Chapter V: Part 5

Than passit was wtass off Feuiryher,
And part off Marche off rycht degestioune;
Apperyd than the last moneth off wer,
The syng off somir with his suet sessoun.
Be that Wallace off Dundaff maid him boune; 5
His leyff he tuk, and to Gilbank can fair.
The rewmour raiss throuch Scotland vp and doune,
With Ingliss men, that Wallace leiffand war.
In Aperill quhen cleithit is, but weyne,
The abill grounde be wyrking off natur, 10
And woddis has won thar worthy weid off greyne.
Quhen Nympheus, in beldyn off his bour,
With oyle and balm fullfillit off suet odour,
Faunis materis, as thai war wount to gang,
Walkyn thair courss in euery casuall hour, 15
To glaid the huntar with thair merye sang.
In this samyn tyme to him approchit new
His lusty payne, the quhilk I spak off ayr,
Be luffis cass, he thoucht [for] to persew
In Laynryk toune, and thidder he can fayr: 20
At residence a quhill ramaynit thair
In hyr presence as I said off befor;
Thocht Inglissmen was grewyt at his repayr,
Yeit he desyrd the thing that sat him sar.
The feyr off wer rewllyt him on sic wiss; 25 Fol. 34 a
He likit weyll with that gudlye to be;
Quhill wald he think off danger for to ryss,
And othir quhill out of hir presens fle.
“To cess off wer it war the best for me;
“Thus wyn I nocht bot sadnes on all syde. 30
“Sall neuir man this cowartyss in me se,
“To wer I will, for chance that may betyd.
“Quhat is this luff? it is bot gret myschance,
“That me wald bryng fra armess wtterly.
“I will nocht loss my worschip for plesance; 35
“In wer I think my tyme till occupy:
“Yeit hyr to luff I will nocht lat for thy;
“Mor sall I desyr hyr frendschip to reserue,
“Fra this day furth than euir befor did I,
“In fer off wer quhethir I leiff or sterue.” 40
Quhat suld I say, Wallace was playnly set
To luff hyr best in all this warld so wid;
Thinkand he suld off his desyr to get;
And so befell be concord in a tid,
That scho [was] maid at his commaund to bid; 45
And thus began the styntyn off this stryff:
Begynnyng band, with graith witnes besyd,
Myn auctor sais, scho was his rychtwyss wyff.
Now leiff in pees, now leiff in gud concord!
Now leyff in blyss, now leiff in haill plesance! 50
For scho be choss has bath hyr luff and lord.
He thinkis als, luff did him hye awance,
So ewynly held be fauour the ballance,
Sen he at will may lap hyr in his armyss.
Scho thankit God off hir fre happy chance, 55
For in his tyme he was the flour off armys.
Fortoune him schawit hyr fygowrt doubill face,
Feyll syss or than he had beyne set abuff:
In presoune now, delyuerit now throw grace,
Now at vness, now in to rest and ruff; 60
Now weyll at wyll, weyldand his plesand luff,
As thocht him selff out off aduersité;
Desyring ay his manheid for to pruff,
In curage set apon the stagis hye.
The werray treuth I can nocht graithly tell, 65
In to this lyff how lang at thai had beyne:
Throuch naturall courss off generacioune befell,
A child was chewyt thir twa luffaris betuene,
Quhilk gudly was, a maydyn brycht and schene;
So forthyr furth, be ewyn tyme off hyr age, 70 Fol. 34 b
A squier Schaw, as that full weyll was seyne,
This lyflat man hyr gat in mariage.
Rycht gudly men come off this lady ying.
Forthyr as now off hyr I spek no mar.
Bot Wallace furth in till his wer can ryng, 75
He mycht nocht cess, gret curage so him bar;
Sotheroun to sla for dreid he wald nocht spar,
And thai oft syss feill causis till him wrocht,
Fra that tyme furth, quhilk mowit [hym sa sar,
That neuir in warld out of his mind was brocht.] 80
Now leiff thi myrth, now leiff thi haill plesance;
Now leiff thi bliss, now leiff thi childis age;
Now leiff thi youth, [now] folow thi hard chance;
Now leyff thi lust, now leiff thi mariage;
Now leiff thi luff, for thow sall loss a gage 85
Quhilk neuir in erd sall be redemyt agayne;
Folow fortoun, and all hir fers owtrage;
Go leiff in wer, go leiff in cruell payne.
Fy on fortoun, fy on thi frewall quheyll;
Fy on thi traist, for her it has no lest; 90
Thow transfigowryt Wallace out off his weill,
Quhen he traistyt for till haiff lestyt best.
His plesance her till him was bot a gest;
Throw thi fers courss, that has na hap to ho,
Him thow our threw out off his likand rest, 95
Fra gret plesance, in wer, trawaill, and wo.
What is fortoune, quha dryffis the dett so fast?
We wait thar is bathe weill and wykit chance.
Bot this fals warld, with mony doubill cast,
In it is nocht bot werray wariance; 100
It is nothing till hewynly gowernance.
Than pray we all to the Makar abow,
Quhilk has in hand off justry the ballance,
That he vs grant off his der lestand lowe.
Her off as now forthyr I spek no mar, 105
Bot to my purposs schortly will I fayr.

Tuelff hundreth yer, tharto nynté and sewyn,
Fra Cryst wes born the rychtwiss king off hewyn,
Wilyham Wallace in to gud liking gais,
In Laynrik toun amang his mortaill fais. 110
The Ingliss men, that euir fals has beyne,
With Hesilryg, quhilk cruell was and keyn,
And Robert Thorn, a felloune sutell knycht,
Has founde the way, be quhat meyn best thai mycht,
How that thai suld mak contrar to Wallace 115 Fol. 35 a
Be argument, as he come vpon cace
On fra the kyrk, that was without the toune,
Quhill thar power mycht be in harness boune.
Schyr Jhon the Grayme, bathe hardy, wyss, and trew,
To Laynrik come, gud Wallace to persew; 120
Off his weyllfayr as he full oft had seyne.
