stood ready to giue battaile If their foes would them assaile When Englishmen hes séene them so Toward their strength againe vp go They cried hie they flée away Sir Iohn of Henault said perfay Yone fléeing is right Tragedie Their armed men behind I sée And their Baners so that they there Shall turne them as they standing were And bee arrayed for the fight If ony would them preasse with might They haue seene our enbushment And againe to their strength are went Yone folke are gouerned wittelie For hée that leades them is worthie For auise wit and wisedome To gouerne the Empire of Rome This spake that worthie Knight that day And the enbushment so that they Saw that they so discouered were Toward their Host againe they fare And the battels of Englishmen When they saw that they failÈied then Of their purpose to their Harbrie They went and ludged them in hy On either halfe right so did they They made no more debate that day WHen they that day ouerdriuen had Fires in greit fusion they made Al 's soone as night fallen was Then the good Lord of Dowglas That spied had a place there by That two myle hine where most trustly The Scottishmen might harbrie ta And defend them better alswa Then els into ony place them by It was a Parke that haillely Was â—nnuoned about with wall It was neere full of trees all But a greit Plaine into it was Hidder thought the Lord Dowglas By night all their Host to bring Therefore without more dwelling They bet their fires and made them yarâ— And syne togidder foorth can fare And to the Parke without tinsall They came and harbred them all haill Upon the water and al 's néere To it as they before were And on the morne when it was day The English Host missed away The Scottishmen and had ferlie And gart Discurreours hastely Passe to sée where they were away And by their fires perceiued they That they in the Parke of Wardaill Had gart harbry their Host all haill Therefore their Host but more abade Busked and euen anent them rade On other side the Water of Weere Gart stint their Pauiliouns all néere As of before stinted were they Eight dayes on this wise they lay That Englishmen durst not assaile The Scottishmen in plaine battaill For strength of eird that they had there There was ilke day justing of wéere And skirmishing full apartly And men tane on either party And they that tane were on ane day On another changed were they But other deedes were not done That greitlie heere are for to mone While it fell on the ninth day The Lord Dowglas hes spied a way How that hee might about them ride And come on them at the Forrest side
maner Haue double pleasure in hearing The first is their pleasant carping The other is their soothsastnesse That shewes the thing right as it wee And soothfast things that are likand To mens hearing are pleasand Therefore I would faine set my will If my wit might suffice theretill To put in write a soothfast storie That it may last in memorie Sa that no length of time may let Nor gar it hailly be forÈet For ald Stories that men reides Represents to them their deides Of stalward folk that liued air Right as they then present wair And certes they sould weill haue prise That in thair time were wicht and wise And led thair life in great trauell And oft intill hard stoure of battell Wan richt greit praise of Cheualrie And was voyde of all Cowartrie As was King Robert of Scotland That hardy was of hart and hand And gude Schir Iames of Dowglas That in his time sa worthie was That of his praise and his bountie In sindrie lands honour wan he Of tham I thinke this buke to ma. Now God of grace that I may swa Treit it and bring it to gude ending That I say nocht but suithfast thing QUhen Alexander the King was deid That Scotland had to steir and leid The land sex Èeires and mair perfay Lay desolate efter his day Till all the Barouns at the last Assemblit them and that full fast To cheis a King the land to steir That of the ancestrée cummin weir Of Kings that had that Royaltie And had most richt their King to be But Inuy that is so felloun Maid among them dissensioun For some wold haue the Balliol King For he was cummin of the ofspring Of hir that eldest sister was Uther sum contrary it that cais And said that he there King sould be That was of al 's neir degre And cummin was of the first Male And of Branches Collaterale They said succession of Kinrike Was not till lower state alike For there micht not succeid a Female Quhill foundin micht be ony Male That were in lyne euen descendand They beir all vther wayes in hand For then the nixt cummin of their seid Man or woman sould succeid By this ressoun the Lords thocht haill That the Lord of Annandaill Robert the Bruce Earle of Carrik Aught to succeid to the Kinrik THe Barons thus were in discord And on no maner micht accord Till at the last they all accordit That all their speich sould be recordit To Schir Edward of England King And he sould sweir but fenÈeing He sould as arbiter declair Of the two that I tould of air Quho sould succeid to sit on hicht And let him Regne that had the richt This Ordinance they thocht the best For at that time was peace and rest Betwixt Scotland and England baith That they could not perceiue the skaith That toward them was appearand For why the King of England Held such friendship and companie With their King that was worthie They trow'd that he as good nighbour And as friendfull Compositour Wold haue iudged in leele Lawtie But otherwise yeed all the glie A Folke blinded full of great follie Had ye bethought once earnestlie What perill to you might appeare Ye had not wrought in that maneare Had ye tane keepe how that this King Alwayes withoutten fainyéeing Trauell'd for to win Senyeorie And through his might did occupie Lands that were to him marchand As Wales was and all Ireland That he put into such thirlage That they that were of hie Parage Should run on foot as Ribalds all When he would anie folke assaile Durst none of Wales in battell ride Nor yet fra Euen fell abide Castle nor walled towne within But he should lith and limmes tine Into sik thirlage them led he Whome he ou'rcame with his poustie Ye might sée he should occupie Through slight that he might not through mastrie Had ye tanâ— kéepe what was thirlage And had considred his vsage That gripped ay but gane giuing Ye should withoutten his denying Haue chosen you a King that might Haue holden well your Land at right Wales ensample might haue beene To you had ye it well foreséene And wise men say he is happie That will therein himselfe chastie For vnfaire things may fall perfay The morne as they did yesterday But ye trusted into lawtie As simple folke but subtiltie Anâ— wist not what might after tide For in the world that is so wide As none determinatly that shall Know ony thing that 's for to fall For GOD that is of most Poustis Reseru'd it to his Maiestie For to know in his Prescience Of things to come the contingence IN this maner assented were The Barons as I said you aire And through their owne haill consent Messengers to him they went Then to the holie land boun was he To Saracens to wéere surely And fra he wist what charge they had He busked him but more abade And to England againe is gane And left the purpose that he had tane And syne to Scotland word sent he That they should make an assemblie And he in hie should come to do In all thing as they write him to But he thotht weill throw their debait That he sould slely find sum gait How that he all the SenÈory Throw his greit micht sould occupy And to Robert the Bruce said he Gif thou will hald in cheif of me For euermore and thine ofspring I sall do so thou sall be King Schir he said so God me saif The Kinrik Èarne I nocht to haif But gif it fall of richt to me And gif God will that it so be I sall al 's frely in all thing Hold it as longes to a King Or as myne Elders before me Held it in freast Royaltie The vther wryit him and swair That he sould neuer haue it mair And turnit him in wraith away But Schir Iohn Ballioll perfay Assentit sone till all his will Quherethrow efter fell mekill ill He was King but a litill quhyle Quhen throw greit subtiltie and gyle For litill enchesoun or for nane He was arreistit and syne tane And degradit fine was he Of honour and of dignitie Quhether that it was wrong or richt God wait it that is most of micht QUhen Schir Edward the michty King Had on this wayes done his liking With Iohn the Ballioll that so sone Was all degrad and it vndone To Scotland went he then in hy And all the land can occupy So haill that both Castell and Toun Were all in his possessioun From Weik anent Orknay To Mulesnuke in Galloway And stuffit all with Englishmen Schireffs and Bailleis made he then And all kin vther Officers That to gouerne the land affeires He made of Inglis Natioun Then worthit they so feirs and felloun And so wickit and so greuous So heuy and so couetous That Scottismen micht do nothing That euer micht pleis to their likingâ— Their wyfes wold they oftly by And their doughters despiteously And gif ony thereat
