right well refraine his will Either through vertue or through skill And to the contrare turne it all As hath béene mony time séene fall That men kyndlie to ill giuen Through their greit wit away haue driuen Their ill and worthen of renowne Magre the constellatioun As Aristotle if as men réedes Hée had followed his kindly deedes Hée had beene false and couetous But his wit made him vertuous And syne that man may on this wise Worke against the course that is Principall cause of their deeming Mée thinke they déeme no certaine thing Negromancie another is That kens men on sundrie wise Through stalwart Conjuration And al 's through Exhortation To gar Sprites to them appeare And giue them answere on seir maner As whylum did the Pithonesse That when Saul abased was Of the Philistimes might Raised through her meekle sâ—ight Samuels Spreit al 's tite Or in his stead the euill spreit That gaue right graith answere her to But of her selfe right noght wist sho And man is into dreeding ay Of things that he hes heard say Namely that are to come while he Know of the end the certainetie And sen they are in sik wening Withoutten certen witting Me think who sayes he knowes things To come he makes great gabings But whidder she that told the King How his purpose sould haue ending Weind or wist it vtterlie It fell after all hollelie As she said for syne King was he And reigned into frée poustie Of the Kings Hansaling in Carrik at his first arriuing THis was in Ver when Winter tide With his blasts hideous to bide Was ouerdriuen and birds small As Turtle and the Nightingale Began right swéetlie for to sing And for to make their solacing Swéet notes and sounds séere And melodies pleasant to heare And trées begouth breaking to ma Burgeons and blyth bloomes alswa To win the hewing of their head That wicked Winter hath them made And all gersse begouth to spring In that swéet time the Noble King With his flote and a few menyie Four hunder I trow they might be Went to the sea out of Arrane A litle before the Euen was gane They rowed fast with all their might While that vpon them fell the night That woxt mirke on great maner So that they wist not where they were For they no needle had nor stane But rowed alwayes foorth in ane Stéering alwayes vpon the fire That they saw burning light and shire It was but auentour them led And they in short time so them sped That at the fire arriued they And went to land but more delay And Cuthbert that hath séene the fire Was full of anger and of ire For he durst not doe it away And he was also doubting ay That his Lord sould passe to the sea Therefore their comming waited he And met them at their arriuing He was right soone brought to the King That spéered at him how he had done And he with sore heart told him soone How there was none there well willand But all were foes that euer he fand And that Sir Henry the Percy With néere thrée hunder in companie Was in the Castle there beside Filled full of despite and pride But more then two parts of his rout Were harbred in the townes about And despises you more Sir King Then men may despise any thing Then said the King in full great ire Traitour why made thou then the fire Ah Sir he said so God me sée The fire was neuer made through me Nor ere this night I wist it noght But fra I wist it well I thought That ye and whollie your Menyie In hy sould put you to the sea For thy come I to méete you here To tell perills that may appeare The King was at his spéech angry And asked his priuie men him by What that they thoght was best to doe Sir Edward answered first thereto His brother that was so hardie And said I say you sikkerlie There sall no perill that may be Driue me againe vnto the sea Mine auenture here take will I Whether it be easefull or angrie Brother he said sen ye will sa It is good we the â—amine ta Disease or ease or paine or play After as GOD will vs puruay And sen men sayes that the Percy Mine heritage will occupy And his Menyie so néere vs lies That vs despises mony wayes So we venge some of the despite And that may we haue done full tyte For they lie traistlie but dréeding Of vs or of our here comming And thought we sléeping slay them all Reprooue vs thereof no man sall For werrayour no force should mo Whether he might ouercome his fo Through strength or great subtiltie But at good faith ay holden be When this was said they went their way And to the towne soone commen are they So priuilie but noise making That none perceiued their comming They skailled through the toun in hie And broke vp doores sturdelie And slew all that they might ouertake And they that no defence might make Full piteouslie can raire and the crie And they slew them without mercie As they that were in full great will To venge the anger and the ill That they theirs to them had wrought With so felloun a will them sought That they slew them vp euerilkone Except Makdowell him alone That escaped through méekle slight And through the mirkenes of the night In the Castle the Lord Percie Heard well the noise and the crie And so did the men with him were And full infrainly got their geire But of them none was so hardie And durst ishe foorth to crie In sik affray baide they that night While on the morne that day was light And then ceased into partie The noise the slaughter and the crie The King gart then departed bée All haill the spraith to his Menyie And dwelt there syne dayes thrée Sik hansell to these folke gaue he Right in the first beginning Newlings at his Incomming WHen that the King and his folke were Arriued as I tould you aire A while in Carrik leinded hee To sée who friend or foe would bee And hée found litle tendernesse But not for thy the people was Inclined to him in party But Englishmen so angerlie Led them with danger and with aw That they no friendship durst him shaw But a Ladie of that Countrie That was to him in neere degree In Cosinage was wonder blyth Of his arriuing and al 's swyth Sped her to him in full greit hy With fourtie men in companie And betaught all vnto the King To helpe him in his warraying And he receiued them in daintie And her full greitlie thanked hee And speered tithings of the Quéene And of his friendes all bedéene That hee had left in that Countrie When that hee put him to the sea And shée him told sighing full saire How that his brether token were In the Castle of Kildromy And syne destroyed villanously And the Erle of Atholl also And how the Quéene
solemnedly eirded syne And in a faire Tombe in the Queire Bishops and Prelats they there were Assolyied him when the Seruice Was done as they could best deuise And syne vpon the other day Sorie and wa they went away Here bouned the Lord Dowglas forwart To the haly Land with the Bruces Heart WHen that the good King buried was The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke all the land in gouerning And all obeyed to his bidding And the good Lord of Dowglas syne Gart make a Case of gold right fyne Enamalled through subtiltie Therein the Kings heart put he And ay about his halse it bare And fast he bouned him for to fare His Testament deuised he And ordained his lands sould be Gouerned while his gaine-comming By friends and all other thing That to him pertained ony wise With sik foresight as men could deuise Ere his foorth passing ordained he That nothing might amended be And when that he his lieue hes tane To shippe at Barwike is he gane And with him a Noble company Of Knights and of Squyery He put him in hy to the Sea A long way fordward sailed he Betwixt Cornewall and Bartanyie He sailed and left the ground of Spainyie On North-halfe him and held their way While to Massillie ground came they But greatly was his men and he Trauelled with tempests on the Sea Bot though they greatly grieued were Haill and feere they commen are And landed at the great Sibille And efter it a litle whyle Their horse to land they drew ilkane And in the toun hes harbery tane And him conteened right richly For he had a faire company And gold enough for to dispend The King Alphous efter him send And him right well receiued he And proffered him in great plentie Gold and siluer horse and arming Bot he thereof would take nothing For he said he tooke that veyage To passe into his pilgrimage On Gods foes that his trauell Might efter to his Saull auaile And sen he wist that he had wéere With Saracens that dwelled there To help him was his will hailly The King him thanked courteously And betaught him good men that were Well knowne with the lands wéere And the maner of the land alswa Syne to his Innes can he ga And well good Soiourne there he made And méekle treating al 's he had Knights that came of far Countrie Came in great routtes him to sée And honoured him full gretumly And ouer all men most Souerainely The English Knights that were there Him honoured and great company bare Among them all was one strong Knight That was holden so wonder wight That for one of the best was he Praised of all Christaintie So fast to Heauen was all his face That it well néere all wounded was Ere he the Lord Dowglas had séene He weind his face had all wounded bene But neuer a hurt in it had he When he vnwounded can it sée He said that he had great ferly That sik a Knight and so worthy And praised of so great bountie Might in his face vnwounded be And méekely thereto answered he And said GOD lent me hands to beare Wherewith I might my head wéere Thus made he courteous answering With a right hie vnderstanding That for default of Fence it was That so euill hewen was his face The good Knights that then were by Praised his answere gretumly For it was made with small speaking And had right hie vnderstanding The iudging of the Lord Dowglas That in his time sa worthie was VPon this maner still they lay While through the Countrie they heard say That the King of Palmeryn UUith mony a moody Saracene UUas entred in the land of Spaine All haill the Countrie to demaine The King of Spaine on the other party Gaddered his Oast deliuerly And delt them into battels thrée And to the Lord Dowglas gaue he The Uangard for to lead and stéere And all the strangers that with him were And the great Maister of Sanct Iake The other battell gart he take The Réeregard made himselfe there And thus deuised foorth they fare To méete their foes that in battaile Arrayed was ready to assaile And came against them full sturdely The Dowglas then that was worthy UUhen he to them of his leading Had made a faire admonishing To doe well and no dead to dréede For Heauens blisse sould be their meede If that they died in Gods seruice Then as good wéerryours and wise With them stoutlie assembled hée There men might felloun feghting sée For all they were wight and hardie That were on the Christian partie But ere they joyned in battell What the Dowglas did I shall you tell ¶ The Bruces Heart that on his brest Was hinging in the field hée kest Upon a stone-cast and well more before And said Now passe thou foorth before As thou was wont in field to bee And I shall follow or else die And so hee did withoutten ho Hée faught euen while hee came it to And tooke it vp in greitâ— daintie And euer in field this vsed hée So fast they faught with all their maine That of their seruants mony were â—laine The whilke with mony â—ell fusioâ—n Mony a Christian dang they downe But at the last the Lord Dowglas And the Christians that with him was Preassed vpon the Saracenes sa That they haillie the flight can ta And they chased with all their maine And mony in the chase was slaine So farre chased the Lord Dowglas With few folkes that hée passed was Foorth fare from them that chased then Hee had not with him but skant ten Of all men that were with him there When hee saw all repared were Toward his Hust syne turned hée And as hée turned can well sée That all the Chaissers turned againe And they réelled with méekle paine And as the good Lord of Dowglas As I said aire repairing was So saw hée right before him néere Where that Sir William de Sincleere With a greit rout inuironed was Hée was annoyed and said alas Yone worthie Knight will soone bee dead But he haue helpe through our manhead Let vs then helpe him now in hy Sen that wee are so néere him by And I wate well our intent is To liue and die in Gods seruice His will in all thing doe shall wee There shall no perill eschewed bée While hée bee put out of yone paine Or then wée shall bée with him slaine With that with speares right spéedely They strake the Horse in full greit hyâ— Among the Saracenes they rade And roome about them haue they made They dang on fast with all their might And feill of them to death were dight Greiter defence made neuer so whéene Against so feill it was right seene While theâ— might last to giue battaile There might no worship there auaile That time for slaine was ilkane there The Saracenes so mony were That they were twentie large for ane The good Lord Dowglas there was slaine And Sir William Sinclare alswa And other worthie Knights twa