Gud men he had in cumpany fyfteyne,
And Wallace nyne; thai war na feris ma.
Wpon the morn wnto the mess thai ga,
Thai and thar men graithit in gudly greyn; 125
For the sesson sic oyss full lang has beyne.
Quhen sadly thai had said thar deuotioune,
Ane argwnde thaim, as thai [went] throuch the toun,
The starkast man that Hesylryg than knew,
And als he had off lychly wordis ynew. 130
He salust thaim, as it war bot in scorn;
“Dewgar, gud day, bone Senyhour, and gud morn!”
‘Quhom scornys thow?’ quod Wallace, ‘quha lerd the?’
“Quhy, schir,” he said, “come yhe nocht new our se?
“Pardown me than, for I wend ye had beyne 135
“Ane inbasset to bryng ane wncouth queyne.”
Wallace ansuerd; ‘Sic pardoune as we haiff
‘In oyss to gyff, thi part thow sall nocht craiff.’
“Sen ye ar Scottis, yeit salust sall ye be;
“_Gud deyn, dawch Lard, bach lowch banyoch a de_.” 140
Ma Sotheroune men to thaim assemblit ner.
Wallace as than was laith to mak a ster.
Ane maid a scrip, and tyt at his lang suorde:
‘Hald still thi hand,’ quod he, ‘and spek thi word.’
“With thi lang suerd thow makis mekill bost.” 145
‘Tharoff,’ quod he, ‘thi deme maid litill cost.’
“Quhat causs has thow to wer that gudlye greyne?”
‘My maist causs is bot for to mak the teyne.’
“Quhat suld a Scot do with sa fair a knyff?”
‘Sa said the prest that last janglyt thi wyff; 150
‘That woman lang has tillit him so fair,
‘Quhill that his child worthit to be thine ayr.’
“Me think,” quod he, “thow drywys me to scorn.”
‘Thi deme has beyne japyt or thow was born.’
The power than assemblyt thaim about; 155
Twa hundreth men that stalwart war and stout.
The Scottis saw thair power was cummand;
Schir Robert Thorn and Hesilryg at hand,
The multitude wyth wappynys burnist beyne.
The worthi Scottis, quhilk cruell was and keyne, 160 Fol. 35 b
Amang Sotherone sic dyntis gaiff that tyd,
Quhill blud on breid byrstyt fra woundis wyd,
Wallace in stour wes cruelly fechtand;
Fra a Sotheroune he smat off the rycht hand:
And quhen that carle off fechtyng mycht no mar, 165
With the left hand in ire held a buklar.
Than fra the stowmpe the blud out spurgyt fast,
In Wallace face aboundandlye can out cast;
In to gret part it marryt hym off his sicht.
Schyr Jhone the Grayme a straik has tayne him rycht, 170
With hys gud suerd, vpon the Sotherone syr,
Derffly to ded draiff him in to that ire.
The perell was rycht awfull, hard, and strang;
The stour enduryt merwalusly and lang.
The Inglissmen gaderit fellone fast; 175
The worthi Scottis the gait left at the last.
Quhen thai had slayne and woundyt mony man,
Till Wallace in, the gaynest way thai can,
Thai passit swne, defendand tham richt weill;
He and Schyr Jhone, with suerdis stiff off steill, 180
Behind thair men, quhill thai the yett had tayne.
The woman than, quhilk was full will off wayne,
The perell saw, with fellone noyis and dyne,
Gat wp the yett, and leit thaim entir in.
Throuch till a strenth thai passit off that stede. 185
Fyftye Sotheroun wpon the gait was dede.
This fayr woman did besines, and hir mycht,
The Ingliss men to tary with a slycht,
Quhill that Wallace on to the wood wes past;
Than Cartlane craggis thai persewit full fast. 190
Quhen Sotheroun saw that chapyt was Wallace,
Agayne thai turnyt, the woman tuk on cace,
Put hir to dede, I can nocht tell yow how;
Off sic mater I may nocht tary now.
Quhar gret dulle is, bot rademyng agayne, 195
Newyn off it is bot ekyng of payne.
A trew woman, had seruit hir full lang,
Out off the toune the gaynest way can gang;
Till Wallace tald how all this dede was done.
The paynfull wo socht till hys hart full sone; 200
War nocht for schayme he had socht to the ground,
For bytter baill that in his breyst was bound.
Schir Jhone the Grayme, bath wyss, gentill, and fre,
Gret murnynge maid, that peté was to se;
And als the laiff that was assemblit thar, 205 Fol. 36 a
For pur sorou wepyt with hart full sar.
Quhen Wallace feld thar curage was so small,
He fenyeit him for to comfort thaim all.
“Cess, men,” he said, “this is a butlass payne;
“We can nocht now chewyss hyr lyff agayne.” 210
Wness a word he mycht bryng out for teyne;
The bailfull teris bryst braithly fra his eyne.
Sichand he said; “Sall neuir man me se
“Rest in till eyss, quhill this deid wrokyn be,
“The saklace slauchter off hir, blith and brycht. 215
“That I awow to the Makar off mycht,
“That off that nacioune I sall neuir forber,
“Yhong nor ald, that abill is to wer;
“Preystis no wemen I think [nocht] for to sla,
“In my defaut bot thai me causing ma. 220
“Schir Jhon,” he said, “lat all this murnyng be,
“And for hir saik thair sall ten thousand de.
“Quhar men may weipe, thar curage is the less;
“It slakis ire off wrang thai suld radres.”

Off thar complaynt as now I say no mar; 225
Off Awchinlek off Gilbank duelland thar.
Quhen he hard tell off Wallace wexatioune,
To Cartlane wood with ten men maid him boune.
Wallace he fand sum part with in the nycht;
To Laynryk toune in all haist thai thaim dycht. 230
The wache off thaim as than had litill heid;
Partyt thair men, and diuerss gatis yeid.