and other moe That his partie were holdand Were tane and led into England Were put into felloun prisoun And how good Christall of Setoun Was slaine gréeting shée told the King That was sorrowfull of that tithhing And said when hée had thought a thraw The words that I shall to you shaw Alace hée said for loue of mee And for their méekle léele lawtie They Noble men and they worthie Are destroyed so villanouslie But if I liue in liege poustie Their death right soone shall venged bée Yea whether the King of England Thought that the Kinrike of Scotland Was all too litle for him and mée Therefore I will it mine all bee But of good Christall of Setoun That was so worthie of Renowne That hée should die were greit pitie Where ony worship might préeud bée THe King thus sighing made his mane And the Lady her leaue hes tane And syne went home to her winning And feill syes comfort shee the King Both with siluer and with meate Sik as shee in the land might get And hee oft ryoted the land And made all his that euer he fand And syne he drew him to the hight To stint better his foes might In that time was the Percie With a full simple companie In Turnâ—berise Castle yet lying For the King Robert sore dréeding That hee durst not ish foorth to fare Fra thyne to the Castle of Aire That was then full of Englishmen But lay lurking in a Den While the men of Northumberland Should come armed with strong hand And conduct him to his Countrie For to them send his Poist hath hée And they in hy assembled then Passing attour a thousand men And asked counsell them amang Whether that they should dwell or gang But they were stonisht wonder saire So far in Scotland for to fare For a Knight Sir Gawter de Lile Said it was too greit perill So néere these Souldiers to goe His spéech discomforted them so That they had left all the voyage Were not a Knight of greit courage That Sir Roger of Sainct Iohn hight That them comforted with his might And sic words can to them say That they together held their way To Turnebery where the Percy Lap on and went with them in hy In England his owne Castle till Without distroublance or more ill Now in England is Percy Where I trow he a while shall ly Or that hée shape him for to fare To weirray Carrik ony mare For hee wist that he had no right And al 's hee dred the Kings might That in Carrik was dwelland In the most strengths of that Land ¶ Where Iames of Dowglas on a day Came to the King and can him say Sir with your leaue I would goe sée How that they doe in my Countrie And how my men demained are For it annoyes mee wonder sare That the Cliffurde so peaceably Brookes and holds the Senyeory That should be mine with all kin right But while I liue if I haue might To lead a Yeaman or a swane Hée shall not brooke it but bargaine The King said Certes I cannot see How that yee yet may sikker bee Into that Countrie for to fare While Englishmen so mightie are And thou wat not who is thy friend Hee said Sir needlesse I will wend And take the auenture God will giue Whether it bee to die or liue The King said Sen that thou wilt so And sik a yarning hes to goe Thou shalt passe foorth with my blessing And if thee happens ony thing That annoyous or skaithfull bee I pray thee speed thee soone to mee Take wee together what euer may fall I grant hee said and therewithall He louted and his leaue hes tane And is toward the Countrie gane The first winning of the Castle of Dowglas NOw takes Iames his voyage Toward Dowglas his heritage With two men withoutten ma This was a simple store to ta Castle or land of wéere to win But fast he yarned to begin To bring his purpose to ending And good helpe lies in beginning For good beginning and hardie Gif it be followed wittilie May gar oft syes vnliklie thing Come to right good and fair ending So did he here for he was wise And saw he might not on no wise Wearie his foe with euen might Therefore he thought to worke with slight In Dowglasdaill his owne Countrie Upon an Euening entred he And then a man winned thereby That was of frends right mighty And rich of monie and of Cattell And had bene to his father léell And to himselfe in his Youthhead Had done mony a thankfull déed Thomas Diksoun was his name perfay To him he send and can him pray That he would come allanerlie For to speake with him priuilie And but danger to him he gaes But when he told him what he was He grat for ioy and for pitie And him right to his house had he Where in a chamber priuilie He held him and his companie That none of him had perceiuing And meat and drinke and other thing That might them ease they had plentie So wrought they with their subtiltie That all the leele men of the land That with his Father were dwelland This good man gart come one and one And make him manâ—ent euerilkone And he himselfe first homage made Dowglas in heart great gladnesse had That the good men of his Countrie Would this wise to him bounden be He spéered the conuéene of the land And who the Castle had in hand And they him told all haillelie And syne among them priuilie They ordainde that he still sould be In hiddles and in priuitie Till Palmesunday that was néere hand The third day after followand For then the folke of that Countrie Assembled at the Kirk would be And they that in the Castle were Wold al 's be there their Palmes to beare As folke that had no dréed of ill For they thought all was at their will Then sould he come with his two men Before that folke sould not him ken He sould a mantle haue old and bare And a flaile as he a Taâ—ker were Under the mantle not for thy He sould be armed priuilie And when the men of his Countrie That sould all boun before him be His Ensenyie might heare him crie Then sould they all right enforcedly Right in mids the Kirke assaill The Englishmen with hard battaill So that none might escape them fra For therethrough trowed they to ta The Castle that beside was néere And when this that I tell you here Was deuised and vndertane Ilkone home to his house is gane And held this speake in priuitie Untill the day of their assemblie How Dowglas in Sanct Brydes Kirke With the Englishmen can wirke THE folke vpon the Palmesunday Held to Saint Brydes Kirk their way And they that in the Castle were Ished out both lesse and maire And went their Palmes for to beare Except a Cooke and a Porter Iames of Dowglas of their comming And what they were had good witting And sped him to
and mo A great stone then by him saw he That through the great mauitie Was lowsed readie for to fall And when he saw them comming all He tumbled downe on them the stane And eight men therewith hath he slaine And so astoneyed the remnand That they were neere all retéerand Then would hee prison hold no maire But on them ran with sword all baire And hewed and slew with all his maine While hee had nyne and fourtie slaine The Constable syne can hée ta And gart him sweare that hée should ga To King Eteocles and tell The auentures that them befell TYDEVS bare him doughtelie That ouercame him allane fiftie Yée that this reades judge yee Whether that more should praised bee The King that with his auisement Under tooke sik hardement As to stynt him allone but feare The folke that fully two hundreth were Or Tydeus that suddenly Fra they had raised on him the cry Through hardement that they had tane Wan fiftie men all him alane They did their déede both in their night And faught both with the Moones light But the King hée discomfit ma And Tydeous the ma can sla Now déeme yee whidder more louing Should Tydeus haue or the doughtie King IN this maner as I haue told The King that stark was stout and bold Was feghting on the Foordes side Giuing and taking routes red While hee sik martyrdome had made That hée the Foord all stopped had That none of them might to him ryde Then thought they folly for to byde And haillelie the flight can ta And went homeward where they came fra Then the Kings men with the cry Wakned and full frayedlie Came for to séeke the Lord the King The Galloway men heard their comming They fled and durst no longer byde The Kings men that dreading were that tyde For their King full spéedilie Came to the Foorde and syne in hy They found the King sitting allane And had his Basnet off tane To take the aire for hée was heat Then spéered they at him his state And hee told them all haill the cace And how that hée assailyied was And how that GOD him helped so That hée escaped haill them fro Then looked they how feill were dead And they found lying in that stead Fiftéene that was slaine with his hand Then loued they fast God all weildand That they their Lord fand haill and feir And said they would in no maner Dread their foes sen their Chiftane Was of sic heart and of sik mane That for them had vndertane With so feill folke to feght allane SIk Wordes spake they of the King And of his hie vndertaking They ferlied and yarned him to sée That wont was oft with him to bée Ah how worship is a perfite thing Worship makes men to haue louing â—f it be followed worthelie But pryse and worship not for thy â—s hard to win but great trauell Oft to defend and oft assaile And to bee in their deeds wise Garres men of worship win the prise There may no man haue woâ—thheed But hée haue wit to stéere the déed And sée what is to liue or ta Worship extremities hes twa Foole hardement the formest is And the other is Cowardise And they are both to