girning gar hang and draw It was great wonder of sik saw That he that to the death was néere Sould answere vpon sik maner Withoutten meaning of mercie How might he trust on him to crie That soothfastlie déemes all thing To haue mercie for his crying Of him that through his fellonie Into sik point had no mercie His men his mandament haue done And he died thereafter soone And syne was brought to Burying His Sonne syne after him was King How Iames of Dowglas past into Arrane TO King Robert againe goe wée In Raughring with his MenÈie Lay till al the winter neer was gan And of that I le his meat hes tane Iames of Dowglas was angrie That they so long should idle lie And Sir Robert Boyd said hée The poore folke of this Countrie Are Charged vpon greit maner Of vs that idle lyes here I haue heard say that in Arrane In a strong Castle made of stane Are Englishmen that with strong hand Holds the Lordship of that Land Goe wée hidder and well may fall Annoy them in some thing wée shall Sir Robert said I grant theretill To ly here more were little skill Therefore to Arrane passe will wée For I know right well the Countrie And the Castle also know I. Wee shall come there so priuilie That they shall haue no perceiuing Nor yet knowledge of our comming And wée shall neere inbushment bee Where wee their comming well may sée So shall it on no maner fall But catch them in some wise wee shall UUith that they busked them on ane And at the King their leaue hes tane And went soone foorth vpon their way Into Kintyre soone come are they Syne rowed alwaes by the land While that the night was néere at hand Then to Arrane they held their way And safely their arriued they And in a Glen their Gaillay dreugh And syne it hailled well eneugh Their Takle aires and all their Stéere They had all on the same maner And held their way then in the night So that ere Day was dawen light They were enbusht the Castle néere Armed vpon their best maner And though they wet were and weary And long fasting all hungrie They thought to hold them all priuie Untill that they their time might sée Sir Iohn the Hastings at that tide With Knights of full méekle pride And with Squyers and Yemanrie And had a well greit company Was in the Castle of Brathwyke And oft time when it would him lyke Hee went to hunt with his menyie And so the Land abandound hée That none durst warne to doe his will Hee was into the Castle still The time that Iames of Dowglas So néere hand by enbushed was So hapned at that time through chance That with vittaile and purveyance And with cléething and al 's arming The day before in the Euening The Under Wardane arriued was With three Baittes right néere the place Where the folke I spake of aire Full priuily enbushed were Soone from the Baittes saw them goe Of Englishmen thretty and moe Charged all with sundrie things Some bare wine and some armings The remanent all charged were With things of sundrie maner And other sundrie yéed them by And they were Masters idlely They that enbushed were them saw And then withoutten dread or aw Their bushment on them they brake And slew all that they might ouertake They cryed hiddeously and hie And they that dreeding were to die Right as beastes can rairre and cry And they slew them without mercy So that into the samine stead Were neer so fourtie that were dead When they that in the Castle were Heard the folke so cry and raire They ished foorth to the fighting But when the Dowglas saw their comming His men to him hee can rely And went to meete them hastely And when they of the Castle saw Him come on them but dreed or aw They fled withoutten more debate And they them followed to the yate And slew of them as they in past But they their Èets barred so fast That they at them might doe no mair Therefore they left them ilke one there And turned to the place againe Where that the men before was slaine And when they that within the Baittes Saw them comming and what gaites They had discomfite their Menyie In hy they put them to the sey And rowed fast with all their maine But the wind was them againe And so greit the Land birst rise That they might wéeld the sea no wise Nor they durst not come to the Land But held them there so long hobland That of thrée Baits drowned two And when Dowglas saw it was so Hée tooke the arming and the cléething Uittaile and wine and other thing That they found there and held their way Right glad and joyfull of their prey ¶ On this maner Iames of Dowglas And his Menyie through Gods grace Were well relieued with arming And with Uittaile and al 's Cléething Syne to a strait they held their way And them full manlie gouernde they While on the tent day that the King With all that were in his leading Arriued were in that Countrie With threttie Gaillaies come and thrée The King arriued in Arrane And syne to the Land is hee gane And in a towne tooke his Harbrie And syne speared full speciallie If ony men could tell tithand Of ony strangers in that land Yes said a woman Sir perfay Of strange men I can you say That are come into this Countrie And short while syne through their bounty They discomfited our Wardane And mony of his men haue slaine And to a stalward place hereby Repaireth all their company Dame said the King wilt thou me wis To the place where their repaire is I sall reward thée but léesing For they are all of my dwelling And I right blythly would them sée And as I trow so would they me Yes Sir said she I will blythly Goe with you and your company While that I shew you their repaire That is enough my sister faire Now goe we forward said the King Then went they foorth but more letting Following her And she them led While at the last she shew the stéed To the King in a woodie Glen And said Sir yonder saw I the men That ye spéere after make ludging Here trow I is their repairing The King then blew his horne in hy And gart the men that were him by Hold them still in priuitie And syne againe his horne blew he Iames of Dowglas heard him blow And well the blast soone can he know And said surely yone is the King I ken him well by his blowing The third time therewith al 's he blew And Sir Robert Boyd him knew And said yone is the King but dréed Go we will foorth to him good spéed Then went they to the King in hy And to him inclined courteously And blythly welcommed them the King That was ioyfull of their méeting And kissed them and speared syne How had they farne in their huntyne And they
the folke of his leading Passed the Brig all at their ease To Iohn of Lorne it should displease I trow when hee his men might sée Out of the shipes into the sea Bee slaine and chased from the Hill And hee might set no let theretill For it angers as gretumlie To good heartes that are worthie To see their foes fulfill their will As to themselfe to thole the ill How Linlithgow-Peill winnen was Through William Binnie and his purchase AT sik mischiefe were they of Lorne For feill their liues there hes forlorne And other some had fled away The King in haste gart sease the Prey Ouer all the Land where men may see So greit aboundance come of fee That it were wonder to behold The King that stout was starke and bold To Dunstaffage right sturdely A Siege set and busily Assailyied that Castell for to get And in short time hée hes them set In sik thrang that therein were than That magre theires hée it wan And a good Wardane therein set And betaught him both men and meat So that hée long time there might bée Magre them all of that Countrie Sir Alexander of Argyle that saw The King destroy vp cleane and law His land sent treitise to the King And Came his man but more dwelling And hée receiued him to his peace But Iohn of Lorne his sonne that was Sittell as hee was wont to bee Hée â—led in shippes to the sea But they that left were on the land Were to the King all obeysand And he their pledges all hes tane And toward Peirth againe is gane To play him there into the Plaine Yet Lowthiane was him againe And at Linlithgow was yet a Peill Méekle and starke and stuffed well With Englishmen that was resset To them that with armours and meat From Edinburgh would to Striuilng ga And from Striuiling would againe alswa That to the Countrie did greit ill Now may yee heare if that yée will Of interludes and jeopardies That men assailyied mony wise Castells and Peills for to ta And this Linlithgow was ane of tha And I sall tell you how it was tane In the Countrie there winned ane That husband was and with his fée Oft hay vnto the Peill led he William Binny to name he heght A stalward man he was in feght He saw so hard the Countrie stad That he great noy and pitie had Through Fortresses that were then Gouernde and led with Englishmen Then trauelde men out of measure He was a stout Carle and a sture And of himselfe doure and hardy And had friends that winned him by And shewed to some his priuitie And vpon his conuéene gate he Men that might enbushment ma UUhile that he sould with his UUane ga To lead them hay into the Peill But his UUane sould be stuffed well For aught men armed in the bodie In his UUane sould sit priuilie And with hay heilled all about And himselfe that was dour and stout Sould by the UUane gang idlely And a Yeoman wight and hardy Before sould driue the Wane and weare A hatchat that would sharpely sheare Under this belt and when the Èet UUere opned and they were thereat UUhen he heard him cry sturdely Call all call all then in great by He sould stryke with the axe in twa The chenyies and then in hy sould thay That were within the Wane come out And debate make while that the rout That sould néere by enbushed be Come for to maintaine that melle This was into the Haruest tyde When fields that faire were and wyde Charged with corne and furnisht were For sundrie cornes that they bare Woxt ripe to win to man his food And the trées all charged stood UUith seire fruits on sundrie wise In this swée time as I deuise They of the Peill had winnen hay And with that Binny spoken had thay To lead their hay for he was néere And he consented but danger And said that he in the morning Well soone a Fodder sould in bring Fairer and greater and well more Than he did onie that yéere before And held them cunnand sikkerlie For that night warned he priuilie Them that in his Wane sould ga And them that bushed sould be alswa And they so greatly sped them there That ere day they enbushed were Well neere the Peill where they might heare The cry al 's soone as ony wéere And held them so still but stéering That none of them had perceiuing And this Binny fast can him paine To dresse his Menyie in his Wane And all a while before the day He had them heilled well with hay And made him then to yoke his fée While men the sunne might shining sée And some that were within the Peill Were â—â—hed out on their owne Séele To win their haruest néere thereby Then Binny with his companie That in his Wane closed he had UUent on his way but more abade And called his Wane toward the Peill And the Porter that saw him well Came néere the Èet it opned soone And then Binny withoutten hone Gart call the Wane deliuerly And when it set was euenly Betwixt the chéekes of the Èet So that he might it close no gaite He cried loude call all call all And he then léete his Gad-wand fall And hewde in two the chenyie in hy Binny with that deliuerly Raught to the Porter sik a rout That blood and harnes both yeed out And they that were within the Wane Lap out belyue and soone hes slaine Men of the Castell haillelie Then in a while begouth the crie And they that néere embushed were Lap out and came with swords bare And tooke the Castell all but paine And hes them that therein was slaine And they that were went foorth beforne When they the Castell saw forlorne They fled to warrand here and there And some to Edinburgh can fare And to Striuiling are other gane And some into the gaite were slaine How Thomas Randel came to the Kings Peace And was made Erle withoutten lies BYnny on this wise with his Wane Wan the Peill and their men hes slaine Syne gaue it to the King in hy That him rewarded worthelie And gart downe driue it to the ground And syne ouer all the Land can send Setting in peace all the Countrie That vnto him obey and would bée And when a litle time was spent Efter Thomas Randell hée sent And with him so well treated hée That hee his man heght for to bée The King his anger there him forgaue And to maintaine his state him gaue Murray and Erle thereof him made And other sundrie Lands brade Hée gaue him into Heritage Hée knew his worthie vassallage And his greit wit and his auise His traistie heart and his léele seruice Therefore in him affyed hee And made him rich of lands and fee As hee was certes right worthie For if men speake of him truelie Hee was so couragious a Knight So wise so worthie and so wight And of sa Soueraigne greit bounty That méekle of him