Schir Jhone the Grayme, and his gud cumpany,
To Schyr Robert off Thorn full fast thai hy.
Wallace and his to Hesilrige sone past, 235
In a heich houss quhar he was slepand fast;
Straik at the dure with his fute hardely,
Quhill bar and braiss in the flour he gart ly.
The schirreff cryt; “Quha makis that gret deray?”
‘Wallace,’ he said, ‘that thow has socht allday. 240
‘The womannis dede, will God, thow sall der by.’
Hesilrige thocht it was na tyme to ly;
Out off that houss full fayne he wald haiff beyne.
The nycht was myrk, yeit Wallace has him seyne,
Freschly him straik, as he come in gret ire, 245
Apon the heid, birstit throuch bayne and lyr.
The scherand suerd glaid till his coler bayne,
Out our the stayr amang thaim is he gayne.
Gude Awchinlek trowit nocht that he was dede; Fol. 36 b
Thryss with a knyff stekit him in that stede. 250
The scry about raiss rudly on the streyt;
Feyll off the layff war fulyeit wndir feyt.
Yong Hesilryg and wicht Wallace is met;
A sekyr strak Wilyham has on him set,
Derffly to dede off the stair dang him doune. 255
Mony thai slew that nycht in Laynrik toune.
Sum grecis lap, and sum stekit with in,
Aferd thai war with hidwiss noyis and dyne.
Schir Jhone the Grayme had set the houss in fyr,
Quhar Robert Thorn was brynt wp bayne and lyr. 260
Twelf scor thai slew that was off Ingland born;
Wemen thai lewit and preistis, on the morn,
To pass thar way, off blyss and gudis bar;
And swor that thai agayne suld cum no mar.
Quhen Scottis hard thir fyne tythingis off new, 265
Out off all part to Wallace fast thai drew;
Plenyst the toun quhilk was thair heretage.
Thus Wallace straiff agayne that gret barnage.
Sa he begane with strenth and stalwart hand,
To chewyss agayne sum rowmys off Scotland. 270
The worthy Scottis, that semblyt till him thar,
Chesit him for cheyff, thar chyftayne and ledar.
Amer Wallang, a suttell terand knycht,
In Bothwell duelt, king Eduuardis man full rycht.
Murray was out, thocht he was rychtwyss lord 275
Off all that land, as trew men will racord.
In till Aran he was duelland that tyd;
And othir men, in this land durst nocht bide.
Bot this fals knycht in Bothwell wonnand was;
A man he gert sone to king Eduuard pas, 280
And tald him haill off Wallace ordinance,
How he had put his pepill to myschance.
And playnly was ryssyn agayne to ryng.
Grewit tharat rycht gretly wes the king;
Throuch all Ingland he gart his doaris cry 285
Power to get; and said, he wald planly
In Scotland pass, that rewme to statut new.
Feill men off wer till him full fast thai drew.
The queyne feld weill how that his purpos was;
Till him scho went, on kneis syne can him ass, 290
He wald desist, and nocht in Scotland gang;
He suld haiff dreid to wyrk so felloune wrang:
“Crystyne thai ar, yone is thar heretage; Fol. 37 a
“To reyff that croune that is a gret owtrage.”
For hyr consaill at hayme he wald nocht byde; 295
His lordis hym set in Scotland for to ryde.
A Scottis man, than duellyt with Eduuard,
Quhen he hard tell that Wallace tuk sic part,
He staw fra thaim as priualé as he may;
In to Scotland he come apon a day, 300
Sekand Wallace he maid him reddy boune.
This Scot was born at Kyle in Rycardtoune;
All Ingland cost he knew it wondyr weill,
Fra Hull about to Brysto euirilk deill;
Fra Carleill throuch Sandwich that ryoll stede, 305
Fra Douer our on to Sanct Beis hede.
In Pykarté and Flandrys he hade beyne,
All Normondé and Frans haill he had seyne;
A pursiwant till king Eduuard in wer,
Bot he couth neuir gar him his armes ber. 310
Off gret statur, and sum part gray wes he;
The Inglissmen cald him bot Grymmysbé.
To Wallace come, and in to Kile him fand;
He tald him haill the tithandis off Ingland.
Thai turnyt his nayme, fra [that] tyme thai him knew, 315
And cald him Jop; off ingen he was trew;
In all his tyme gud seruice in him fand;
Gaiff him to ber the armés off Scotland.
Wallace agayne in Cliddisdaill sone raid,
And his power semblit with outyn baid, 320
He gart commaund, quha that his pes wald tak,
A fre remyt he suld ger to thaim mak,
For alkyn deid that thai had doyne beforn.
The Perseis peess and Schyr Ranaldis wes worn.
Feill till him drew that bauldly durst abid, 325
Off Wallace kyn, fra mony diuerss sid.
Schir Ranald than send him his power haill;
Him selff durst nocht be knawine in battaill
Agayne Sotheroun, for he had maid a band,
Lang tyme befor, to hald off thaim his land. 330
Adam Wallace past out off Ricardtoun,
And Robert Boid, with gud men off renoun.
Off Cunyngayme and Kille come men off waill,
To Laynrik socht, on horss a thousand haill.
Schyr Jhone the Grayme, and his gud chewalré, 335
Schir Jhone off Tynto, with men that he mycht be,
Gud Awchinlek, that Wallace wncle was,
Mony trew Scot with that chyftayne couth pass;
Thre thousand haill off likly men in wer,
And feill on fute quhilk wantyt horss and ger. 340

The tyme be this was cummand apon hand; Fol. 37 b
The awfull ost, with Eduuard off Ingland,
To Beggar come, with sexté thousand men.
In wer wedis that cruell war to ken.
Thai playntyt thar feild with tentis and pailyonis, 345
Quhar claryowns blew full mony mychty sonis;
Plenyst that place with gud wittaill and wyne,
In cartis brocht thar purwiance dewyne.