forsake Foole hardement all will ouertake As well things to leaue as ta But Cowardise does nothing sa But vtterlie forsaketh all And that were wonder for to fall Were not wanting of discretion For thy hes worship sik renowne That it is mid betwixt the twa And taketh that it will vnta And leaues that is to leaue For iâ— Hes so greit garnishing with wit That it all perills well can sée And all auantage that may bee It would to hardement hold holie With thy away were the folie For Hardement with folie is But Hardement that melled is With wit is worship aye pardie For but wit worship cannot bée THis Noble King that wée of read Melled all time Wit with Manhéed That may men by his mellie see His Wit shewde him the strait entrie Of the Foord and the ishing alswa That him thought was hard to ta Upon a time that was worthie Therefore his hardement hastely Thought well it might bee vndertane Sen atanes him might assaile but ane Thus hardinesse gouernde with wit That hee in all time together knite Gart him of worship winne the prise And oft ouercame his enemies How Iames of Dowglas with a traine Slew Thriswaile and his men of maine THe King in Carrik dwelt then still His men assembled fast him till That in the Land were trauelling When they of this deed heard tything Then thought they well with him to ta Their hap that sik defence can ma. But yet then Iames of Dowglas In Dowglasdaile dwelling was Or else well néeâ—e hand thereby In hiddles some deill priuilie For hée would sée his gouerning That had the Castle in kéeping And gart make mony jeopardie To see if hee would ishe blythly When hée perceiued well that hée Would ishe blythly with his MenÈie He made a gaddering priuilie Of them that were of his partie That were so fell that they durst fight UUith Thriswaile and all his haill might Of them that in the Castle were He shupe in one night for to fare To Sandylands and néere thereby He him embushed priuily And sent a few a traine to ma That soone in the morning can ta Cattell that were the Castell by And syne withdrew them hastely Toward them that embushed were Then Thriswaile withoutten maire Gart arme his men withoutten bade And ished with all the men he had And followed fast after the Ky He was armed at point cleanly Outtaken that his head was bare Then with the men that with him were The Cattell followed he good spéed Right as a man that had no dread UUhile that he of them got a sight Then pricked they with all their might Following them out of array They sped them fleeing while that they The bushment by some deill were past And Thryswaile chased them right fasâ— And then they that embushed were Rushed on them both lesse and more And raised suddenlie the cry And they that saw so suddenly That folke came egerly prickand Betwixt them and their warrand Then were they in full great effray And for they were out of array Some of them fled and some abade And Dowglas that there with him had A great Menyie full egerlie Assailyied and skailled them hastelie And in short time them cumbred so That well néere none escaped them fro Thriswaill that was their capitane Was there into the Bargane slaine And of his men the most partie The laue fled full effrayedlie Dowglas Menyie fast can chase And the fléears their wayes gaes To the Castell in full great hie The formest entred spéedilie But the chasers sped them so fast That they ouertooke some at the last And them without mercie can sla And when they of the Castle swa Saw them sla of their men them by They closed the Èets hastely
the remanand They saw well neere behind cummand Then held they them still and priuie While the formost of their menyie Were entred in the Foorde them by Then shout they on them with a cry And with the weapons that sharply share Some in the Foord they backward bare And some with arrowes were bleeded brad Sik martyrdome on them they made That they can thraw to voyde the place But behind them so stopped was The way that they fast might not flée And that gart of them mony die For they no wise might get away But as they came except that they Would through their foes hold their gate But that way thought they all to hate Their foes met them so sturdelie And continued the feght so hardely That they so dréeding were that they The first might flée fled fast away And when the Réeregard saw them so Discomfite and their wayes fast goe They fled on far and held their way But Sir Philip the Mowbray That with the formest ryding way That entred was into that place When that hée saw how hée was stad Through the greit worship that hee had With Spurs hee strake the Stéed of prise And maugre all his enemies Through the thickest of them hée rade And but taking escaped had Were not ane hynt him by the brand But the good Steed that would not stand Hée lanced foorth deliueredlie But the other so stubburnelie Held while the belt brist from the brand And sword and belt left in his hand And hee but sword his wayes rade Well outwith them and there abade Beholding how his Menyie fled And how his foes obteénde the Stéed That were betwixt him and his men Therefore hee tooke his wayes then To Kilmarnok and to KILWINNYNE And to Ardrossen efter syne And through the Larges him alane To Enâ—â—erkip the way hes tane Right to the Castle that well then Was stuffed all with Englishmen That him receiued in greit daintie And fra they wist what sort that hée So far had ridden him alane Through men that were his foes ilkane They praised him full gretumlie And loued méekle his Cheualrie Sir Philip thus escaped was And Dowglas that was in the place Where hee sixtie had slaine and ma The laue foulie their gate can ga And fled to Bothwell home againe Whereof Sir Aymer was not fane When he heard tell on what maner That his Menyie discomfist were How the King vnder Lowdon hill Discomfist Sir Aymer his power still WHen to King Robert he it told How that the Dowglas that was so bold Uanquisht so feill with so few Menyie Right glad into his heart was he And al 's his men comforted were For they thought well both lesse and mare They sould the lesse their foes dréede Sen their purpose so with them yéed The King then lay into Gastoun That is right euen anent Lowdoun And to his peace tooke the Countrie When Sir Aymer and his Menyie Heard how he rioted all the land And how that none durst him withstand He was into his heart sorie And with one of his companie He sent him word and said if he Durst him into the Plaines sée He sould on the tent day of May Come vnder Lowdoun hill alway And gif that he would méete him there He said his worship were the mare And more be turned to Nobleneâ—â—e To méete him in the Plaine hard wayes With hard dynts and euen fighting Than for to doe into stalking The King that heard his Messinger Had despite on a great maner That Sir Aymer spake so proudlie Therefore he answered angerlie And to the Messenger said he Say to thy Lord gif that I be In life he sall me see that day Well néere gif he â—are hold the way That he hes said for sikkerlie At Lowdon hill méete him sall I. The Messenger but more abade To his Master his wayes rade And his answere told him all swyth That was no néede to make him blyth For he thought through his méekle might Gif the King durst appeare to fight That through the great Cheualrie That he sould lead his companie He sould so ouercome the King That there sould be no recouering And the King on the other partie That was ay wise and right wittie Rade for to sée and choose the place And saw the hie gate lying was Néere a faire field both faire and dry But vpon other side there by Was a great Mosse méekle and brade And fra the way was that men rade A bow-draught well on other side But that place thought he all too wide To abide men that horsed were Therefore thrée dykes ouerthort he share From both the Mosses to the way That were so far from other that they Were euen a bowdraught or maire So holl and hie tha dykes were That men might not but méekle paine Passe them though none were theÌ„ againe But sloppes in the way left he So large and of sik quantitie That fiue hundreth might togidder ride In at the sloppes side for side There thought he battell for to bide And bargane them for he no dread Had that they sould behind assail Nor yet on side giue them battaill And before he thought well that he Sould from there might defended be Thrée déepe dykes there gart he ma For gif he might not well ouerta To méete them at the first that he Sould haue the other at his poustie Or then the third gif it fell so That they had past the other two On this wise ordained he And syne assembled his Menyie That wexe sex hundreth feghting men But Rangald that was with him then That were al 's feill as he or ma With all that Menyie can he ga The Euen forow the field sould be To Lowdon Bog where that he Would abide to sée their comming Syne with the men of his leading He thought to spéed him so that he Sould at the dykes before them be SIr Aymer on the other partie Gaddered so great Cheualrie That he was well thrée thousand néere Armed and dight on good manéere And as a man of greet Noblay He held toward the tryst his way When the set day commen was He sped him fast toward the place That he had named for to fight The Sunne was risen shining bright That blenked on the shields brade In battels two ordainde he had The folke that he had in his leading The King well soone in the morning Saw comming soone the first battell Arrayed séemely and wonder well And at their backe they saw cummand The other battell followand Their Basnets burnisht all were bright Against the Sunne lemand of light Their speares pennons and their shields With light illuminate all the fields Their best and browdred bright Baners And horse hewed on seire maners And coat-armours of seire colours And Hawbréekes that were white as floures Made them glittering that they were like To Angels hie of heauens Kinrike THE King said Lordings now ye sée How yone men through their great poustie Would if they