him full wonder well To good Hector of Troy might he In manie things likened be Hector had blacke haire as he had And starke limmes and right well made And lisped also as did he And was fulfill'd of all bountie And was courteous wise and wight But of manhéed and méekle might To Hector dare I none compare Of all that euer in world were For in his time so wrought he That he should greatly loued be HE dwelt there thus till on a tide The King Edward with méekle pride Came to Starling with great menyie For to hold there an assemblie Hitherward went many a Baroun And Bishop William of Lambertoun Who hither al 's and with him was His Esquyre Iames of Dowglas The Bishop led him to the King And said Sir here to you I bring This Child that claimes your man to be And prayeth you for Charitie That ye receiue here his homage And grant to him his heritage Quhat lands claimes he said the King Schir gif that it be your lyking He claimes the Lordship of Dowglas For Lord thereof his father was The King then wrythed him angerly And said Schir Bischop sikkerlie Gif thou wold keepe thy fewtie Thou mak no sic speaking to me His father was ay my felloun And died therefore in my presoun And was agains my Maiestie Therefore I ought his aire to be Go purches lands quhere euer he may For thereof gets he none perfay The Clyffurd shall haue them for he Ay leillely he hes serued me The Bischop heard him so answer And durst then speake to him no mair Bot from his presence went on hy For he dred sore his fellony So that no more he spoke thereto But did that he came for to do The King in England went againe With mony men of mekill maine LOrdings who likes for to heare The Romanes now begins héere Of men that were in greit distres And assayed full greit hardynes Or they micht come to their intent But syne our Lord sic grace them sent That they sensyne through greit valour Came to greit hicht and hie honour Magre their foes euer ilkone That were so fell that ay for ane Of them they were well a thousand Bot where God helps who may wtstand Èœet if we say the suithfastnes They were eir more then they were lesse But God that is of mekill micht Preserued them in his foresicht To venge the harmes and the contrares That they fell folke and oppressares Did to simple folke and worthy That could not saue themselues for thy They were like to the Maccabees That as men in the Bible sées Throw their great worship and valour Faucht in mony a stalwart stour For to delyuer their Countrie Fra folke that throw Iniquitie Held them and theirs into thirlage They wrocht so throw their vassallage That with few folke they had victory Of michty Kings as sayes the Story And delyuered their lands all frée Quherefore their names sould loued be This Lord the Bruce I spoke of air Saw all the Kinrik so forfair And so troubled the folke saw he That he thereof had great pitie Bot quhat pitie that euer he had No countenance thereof he made Quhill on a time Schir Iohn Cuming As they came ryding from Striuiling Said to him Schir will Èe not see How that gouerned is this Countrie They slew our folke but Enchesoun And hes this land against reasoun And ye thereof Lord should be And if that ye will trow to me Ye shall thereof gar make you King And I shall be in your helping With thy ye giue me all the land That ye haue now into your hand And if that ye will not doe swa Nor sik a state vpon you ta All haill my lands shall yours be And let me take the state on me And bring this land out of thirlage For there is neither man nor Page In all this land but they will be With vs to make themselues frée The Lord the Bruce heard his carping And weinde he spake but soothfast thing And for it liked to his will He gaue soone his assent theretill And said sen ye will it be swa I will blythlie vpon me ta The name for I wote I haue right And riâ—ht makes oft the féeble wight THir Barouns thus accorded are And that ilk night written were Their Indentours aithes made To hold that they forespokeÌ„ had But ouer all thing woe worth treasoun For there is neither Earle nor Baroun Nor Duke nor Prince nor King of might Though he be neuer so wise nor wight For wit worship praise nor renoun That euer may kéepe him fra treasoun Was not all Troy with treason tane When ten yéeres of the siege was gane Where there was slaine eight hundred thousand Of them thereout through strength of hand As Dares in his booke did wraite And dyted their battell and their state They might not haue bene tane with might But treasoun tooke them through her slight And Alexander the Conquerour That conquered Babylons Towre And all this world of length and bréede In twelue yéere through his doughtie déede Was syne destroyed by poysoun In his owne house through treasoun But ere he died his land dealt he To sée his death was great pitie Iulius Cesar al 's that wan Britane and France as worthie man Africk Arabie Egypt and Syrie And al 's Europe all haillelie And for his worship and valour Of Rome was first made Emperour Syne in his Capitoll was he Through them of his counsell priuie Slaine with botkins vnto the dead And when he saw there was no read His ene with hand enclosed he For to die with more honestie Al 's Arthur that through Cheualrie Had Britane Maistres and Ladie Of twelue Kinrikes that he wan And also as a Noble man He wan through battell France all frée And Lucius Tyber vanquisht he Then he of Rome was Emperour And yet for all his great valour Modreed his Sister sonne his slew And good men al 's ma than anew Through treason and through wickednesse The Bruce thereof beares witnesse So fell it of this cunning making Of the Cuming to the King Of England and told all the cace But I trow not all as it was The Indentour to him gaue hée And syne shawed the iniquitie And therefore syne hee tholed dead That to it could set no remead WHen the King saw the Indenâ—our Hée was angrie without measure And swore that hee should vengeance ta Of the Bruce that presumed sa Against him for to braull and rise Or to conspire in sic a wise And to Sir Iohn Cumyng said hee That hée should for his lawtie Be rewarded and that highly And hée him thanked humbly And thought well to haue the leading Of all Scotland but gane saying Fra that the Bruce to death was brought But oft failyeis that fooles thought And wise mens etteling Comes not aye to that ending That they thinke that it should come to For GOD wat 's what is ado Of his etling right
so it fell As I shall afterwards you tell He tooke his leaue and home is went And the King cummed a Parliament Hes set then after hastely And hidder summon he in hy The Barons of his fewtie And to the Lord the Bruce sent he Bidding to come to that gaddring And he that had no perceiuing Of the treasoun and the falset Rade to the King but langer let And in London him harbred he The first day of their assemblie Syne on the morne to Court he went The King sat into Parliament And before his counsell priuie The Lord the Bruce there called he And shewed him the Indentour He was in full great auentour To tyne his lyfe but GOD of might Reserued him to hier hight That would not that he so were dead The King besought him in that stead The Indentour the Seale to sée And asked if that it sealde hée He looked the Seale full tentiuely And answered him full méekely And said though that I simple be My Seale is not all time with me I haue another it to beare Therefore if that your wills were I aske you respet for to sée The letter and therewith auise me Till the morne that ye be set And then but any longer let The letter sall I enter héere Before your Court plane yéere And there till broch draw I Mine heritage all halely The King thoght he was traist anâ—ugh Gif he his land in Borrow dreuch And let him with the letter pas To enter as forespoken was The escaping of the Bruce and the dead of Iohn Cuming THe Bruce went to his Innes swyth And wit ye well he was full blyth That he had gotten that respyte He calde his Marshall to him tyte And bad him looke on all maneare That he made to his men good cheare For he will in his chamber be A well great whyle in priuitie With him one Clarke and no ma. The Marshall to the hall can ga And did his Lords commanding The Lord the Bruce but more letting Gart priuily bring Stéedes twa And he and the Clarke withoutten ma Lap on withoutten perceiuing And day and night but soiourning They rade till on the fift day Comming to Lochmabene are thay His brother Edward there they fand That thoght ferlie he tooke on hand For to come home so priuily He told his brother halely How that he there summond was And how he escaped through caâ—e So fell it in the samine tide That at Dumfreis right there besyde Sir Iohn Cumyng soiourne made The Bruce lap on but ony bade And thoght but ony more letting For to quite him his discouering Hidder he rade but longer let And Sir Iohn Cumyng there he met In the Friers at the hie Altar And shewed him with bourding chéere The Indentour syne with a knife Right in that place he reft his life Sir Edward Cumyng al 's was slaine And other al 's of méekle maine And not for thy yet some men sayes That that debate fell otherwayes But whosoeuer fell in debaite Therethrough he died well I waite He misdid that greitly but wéere That gaue no gyrth to the Altéere Therefore so hard mischiefe him fell That I heard neuer in Romanes tell Of man so hard sted as was he And after came to sic bountie NOw againe to the King go we That on the morrow with his barnie Sate into his Parliament And after the Lord the Bruce he sent Right to his Innes with Knights kene When he ofttime had called bene And his men after him asked thay They said that he sen yesterday Dwelt in his chamber it handly And a Clarke with him anerly Then knocked they at the chamber there And when they heard none make answer They brak the doore but they found noght He was away that they there soght They told the King all haill the cace And how that he escaped was He was of his escape sorie And swore in ire full stalwartlie That he sould drawne and hanged be He menassed as him thought but he Thought it sould passe another way And when he as ye heard me say Into the Kirk Iohn Cumyng had slaine To Lochmabene he went againe And gart men with his letters ride To friends vpon ilk side They came to him with their menye And his men al 's assembled he And thoght that he would make him King Ouer all the land the word can spring That the Bruce had the Cumyng slaine And among others letters aâ—e gane To the Bishop of Androistoun That told how slaine was the Baroun The Letter told him haill the dead And he till his men can it read And then he said full sikkerly I hope that Thomas prophecy Of Erstiltoun sall verray be In him for so our Lord me sée I haue great hope he shall be King And haue this land all in leading The Dowglas Meeting with King Robert IAmes of Dowglas that aye where Alwayes before the Bishop share Hée had well hard the Letter red And hée tooke also full good heede To all that the Bishop had said And when the boordes downe were laid To Chamber went hée then in hy And Iames of Dowglas priuily Said to the Bishop Sir yée sée How Englishmen through their poustie Disherites mée of all my Land And men haue gart you vnderstand Al 's that the Erle of Carrike Clames to gouerne this Kinrike And for your Man that hée hath slaine All Englishmen at him againe And would disherite him blythly And in a Line with him am I. Therefore Sir if it bée your will I would take with him good and ill Through him I thinke my Land to win Magre the Cliffurd and his kin The Bishop heard and had pitie And said Sweet Sonne so God mée sée I would blythly that yée were there So that I not reproued were On this maner well worke thou may Thou shalt take farrand my Palfray For there none Horse is in this Land So wight nor yet so well rinnand Take him as of thine owne head As I had giuen thereto no read And gif his kéeper oft grunches Looke that thou take him magre his So sall I more assonyied be Almighty GOD for his poustie Grant that he thou passes to And thou so well all time may do That ye you fra your foes defend He taught him siluer for to spend And syne gaue him his bennisoun And bad him passe his way off toun For he wold sléepe till he was gane The Dowglas then his way hes tane Right to the horse as he him bad But he that him in kéeping had Warned him well despiteously But he that wraithes him angerly Felled him with a swordes dynt And syne but ony longer stint The horfe he sadled hastely And lap on him delyuerly And passed foorth but leaue taking Deare GOD that is ouer all things King Saue him and shield him fra his faes All him alone the way he taes Toward the towne of Lochmabane And a litle fra Ayrik stane The Bruce with a great rout he met
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
the braes side hée yéed And stert behind him on a Steed The King was then in full greit preasse The whilk bethought as hée that was In all his déedes auisie To doe an outragious bountie Hee hint him that behind him was And magre him hee can him raise From behind him though hée had sworne And laid him euen him beforne Syne with his sword sic dints him gaue That hee the head till harnes claue Hee rushed downe of blood all red As hee that stounâ— felt of the dead And then the King in full greit hy Strake at the other vigorouslie And at the first strake hee him slew That hee after his sterop drew On this wise him deliuered hee Of all these felloun foes thrée WHen Iohn of Lorn hes seen the King Set for himselfe so greit helping And defend him so manfully Was none among them so hardie That durst assailÈie him more in fight So dred they of his méekle might There was a Baroun Maknaghtane That in his heart greit kéepe hes tane Unto the Kings greit Cheualrie And praisde him in his heart greitly And to the Lord of Lorne said hee Surelie Sir may now yée sée Betane the starkest pondlayne That in your lifetime ye saw tane For you Knight through his doughtie déed And through his couragious manhéed Hes felled into a litle tide Three men of meekle might and pride And stoneyed all our menyie swa That efter him dare no man ga And turnes so mony time his Stéed It séemes of vs he hes no dread Then can the Lord of Lorne say It seemes it likes thée perfay That he slayes yone gate our menyie Sir said he so our Lord me sée To saue your peace it is not sa Bot whether he be friend or fa That winnes praise of Cheualrie Men sould speake thereof léelely And sikkerly in all my time I heard neuer in song nor ryme Tell of a man that so smertly Encheefed so great Cheualry Sik speaking of the King they made And he efter his menyie rade And to sic sauitie them led Where he his foes nothing dred And they of Lornâ— againe are gane Meening the skaith that they had tane The King that night his watches set And gart ordaine that they might eat And bade them comfort to them take And at their mights merie make For discomfort as then said he Is the worst thing in world may be For through méekle discomforting Men ofttimes falles in desparing And fra a man despared be Then vtterly vanquisht is he And fra the heart be discomfite The bodie is not worth a myte Therefore he said attour all thing Kéepe you well from discomforting And thinke though we now harmes féele That GOD may yet reliefe vs well Men