The awfull king gert twa harroldis be brocht,
Gaiff thaim commaund, in all the haist thai mocht, 350
To charge Wallace, that he sulde cum him till,
Witht out promyss, and put him in his will;
“Be causs we wait he is a gentill man,
“Cum in my grace, and I sall saiff him than,
“As for his lyff, I will apon me tak; 355
“And efftir this, gyff he couth seruice mak,
“He sall haiff wage that may him weill suffice.
“That rebald wenys, for he has done supprice
“To my pepill oft apon awentur,
“Agaynys me [that] he may lang endur. 360
“To this proffyr gaynstandand giff he be,
“Her I awow he sall be hyngyt hye.”
A yong squier, was brothir to Fehew,
He thocht he wald dysgysit [ga] to persew,
Wallace to se that tuk so hie a part; 365
Born sister sone he was to king Eduuart.
A cot off armes he tuk on him but baid;
With the harroldis full prewaly he raid
To Tynto hill with outyn residens,
Quhar Wallace lay with his folk at defence. 370
A likly ost, as of sa few, thai fand;
Till hym thai socht, and wald no langar stand:
“Gyff ye be he that rewllis all this thing,
“Credence we haiff brocht fra our worthi king.”
Than Wallace gert thre knychtis till him call, 375
Syne red the wryt in presens off thaim all.
To thaim he said; “Ansuer ye sall nocht craiff;
“Be wryt or word quhilk likis yow best till haiff?”
‘In wryt,’ thai said, ‘it war the liklyast.’
Than Wallace thus began to dyt in hast: 380
“Thow reyffar king chargis me throw cass,
“That I suld cum, and put me in thi grace.
“Gyff I gaynstand, thow hechtis till hyng me:
“I wow to God, and euir I may tak the,
“Thow sall be hangyt, ane exempill to geiff 385
“To kingis off reyff, als lang as I may leiff.
“Thow profferis me thi wage for till haiff;
“I the defy, power and all the laiff,
“At helpis the her, off thi fals natioun.
“Will God, thow sall be put off this regioune, 390
“Or de tharfor, contrar thocht thow had suorne. Fol. 38 a
“Thow sall ws se or nyne houris to morn,
“Battaill to gyff, magre off all thi kyn;
“For falsly thow sekis our rewme to wyn.”
This wryt he gaiff to the harraldis but mar, 395
And gud reward he gart delyuer thaim thar.
Bot Jop knew weyll the squier yong Fehew,
And tald Wallace, for he wes euir trew.
Than he command, that thai suld sone thaim tak:
Him selff began a sair cusyng to mak. 400
“Squier,” he said, “sen thow has fenyeit armys;
“On the sall fall the fyrst part off thir harmys,
“Sampill to geyff till all thi fals natioune.”
Apon the hill he gert thaim set him downe,
Straik off his hed, or thai wald forthyr go. 405
To the herrold said syne with outyn ho;
“For thow art falss till armys and maynsuorn,
“Throuch thi chokkis thi tong sall be out schorn.”
Quhen that was doyne, than to the thrid said he;
“Armyss to juge thow sall neuir graithly se.” 410
He gert a smyth, with his turkas rycht thar,
Pow out his eyne, syne gaiff thaim leiff to far.
“To your falss king thi falow sall thou leid;
“With my ansuer turss him his newois heid:
“Thus sar I drede the king, and all his bost.” 415
His dum falow [led] hym on to thair ost.
Quhen king Eduuard his herroldis thus has seyne,
In propyr ire he wox ner wode for teyne,
That he nocht wyst on quhat wiss him to wreke;
For sorow almaist a word he mycht nocht spek. 420
A lang quhill he stud wrythand in a rage;
On loud he said; “This is a fell owtrage,
“This deid to Scottis full der it sall be boucht;
“Sa dispitfull in warld was neuir wroucht.
“Off this regioun I think nocht for to gang, 425
“Quhill tyme that I sall se that rybald hang,”
Lat I him thus in till his sorow duell;
Off thai gud Scottis schortly I will yow tell.
Furth fra his men than Wallace rakit rycht;
Till him he cald Schyr Jhon Tynto the knycht, 430
And leit him witt, to wesy him selff wald ga
The Ingliss ost, and bad him tell na ma,
Quhat euir thai speryt, quhill that he come agayne.
Wallace dysgysit thus bownyt our the playne.
Betwix Cultir and Bygar as he past, 435
He was [sone] war quhar a werk man come fast,
Dryfande a mere, and pychars had he to sell.
“Gud freynd,” he said, “in treuth will thow me tell, Fol. 38 b
“With this chaffar quhar passis thow treuly.”
‘Till ony, Schyr, quha likis for to by; 440
‘It is my crafft, and I wald [sell] thaim fayne.’
“I will thaim by, sa God me saiff fra payne;
“Quhat price lat her, I will tak thaim ilkayne.”
‘Bot half a mark, for sic pryss haiff I tayne.’
“Twenty shillingis,” Wallace said, “thow sall haiff; 445
“I will haiff mer, pycharis and als the laiff.
“Thi gowne and hoiss in haist thow put off syne,
“And mak a chang, for I sall geyff the myne;
“And thi ald hud, becauss it is thred bar.”
The man wend weyll that he had scornyt him thar. 450
“Do, tary nocht, it is suth I the say.”
The man kest off his febill weid off gray,
And Wallace his, and payit siluer in hand.
“Pass on,” he said, “thou art a proud merchand.”
The gown and hoiss in clay that claggit was, 455
The hude heklyt, and maid him for to pass.
The qwhipe he tuk, syne furth the mar can call;
Atour a bray the omast pot gert fall,
Brak on the ground. The man lewch at his fair;
‘Bot thow be war, thow tynys off thi chaiffair.’ 460
The sone be than was passit out off sicht,
The day our went, and cummyn was the nycht.