may spoken bee And for I thinke of him to read And to tell part of his good deede I will describe you his fassouns And part of his conditiouns Hee was of measurable stature And all well portrayed at measure With brade visage pleasant and faire Courtes at point and debonaire And of right sikker contéening Lawtie hee loued attour all thing Falset treasoun and fellony Hée gainestood euer allutterly And loued Honour and Larges And aye maintained Righteousnesse In company hée was Solacious And with that blyth and amorous And good Knights hée loued aye And if that I the sooth will say Hee was fulfilled so of all bountie As of all Uertues made were hee I will commend him heere no more But yee shall well heare farthermore That hée for his déeds worthie Sould well bee praised Souerainely How Thomas Randell that was worthie Sieged Edinburgh Castell stoutlie WHen the King was with him saught And greit Lordship had to him taught Hée woxt so wise and so auisie That his lands first stablisht hee And syne hee sped him to the wéere To helpe his Eme at his power And with the consent of the King And with a simple apparelling To EDINBVRGH hee went in hy With good men into companie And set a Siege to the Castell That then was garnisht wonder well With men and vittaile at all right So that they dred no mans might But this good Erle not for thy Set a Siege to it full peartlie And preassed the folke that therein was So that not ane the Èet durst passe They may abide therein and eat Their vittaile while they ought may get But I trow they shall letted bée To purchease more in that Countrie That time Edward of England King Had giuen the Castell in kéeping To Sir Peirs Libald a Gascoun And when they of his Warnisoun Saw the Siege left there so straitly They mistraisted him of Traitourie That hee spoken had with the King And for that ilke mistrowing They tooke and put him in prison And of their owne Nation They made a Constable them to lead Both wittie and ware and wight of déede And hee set wit and strength and slight To keepe the Castell with all his might But now of them I will bee still And speake a litle while I will Of the doughtie Lord of Dowglas That left into the Forrest was Where hée mony a jeopardie And faire points of Cheualry Prooued as well by night as day To them that in the Castell lay Of Iedburgh and Roxburgh but I Will let feill of them now passe by For I cannot rehearse them all And though I could trow well yée shall Say that I might not suffice thereto There should so méekle bée to doe But it that I wate sikkerlie Efter my wit rehearse shall I. How Iames Dowglas gart Ladders make Of hempe the Castell of Roxburgh to takâ— THe time that the good Erle Thomas Assieged as the letter sayes Edinburgh Iames of Dowglas Set all his wit for to purchase Now Roxburgh through subtiltie Or ony craft might winnen bée While hée gart Sym of the Ledhouse A crafâ—ie man and curious Of Hempine rapes Ladders ma And tréene steppes bounden la That they would breake on no kin wise A Crooke they made at their deuise Of Yrne that was starke and square That fra it in a kernell were Festened it should hing thereby And the Ladder therefra straightly This good Lord Dowglas as soone As this deuised was and done Gaddered good men in priuitie Thrée score I trow that they might bée And in the Fastings Euen right In the beginning of the night To the Castell tooke their way With blacke Frogges all heilled they The armours that they on them had They came neere by there and abade And sent haillely their horse them fro And in a raying on a rout they goe On hands and féete when they were néere Right as they Ky and Oxen were That were vnbounden left thereout It was right mirke withoutten dout But one vpon the Wall that lay Beside him to his Féere can say This man thinkes to make good cheare And named a Huâ—band thereby néere That hes left all his Oxen out The other sayes that is no dout Hée shall make good cheare this night though they Bée with the blacke Dowglas led away They weind the Dowglas and his men Had beene Oxen for they yéed then On hands and féete aye ane and ane The Dowglas right good tent hes tane To all their spéech but right soone they Held speaking inward both their way DOwglas men there of was blyth And sped them to the wall swyth And soone had vp their ladders set That made a clap when the crooke knet And fastned fast in the kyrnell Ane of the watches heard it well And busked hidderward but bade But Ledhouse that the ladders made Sped him to climbe vp first the wall But ere he was commen vp all He that that Waird had in kéeping Met him right at the vpcomming And for he thought to ding him doun He made nouther cry nor soun But sought to him deliuerly And he that was in ieopardy To die a loup he to him made And got him by the necke but bade And stikked him vpward with a knife UUhile with his hand he reft his life And when he dead so saw him ly Up on the Wall he went in hy And downe the bodie kest them till And said all gangs as we will Spéed you all vp deliuerly And they did so in full great hy But ere they gat vp there came ane That saw Ledhouse stand him allane And knew he was noght of their men And in great hy rushed to him then And him assailyied sturdelie But he slew him despiteouslie For he was armed and was wight The other naked was I hight And had not for to stynt a straike Sik melle there vp can he make While Dowglas and his Menyie all Were winnen vp vpon the UUall Then to the Towre they went in hy The folke that time were haillely Into the hall at their dansing And singing and other wayes playing As vpon Fastings Euen is The Custome to make ioy and blisse To men that were in sauitie So trowed they that time to be But ere they wist into the hall Dowglas and his rout came all And cried on hight Dowglas Dowglas And they that mo were then he was Heard Dowglas cry so hiddeously They were abased for the cry And shupe them no defence to ma. And they but pitie can them sla While they had gotten the vpper hand The other fled to séeke warrand That out of measure the deede can dread The Wardane saw how that it yéed That called was Gilmyn de Fyrmes In the great Towre he gotten hes And other of his company And closed the Èets hastely The laue that left were thereout Were tane or slaine this is no dout But gif that ony lap the wall The Dowglas held that night the hall Although his foes thereat was wa His
hight That who so euer he were that fand His heart not sikker for to stand To win all or die with honour For to maintaine that stalward stour That he betime should take his way And none sould dwell with him but thay That would stand with him to the end And take the grace that God would send Then all answered with one cry And with one voyce said generally That none for dout of dead sould faile While discomfist were the haill battaile How the King sent fra him all haill His small folke cariage and vittaill WHen the good King hes heard his men So hardely answere him then Saying that nouther dead nor dread To sik discomfort sould them lead That they sould eschew the feghting In heart he had great reioycing For him thought men of sik hauing So good so hardy and so fyne Sould well in battell hold their right Against men of full méekle might Syne all the small folke and puraill He sent with harnesse and vittaill Into the Parke right far him fra And gart them fra the battell ga And as he bade they went their way Twentie thousand néere were thay They held their way to a valley Out of the sight of the great battellyie Of men of armes wight and hardy The King left with a cleane Menyie That were togidder twentie thousand That I trow stalwardly sall stand And doe their deuoure as they aw They stood then raynged on a raw Ready for to byde battailyie Gif ony folke would them assailyie How the King bade the Erle Murray To keepe beside the Kirke the way THe King then gart them busked be For he wist into certainetie That Englishmen with méekle might Had lyen at the Falkirk that night And syne to him the way all straight Held with their men of méekle might Therefore to his Neuoy bad he The Erle of Murray with his Menyie Beside the Kirk to kéepe the way That none sould passe that gaite perfay Without debate to the Castell And he said that himselfe sould well Kéepe the entrie with his battaile Gif that ony would there assaile And syne his brother Sir Edward And young Walter the good Steward And the Lord Dowglas