reades oft of mony that were Far harder sted then wee yet are And syne our LORD sik grace them lent That they came well to their intent For Rome vmwhile so hard was sted When Hanniball them vanquisht had That of Kings with rich stane That was off Knights fingers tane He send thrée bolles to Carthage And syne to Rome tooke his voyage For to destroy the Citie all And they within both great and small Had fled when they saw his comming Had not bene Scipio the ying That ere they fled would them haue slaine And so he turned them againe And syne for to defend the Citie Thrilled and seruants made he frée And made them Knights euerilkane And of the Temple syne hes tane The armes that their Elders bare In name of victorie efféered there And when they armed were and dight Thay stalwart Carles were and wight And saw that they were frée alswa They thought that they had rather ta The déed than let the toun be tane And with common assent as ane They ished of the toun to fight UUhere Hanniball of méekle might Against them arrayed was Bot through the might of Gods grace It rainde so hard and so heauie That there was none so hardie That durst then into the plaine abide But sped them all in hy to ride The one part to the Palliouns And the other part to the tounes The raine thus letted the fighting So did it twise thereafter syne UUhen Hanniball saw this ferly UUith all his great Cheualry He left the towne and held his way And syne was put to sik assay Through the power of that Citie That his life and his land tint he Sen so whéene and so vnworthie Man sik a Knight and so mightie Ye may well by example sée That no man sould despared be Nor let his heart be vanquisht all For no mischiefe that euer may fall For nane wate in how litle space That GOD will sometime send his grace Had they fled and their wayes tane Their foes sould the toun haue tane Therefore men that wéering are Sould set their intent euermare To stand against their foes might Outher with strength or els with flight As they thinke to come to purpose And gif that they were set in chose To die or to liue cowardly They should erer die Cheualrously THus gate them comforted the King And to comfort them in can bring Old Stories of men that were Set into hard assayes feere And that Fortoun contraried fast And came to purpose at the last Therefore he said that he that would Their harts vndiscomfite hald Sould ay thinke Ithingly to bring All their purposes to good ending As whylum did Cesar the worthie That trauellde ay so busilie With all his might following to make End of the purpose that he would take That him thought he had done right noght Ay to doe while he left oght For thy great things enchéeued he As men may in his Storie sée Men may sée by his Ithand will And it sould al 's accord to skill That who takes purpose intierly And followes on it Ithandly Withoutten fainting or falding With thy it be cunnable thing Bot he the more be vnhappie He sall encheeue it be partie Haue he lifedaies it may befall That he sall well encheeue it all For they should none haue desparing For to enchéeue a full greit thing For if it fall hee therefore faâ—lye The fault may ly in his trauailye HEe preached to them on this maner And fainÈied to make better cheare Then hee had matter to be far For his cause yeed from ill to war They were ay in so hard trauaile While the Ladies began to faile That might the trauele dree no mare So did other al 's that were there The Erle Iohn was one of thay Of Atholl when that hee saw say The King thus bee discomfist twise And so feill folke against him rise And leaue him in sik trauell and dout His heart began to faill all out And to the King vpon a day Hée said if I durst to you say Wee liue into so meekle dread And of meat hes so meekle need And is ay in sik trauelling With Cald and Hunger and waking That I set of my selfe in so I count not of my life
a stro Thir angers may I no more dree For thought mee worthed therefore to die I mon sojourne where euer it bee Leaue mee thereto for Charitie The King saw that hee thus gate failÈied And that hee was so sair trauailyied Hee said Sir Erle wee shall soone see And ordaine how it may best bee Where euer yee bee our Lord you send Grace from your foes you to defend With that in hy to him calde hee They that were to him most priuie Then among them they thought it best And ordainde for the likeliest That the Queene and the Erle also And the Ladies in hy should go With Neill the Bruce to Kildromy For they thought they should sikkerly Dwell there while they were vittaild well For so starke was the Castell That it with strenth was hard to get While that within were men and meat As they ordainde they did in hy The Queene and all her company Lap on their Horse and foorth they fare Men might haue seen who had been there At lieue taking Ladies grat And made cheekes with teares wat And Knights for their loues sake Both sigh and weepe and mourning mak They kist their loues at their departing The King bethought him of a thing That hee fra thyne on foote would goe And take on foot both well and woe And would no Horsemen with him haue From them there all haill they gaue To the Ladies that mister had The Queene foorth her wayes rade And safelie came to the Castell Where her folke were receiued well And eased well with meat and drinke Yet might none ease let her to thinke On the King that so hard was stad That but two hunder with him had The whilke them well gouerned ay God helpe them that all mights may The paine of King Robert among the Mountaines THe Quéene dwelt thus in Kildromie And the King and his companie They were two hunder and no mo Fra they had sent their Horse them fro Wanred among the hie mountaines Where hee and his oft tholled paines For it was to the Winter néere And so fell foes about them were That all the Countrie them weirrayed With so hard noy they them assayed Of hunger cold and showres snell Is none that liues that can tell The King saw how his men were stad And what annoy else that they had And saw was Winter drawing néere And that hée might on no manéere Drée in the Hilles the cold lying Nor yet the long nights waking Hée thought hée would to Kintyre goe And so long sojourne there to moe While Winter weather were away And then hée thought but more delay In the maneland for to arriue And to the end his weirds driue And for Kintyre lyes in the sea Sir Neill Campbell before sent hée For to get him Nauing and meat A certaine time to him hée set When hée should méet him at the sea Sir Neill Campbell with his MenÈie Went his way but more letting And left his brother with the King And in ten dayes so trauelde hée That hée gate shipping good plentie And vittane in greit abundance So made hée Noble Cheuisance For his friends winned thereby That helped him full willingly How the King past-ouer Lochlowmond THe King after that hée was gane To Lochmabene the way hes tane And came there on the third day But there about no Boat fand they That might them ouer the Water beare Then were they noyed in greit maner For it was far about to ga And they were into doubt alswa To méete their foes that spred were wide Therefore endlang the Loeh side They sought so busilie and so fast While Iames of Dowglas at the last Fand a litle sinking Bait And it to land they drew full hait But it so little was that it Might but thrée ouer the Water flit They send thereof word to the King That was joyfull of that finding And first into the Batte is gone With him Dowglas the third was one That rowed them ouer deliuerlie And set them on the land all drie And rowed so oft syes to and fra Fetching ay ouer twa and twa That in a night and in a day Commed ouer the Loch are thay For some of them could swoome full well And on his back beare a Fardell So with swooming and with rowing Thay brought them ouer all their thing The King a whyle merily Read to them that was him by Romanes of worthie Ferembras That worthely ouercommen was With the right doughtie Olyuer And how the doughtie Dutch péeres were Assieged into Egrymor Where King Lanyn lay them before With mo thousands than I can say And but eleuen within were thay And a woman that were so stad That they no meat there with them had But as they fra their foes it wan Yet they conteined so them than That they the toun held manlely While that Richard of Normandy Magre his foes warned the King That was ioyfull of that tything For he weind they had all bene slaine Therefore he turned in hy againe And wan Monetribill and past Flagote And syne Lauyn and all his flote Despiteously discomfite he And deliured his men all frée And wan the Nailes and the Speare And the Crowne that IESUS beare And of the Crosse a great partie He wan through his great Cheualrie The good King vpon this maner Comforted them that were with him néere And made him gaming and solace While that his men ouerpassed was WHen they had past the Water brade Suppose they feill of foes had They made them merie and was blyth Yet not for thy full feill syth They had full great default of meat And therefore Uennison to get In twa parts are they gane The King himselfe was into ane And good Sir Iames of Dowglas Into the other partie was Then in the hight they held their way And hunted lang whyle of the day They sought Shawes and seattes set Bot litle good gate they to eat Then hapned in that time through eace That the Erle of Lennox was Among the hilles neare thereby And when he heard sik blow and cry He had wonder what it might be And on sik maner spyed he That he knew well it was the King And then but ony more dwelling With all them of his company Right to the King he went in hy So blyth and so ioyfull that he Might on no maner blyther be For he the King weind had béene dead And he was also will of read That he durst rest into no place Sen that the King discomfite was At Methwen he heard neuer tithing That euer certaine was of the King Therefore in full great daintie The King full homely hailsed he And he him welcommed right blythly And kissed him full tenderly And all the Lords that were there UUere ioyfull of their méeting there And kissed him in great daintie It was great pitie for to sée How they for ioy and pitie grat When that they with their fellowes met That they weind had bene dead for thy They welcommed
and there The ships ouer the waues slade For wind at will blowing they had But not for thy who there had bene A great stertling he might haue séene Of ships For while some would be Right on the waues summitie And some slade fra the hight so law Right as they downe to hell would draw Syne on the waues stert suddenly And other ships that were by Delyuerly drew to the Déepe It was great Cunning for to kéepe Their Takle into sik a thrang And waite sik waues ay amang That reft them oft sight of the land When that they to it were marchand And when ships were sayling néere The sea would rise on sik maner That of the waues the waltering hight Would reaue them oft off their sight Yet into Raughring sikkerly They arriued ilkone safely Right blyth and glade that they were sa Escaped the hiddeous waues fra IN Raughring they arriued are And to the land they went but mare Armed vpon their best maner When the folke that there winning were Saw men of armes in their Countrie Arriue into sik quantitie They fled in hy with their Cattell Right toward a stalward Castell That in the land was néere them by Men might heare women highly cry And flée with Cattell here and there Bot the Kings folke that were Delyuer of foot them can ouer-hy And them arréested haillely And brought them to the King againe So that none of them all was slaine Then with them treated so the King That they to fulfill his yarning Became his men euerilkane And hes him truely vndertane That they and theirs loude and still Sould be in all things at his will And while him liked there to leind Euerilk day they sould him send Uittaile for thrée hunder men And ay for Lord they sould him ken So that their Fortresses might be For all his men their owne frée The Cunnand on this wise was made And on the morne but longer bade Of all Raughring both man and page Kneeled and made the King homage And therewith swore to him fewtie To serue him into léele lawtie And held him therewith léele Cunnand For while he dwelt into that land They gaue meat to his companie And serued him right faithfullie How the Queene and other Ladies were tane and prisoned and her men slaine AT Raughring leaue we now the King In rest withoutten barganing And of his foes a whyle speake we That throgh their might and their poustie Made sik a persecutioun So hard so straite and so felloun On them that to him louing were Or kyn or friend in ony maner That it to heare was great pitie For they spared none of no degrée That they trowed his friends were Nouther of the Kirke nor Seculare For of Glasgow Bishop Robert And Marcus of Maine they stythly spared Both in fetters and in prisoun And al 's good Cristall of Setoun Into Lochdon betrayed was Through a Disciple of Iudas Maknaght a false Traitour that ay Was with him dwelling night and day Whome to he made good company It was far war than traitoury For to betray sik a persoun So Noble and of so good Renoun Bot thereof had he no pitie In Hell condemned mot he be For when he him betrayed had The Englishmen right with him rade In hy in England to the King And gart draw him and head and hing Withoutten pitie or mercie It was great sorrow sikkerlie That so worthie a person as he Sould in sik maner hanged be Thus gate ended the worthines Of Craufurd al 's Sir Reynald we◠And Sir Bryse al 's of the Blaire Were hanged in a barne at Aire The Quéene and Dame Mariory Her Doughter that syne worthely Was coupled into