Amang Sotheroun full besyly he past;
On athir side his eyne he gan to cast,
Quhar lordis lay, and had thair lugeyng maid. 465
The kingis palyone, quhar on the libardis baid,
Spyand full fast, quhar his awaill suld be,
And couth weyll luk and wynk, with the ta E.
Sum scornyt him, sum gleid carll cald him thar;
Agrewit thai war for thair herroldis mysfayr. 470
Sum sperd at him, how [he] sald off the best.
“For fourty pens,” he said, “quhill thai may lest.”
Sum brak a pott, sum pyrlit at his E.
Wallace fled out, and prewalé leit thaim be:
On till his ost agayne he past full rycht. 475
His men be than had tane Tynto the knycht;
Schyr Jhon the Grayme gert bynd him wondyr fast,
For he wyst weill he was with Wallace last.
Sum bad byrn him, sum hang him in a cord;
Thai swor that he had dissawit thair lord. 480
Wallace be this was entryt thaim amang;
Till him he yeid, and wald nocht tary lang.
Syne he gart louss him off thai bandis new,
And said, he was baith suffer, wyss and trew.
To souper sone thai bownd but mar abaid. 485 Fol. 39 a
He tald to thaim quhat market he had maid;
And how at he the Sotheroun saw full weill.
Schyr Jhon the Grayme displessit was sumdeill,
And said till him; “Nocht chyftaynlik it was,
“Throw wilfulnes, in sic perell to pas.” 490
Wallace ansuerd; ‘Or we wyn Scotland fre,
‘Baith ye and I in mor perell mon be,
‘And mony othir, the quhilk full worthi is.
‘Now off a thing we do sumpart amys.
‘A litill slepe I wald fayne that we had; 495
‘With yone men syne luk how we may ws glaid.’
The worthi Scottis tuk gud rest quhill ner day;
Than raiss thai wp, till ray sone ordand thai.
The hill thai left, and till a playne is gayne;
Wallace him selff the wantguard he has tayne: 500
With him was Boid and Awchinlek but dreid,
With a thousand off worthi men in weid.
Alss mony syne in the mydwart put he;
Schir Jhon the Grayme he gert thar ledar be:
With him Adam young lord off Ricardtoun, 505
And Somerwaill a squier off renoun.
The thrid thousand in [the] rerward he dycht,
Till Waltir gaiff off Newbyggyn the knycht;
With him Tynto that douchty wes in deid,
And Daui son off Schyr Waltir, to leid. 510
Behynd thaim ner, the fute men gert he be;
And bade thaim bid, quhill thai thar tyme mycht se:
“Ye want wapynnys and harnes in this tid;
The fyrst cowntir ye may nocht weill abid.”
Wallace gert sone the chyftaynis till him call; 515
This charg he gaiff, for chance that mycht befall,
Till tak no heid to ger, nor off pylage,
“For thai will fle as wod [men] in a rage.
“Wyne fyrst the men, the gud syne ye may haiff;
“Than tak na tent off cowatyss to craiff. 520
“Throuch cowatyss sum lossis gud and lyff;
“I commaund yow forber sic in our stryff.
“Luk that ye saiff na lord, capteyne, nor knycht;
“For worschipe wyrk, and for our eldris rycht.
“God blyss ws, [that] may we in sic wiage 525
“Put thir falss folk out off our heretage.”
Than thai inclynd all with a gudly will;
His playne commaund thai hecht for to fullfill.

On the gret ost thir partice fast can draw, Fol. 39 b
Cumand to thaim, out off the south, thai saw: 530
Thre hundreth men, in till thar armour cler,
The gaynest way to thaim approchit ner.
Wallace said sone, thai war na Inglissmen;
For by this ost the gatis weyll thai ken.
Thom Haliday thai men he gydyt rycht; 535
Off Anadderdaill he had thaim led that nycht.
His twa gud sonnis, Wallas and Rudyrfurd,
Wallace was blyth fra he had hard thair wourd;
So was the laiff off his gud chewalry.
Jarden thar come in till thar cumpany; 540
And Kyrkpatrik, befor in Esdaill was;
A weyng thai war in Wallace ost to pass.
The Ingliss wach, that nycht had beyne on steir,
Drew to thair ost rycht as the day can per.
Wallace knew weill, for he befor had seyne, 545
The kings palyon, quhar it was buskit beyne.
Than with rych horss the Scottis vpon thaim raid:
The fyrst cownter so gret abaysing maid,
That all the ost was stunyst of that sicht;
Full mony ane derffly to ded was dicht. 550
Feill off thaim was as than out off aray;
The mair haisté and awfull was the fray.
The noyis rouschit throuch straikis that thai dang.
The rewmour raiss so rudly thaim amang,
That all the ost was than in poynt to fle. 555
The wyss lordis, fra thai the perell se,
The fellone fray, all rasyt wes about;
And how thar king stud in so mekill dout;
Till his palyone, how mony thousand socht,
Him to reskew be ony way thai mocht! 560
The erle of Kent that nycht [had] walkand beyne,
With fyve thousand off men in armour cleyne;
About the king full sodandly thai gang,
And traistis weyll, the sailye wes rycht strang.
All Wallace folk in wyss off wer was gud, 565
In to the stour sone lychtyt quhar thai stud.
Quham euir thai hyt, na harnes mycht thaim stynt,
Fra thai on fute semblit with suerdis dynt;
Off manheid thai in hartis cruell was,
Thai thocht to wyn, or neuir thine to pass. 570
Feill Inglissmen before the king thai slew.
Schir Jhon the Grayme come with his power new
Amang the ost; with the mydwart he raid;
Gret martyrdome on Sotheroun men thai maid.
The rerward than set on sa hardely, 575
With Newbyggyn, and all the chewalry; Fol. 40 a
Palyone rapys thai cuttyt in to sowndyr,
Borne to the ground, and mony smoryt owndir.
The fute men come, the quhilk I spak off ayr,
On fräyt folk set strakis sad and sayr: 580
Thocht thai befor wantyt bath horss and ger,
Anewch thai gat, quhat thai wald waill to wer.