alswa With their Menyie good tent sould ta UUhilk of them had most mister Sould help with them that with them wer The King then sent Iames of Dowglas And Sir Robert of Keith that was Marshall of all the Oast in fée The Englishmens comming for to sée And they lap on withoutten bade UUell horsed men with them they had And soone the great Oast haue they séene UUhere shields shining were so shéene And Basnets byrnished so bright That gaue against the Sunne sik light They saw so mony browdred Baners Standerds and Pensalls vpon speares And so feill Knights vpon Stéedes And flawming in their â—oly wéedes And so feill battells and so brade And tooke so great rowme as they rade That the most Oast and the best Of Christendome and the lykliest Sould be abased for to sée Their foes into sik quantitie And so arrayed for to fight UUhen their discurreours had sight Of their foes as I heard say Toward the King they tooke their way And told him into priuitie The multitude and the beautie Of their foes that came so brade And of the great might that they had Then the King bade that they sould ma No countenance as it were swa But bade them into common say That they came into ill array To comfort his men through that wise For oft times of a word may rise Discomfort and tynsall withall And al 's well through a word may fall Comfort may rise and hardement To garmen come to their intent And on the same wise did it heare Their comfort and their hardie cheare Comforted them so gretumlie That of their Host the least hardie By countenance would formest bée For to begin the greit melle How with a hundreth the Erle of Murray To aught hundreth battell gaue VPon this wise the Noble King Gaue to his men greit comforting Through hardie countenance and cheare That hee made on so good maneere They thought that no mischiefe might bée So greit with thy they might him sée Before them that should so engréeue But his worship should them relieue His worship them comforted sa And countenance that hée did ma. That the most Coward was hardie On other halfe full sturdelie The Englishmen in sik array As yee haue heard mee forrow say Came with their battalles approaching Their Banners to the wind waiuing And when they commen were so neere That but two myle betwixt them were They chused a â—oly companie Of wight men armed â—olelie On faire Coursers ar med at right And great Lords of méekle might There was Capitane of that rout The Lord Cliffurd that was so stout Was of them all soueraigne leader Aught hundreth armed I trow they were They were all young men and joly Yarning for to doe Cheualry The best of all the Hoste were they Of countenance and of array They were the fairest companie That men might find of so mony To the Castell they thought to fare For if that they might well come there They thought it should rescued bee Foorth on their way held this Menyie And toward Striâ—iling held their way Beneath the Parke eschewed they For they wist well the King was there And beneath the Parke so can they fare Under the Kirke into a rout The Erle Thomas that was so stout When hee saw them so take the Plaine In full greit by went them againe With an hundreth withoutten moe Annoyed in his heart and woe That they so far were passed by For the King had him said rudely That a Rose of his Chaiplet Was fallen for hée was set To kéepe the way tha men were past Therefore hee hasted him so fast That commen into short time was hée In the plaine fielde with his MenÈie For hée thought that hee should amend That hée trespassed had or then end And when the Englishmen him saw Come on withoutten dread or aw And tooke so hardelie the Plane In hy they went then him againe And strake with spurs the Stéedes stight That bare them euen and hard and suight And when the Erle saw that Menyie Come so stoutly to his men said hée Bée not abashed for their shore But set your Speares you before And backe to backe set all your rout And all your speare points out That gate defend vs best may wée Enuironed with them gif wée bée And as hee bade so haue they done And the other came on all soone Before them all there came prickand A Knight hardy of heart and hand And was a well greit Lord at hame Sir William the Hawcourt was his name And pricked at them so hardelie And they met him so sturdelie And he and horse were both borne down And slaine right there without ransoun With Englishmen greitlie was hée Méened that day for his bountie The laue come on full sturdelie But none
archers where they made With speares rowm where euer they rade And slew all that they might ouerta For they right lightlie might doe so For they had not an strake to stynt Nor for to hold againe an dynt Against armed men into the fight May naked men haue litle might They skailled them on sik maner That some to their greit battell were Withdrawen then in full greit hy And some were fled allutterly But the folke that behind them was That for their owne folke had no place Yet then to come to the feghting Againe right smertly can them ding The Archers that they met fléeing That then was made right recréeing That their heartes were tynt cleanely I trow they shall not skaith greitlie The Scottish men with shot that day And the good King Robert that ay Was filled full of great bountie Saw how that his battells three So hardelie assembled were And in the fight so well them bare And so fast on their foes can ding That him thought none had abasing And how the Archers were skailled then Hée was all blyth and to his men Hée said Lordings now looke that yée Worthie and of good comfort bee At this assemble and hardy And assemble you so sturdely That nothing may before you stand Our men so fiercely are feghtand That they their foes hes cumbred sa That bee they preassed I vnderta A litle faster yee shall sée That they discomfist soone shall bée Now go wée on them so hardely And ding on them so doughtely That they may feill at our comming That wee them hate in méekle thing For greit cause they haue vs made That occupied our lands brade And put all to subjectioun Your goods made all theirs commoun Our kin and friends for their owne Despitteouslie hanged and drawne And would destroy vs if they might But I trow God through his foresight This day hes granted vs his grace To wreke vs on them in this place When this was said they held their way And on ane side assembled they So stoutly that at their méeting Their foes were rushed a greit thing Their men might sée them fiercelie fight And they that worthie were and wight Doe mony a worthie vassalage They faught as they were in a rage For when the Scots archerie Saw their foes so sturdelie Stand in the battell them againe With all their might and all their maine They laid on as men out of wit And where they with full strake might hit There might none armour stint their strak They frushed all they might ouertake And with axes sik dushes gaue That they Heades and Helmes claue And their foes right hardelie Met them and dang on doggedlie With weapons that were styth of stéele There was a battell right cruell So great dinging there was of dynts As weapons vpon armours stynts And of speares sik bristing And sik thrang and sik thrysting Sik graining girnyng that was so great And noyse that they can other beat Crying Ensenyies on ilk side Giuing and taking wounds wide That it was hiddeous for to heare All the foure battells with that weere Feghting in a front hailly O mightie GOD how doughtely Sir Edward the Bruce and his men Among their foes contéened them then Feghting in so good conuyne So worthy hardy and so fyne That their Uangard rushed was And magre theirs left all the place And to their great rout into warrand They went that then had vpon hand So great noise that they were affrayed For Scottish men that them hard assayed That they were in a shiltrum all Who hapned in that preasse to fall I trow againe he sall not rise Their men might sée on mony wise Hardements enchéeued doughtely And men that wight were and worthy Downe vnder feet lying all dead Where all the field with blood was red Armoures and coates that they bare Were so with blood defouled there That they might not described be And who had then béene by to sée The Steward Walter and all his rout And the Lord Dowglas that was stout Feghting into that stalwart stour They sould say that of all honour They were worthie that in that fight So fast preassed their foes might And rushed them where euer they yéed Men might sée then so mony Stéede Fleeing on stray that Lord had nane O Gâ—D who then good tent had tane To the good Erle of Murray And his that so great dynts gaue And so fast fought in that battell Tholling sik paine and sik trauell That they and theirs made sik debate That where they came they made them gaite There men might heare Ensenyies crie And Scottishmen cryed hardelie On them on them on them they failyie UUith that so hard they can assailyie And slew all that they might ouerta And the Scots Archers alswa Shot among them right sturdelie Engréeuing them so greetumlie That what for them that with them faught And so great routs to them raught And preassed them full egerlie And what for arrowes that fellounlie Mony great wounds can them ma And