Gods band With Walter Stewart of Scotland That would in no wise longerly In the Castle of Kildromy To bide a Siege Bot ridyng raith With Knights and with Squyars baith To Rosse right to the gyrth of Thane Bot that trauell they made in vaine For they of Rosse they would not beare For them no blame nor no danger Out of the gyrth them al 's hes tane And syne hes send them euerilkane Right into England to the King That gart draw all the men and hing And put the Ladies into prison Some in Castle and some in Dungeoun It was great pitie for to heare Folke troubled on sik maner How Englishmen sieged the Castell of Kildromy THat time was into Kildromy Good men that were wight worthy Sir Neill the Bruce this wate ye well And the Erle also of Atholl The Castle right well vittailde thay And meat and Fuell they can puruay And enforced the Castell so That them thoght no strength might ta it And when it to the King was told Of England how they shoope to hold The Castell hee was all angry And calde his Sonne to him in hy The Eldest and appearand aire A young Batchler starke and faire Sir Edward of Carnauerane That was the starkest man of ane That might bee found in a Countrie Prince of Wales that time was hee And hee gart call Erles two Glochester and Harfoorde were tho And bade them wend into Scotland And set a Siege with stalwart hand To the Castell of Kildromy And the holders 〈◊〉 haillily Hee bade destroy them but ransoun Or bring them to him in prisoun WHē this mandament they had tane They assembled an Host on ane And to the Castell went in hy And it assieged vigorously And mony a time it hard assailyied And yet to take it oft they failyied For they within were right worthie And them defended doughtely And repugned their foes oft againe Some baissed some wounded some slain And mony a time ishe they would And bargaine at the Barras hold And wound their foes oft and sla Surely they them contemned sa That they thereout despaired were And through England againe to fare For so starke saw they the Castell And thought that it was weaponde well And saw the men defend them sa That they none hope had it to ta None had they done all that sessoun Gif it not war right false treasoun For there within was a Traitour A false Lurdane a Losyngeour Osbarne to name made the tressoun I wate not for what enchesoun Nor whome with hee made the conuine But as they said that were within Hee tooke a Coulter hoat glowing That red was in a fire burning And went into the meekle Hall That then with corne was filled all And high vp in the mow it did But it full long was not there hid For men sayes oft that fire nor pride But disconering may no man hide For the pompe of the pride foorthshawes Or else the greit boast as it blawes Nor there may no man fire so couer But it shall low or reeke discouer So it fell heere for fire so cleare Soone through the thicke boord can appeare First as a Sterne syne as a Moone And well braider thereafter soone The fire out soon in bleases brast And the reeke raise so wonder fast
him told all but léesing Syne loued they GOD of their méeting Then with the King to his harbry They went both blyth and ioyfully How the King sent his man to spy in Carrik who were to him frendly THE King vpon the other day To his priuie men can say Ye know all well and well may sée How ye are out of your Countrie Banisht through Englishmens might And that which ours sould be with right Through their mastrie they occupie And would also without mercie Gif they had might destroy vs all But GOD forbid that it sould fall To vs as they make menassing Then were there no recouering And manhéed bids vs that we To procure vengeance busie be For ye may sée we haue thrée things That makes vs admonishings For to be worthie wise and wight And to annoy them at our might One is our liues safetie That could in no wise saued be Gif they had vs at their liking The other that makes vs egging Is that they our possession Holds with strength against reason The third is the ioy that we abide Gif that it happens as well may tide That we haue victorie and maistrie To ouercome all their fellonie Therefore we sould our hearts raise So that no mischiefe sould vs abase And shape alwayes to that ending That beares in it mense and louing And therefore Lordings if that ye sée Among you that it spéedfull be I will send a man in Carrik To spie and speare how the Kinrik Is led and who is frend or fo And gif he sees we land may to On Turneberyse-nuke he may Make a fire on a certane day To make takning to vs that we May there arriue in safetie And if he sees we may not sa Looke on no wise the fire he ma. So may we thereof haue witting Of our passage and our dwelling To this spéech all assented are And there the King withoutten mare Calde one that was to him priuie And borne was of Carrik Countrie And charged him in life and mair As ye heard he deuised aire And set him certaine day to mo The â—ire gif he saw it were so â—hat they had possibilitie To maintaine wéere in that Countrie And he that was right well in will His Lords yarning to fulfill â—s he that worthie was and léele And could his secret well concéele Said he was boun into all thing For to fulfill his commanding And said he sould do so wiselie That no reproofe sould after lie Syne at the King his leaue hes tane And foorth vpon his way is gane NOw goes the Messenger his way That hight Cuthbert as I heard say In Carrik soone arriued he And passed through all the Countrie But he found sew therein perfay That good would of his Master say For feill of them durst not for dread And other some right into déed Were faes to the Noble King That rewed syne their barganing Both hie and low the land was then All occupied with Englishmen That despised attour all thing Robert the Bruce the doughtie King Carrik was giuen then whollelie To Sir Henrie the Lord Percie That into Turnberyse Castle then Was well neere with thrée hundreth men And danted so all haile the Land That all to him were obeyand This Cuthbert saw his fellony And saw the folke so haillely Be worthen English both rich and poore That he to none durst him discouer But thought to leaue the fire vnmade Syne to his Master went but bade All that conuyne to him to tell That was so angrie and so fell Of the fire the King saw burning THE King that into Arrane lay When that commin was the day That hee set to his Messenger As I to you deuised aire After the fire hee looked fast And soone as the Noone was past Hee thought well that hee saw a fire By Turneberie burning faire and shyre And to his men hée couth it shaw Ilkane thought well that they it saw Then with blyth heart the folke can cry Good King spéed you deliuerly So that wée soone in the Euening Arriue withoutten perceiuing I grant said hée now make you yare God further vs into our fare Then in short time men might them sée Shoot all their Gaillayes to the sea And bare to sea both Aire and Stéer And other things that néedfull were And as the King vpon the sand Was ganging vp and downe bydand His menyie till they ready were His Hostes came right to him there And when that shee him hailsed had A priuie speake shee to him made And said Take good kéepe to my Saw For ere yée passe I shall you shaw Of your Fortune a greit partie And attour all thing especially A wittering héere I shall you ma. What end that your purpose shall ta For in this Land is none truely Wats things to come so well as I. Yée passe now foorth in your voyage To venge the harme and the outrage That Englishmen hes to you done But yee wat not what kin Fortune Yée mon drée in your weraying But wit yee well without léesing That fra yee haue now taken Land There shall no might nor strength of hand Gare you passe out of that Countrie UUhile all to you abandounde bée Within short time yee shall bée King And haue the Land at your lyking And ouercome your foes all But fell annoyes féele yee shall Or that your purpose end haue tane But yee shall them ouerdriue ilkane And that yée trow this sikkerly My two sonnes with you shall I Send to take part of your â—â—auaile For I wot well they shall not faile To be rewarded well at right When yee are raised to your hight ¶ The King that heard all her carping Thanked her in méekle thing For shee comforted him some deill And hée trowed not all well Her spéech For hee had greit ferly How hée should wit it sikkerly As it was wonderfull perfay How ony mans science may Know things that are to come Determinatly either all or some But if that hée inspired were Of him that all thinges euermare Sées in his owne Prescience As it were aye in his presence As was Dauid and Ieremy Samuell Ioseph and Esay That through his holy grace could tell Feill thinges that afterwards befell But these Prophets so thin are sowne That none in eird may now bee knowne But feill folke are so curious And to wit things so couetous That they trow through their great Clergie Or else through their deuiltie Of thir twaine maners makes finding Of things to come to haue knowing Ane of them is Astrologie Wherethrough Clerkes that are wittie May know Conjunction of Planets And whidder that their course them sets In soft Sieges or in angrie And of the Heauen all haillelie How that the dispositioun Wirkes vpon things héere downe On Regions or on Climates That all where worketh not all gaites Yet may they faile the trueth to say In things that them happen may For whether that man inclined bee To vertue or iniquitie Hée may
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
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
share off and the shoulders al 's Hee rushed downe all desily The two that saw so suddenly Their Fellow fell effrayed were And start a litle backermare The King with that blenked him by And saw the two men sturdely Against his men sik mellie ma With that hee left his owne twa And to them that fought with his man A loupe right lightly made hee than And smote the Head quite off the one To his owne two syne is hee gone That came on him right sturdely Hée met the first so egerly That with the sword that sharply share The armes hee from the body bare What strakes they gaue I cannot tell But to the King so sore befell That though hee trauell had and paine Hee of his foes foure hes hee slaine His Foster-brother efter soone The fist hes out of his dayes doome And when the King saw that all fife UUas on this wise brought out of life To his fellow can he say Thou hes helped right well perfay It likes you to say so quod he But ouer great part to you tooke ye Ye slew foure of the fiue alone The King said as the glée is gone Better than thou I might it do For I had more leisure thereto The two fellowes that delt with thée UUhen they me saw assembled with thrée Of me right no kin doubt they had For they weind I was straitly stad And for thy that they dred me nought Noy them more than thou I moght But let vs thanke GOD of his grace That fra our foes vs deliuered hes UUith that the King looked him by And saw of Lorne the company Well néere with their sloothhound cuÌ„mand Then to a UUood that was néere hand He went with his fellow in hy GOD saue them for his great mercy How the King scaped fra his faes And how the sloothhound slaine was THE King toward the Wood is gane Wearie for sweit and will of wane Into the Wood soone entred he And held downe toward a vaillie Wherethrough the Wood a water ran Hidder in great hy went he than And begouth for to rest him there And said he might no further fare His man said Sir that may not be Bide ye ought long ye sall soone sée Fiue hunder yarning you to sla And that is monie against vs twa And sen we may not deale with might We man help that we may with slight The King said sen that thou wilt so Goe foorth and I sall with thée go But I haue heard oft times say That who endlong a Water ay Would wâ—â—de a bowdraught he sould gar Both the â—â—â—thhound and his leidar Tyne thâ— Seâ—t that men gart them ta Prooue 〈◊〉 iâ— it will now doe swa For 〈…〉 deuilish Hound away I rek 〈◊〉 all the â—eâ—ue perfay As he deuised so haue they done And entred in the UUater soone And held downe endland it their way And syne vnto the Land yéede they And held their way as they did aire And Iohn of Lorne with greit efféere Came with his rout right to the place Where that his fiue men slaine was Hée méened them When hee them saw And after said in a litle thraw That hée should soone reuenge their dead But otherwise the gaming yeede There would hée make no more dwelling But foorth in hy followed the King Right to the Burne they passed were But the Slooth-hound made stinting ther And wauered long time to and fro That he no certaine gate could go UUhile at the last that Iohn of Lorne Perceiued the Hound the Sent had forne And said we haue tint this trauaile To passe further may not auaile For the Wood is both long and wide And he is far foorth by this tide Therefore is good we turne againe And wast no more trauell in vaine With that resyed he his Menyie And his way to the Oist tooke he THus escaped the Noble King But some men sayes his escaping Upon another maner fell Then through the waiding as they tell That the King a good Archer had And when he saw his Lord so stad That he was left so anerly He ran on side alwayes him by While he into the Wood was gone Then said he to himselfe allone That he right there a rest would ma To looke if he the Hound might sla For if the Hound might last on liue He wist right well that they might driue The Kings trace while they him ta And he wist well they would him sla And for he would his Lord succour He put his life in auentour And sate into a bush knéeland While that the Hound came to his hand And with an arrow soone him slew And to the Wood