The Scottis power than all to gyddir war;
The kingis palyon brymly doun thai bar.
The erle off Kent, with a gud ax in hand, 585
Into the stour full stoutly couth he stand
Befor the king, makand full gret debait:
Quha best did than, he had the heast stait.
The felloune stour so stalwart was and strang,
Thar to contened marwalusly and lang. 590
Wallace him saw, full sadly couth persew,
And at a straik the cheiff chyftayne he slew.
The Sotheron folk fled fast, and durst nocht byd;
Horssit thair king and off the feild couth ride
Agaynis his will, for he was laith to fle; 595
In to that tyme he thocht nocht for to de.
Off his best men four thousand thar was dede,
Or he couth fynd to fle and leiff that stede.
Twenty thousand with him fled in a staill.
The Scottis gat horss, and folowit that battaill 600
Throuch Cultir hope; or tyme thai wan the hycht,
Feill Sotheroun folk was marryt in thair mycht,
Slayne be the gait as thair king fled away.
Bathe fair, and brycht, and rycht cler was the day,
The sone ryssyn, schynand our hill and daill. 605
Than Wallace kest quhat was his grettest waill,
The fleand folk, that off the feild fyrst past,
In to thair king agayne releiffit fast.
Fra athir sid so mony semblit thar,
That Wallace wald lat folow thaim no mar; 610
Befor he raid, gart his folk turn agayne.
Off Inglissmen sewyn thousand thar was slayne.
Than Wallace ost agayne to Beggar raid,
Quhar Inglissmen gret purwians had maid.
The jowalré, as it was thiddir led, 615
Palyonis and all thai leiffit quhen thai fled.
The Scottis gat gold, gud, ger, and othir wage;
Relewyt thai war, at partit that pilage.
To meit thai went, with myrthis and plesance;
Thai sparyt nocht king Eduuardis purweance. 620 Fol. 40 b
With solace syne a litill sleyp thai ta;
A prewa wach he gart amang thaim ga.
Twa kukis fell, thair lyffis for to saiff,
With dede corssys that lay wnputt in graiff;
Quhen thai saw weyll the Scottis war at rest, 625
Out off the feild to steill thaim thocht it best.
Full law thai crap, quhill thai war out off sicht;
Eftir the ost syne ran in all thair mycht.
Quhen that the Scottis had slepyt bot a quhill,
Than raiss thai wp, for Wallace dredyt gyll. 630
He said to thaim; “The Sotherone may persewe
“Agayne to ws, for thai ar folk enew.
“Quhar Ingliss men prowisioune makis in wer,
“It is full hard to do thaim mekill der.
“On this playne feild we will thaim nocht abid; 635
“To sum gud strenth my purpos is to ryd.”
The purweance, that left was in that stede,
To Ropis Bog he gert serwandis it lede,
With ordinance at Sothroun broucht in thar.
He with the ost to Dawis schaw can far; 640
And thar ramaynede a gret space off the day.
Off Ingliss men yeit sum thing will I say.

As king Eduuart throuch Cultir hoppis socht,
Quhen he persawit the Scottis folowed nocht,
In Jhonnys greyne he gert the ost ly still; 645
Feill fleand folk assemblit sone him till.
Quhen thai war met, the king ner worthis mad,
For his der kyn that he thar lossyt had;
His twa emys in to the feild was slayne,
His secund sone that mekill was off mayne. 650
His brothir Hew was kelyt thar full cald;
The erle off Kent, that cruell berne and bald.
With gret worschip tuk ded befor the king;
For him he murnyt, als lang as he mycht ryng.
At this semlay as thai in sorow stand, 655
The twa kukis come sone in at his hand,
And tald till him how thai enchapyt war:
“The Scottis all as swyne lyis droukyn thar,
“Off our wycht wyne ye gert ws thidder led;
“Full Weill we may be wengit off thar ded. 660
“A payne our lywis, it is suth that we tell:
“Raturne agayne, ye sall fynd thaim your sell.”
He blamyt thaim; and said, na witt it was,
That he agayne for sic a taill sud pass.
‘Thar chyftayne is rycht marwalus in wer; 665
‘Fra sic perell he can full weill thaim ber. Fol. 41 a
‘To sek him mar as now I will nocht ryd;
‘Our meit is lost, tharfor we may nocht byd.’
The hardy duk off Longcastell and lord,
“Souerane,” he said, “till our consaill concord. 670
“Gyff this be trew, ye haiff the mar awaill;
“We may thaim wyne, and mak bot lycht trawaill.
“War yon folk ded, quha may agayne ws stand?
“Than neid we nocht for meit to leiff the land.”
The king ansuerd; ‘I will nocht rid agayne, 675
‘As at this tyme, my purpos is in playne.’
The duk said; “Schir, gyff ye contermyt be,
“To mowff yow mor it afferis nocht for me.
“Commaund power agayne with me to wend;
“And I off this sall se a finaill end.” 680
Ten thousand haill he chargyt for to ryd;
‘Her in this strenth all nycht I sall yow bid.
‘We may get meit off bestiall in this land;
‘Gud drynk as now we can nocht bryng to hand.’
Off Westmorland the lord had mett him thar, 685
On with the duk he graithit him to fair.
At the fyrst straik with thaim he had nocht beyne;
With him he led a thousand weill beseyne.
A Pykart lord was with a thousand bowne;
Off king Edward he kepyt Calyss toun. 690
This twelf thousand on to the feild can fair.
The twa captans sone mett thaim at Beggair,
With the haill stuff off Roxburch and Berweike.
Schir Rawff Gray saw at thai war Sotheron leik,
Out off the south approchit to thair sicht; 695
He knew full weill with thaim it was nocht rycht.
Amer Wallange with his power come als,
King Eduuardis man, a tyrand knycht and fals.