slew fast of their horse alswa That they recooled a litle wie They dread so greatly for to die That their conuéene woxt worse than eir For they that feghting with them were Set hardement and strength and will And heart and courage to fulfill With all their mane and all their might To put them fullie to the flight How Scottish Swaynes of sheetes made Them Baners and in battell rade IN this time that I tell of héere That thir battels on this manéere Were stricken where on ather side Were mony men of méekle pride Feghting they were full ernestly They might haue seene who had bene by Yeomen and Swaynes and Pedaill That in the Parke to kéepe vittaile Were left when they wist but léesing That their Lords with hard feghting On there foes assembled were One of themselues that was there Capitane ouer them all they made And sheetes that were somedeill brade They made in stead of Baners And fastned on long trées and speares And said that they would sée the fight And help their Lords at their might When hereto all assented were In a rout they assembled are Fifteene thousand they were and ma. And then in great hy can they ga UUith their Baners all in a rout As they had bene men styth and stout They came with all their assemblie While that they might the battells sée Then all at ones they gaue a cry Sla sla vpon them hardely And therewithall comming were they But they were yet well far away And Englishmen that frushed were Through force of fight as I said aire UUhen they saw men with sik a cry Comming with sik a company That they well néere al 's mony were As they were feghting with them yare And they before had not them séene Then wit ye well withoutten wéene They were abased so gretumly That the best and the most hardy That was into that Oast that day Wald with his Mensk haue bene away The King Robert by their
ta His way toward the South Countrie Of all Ireland then gaddered hee Both Burgesse and Cheualrie And Hobilers and Yeamanrie Till hee had neere fourtie thousand But hee would not yet take on hand With all his foes in field to fight But vmbethought him of a slight That hee with all that greit Menyie Would in a Wood enbushed bee All priuily beside the way Where their foes behooues to ga And let the Uangard passe far by And assemble syne hardely On the Reeregard with all his men They did as hée deuised then In a Wood they enbushed were The Scottishmen rade by them neere But they no showing to them made Sir Edward well foorth before rade With them that were of his Menyie To the Réeregard no tent tooke hée And Sir Richard of Clare in hy When Sir Edward was passed by Send light Yemen that well couth shoot To bikker the Réeregarde vpon foot Then two of them that sent foorth were At the Wood side them bikkered there And shot among the Scottishmen The King that with him there had then Well néere fiue thousand wight and hardy Saw them two so aboundantly Shoot among them and come so néere He wist right well withoutten wéere That they well neere some power had Therefore a bidding hes he made That no man sould be so hardy To breake at them bot sowerly Ride readie ay into battaile To defend gif men would assaile For we sall soone I vnderta He said haue for to doe with ma. But Sir Coline Campbell that néere Was by where tha two Yemen were Shooting among them hardely Preiked on them in full great hy And soone the one he hes ouertane And with a speare him syne hes slaine The other turned and shot againe And at that shot his horse hes slaine With that the King came hastelie And into his Melancholie With a Truncheoun into his néefe To Sir Coline sik dush did giue That he fell downe on his Arsoun Then bade he smertlie tit him doun Bot other Lords that was him by Hes meased the King in some party Bot he said breking of bidding Might be cause of discomfiting Weene ye yone Ribald durst assaile Us so here in our owne battaile Bot gif they had supplee right néere I wate right well withoutten wéere That we sall haue to doe in hy Therefore looke ilk man be ready With that well néere threttie and ma Of bow-men came and bikkered sa That they hurt of the Kings men The King hes sent his Archers then To shoot for to put them againe UUith that they entred in the Plaine And saw arrayed against them stand In foure battels fourtie thousand The King said Lordings now let sée UUho worthie in this fight sall be On them withoutten more abade So stoutly with that on them they rade And assembled so hardely That of their foes a great party Were laid at eird at their méeting There was of speares sik a breisting As ather vpon other rade That it a full great frush hes made Horse came there rushing head for head So that feill on the ground lay dead Mony a wight and worthie man As ather vpon other ran Were dushed dead downe to the ground That blood ran out at mony wound In sik effusioun that euen than Of very blood the streames ran With weapons that were bright and bar◠That mony a good man died there And they that worthie were and wight And stoutly with their foes can fight Preassed them formest to be There men might cruell battell sée And hard bargaine I take on hand In all the wéere of Ireland So great a feghting was not séene And when of great victories ninetéene Sir Edward had withoutten wéere And that in lesse then in thrée yéere And into sundrie battels of tha He vanquisht twentie thousand and ma With trapped horse euen to the féete But in all that time he was yet Ay one for fiue when least was he But the good King into this melle Had alwayes eight of his fa men For one but he so bare him then That his good déed and his bountie Comforted so all his Menyie That the most Coward hardy was For where he saw the thickest preasse So hardely he on them rade And so great roome about him made That he slew all he might ouertake And rudely rushed them aback The Erle Thomas that was worthy Was in all times néere him by And foght as he were in a rage So that through their great Uassallage Their men sik hardement did take That they no perill did forsake But them abandouned so stoutly And dang on them so hardely Till all their foes affrayed were And they that saw well by there fare That they eschewed somedeill the fight They dang on them with all their might And preassed dinging on them so fast That they the back gaue at the last And they that saw them take the flight They dang on them with all their might And in their fléeing feill can sla The Kings men hes chased sa That they discomfist them ilkane Richard of Clare the way hes tane To Deuiling in full great hy With other Lords that fled him by And garnisht both Castell and tounes That were in their Possessiouns They were so fellounly fleyed there That as I trow Richard of Clare Sall haue no will to find his might In battell nor in field to fight While King Robert and his Menyie Is dwelling into that Countrie They stuffed strengths on this wise And the King that was so to prise Saw in the field right mony slaine And one of them that there was tane That was arrayed full worthely He saw him wéepe right dulefully He asked him why he made sik cheare He said Sir withoutten wéere It is no wonder that I gréete I sée so mony slaine at my féete The floure of all North Ireland That hardiest was of heart and hand And most douted in hard assay Then said the King to him perfay Thou hast more cause myrths to ma That thou the déed escaped sa RIchard of Clare on this maner And all his foes discomfist were With few folkes as I haue to you told And when Edward Bruce the sa bold Wist that the King had foughten so With so mony and hée therefro Might no man sée a wraither man But the good King said to him then That it was in his owne folie For hee rade so vnwittelie So far before making no ward To them that were in the Réeregard For hee said who on wéere would ride In the Uangard hee should no tide Passe from his Reeregard far from sight For greit perill so fall their might Of this fight will I speake no maire But the King and all that were there Rade forward in a better array And néere togidder then euer held they Through all the land they plainlie rade They fand none that them obstacle made They rade euen before Drochynda And before Deuiling alswa But to giue battell none they fand Syne went they