syne him withdrew But whether his escaping fell As I told first or I now tell I wate not but without leesing At that Burne escaped the King What maner that the thieues three Made to the King slight lawtie THE King is foorth his wayes tane And Iohn of Lorne againe is gane To Sir Aymer that fra that chase UUith his Menyie repaired was That sped but litle in their chasing And thought that they made following Full egerlie they wan but small Their foes were escaped all Men sayes Sir Thomas Randell than Chasing the Kings banner wan Wherethrough in England with the King He had great prise and hie louing UUhen the chasers relyed were And Iohn of Lorne had met them there He told Sir Aymer all the cace How that the King escaped was And how that he his fiue men slew And to the UUood syne he him drew UUhen Sir Aymer heard tell in hy He sained him for this ferly And said he is greatly to praise I know none liuing in thir dayes That at mischiefe can helpe him sa I trow he sall be hard to ta And he were bodin euenlie On this wise spake Sir Aymerie And the good King held foorth his way Betwixt him and his men while they Passed out through the Forrest were Then in a Moore they entred are That was both hie long and brad And by the halfe they passed had They saw on side thrée men cummand Like to light men and wauerand Swordes they had and axes al 's And one of them about his Hals A meekle bound in Wedder bare They met the King and hailsed him faire The King againe them hailsed yald And asked them whether they wald They said Robert the Bruce they sought To méete with him if that they mought Their Man-rent to him would they ma The King said If that you will swa Hold foorth your wayes now with mée And I shall gar you soone him sée They perceiued by his speaking And his efféeres hee was the King They changed countenance and late And held not in the first estate For they were foes to the King And thought to come into talking And dwell with him while that they saw Their point and bring him out of daw They granted to his Speake for thy But the King that was aye witty Perceiued well by their
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
priuie speaking And also framing of arming And on them set full sturdelie And they met them full hardelie And slew of them despiteouslie Then through the Castell rose the cry Treasoun treasoun they cried fast Then some of them were so agast That they fled and lap ouer the wall But to say sooth they fled not all For the Constable that was hardie All armed ished foorth to the cry And with him feill hardie and stout Yet was the Erle hard with his rout Feghting with them vpon the Wall But soone discomfist hée them all By that his men were commen ilkane Up to the wall and hée hes tane His way downe to the Castell soone In greit perill hée hes him done For they were ma than he therein And they had bene of good conuine But some thing they affrayed were And not for thy with weapons bare The Constable and his company Met him and his greit hardely Their men might see right bargane rise For with weapons on mony wise They dang on other at their might While swords that were faire and bright Were to the hilts all bloody Then hiddeously began the crie For they that felled or stikked were Right hiddeously can cry and raire The good Erle and his companie Faught in that feght so sturdelie That all their foes rushed were The Constable was slaine right there And fra hee fell the remanand Fled where they might best to warrand They durst not qide nor make debate The Erle was handled there so haite That had it not hapned through cace That the Constable there slaine was He had bene in great perill there But then they fled there was no maire Ilke man for to saue his life Fled foorth his dayes for to drife And some slade downe out ouer the wall The Erle hes tane the Castell all For there was none durst him withstand I neuer heard into no land UUas Castell tane so hardely Outtaken Tyre alanerly UUhen Alexander the Conquerour That conquered Babylons Towre Lap fra a Bar foorth to the Wall UUhere he among his foes all Defended him full doughtely UUhile that his noble Cheualry With ladders ouer the walls yeed That nouther left for dead nor dréede For when they wist well that the King Was in the towne there was nothing Into that time that stynt them moght For all perill they set at noght They clambe the wall and Areste Came first to the good King where he Defended him with all his might And they so hard were stad in fight That he was felled on his knée Then to his backe he set a tree For dréede they sould behind assailyie Areste then to the battailyie Sped him in hy so sturdely And dang on them so doggedly That the King well rescued was For his men into sundrie place Clambe ouer the walles soght the King And him rescued with hard feghting And wan the town deliuerly Outtaken this taking alanerly I heard neuer in no time gane Where Castell was so stoutly tane And of this taking that I méene Sanct Margaret the good haly Quéene Wist in her time through reueling Of him that knowes and wat 's all thing Therefore in stead of Prophecy She left a taikning full ioly That is there in her Chappell Sho gart well portray a Castell A ladder vp to the wall standing And a man thereupon climming And wrote on him as old men sayes In French Garde vous de Francoys And for this word she gart write sa Men weind ye Frenchmen sould it ta But Frances called was he That so clambe vp in priuitie She wrote it as in Prophecy And it fell afterward soothly Right as sho said for tane it was And Frances led them vp that place On this wise Edinburgh was tane And they that were therein ilkane Outher tane or slane or lap the walk Their goods haue they leaued all And the house euerilkane Sir Peirs Libald that was tane As I said aire in Boyes they fand And into hard festning sittand They brought him to the Erle in hy And he gart loose him hastely And he became the Kings man They send word to the King right than And told how the Castell is tane And he in hy is hidder gane With mony men in company And gart cast downe all haillely Both Towre and walles to the ground And syne ouer all the land can found Séesing the Countrie to his peace Of this déede that so worthie was The Erle was praised gretumly The King that saw him so worthy Was blyth and glad attour the laue And to maintaine his state him gaue Rents and lands fair ineugh And he to so great worship dreugh That all spoke of his great bountie His foes oft syes astoneied he For he fled neuer for force in fight UUhat sall I more say of his might His great manhéede and his bountie Garres him yet renowned be How Sir Edward wan Ruglein-Peill And Dundie sine Stâ—iuiling sieged well In this time that thir ieopardies Of thir Castells as I deuise UUere enchéeued so suddenlie Sir Edward Bruce that was worthie Had all Galloway and Niddisdaill UUinnen to his liking all haill And doungen downe the Castells all Right to the dykes both Towre and Wall He heard them say and knew it well That in Ruglyn was then a Peill Hidder he went with his Menyie And winne it in short time hes he Syne to Dundie hes tane the way That then was holden as I heard say Against the King therefore in hy He set a Siege thereto stoutly And lay there till it yolden was To Striuiling syne the way hee taes Where good Sir Philip the Mowbray That was so doughtie at assay UUas UUardane and had in kéeping The Castell of the English King Thereto a Siege hee set stoutly They bikkered oft syes sturdely But greit Cheualrie was done nane Sir Edward fra the Siege was tane A well long whyle about it lay From the Lentrone that is to say While forrow the Sainct Iohnes Masse The English folke that therein was Begouth to failyie vittaile by than And Sir Philip as doughtie man Treated till they consented were That if at Midsommer then a yéere To come it were not with battaile Rescued that then withoutten faile Hée should the Castell yéelde quietlie That cunnand brake they sikkerlie How Sir Edward withoutten sturne Vndertook the battell of Bannock-burn ANd when this cunnand thus was made Sir Philip into England rade And told the King all the haill tale How that he twelue moneth all haill Had as written was in their Tailyie To rescue Striuiling with battailyie And when hee heard Sir Philip say That Scottish men had set a day To feght and hee such leasure had To puruay him hée was right glad And said It was greit sucquidrie That set them vpon sik follie For hée thought to bee ere that day So puruayed and in sik array That there sould no strength him withstaÌ„d And when the Lords of England Heard that this day was set plainely
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
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
Knight Was wounded through the body there With a speare that tight sharply share But to Mount Peller went hee syne And lay there long into Léeching But at the last healed was hee Sir Edward then with his MenÈie Tooke in the towne their Harbaie That night they blyth were and jolie For the victorie that they had there And on the morne withoutten maire Sir Edward gart men gang and see All the vittaile of that Citie And they found sik fusioun therein Of corne and floure and wax and winâ— That they of it had greif ferlie And Sir Edward gart haille lie To Craigfergus it caried bee Syne hidder hee went with his MenÈie And held the Siege full stalwartly While Palme sunday was passed by Then to the Tuesday in Pasch Oulk On either side they trewes tooke So that they might that holy tiâ—e In pennance and in prayed bide But vpon Pasch Euen â—ight To the Castell into the night From Divilling came shippes fifteene Charged with armour and men bedeene Three thousand trow I well they were That entred in the Castell there The Maundwell also and Sir Thomas Capitane of that MenÈie was In the Castell full priuilie They entred for they gaâ—â— spy That mony of Sir Edwards men Were skailled in the Countrie then Therfore they thought in the morning To ishe but longer delaying And to supprise them suddenly For they thought they should traâ—stly For the trewesse that taken were But I trow falset euer maire Shall haue mischiefe and euill ending Sir Edward wist of this nothing For of treason had hée no thought But for the trewes hée letted nought To set watches to the Castell Ilk night hée gart wake it full well And Neill Fleming woke that night And sextie worthie men and wight And assoone as the day was cleare They that within the Castell were Had armed them and made them bowne And syne the draw-brig they lot downe They ished then in greit plentie And when Neill Fleming can them sée Hée sent one to the King in hy Syne said to them that was him by Now shall men sée I vndertake Who dar for his Lords sake Now beare you well for sikkerlie With all yone MenÈie feght will I Into bargane them hold shall wée While that our Master armed bée And with that word assembled they That were all out too few perfay With sik a greit rout for to fight And not for thy with all their might They dang on them so hardelie That all their foes had greit ferlie That they were all of sik manhéed That they no dread had of their dead But their feill foes so can assaile That there might no worship auaile But they were slaine vp euerilkane So cléene that there escaped nane And the man that went to the King For to warne him of their ishing Warned him in full great hy Sir Edward was then commonly Called the King of all Ireland And when he had sik haste on hand In full great haste he got his geare Twelue with him in his chamber were That armed them in full great hy Syne with his Baner hardely The mids of the towne he taes With that néere comming were his foes That had delt all their men in thrée The Maundewile with a great Menyie Right throgh the town the way held down The laue on other side the towne Held to méete them that fléeing were They thought that all that they fand there Should die but ransome euerilkane But otherwise the gyse is gane For Sir Edward with his Banéere And his twelue that I told of eir On all the rout so hardelie Assembled that it was ferlie For Gib Harper before him yéed That was the doughtiest of déed That might be found of his estate And with an Axe made him sik gaite That he the first felled to the ground And syne into a litle stound The Mandewile by his arming 〈◊〉 knew and raught him sik a swing That he to eird past hastely Sir Edward that was néere him by Reuersed him and with a knife Right in that place he rest his life With that of Ardrossane Sir Fergus That was a wight Knight and courageous Assembled with sextie men and ma They preassed then their foes sa That they that saw their Lord slaine Tint heart and would haue bene againe And ay as Scottishmen might be Armed they came to the melle And dang vpon their foes sa That they haillie the backe can ta And tha men chased to the yait There was great fight and hard debaite There slew Sir Edward with his hand A Knight that of all Ireland Was called best and of most bountie To surname Maundewile heght he His proper name I can not say But his folke to so hard assay Was set that they of the Dungeoun Durst open no yait nor brig let doun Sir Edward so then fought perfay That ished foorth on him that day That there escaped neuer ane But they were either slaine or tane For to the fight Manakill then Came with two hundreth of speare-men And they slew all they might to win This ilk Manakill with a gin Wan of their shippes foure or fiue And hailly reft the men their life When end was made of that feghting Yet then was life in Neill Fleming Sir Edward went him for to sée About him slaine lay his Menyie All in a lump on ather hand And he to die readie thrawand Sir Edâ—ard of him had great pitie And him full greatlie méened he And â—egrated his great manhéed His worship and his doughtie déede Sik mone he made they had ferlie For he was not customablie Wont for to mene ony thing Nor would not heare men make méening He stood there by while he was dead And syne had him to hallowed Stéed And syne with worship gart him be Eirded with great solemnitie How King Robert wan the Iles to hand And gart his shippes saile on dry land IN this wise ished Mandewile But wit ye well that fraud and guile Sall alwayes haue an euill ending As well was séene by this ishing In time of trewes ished they And in sik time as on Pasch day When Christ raise to saue mans kin Fra weme of old Adames sin Therefore so great mischance them fell That ilk one as ye heard me fell Was slaine vp or els taken there And they that in the Castell were Were set in sik a fray that hour That they could sée no where succour Sould come to relieue them that day That shortlie then treitted they To yéeld the Castell to him free To saue their liues and certes he Held them full well all his cunnand The Castell tooke he in his hand And vittailde it well and in it set A good UUardane it for to get And there a while rested he Of him no more now speake will we BOt to King Robert will we gang That we haue left vnspoken of lang When he had conuoyed to the sea His brother Edward with his Menyie With his shippes he