Quhen thai war mett thai fand nocht ellis thar,
Bot dede corssis, and thai war spulyeit bar. 700
Than marueld thai quhar at the Scottis suld be;
Off thaim about perance thai couth nocht se:
Bot spyis thaim tald, that come with Schyr Amar,
In Dawis schaw thai saw thaim mak repair.
The fers Sotheroun sone passit to that place; 705
The wach wes war, and tald [it] to Wallace.
He warnd the ost out off that wood to ryd,
In Roppis bog he purpost for to byd.
A litill schaw wpon the ta syd was,
That men on fute mycht off the bog out pass. 710
Thar horss thai left in to that litill hauld. Fol. 41 b
On fute thai thocht the moss that thai suld hauld.
The Ingliss ost had weill thar passage seyne,
And folowed fast with cruell men and keyne.
Thai trowit that bog mycht mak thaim litill waill, 715
Growyn our with reyss, and all the sward was haill.
On thaim to ryd thai ordand in gret ire;
Off the formest a thousand, in the myre,
Off horss with men, was plungyt in the deipe.
The Scottis men tuk off thair cummyng kepe; 720
Upon thaim set with strakis sad and sar,
Yeid nane away off all that entrit thar.
Lycht men on fute apon thaim derffly dang;
Feill wndyr horss was smoryt in that thrang,
Stampyt in moss, and with rud horss ourgayne. 725
The worthy Scottis the dry land than has tayne.
Apon the laiff fechtand full wondyr fast,
And mony groyme thai maid full sar agast.
Than Inglissmen, that besy was in wer,
Assailyeit sar thaim fra the moss to ber, 730
On athir syd; bot than it was no but.
The strenth thai held rycht awfully on fut,
Till men and horss gaiff mony grewous wound;
Feyll to the dede thai stekit in that stound.
The Pykart lord assailyeit scharply thar, 735
Vpon the Grayme, with strakis sad and sar.
Schir Jhone the Grayme, with a staff suerd off steill,
His brycht byrneis he persyt euirilkdeill,
Throuch all the stuff, and stekit him in that sted:
Thus off his dynt the bauld Pykart is ded. 740
The Ingliss ost tuk playne purposs to fle;
In thar turnyng the Scottis gert mony de.
Wallace wald fayne at the Wallang haiff beyne;
Off Westmorland the lord was thaim betweyne:
Wallace on him he set ane awfull dynt, 745
Throuch basnet stuff, that na steill mycht it stynt;
Derffly to dede he left him in that place.
The fals knycht thus eschapit throuch this cace.
And Robert Boid has with a captayne mett
Off Berweik, than a sad straik on him set 750
Awkwart the crag, and kerwyt the pissane,
Throuch all his weid in sondyr straik the bane.
Feill horssyt men fled fast, and durst nocht byd;
Raboytit ewill, on to thar king thai rid.
The duk him tald off all thair jornay haill: 755
His hart for ire bolnyt for byttir baill;
Haill he hecht he suld neuyr London se,
On Wallace deid quhill he rawengit be, Fol. 42 a
Or loss his men agayne as he did ayr.
Thus socht he south with gret sorou and cair; 760
At the Byrkhill a litill tary maid;
Syne throuch the land but rest our Sulway raid.
The Scottis ost a nycht ramanyt still;
Apon the morn thai spulyete, with gud will,
The dede corssis; syne couth to Braid wood fayr, 765
At a consaill thre dayis soiornyt thar.
At Forest kyrk a metyng ordand he;
Thai chesd Wallace Scottis wardand to be,
Traistand he suld thair paynfull sorow cess.
He rasawyt all that wald cum till his pess. 770
Schir Wilyham come that lord off Douglas was,
Forsuk Eduuard, at Wallace pess can ass;
In thair thrillage he wald no langar be:
Trewbut befor till Ingland payit he.
In contrar Scottis with thaim he neuir raid; 775
Fer bettir cher Wallace tharfor him maid.
Thus tretyt he, and cheryst wondyr fair
Trew Scottis men that fewté maid him thar;
And gaiff gretly feill gudis at he wan;
He warndit nocht till na gud Scottis man. 780
Quha wald rebell, and gang contrar the rycht,
He punyst sar, war he squier or knycht.
Thus marwalusly gud Wallas tuk on hand;
Lykly he was, rycht fair and weill farrand,
Mandly and stout, and tharto rycht liberall, 785
Plesand and wiss in all gud gouernall.
To sla, forsuth, Sotheroun he sparyt nocht;
To Scottis men full gret profyt he wrocht.
In to the south sone efftir passit he;
As him best thocht he rewllyt that contré. 790
Schirrais he maid that cruell was to ken,
And captans als, off wiss trew Scottis men.
Fra Gamlis peth the land obeyt him haill,
Till Ur wattir, bath strenth, forest, and daill.
Agaynis him in Galloway hous was nayne, 795
Except Wigtoun, byggyt off lyme and stayne.
That captayne hard the reullis off Wallace;
Away be sey, he staw out off that place,
Lewyt all waist, and couth in Ingland wend.
Bot Wallace sone a kepar till it send, 800
A gud squier; and to nayme he was cald
Adam Gordone, as the storie me tald.

A strenth thar was on the wattir off Cre,
With in a roch, rycht stalwart wrocht off tre;
A gait befor mycht no man to it wyn, 805 Fol. 42 b
But the consent off thaim that duelt within.
On the bak sid a roch and wattir was;
A strait entré forsuth it was to pass.
To wesy it Wallace him selff sone went;
Fra he it saw, he kest in his entent 810
To wyn that hauld; he has chosyne a gait,
That thai with in suld mak litill debait.
His power haill he gerd bid out off sycht,
Bot thre with him qwhill tyme that it was nycht.
Than tuk he twa, quhen that the nycht was dym, 815
Stewyn off Irland, and Kerlé, that couth clyme
The wattir wnder; and clame the roch so strang:
Thus entrit thai the Sothrone men amang.