néere there escaped nane They serued them in full great wane With shéering swords and with kniues That well néere all léesed their liues They had a felloun Intermais For that subcharge too charging was They that escaped there through cace To their great Oast the waies taes And told how that their men were slaine So cléene that there escaped nane And when they of the Oast had heard How that Dowglas with them farde That had their herbryours all slaine And themselues rushed all againe And slew their Lord in mids their rouf There was none of them all so stout That more will had them to assaile Therefore they haue tane to counsaile That time and to purpose hes tane To wend homeward and home are gane And sped them so vpon their way That to England soone commen are they The Forrest left they standing still To hew it then they had no will And specially while the Dowglas So neere hand by their neighbour was And he that saw them turne againe Perceiued well their Lord was slaine And by the hat that he had tane He wist right well also for ane That taken was said him surely That Richemound ay commonly UUas wont that furred Hat to wéere Then Dowglas blyth that was than eir For he wist well that Richemound His felloun so was brought to ground SIr Iames Dowglas on this wise Through his worship and his emprise Defended worthely the land This point of wéere I take on hand UUes vndertane right apertly And enchéeued right hardely For he astoneyed withoutten wéere Tha folke that well ten thousand were With fiftie armed men but ma. I can al 's tell you other twa Points that well encheeued were With fiftie men and but all wéere They were all done so hardelie That they were praised Souerainely Attour all other points of weere That in their time enchéeued were This was the first that with fiftie UUas brought to end and so stoutly In Galloway the other fell When as yee heard mée before tell How Sir Edward the Bruce with fiftie Uanquisht of Sainct Iohn Sir Aymery And fifteene hundreth men by taile The third fell into Eskdaile UUhen that Sir Iohn of Sowles was The gouernour of all that place And to Sir Andro Hardeclay With fiftie men beset the way That had néere in his companie Thrée hundreth Horsed jolelie This Sir Iohn into plaine Melle Through Soueraigne hardement and bountie Uanquisht them sturdelie ilkeane And Sir Andro in hands hes tane I will not rehearse now the maner For who so liketh they may heare Young Women when they will play Sing it among them euerilke day Thir were the worthie points thrée That I trow euermore shall bée Praised while men may on them mene It is well worth withoutten wene That their names for euermaire That in their time so worthie were That men to heare hes yet daintie That their worship and their bountie Bée alway lasting into louing Where hée that is Almightie King Bring them hie vp to Heauens blisse Where alwayes lasting louing is How the Bishop of Dunkelden syne Scomfist the shipmen beside Dumfermling IN this time that the Richemound Was on this maner brought to the ground Men of the coastes of England That dwelt in Homber or neere hand Gaddered them a greit Menyie And went in shippes to the sea And toward Scotland went in hy And to the Firth came hastely They went to haue had all their lyking For they wist well that the King Was then far out of the Countrie And with him mony of greit bountie Therefore into the Firth came they And endland it held vp their way While they beside Innerkething On the West halfe toward Dumfermling Tooke Land and fast begouth to reif The Erle of Fyth and the Shireffe Saw to the Coast shippes approachand They gaddered to defend the Land And they forgane the shippes ay As they sailled they tooke their way And thought to let them land to take And when the shipmen saw them make Sik countenance and sik array They said among them that they Would not for them let land to ta Then to the land they sped them sa That they came there in full greit hy And arriued full hardelie The Scottishmen saw their comming And had thereof sike abasing That they all haill did ride them fro And the land but stop leet them to They durst not feght with them for thy They with drew them all haillely And yet they were fiue hundreth néere When they away thus riding were And no defence begouth to shape Of Dunkeldin the good Bishop That William was called the Sincler Came with a rout on good maner I trow on Horse they were sixtie Himselfe was armed jolelie Hée rade vpon a stalward Stéed A Chimmer for to heill his wéed Abone his armour had hee then And armed also were his men The Erle and the Shireffe met hée Riding away with their MenÈie Hée asked them well soone what hy Made them to turne so hastely They said their foes with stalward hand Into sik fusion had taken land That they thought them all out too feill And they were few with them to deill When the Bishop heard it was sa Hée said the King ought well to ma Of you that takes so well on hand In his absence to wéere his land Certes if hee gart serue you well The gilt spurres right by the heill Hée should in hy gar hew you fro Right would with Cowards men did so Who loues their Lord and his Countrie Turne smertlie now againe with mée With that hée kest off his Chimmeere And hint in hand a stalwart Speare And rade toward his foes in hy All turned with him haillelie For hee had them reprooued so That of them all none went them fro Hee rade before them sturdelie And they followed full manfullie While that they were néere approachand Untto their foes that had tane land And soone were knit in good array Then some were went to the Ferray The good Bishop when hée them saw Hee said Lordings but dréed or aw Pricke wée vpon them hardelie And wée shall haue them well hastelie If they sée vs come but abasing So that wee heaâ—e make no more stinting They shall right soone discomfist bee Now doe yee well for men shall sée Who loues the Kings Menske this dayr Then all togidder in good array They preiked vpon them sturdely The Bishop that was right hardelie And méekle and starke rade forward ay Then in a frush assembled they And they that at their first méeting Felt of their speares so saire sowing Uanisht and would haue béene away Toward their shippes in hy held they And they them chased fellonlis And slew them full despiteouslie That all the fields ouerstrowed were Of Englishmen that slaine were there And they that yet held vnslaine Preassed them to the sea againe And Scottishmen that chased sa Slew all that euer they might ouerta But they that fled yet not for thy So to their shippes can them
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
King are gane The King I wish was wonder fane That they returned haill and féere And that they sped on that maneere That they their foes discomfist had And but tynsell of men had made Recourse to them that in Barwike Were assieged right faire and thicke That into full greit danger wes Through strength of them that sieged hes And when the King had spéered tithand How they had farne into England And of their journey what progresse That they haue had and what successe And they haue told him all their fare How Englishmen discomfist were Right blith into his heart was hée And made them Feast with game and glée Barwike was on this maner Reskewed and they that therein were Hée was worthie a Prince to bée Through manhéede and subtilitie That could with wit so hie a thing But tynsell bring to good ending To Barwicke syne the King goes And when hee heard syne how it was Defended so doone manfullie Hée loued them that were there greitlie Walter Stewarts greit bountie Attour the laue commended hée For the right greit defence hée made At the Èet where men brunt had The brig as yée heard mée deuise And Certes hee was meekle to praise That so stoutlie with plaine feghting At open Yate made sik defending Might hee had liued while hee had beene Of persite eild withoutten wene His Renowne should haue streiked fer But death that watches euer ner Into the flour of his Youthheed Made end of all his doughtie déede As â— shall tell furthermare When the King had a while beene there Hee sent for Masouns far and néere That sleest were of that mistéere And gart well tenfoote hie the wall About Barwike the towne ouer all And syne toward Louthiane With his MenÈie his gate hes tane And syne hée gart ordaine in hy Both armed men and Yemanrie Into Ireland in hy to fare To helpe his brother that was there But hée that rest annoyed ay And would in trauell bee alway Ane day before the arriuing Of them were sent him from the King Hée tooke his way Southward to fare Magre them all that with him were For hee had not then in that land Of all men I trow two thousand Except the Kings of the â—rishrie That in greit routes rade him by Toward Dondalk hee tooke his way And when Richard of Clare heard say That hée came with a few MenÈie All that hee might assembled hée Of all Ireland of armed men So that hée had there with him then Of trapped Horses twentie thousand By them that were on foot gangand And held foorth Northward on his way And when Sir Edward heard men say That commen néere to him was hée Hée sent Discurreours him to see The Sowles and the Stewart were they And al 's Sir Philip the Mowbray And when they séene had their comming They went againe to tell tithing And said they were well mony men In hy Sir Edward answered then And said that hee should feght that day Though fiue or sixe times moe were they Sir Iohn Stewart said sickerlie I reede yee feght not in sike hy Men sayes your brother is cummand With fifteene hundreth men at hand And were they knit with you yee might Abide stalwartlie the fight Sir Edward looked right angerlie And to the Sowles said in hy What sayest thou Sir hee said perfay As my Fellow said Sir I say Then to Sir Philip the Mowbray said he Sir said hee so our Lord mee see Mee thought it folie for to byde Yone men that speedes them to ride For wee are few our foes are feill God may right well our Weirds deill But it were wonder that our might Sould ouercome so feill in fight Then with great ire alace said he I weind neuer to haue heard that of thée Now help who will for sickerly This day but