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
of his Menyie some sent he For to burne townes two or thrée And bade them soone againe them spéed So that at hand gif there come néed They might before the feght be read The Newell that wist verily That Dowglas commen was so néere And saw all brode stand his Banéere Then with tha folke that he had there That with him a great Menyie were For all the good of that Countrie Into that time with him had he So that he with him there had then UUell mo then were the Scottishmen He held his way vp to an hill And said Lordings it were my will To make end of the great deray That Dowglas does to vs ilk day But me thinke it spéedfull that we Abide till that his Menyie be Skailled all to take our Pray Then fiercely set on them we maâ— And we sall haue them at our will Then they gaue all assent theretill And on the hill abade houand The men fast gaddered of the land And drew to him in full great hy And Dowglas then that was worthy Thought it was foly more to bide Toward the hill then can he ride And when the Newell saw that they Would not passe foorth to the Forray But preassed to him with all their might He wist well then that he would fight And to his Menyie can he say Lordings now hold we foorth our way Here is the floure of this Countrie And mo then they also are we Assemble we then hardely For Dowglas with yone Yemanry Sall haue no might to vs perfay Then in a frush assembled they That men might heare the speares brast And ilkone dang on other fast And blood brast out of wounds wide They foght fast vpon ather side For ather partie can them paine To put their foes on back againe The Lord the Newell and Dowglas When that the fighting fellest was They fought felly with all their maught Great routes ather to other raught But Dowglas starke was I hight And more vsed al 's in the fight And set heart and will alswa For to deliuer him of his fa While at the last through méekle mains Of forre the Newell hes he slaine Then his Ensenyie can he cry And on the laue so hardely He rushed with all his Menyie That in short time men might sée Their foes take on them the flight And they them chaist with all their might Sir Raph the Newell in that place And the Baroun of Hiltonn was Taken and other of méekle might There was reill flaine into that fight That worthie in their time had béene And when the field was cleanged cléene So that their foes euerilkane Were slaine or chaist away or tane Then gart he forray all the land And séesed all that euer he fand And burnt the townes in their way Syne haill feare home commen are they The Pray among his Menyie Efter their merites dealt hes he And held nothing to his behooue Sik déedes ought to gar men loue Their Lord and so they did perfay He treated them so wisely ay And with so méekle loue alswa And countenance that he would ma Of their déed that the most Coward He made stoutter then a Leopard UUith cherissing this gaite made he His men wight and of great bountie When Newell thus was broght to ground And of Calhow Sir Edmound The dread of the good Lord Dowglas And his Renowne so skailled was Throughout the Marches of England That all that were therein dwelland Dred him as the selfe Deuit of Hell And yet I haue heard oft syse tell That hée so greitly dred was then That when wiues wold their children ban They would euen with an angrie face Betake them to the blacke Dowglas Through his greit worship and bountie So with his foes dred was hee That they growed to heare his Name Hee may at ease now dwell at hame A while for I trow hée shall nought With foes mony dayes bée sought Now let him in the Forrest bée And of him speake no more will wée But of Sir Edward the worthie That with all his Cheualrie Was at Craigfergus yet lyand To speake more wée will take on hand Here past in Ireland the Noble King To his brother with great gaddering WHen Sir Edward as I said aire Had discomâ—Ì„st Richard of Clare And of Ireland all the Barnage Thrise through his worthie Uassalage And syne with all his men of maine To Craigfergus was comde againe The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke lieue in Scotland for to passe And hee him left without grudging And syne him charged to the King To pray him speciallie that hee Would come in Ireland him to sée For were they both into that lanâ— They should find none should them withstand The Erle then foorth his way hes tane And to his Shippes is hee gane Hée sailled well out ouer the sea In Scotland soone arriued hée Syne to the King hee went in hy And hée receiued him joyfully And spéered of his brothers fare And of his journeyes that they had there And hée him told all but leesing And when the King left had speaking His charge to the King told hée And hée said Hée would blythlie sée His brother and also the affaire Of the Countrie and what it were A greit MenÈie then gaddered hée And two Lords of greit bountie The one Walter Stewart was The other Iames of Dowglas Wardans in his absence made hee For to maintaine well the Countrie Syne to the sea hee tooke his way And at Lochreane in Galloway Hee shipped with all his MenÈie To Craigfergus soone commen is hee Sir Edward of hiâ— come was blyth And went downe for to meete him swyth And welcommed him with gladsom cheare So did hee all that with him were And speciallie the Erle Thomas Of Murray that his Neuoy was Syne to the Castell went hee there And made them meekle feast and fare They sojournde therein dayes three In mirth solace and royaltie KIng Robert now vpon this wise Into Ireland arriued is And when into Craigfergus had hee With his men sojournde dayes three Hee tooke counsell that hee wold With all their folke their wayes hold Through all Ireland from end to other Sir Edward then the Kings brother Before into the Uangard rade The King himselfe the Reeregard had That had into his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie Their wayes fordward haue they tane And soone passed euer ilkane Here faught King Robert in Ireland With 5. thousand against 40. thousand THIS was in mids the mirthfull May When Birds sings on ilke Spray Making their Notes with seemlie soun For softnesse of the sweet seasoun And Leaues of the Branches spreeds And bloomes bright about them breedes And Fieldes strowed are with Flowres Well sauouring of seir colours And all thing worthed blyth and gay When that the good King tooke his way To ryde Southward as I said aire The Wardane then Richard of Clare Wist the King was arriued sa And wist hee shupe him for to
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
their Sow fecried was there Iohn Crab that had his geare all there In the Faggots hes set a fire And ouer the walles syne can it wyre And brunt the Sow in brandes bare With this all fast assailÈeing were The folke without with felloun fight And they within with méekle might Defended manfully that Stéed Into greit auenture of their deed The shipmen with greit apparaile Came with their ships to assaile With Topcasteles garnisht wel And with men armed into stéele Their baits vâ— in midds their Mast Drawne well hie and fastned fast And preassed with their greit auenture Toward the wall but the Ingynour Hit an Aspine with a stone That the men that were therein ilkane Came downe dushing on the land Fra hinefoorth durst none take on hand With shippes to preasse them to the wall Bot the laue were assailyeing all On euerlike side so egerlie That Certes it was great ferlie That tha folke sik defence hes made For the great mischief they then had For their walles so low they were That a man right with a speare Might strike another vp in the face As here before told to you it was And feill of them were wounded saire And the laâ—e so fast trauelling were That none had laiser rest to ta Their aduersaries them assailyied sa They were therein so straitly stad That their Wardane with him had An hundreth men in companie Armed that wight were and hardie And rade about for to sée where That his folke hardest preassed were But he of his haill companie Behooued to leaue a great partie So that by he a course had made About of all his men he hadâ— There was left with him onlie ane For he had them left euerilkane To relieue where he saw mister And the folke that assailyeing were At Mary yait they hewed had The Barres and a fire had made At the Draw-brig and brunt it doun And were thringing in great susioun Right to the yait a fire to ma. And they within gart smertly ga Right to the UUardane for to say How they were set in hard assay And when Sir Walter Stewart heard How that his men so straitly farde He gart come fra the Castell then All that were there of armed men For there that day assailyied nane And with that rout in hy is gane To Mary yait and to the wall Is went and saw the perill all And vmbethought him suddenly But gif great helpe were sent in hy Thereto they sould burne vp the yait UUith the fire that he found thereat Therefore vpon great hardement He suddenlie set his intent And gart all wide set vp the yait And the fire that he found thereat With strength of men he put away He set him in full great assay For they that were assailyeing there Preassed on him with weapons bare And he defended with all his might There men might sée a felloun fight With sticking stopping and straiking There made they sturdy defending Magre their foes while the night Gart them on both halfes leaue the fight THey of the Dast when night can fall Fra the assault withdrew them all Wounded and wearie and forbeft With faintnesse there the Sault they left And to their Innes they went in hy And set their Watches hastely The laue them eased as they might best For they had great mister of rest That night they spake all commonly Of them within and had ferly That they so stout defence had made Against the great assault they had And they within on other party UUhen they their foes so haillely Saw them withdraw they were all blyth And their Watches hes ordainde swyth And syne are to their Innes gane There was but few of them then slaine Bot feill were wounded cruelly The laue out of measure were weary It was an hard assault perfay For certainely I heard men say That no few men more defence had made That so right sharpe assailyeing had And of one thing that there befell I haue ferly that I of tell That is that into all that day UUhen all the most assailyied they And the shot thickest was with all Women with bairnes and children small In armes full gaddered vp and bare To them that on the walles were Arrowes and not ane slaine was there Nor yet wounded and that was maire To a miracle of GOD almightie And to nought els it set can I. On ather side that night they were All still while on the morne but maire There came tythings out of England To the Oast that was mislykand How that at Borrowbrig by Midtoun Their men were slaine doungen down And that the Scotishmen through the land Rade yet burning and slayand And when the King hes heard this tale His counsell he assembled hale To see whidder better were him till Abide about the toun all still And assaile while it winnen were Or then in England for to fare And reskew his land and men His counsell fast discorded then For the South men would that he made Arest there while he winnen had The Toun and the Castell alswa But North men would nothing swa They dred their friends for to tyne And most part of their goods syne Through Scottishmens crueltie They would he léet the Siege be And ride for to reskew the land Of Longcastell I take on hand The Erle Thomas was one of tha That counseld the King home for to ga And for that more enclined he To the folke of the North Countrie Then to the Southeroun mens will He tooke it to so méekle ill That he gart turse his geare in hy And with his battell haillely That of the Oast néere third part was To England home his waies taes But lieue â—ee home hes â—ane his gate Therefore fell efter sik debate Betwext him and the King that ay Lested and Andro Hardeclay That through the King was on him set Tooke him syne and into Pumfret Into the Hill beside the towne Strake off his head but ransoun Therefore syne hauged drowned was he And with him a greit Menyie Men syne said efter that this Thomas That on this wise martyred was Was syne a Sainct mirackles did But enuie then gart them bee hid But whidder hee holie was or nane At Pumfret thus gate was hee slaine And syne the King of England When that hée saw him take on hand To passe his was so openlie Hée thought that vecill it was foly His Harnesse therefore cursed hée And with the laue of his MenÈie To England home can bee fare The Scottishmen that destroying were Throughout England full cruelly Burning and wasting right rigorouslie When t at they haue heard tythings tell Of this greit Siege that was so fell That they all skailed were and gane Unto England home againe So that their folkes relieued were And set now frée from all danger Then did they take Westward the way And by Carlile returned are they With prise and with prisoners And other goods on seir maners The Lords to the