The wach befor tuk na tent to that syd:
Thir thre in feyr sone to the port thai glid. 820
Gud Wallace than straik the portar him sell;
Dede our the roch in to the dik he fell;
Leit doun the brig, and blew his horne on hycht.
The buschement brak, and come in all thar mycht;
At thair awne will sone entrit in that place; 825
Till Inglissmen thai did full litill grace.
Sexty thai slew; in that hald was no ma,
Bot ane auld preist, and sympill wemen twa.
Gret purweance was in that roch to spend;
Wallace baid still quhill it was at ane end: 830
Brak doune the strenth, bath bryg, and bulwark all;
Out our the roch thai gert the temyr fall;
Wndid the gait, and wald no langar bid.
In Carrik syne thai bownyt thaim to rid;
Haistit thaim nocht, bot sobyrly couth fair 835
Till Towrnbery; thar captane was at Ayr
With lord Persie, to tak his consaill haill:
Syne fyrd the yett, na succour mycht awaill.
A prest thar was, and gentill wemen with in,
Quhilk for the fyr maid hiddewis noyis and dyn. 840
“Mercy,” thai cryit, “for him that deit on tre!”
Wallace gert slaik the fyr, and leit thaim be.
To mak defens na ma was lewyt thar:
He thaim commaund out off the land to far;
Spulyeit the place, and spilt all at thai mocht. 845
Apon the morn in Cumno sone thai socht;
To Laynrik syne, and set a tyme off ayr,
Mysdoaris feill he gert be punyst thar.
To gud trew men he gaiff full mekill wage;
His brothir sone put to his heretage; 850
To the blak crag in Cumno past agayne; Fol. 43 a
His houshauld set with men off mekill mayne.
Thre monethis thar he duellyt in gud rest;
Suttell Sotheroune fand weill it was the best
Trewis to tak; for till enchew a chans 855
To furthir this, thai send for knycht Wallans.
Bothwell yeit that tratour kepyt still;
And Ayr all haill was at the Perseis will;
The byschope Beik in Glaskow duellyt thar,
Throucht gret supple off the captayne off Ayr. 860
Erll off Stamffurd, was chanslar off Ingland,
With Schyr Amar this trawaill tuk on hand,
To procur pess be ony maner off cace.
A saiff condyt thai purchest off Wallace.
In Ruglen kyrk the tryst than haiff thai set, 865
A promes maid to meit Wallace but let.
The day off this approchit wondyr fast;
The gret chanslar and Amar thidder past:
Syne Wallace come, and his men weill beseyn,
With him fyfty arayit all in greyne. 870
Ilkane off thaim a bow and arrowis bar,
And lang suerdis, the quhilk full scharply schar.
In to the kyrk he gert a preyst rewess;
With humyll mynd rycht mekly hard a mess:
Syne wp he raiss and till ane alter went, 875
And his gud men full cruell off entent.
In ir he grew, that traitour quhen he sawe;
The Inglissmen off his face stud gret aw.
Witt reullyt him, that he did no owtrage.
The erlle beheld fast till his hye curage; 880
Forthocht sum part that he come to that place,
Gretlye abaysit for the vult off his face.
Schir Amer said; “This spech ye mon begyne;
“He will nocht bow to na part off your kyn.
“Sufferyt ye ar, I trow yhe may spek weill. 885
“For all Ingland he will nocht brek adeyll
“His saiff cwndyt, or quhar he makis a band.”
The chanslar than approfferit him his hand.
Wallace stud still, and couth na handis ta;
Frendschipe to thaim na liknes wald he ma. 890
Schir Amar said; ‘Wallace, yhe wndyrstand,
‘This is a lord, and chanslar off Ingland;
‘To salus him ye may be propyr skill.’
With schort awyss he maid ansuer him till;
“Sic salusyng I oyss till Ingliss men 895
“Sa sall he haiff, quhar euir I may him ken
“At my power; that God I mak awow,
“Out off souerance gyff that I had him now.
“Bot for thi lyff, and all his land so braid,
“I will nocht brek this promess that is maid. 900
“I had leuir at myn awn will haiff the, Fol. 43 b
“With out condyt, that I mycht wrokyne be
“Off thi fals deid, thou dois in this regioune,
“Than off pur gold a kingis gret ransoune.
“Bot, for my band, as now I will lat be. 905
“Chanslar, schaw furth quhat ye desyr of me.”
The chanslar said; ‘The most causs of this thing,
‘To procur peess I am send fra our king,
‘With the gret seill, and woice off hys parliament;
‘Quhat I bynd her oure barnage sall consent.’ 910
Wallace ansuerd; “Our litill mendis we haiff,
“Syne off oure rycht ye occupy the laiff.
“Quytcleyme our land, and we sall nocht deny.”
The chanslar said; ‘Off na sic chargis haiff I;
‘We will gyff gold, or oure purposs suld faill.’ 915
Than Wallace said; “In waist is that trawaill.
“Be fauour gold we ask nayne off your kyn;
“In wer off you we tak that we may wyn.”
Abaissid he was to mak ansuer agayne.
Wallace said; “Schyr, we jangill bot in wayne. 920
“My consell gyffis, I will na fabill mak,
“As for a yer a finaill pess to tak.
“Nocht for my self, that I bynd to your seill,
“I can nocht trow that euir ye will be leill;
“Bot for pur folk gretlye has beyne supprisyt, 925
“I will tak peess, quhill forthir we be awisit.”
Than band thai thus; thar suld be no debait,
Castell and towne suld stand in that ilk stait,
Fra that day furth, quhill a yer war at end:
Sellyt this pess, and tuk thar leyff to wend. 930
Wallace fra thine passit in to the west,
Maid playne repair quhar so him likit best;
Yeit sar he dred or thai suld him dissaiff.
This endentour to Schyr Ranald he gaiff,
His der wncle, quhar it mycht kepit be; 935
In Cumno syne till his duellyng went he.

EXPLICIT LIBER SEXTUS,
INCIPIT SEPTIMUS.

BUKE SEWYND.