more bade fight will I. Sall no man say while that I die That strength of men sall gar me flée GOD shield that ony sould vs blame That we deale our Noble fame Now be it swagait then said they We sall take that GOD will puruay And when the Kings of Irishry Heard say and wist it sickerly That their King with so whéene wald fight Against so mony of méekle might They came to him in full great hy And counselde him full tenderly For to abide his men and they Sould hold their foes all that day Doing and on the morne alswa UUith their assaults that they sould ma. But there might no counsell auaile He would all gaites to the battell And when they saw he was so thra To fight they said ye may well ga But we will quite vs vtterlie To fight with yone great companie For none of vs will stand to fight Trust not therefore into our might For our maner is in this land To follow and to fight flée and And not to stand in plaine Melle UUhile the one part discomfist be He said sen that your custome is I aske no more of you but this That is that ye and your Menyie UUould all togidder arrayed be And stand on farre but departing And see our feght and our ending They said well that they sould doe sa And syne toward their foes can ga They were well threttie thousand néere Edward and they that with him were They were not fully two thousand Arrayed then stalwardly to stand Against threttie thousand and ma. Sir Edward that day would not â—a His Coat-armour bot Gib Harper That men held as withoutten peere Of his estate had on that day All haill Sir Edwards array The feght abade they on this wise And in great hy their enemies Came to assemble all ready And they met them right hardely They were so few the sooth to say That rushed with their foes were they And they that most preassed to stand Were slaine downe and the remanand Fled to the Irishry for succour Sir Edward that had sik valour Was dead and Sir Iohn Stewart alswa And Sir Iohn Sowles al 's with tha And other of their company They vanquisht were so suddenly That few into the Plaine were slaine For the laue hes their wayes tane To the Irish Kings that were there That in haill battell howing were Iohn Thomson that was leader Of them of Carrike that were there When he saw the discomfiting Withdrew him to an Irish King That of his acquaintance had he And he receiued him in daintie And when Iohn commen was to the King He saw men lead fra the feghting Sir Philip Mowbray the wight That had bene discomfist in the fight And by the armes led was he With two men vpon the Caussey That was betwixt them and the toun That streiked long in a randoun Toward the toun they held their way And when in mids the Caussey were theâ— Sir Philip of his businesse Ouercome and perceiued he was Tane and swagaites led with twa The one he swakked soone him fra And syne the other in great hy He drew his sword deliuerly And to
And at Euen puruayed hée And tooke with him a greit MenÈie Fiue hundreth on Horse wight and hardy And on the night all priuilie Without noyse or din hee rade While that hée néere enuironed had Their Host and on the Forrest syde Toward them sléelie can hee ryde And the maist part that with him were Bare in their hands swords bare And bade them hew Pauilions in twa That they the Pauilions might ma To fall on them that in them were Then should the laue that Forrayours are Strike downe with speares sturdely And when they heard his Horne in hy To the Water held downe the way When this was said as I heard say Toward their foes fast they ride That on that side no Marches had And as they were neere approaching An Englishman that lay beeking Him by a fire said to his Feere I wate not what may tide vs héere But a great groouing me taes I dreede me sore for blacke Dowglas And he that heard him said perfay Thou salt haue cause gif that I may By that with all his company He rusted on them hardely And proud Pauillions downe he bare And with speares that sharply share They sticked men despiteously The noise soone raise and al 's the skry They stobbed sticked and they slew And mony Pauillions downe they threw And felloun slaughter made they there For they that lying naked were Had no power defence to ma And but pitie they can them sla They gart them wit that great foly UUas néere there foes for to ly But gif they straitly watched were The Scottishmen were slaying there Their foes â—n this wise while the cry Was through the Oast all commonly That Lords and others were on stéere And when the Dowglas wist they were Armed then all commonly He blew his horne then to rely His men and bade them hold their way Toward the Water and so did they And he abade hindmest to sée Lest ony of his leaued sould be And as he abade so howand There came a Carle with Club in hand And so great routtes to him raught That had not beene his méekle maught And his right Soueraigne great manhead Into that place he had bene dead His men that to the UUater doun Were ridden right in a randoun Missed their Lord when they came there They were dreading for him full saire Ilkone at other speered tything But yet of him they heard nothing Then can they counsell togidder ta That they to seeke him vp would ga And as they were in that effray A towting of his horne heard they And they that haue it knowne swyth Were of his comming wonder blyth And spéered at him of his abade And he told how a Carle him made With his Club so felloun pay That met him stoutlie on the way That had not God helped him the maire He had bene in great perill there Thus gaite speaking they held their way While to their Oast commen are they That on foot armed on them bade For to help gif they mister had And assoone as the Lord Dowglas Met with the Erle of Murray was The Erle spéered at him tything How he had farde in his outting Sir said he we haue drawen blood The Erle that was of Noble moode Said and we all had hidder gane We had destroyed them ilkane It might haue fallen well said he But sikkerly anew were we To put vs in yone auenture For had they made discomfiture On vs that yonder passed were It might haue stonisht them that are here The Erle said sen it so is That we may not with ieopardies Our felloun foes force assaile We sall it doe in plaine battaile The Lord Dowglas â—aâ—d by Sanct Bryde It were great foly at this tide To vs with sik an Oast to fight That ilk day growes of more might And vittaile hes at all plentie And in the Countrie here are we Where there may come to vs no succours Hard is to make vs here recourse Nor we not forray may to get meat Sik as we haue here mon we eat Doe we with our foes therefore That are lying here vs before As I heard tell this other yéere How that a Foxe did with a fisher How did the Foxe the Erle can say He said a Fisher whylum lay Beside a Riuer fish to get His nets then he had there set A litle Ludge there had he made And there within a bed he had And eke a litle fire alswa And one doore was withoutten ma. One night his nettes for to sée He raise and well long dwelt he And when he had done his déede Towards his Ludge againe he yéede And with the light of the liâ—le fire That in the Ludge was burning shyre Into the Ludge a Foxe he saw That fast in can a Salmond draw Then to the doore he went in hy And drew a sword deliuerly And said Traitour thou mon here lout The Foxe that was in full great dout Looked about him hole to sée Bot none ishe foorth there could get he Bot where the man stood sturdely A Mantle he perceiued him by Lying vpon the bed he saw And with his téeth he can it draw Out ouer the fire and when the man Saw his Mantle ly burning then To rid it ran he hastely The Foxe gat out then in great hy And held his way his warrand till The man thought him beguiled ill That he his Salmond so hes tint And also had his Mantle brint And the Foxe harmelesse got away This Example I may well say By yone folke and vs that are here We are the Foxe they are the Fisher That stéekes before vs the way They thinke we may not get away But right where that they ly Parde Yet as they thinke it sall not be For I haue gart spy vs a gaite Suppose that it be somedeill wat That not a Page of ours shall tine Our foes for this small tranoynting Wéenes that wée shall pride vs sa That wée plainlie on hand shall ta To giue them open plaine battell But at this time their thought shall faill For wée the morne and all this day Shall make al 's merie as wée may And make vs bowne against the night And then gar make our fires bright And blaw our Hornes and make fare As all the World our owne it were While that the night well fallen bée And then with all our Harnesse wée Shall take our way homeward in hy And altogidder hold sickerlie While wée bée out of their danger That thinkes vs now enclosed here And wée shall bee at our owne will And wée shall thinke them trumped ill Fra they wit well wée bée away To this haillely assented they And made them good cheare all that night While on the morne that day was light ¶ Upon the morne all priuilie They turst Harnesse and made ready So that ere Eâ—en all bowne were they Their foes that against them lay Gart haue their men that were there dead In Carts to an hallowed Stéed
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