the feght the way he taes Endlang the Caussey that there was Filled into so great fusioun Of men that went then to the toun And he that met them can them ma Sik payment where he can them ta That well an hundreth men gart he Leaue magre theirs the Caussey And Iohn Thomson said surelie That saw his déedes all haillelie That toward the battell euen he yéede Iohn Thomson thereto tooke good héed And cried to him in full great hy That they were vanquisht all plainely And said come here for there is nane On life for they are dead ilkane Then stood he still a whyle and saw That they were all done out of daw Syne went he toward him sikkerlie This Iohn wrought syne so wittelie That all that hidder fled they were Comde to Craigfergus haile and féere Although they left some of their geare And they that at the fighting were Sought Sir Edward to get his head Among the folke that there was dead And found Gib Harper in his geare And for so good his armings were They strake his head off and syne it They haue gart salt into a Kit And in a Present but hething In England sent it to the King They weind Sir Edward it had béene But for the arming that was shéene They of the head deceiued were Although Sir Edward died there On this wise were the Noble men Through wilfulnesse all lossed then And that was sin and great pitie For had their outragious bountie Bene led with wit and with measure But gif the more misauenture Befell them it sould bene hard thing Sould lead them to discomforting But greit outragious succudrie Gart them all deare their worship buy And they that fled from the Melle Sped them in hy toward the Sea And to Craigfergus commen are they And they that were into the way To Sir Edward sent from the King When they heard the discomfiting To Craigfergus they went againe And that was not withoutten paine For they were mony times that day Assailyied with Irishrie but they Held them togidder sikkerlie Defending them so worthelie That they escaped oft through might And mony times oft by slight For oft there to themselues gaue they To let them skaithlesse passe away And to Craigfergus came they sa Then baits and shipmen they ta And sailled to Scotland into hy And arriued all their safelie When they of Scotland had witting Of Sir Edwards discomfiting They méened him full tenderlie Ouer all the land full commonly And they that with him slaine were there Full tender al 's méened they were SIr Edward Bruce as is said aire Was discomfist on this maner And when the fielde was cleanged cleene So that no resistance there was séene The Wardane then Richard of Clare With all the folkes that hee had there Toward Dondalke hes tane the way So that no debate made they At that time with the Irishry But to the towne they held in hy And syne hes sent to the King That England had in gouerning Gib harpers head into a Kit Iohn Mowppas to the King had it Whilke hée receiued in greit daintie Right blith of that Present was hee For hée was glad that hée was so Deliuered of sike a felloun foe In heart thereof hée tooke sike pride That in all haste hee would ride With a greit Host into Scotland To reuenge him with stalward hand Of the tray trauell and the teene That done to him therein had béene Then a right greit Host gaddered hée And gart his shippes by the sea Come with greit fusioun of vittaile For at that time hee thought all haill For to destroy so cleane Scotland That none should bée therein liuand And with his Host in greit array Toward Scotland hee tooke the way And when King Robert wist that hée Came on him with sik a MenÈie Hee gaddered men both far and néere While so feill commen to him were And was al 's for to come him to That him thought hée should well doe Hee gart with draw all the Cattell Of Lowthiane euerilk deill And into strengths gart them bee led And ordainde men to defend that stead And with his Host all still hee lay At Coâ—ros for hee would assay To gar his foes through fasting Bee feeble and through long waking And fra hee feeblished had heir might Assemble with them hee would to fight Hee thought to worke vpon this wise And Englishmen through greit Maistries Came with their Host to â—outhiane And then to Edinburgh are they gane And there abade dayes thrée Their ships that were vpon the sea Tad the wind contrare to them ay So that vpon no maner of way Power they had to the Firth to bring Their vittaile to relieue their King And they of the Host that failyied meat When they saw that they might not get Their vittailes to them by the sea They sent then foorth a greit Menyie For to forray all Louthiane But Cattell haue they founden nane Except a Kow that was haltand That in Tranent towne they â—and And when the Erle of Warrane Saw their Forrayours come againe And a Kow anerly come sa Hee asked if they found no ma And they haue said all to him Nay Then Certes said hee I dare say This is the dearest beast that I Saw euer yet for sikkerly It cost a thousand pound and maire And when the King and they that were Of his counsell saw they might get No Cattell to their Host to eat Then they of fasting had greit paine To England turned they home againe At Melros shupe they for to ly And sent before a company Thrée hundreth néere of armed men But the Lord Dowglas that was then Beside into a Forrest neere Wist of their comming and what they were And with them of his companie Into Melros all haillelie Hée howered into a bushment And a right sturdie Fréere hes sent Without the Yate their comming to see And bade him hold him all priuie While that hée saw them commen all Right to the cunyie of the Wall And cried on hie Dowglas Dowglas The Fréere then foorth his wayes taes That was right darfe stout and hardy His méekle hoode couered haillely The arming that hée on him had Upon a stalwart Horse hée rade And in his hand hée had a Speare And abade vpon that manéere While that hée saw them commenner And when the formest passed were The cunyie he cried Dowglas Dowglas Then to them all a course hée maes And bare one downe deliueredlie Then Dowglas with his companie Ished vpon them with a shoute And when they saw so great a rout Come vpon them so suddenlie They were abased gretumlie And gaue the backe but more abade The Scottishmen among them rade And slew all them they might ouerta And great martyrdome there can ma And they that scaped were vnslaine And to their Oast went home againe And told them what good welcomming Dowglas then made at their comming Conuoying them againe rudelie And warned them the
plaine harbrie Here followed King Robert in hight The English King with all his might THe King of England and his men That saw their harbreours come then Rebuted on that great maner Annoyed in their hearts they were And thought it was a great folie Into the wood to take harbrie Therefore by Dryburgh in a Plaine They harbried them and syne againe Are went to England but delay And when the King Robert heard say That they were turned home againe And how their harbreours were slaine In hy an Oast assembled he And went foorth ouer the Scots sea Eightie thousand he was and ma And eight battels he made of tha In ilk battell were ten thousand Syne went he foorth to England And in haill rout he followed fast The English King while at the last He came approaching by Byland When at that time there was lyand The King of Englanâ— with his men King Robert that had witting then That he lay there with méekle might Tranoynted so on him one night That on the morne by it was day Commen to the plaine field were they Fra Byland a litle space But betwixt them and it there was A craig bra streiked well lang And a great Path vp for to gang Otherwise might they not haue way To passe to Bylands Abbay Bot gif they passed far about And when the méekle English rout Heard that the King Robert was néere The most part of them that were there Went to the Path to take the bra There thought they their defence to ma Their Baners there they gart display And their battels in brade array And thought well to defend the place When King Robert perceiued hes That they them thought for to defend Efter his counsell hes he send And asked what was best to do The Lord Dowglas answered him to And said Sir I will vnderta That in short time I sall doe sa That I sall win yone place plainely Or then gar all yone company Come downe to you into this Plaine Or ye sall neuer trow me againe The King then said great GOD thée spéed And he on foorth his wayes yeede And of the Oast the most partie Put then into his companie And held their way toward the place The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Left his battell and in great hy But with few men in company Came to the Court of the Lord Dowglas And ere he entred into the place Before them all the place tooke he For he would that men sould him sée And when the good Lord Dowglas Saw that he so commen was He praised him thereof greatly And welcommed him honorably And to the place can togidder ga When Englishmen saw them doe sa They lighted and against them yéed Two Knights that doughtie were indéed Thomas of Struthers heght one to name And the other Sir Ralph of Cowbanâ— Thir two Knights of good degrée Came downe before all their Menyie They were both of full great bountie And met their foes right manfullie There might men sée well other assaile And men defend with stout battaile And arrowes flee in great fusioun And they that aboue were tumbled doun Stones vpon them from the hight But they that set both will and might To wiâ— the Path and preassed sa That Sir Ralph Cowbane can ta The way right to his Oast in hy And left Sir Thomas manfully Defending with great might the place UUhile that he so supprised was That he was tane through hard fighting And therefore syne while his ending He was renouned the best of hand Of one Knight was in all England For this ilk Sir Ralph of Cowbane In all England he had the name For the best Knight of that land And for Sir Thomas dwelt still fightand Where Sir Ralph as before said we Withdrew him abone him prised was he The discomfiting of Englishmen At Bylands Path into the Glen THus were they fighting in the place And when King Robert that was UUise in his deedes and eke worthie Saw his men ay so doughtelie The Peth vpon their foes ta And saw his foes defend them sa Then gart he all the Irishry That were into his company Of Argyle and Iles alswa Spéede them in hy vnto the bra He bade them leaue the Peth haillely And climbe vp on the Craiges thereby And speed them fast the hight to ta And in greit hy they haue done sa And clambe as Gaites vp to the hight And left not for their foes might Magre their foes they bare them sa That they are gotten abone the bra Then faught they wonder fellounlie And rushed their foes right sturdelie There was a right perilous bargaine For a Knight heght Sir Iohn of Britaine That lighted hes abone the bra With his men greit defence can ma But the Scottishmen can so assaille And gaue to them so feill battaile That they were set in sike effray That they that flée might fled away Sir Iohn of Brittaine there was tane And most part of his MenÈie sâ—aine Of France there were tane Knights two The Lord of Sowllie was one of tho The other was the Marshall Britaine That was a right greit Lord at hame The laue some dead were and some slain The remnand fled were euerilkane And when the King of England As yet at Byland was lyand Saw his men discomfist plainlie Hée tooke his way in full greit hy And Southward fled in all his might The Scots men chased him hard I hight And in the chase hes mony slaine But hee quicklie away is gane And the most part of his MenÈie Walter Stewart of greit bountie Set ay vpon hie Cheualrie With fiue hundreth in companie To Yorke Yates a chase can ma And there some of their men can sâ—a And abade while neere the night To see if ony would ish to fight And when hee saw none would ish out Hée turned againe wiâ—h all his rout And to the Host they went in hy That then had tane their harbery Into the Abbay of Byland And Rewes that were neere by lyand They dealâ— among them that was there And gaue the King of Englands geare That hee had left into Byland All gripped they into their hand And made them glad and eke merrie And when the King had tane Harberie They brought to him their prisoners All vnarmed as it affeeres And when hée saw Iohn of Brittaine Hee had at him full greit disdaine For hee of him would speake highly At home and too dispitefullie Hée bade haue him away in hy And looke hee kéeped were straitlie And said were it not that hée were A Captiâ—e as hée then was there His words hee should full deare aby And hée full fast can cry mercy They let him foorth withoutten maire And kéept him well white that they were Commen home to their owne Countrie Long efter syne ransomed was hee For twentie thousand pound to pay As I haue heard among men say WHen that the King this spéech had made The French Knights they taken had Were brought there